/story/207346/the-numbers-above-us/issue/1
The Numbers Above Us - The Number | Penana
arrow_back
The Numbers Above Us
more_vert
  • info_outline Info
  • toc Table of Contents
  • share Share
  • format_color_text Display Settings
  • exposure_plus_1 Recommend
  • coins Sponsor
  • report_problem Report
  • account_circle Login
share bookmark_border file_download
info_outline
format_color_text
toc
comment 3
exposure_plus_1
coins
Search stories, writers or societies
Show More Tags
Continue ReadingClear All
More
What Others Are ReadingRefresh
See more results for ""
X
Never miss what's happening on Penana!
Turn on notifications
Later
The Numbers Above Us
ISSUE #1
Author: millicent
The Numbers Above Us
Author: millicent
ISSUE #1
The Number
No Plagiarism!WX2ggXjxqg89XmSub9Jhposted on PＥNAＮＡ 148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXWllbsu2c

When I woke up, I thought it was a dream.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tBpFjAPCU

Not the kind that fades the moment you open your eyes—

the kind that lingers, pressing against reality like it belongs there.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS8JH9cAsk

There was something above me.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjkcXIXipj

At first, I ignored it. My room was still dim, the curtains barely letting in the morning light. Everything looked normal.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLHe3wP5B5

But that feeling…

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRcchXR5Eu

That something wasn’t right.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjbPKO0ABw

I blinked slowly, then looked up again.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpvQmPw476

And that’s when I saw it.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdlYVVxx57

A number.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4xF2caniS

Floating.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjd0BF5jkJ

Perfectly still.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH9jvSodFW

27

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuj6OcR1TC

My breath caught in my throat.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby83Ns2VEo

I sat up too fast, my head spinning slightly as I stared at it. The number didn’t move. Didn’t flicker. Didn’t disappear.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINdRpyGxUb

It just… stayed there.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcND3vs72FG

“Okay…” I whispered to myself, my voice dry. “Not real.”

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamHcHSdRDB

I rubbed my eyes hard. Once. Twice.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDQArP9xsR

When I looked again—

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xiqKH5XFh

It was still there.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz43plnHGl

27

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2dYyK8nSM

A chill crept down my spine.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocI4QuR1Fi

This wasn’t normal. This couldn’t be normal.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfY4chPJdVr

My phone buzzed violently on the nightstand, making me jump.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58hRIUnAyS

I grabbed it quickly, almost dropping it in the process. Notifications flooded the screen—messages, missed calls, alerts piling on top of each other like something urgent was happening.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU03HIdLyZm

Group chat: Do you see it too??

Unknown number: What number do you have?

News Alert: Global Phenomenon Reported—Unexplained Visual Markings Appearing Worldwide

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloibbNw5x4

My stomach tightened.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjsMQk6Fbm

Slowly, I opened the camera.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosTDL5tYhW

My hands were shaking now.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRzY6LjHeM

I flipped it to front view.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacHiA4n1fy

For a second, everything looked normal. My face. My room behind me. Nothing unusual.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0B4XDAxf7

Then I saw it.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoJyOLQZgN

Above my head.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxfjP4WTZm

Clear as day.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJ1cnuXqxy

27

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7x7lBFH8M

My heart started pounding.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlFDj8prmu

“This is… this is some kind of filter,” I muttered, even though I wasn’t using any app.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMswTR1f20

I turned my head sharply.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwoLQzfGYo

The number moved with me.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdnvPvRP72

No delay. No glitch.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6kY7i1UNy

Like it was attached to me.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyIee2vkU5

Another notification popped up. This time, it was a video.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiongAnm81A

Live news.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oG5au0cxy

I tapped it.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAD5XNabAj

The reporter looked pale. Shaken. Behind her, people were running—some crying, others staring at each other in confusion.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsrgG2YrgS

“…we are receiving reports from across the globe,” she said, her voice unsteady. “Every individual appears to have a number visible above their head. Authorities are currently unable to explain the phenomenon—”

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0x7mCktSf

The camera shifted suddenly.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlAMRLaZIz

A man in the background grabbed another person by the shoulders.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXs6lgMugR1

“Check mine!” he shouted. “What does mine say?”

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVEKOXblMp

The other person froze.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Npt7hgiIi

His face drained of color.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCLSR6Uy6S

“…zero,” he whispered.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8DhcAGJaD

For a brief moment—everything went still.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ApulzYSTC

Then the man with zero collapsed.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnAKw84cOf

Just like that.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaK73v5uuu

No warning.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXdHAiaqsE

No struggle.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDITnJdmHqs

One second he was standing—

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIniD62akJ

The next, he was gone.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKTcRcqHMc

The broadcast cut instantly.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO0tEKOE2T

My phone slipped from my hand and hit the bed.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKubv8CNhNd

I couldn’t move.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncHZAoR5fC

Couldn’t breathe.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlenGCwEZ8J

My mind replayed what I had just seen over and over again.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHbCbnmxMo

Zero.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpILiPfnz8

Dead.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6X4wpBumD

Slowly—very slowly—I lifted my eyes back up.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKJhF4APDo

The number above me flickered.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcFfxIiUfQ

My heart nearly stopped.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok0wJj9Ej8

It changed.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC4mOqfRa1

27… 26

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBZZoXcWul

A cold wave of fear washed over me.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx39xGMcwGM

It wasn’t just a number.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4Aaqpo9ch

It was counting down.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELagq2QA2L

And for the first time since I woke up—

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJG3bjWptu

I realized something terrifying.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYCECQ3whg

I had no idea what would happen when it reached zero.

148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdXOwGkvoI
148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknSFyPYfFc

216.73.216.175

ns216.73.216.175da2
Comments (3)
BOOKMARK
+RECOMMEND
LIKES 2
READS 144
BOOKMARKS 0
campaign Request update 0
Sponsor
Suggest Edits
Login with Facebook or Sign up/Login to comment or bookmark!
< Prev Issue
Next Issue >
Click to load the next chapter
Be the first to like this issue!
X
X
Login first to show your name as a sponsor.

Pena Coins Credit Card

×
The Numbers Above Us
Sci-Fiction
Thriller
Last updated: Mar 20, 2026
Total word count: 2,008
Total reading time: 9 Minutes
Writer:
millicent
mystery thriller sci-fi psychological dystopia survival
Report this story
×
×
Write down what you like about the story
×
Reading Theme:

Font Size:

Line Spacing:

Paragraph Spacing:

Load the next issue automatically


Reset to default

X
×
x
Proceed

x
Before You Publish
Please ensure your story does not contain illegal, hateful, inciting, or violence-promoting content, or any infringing, plagiarized, or spam material, and that it complies with Penana’s Terms of Use.
Penana reserves the right to remove any content that violates these rules or causes legal or community risk, and to suspend or terminate related accounts.
arrow_back
×

Select a reason:

×

Install this webapp for easier offline reading: tap and then Add to home screen.