At 2:01 AM, the bar jumped to 100%.
The spacebar stopped working. The broom took another step. Then another. The water in the kitchen rose to his ankles, then his knees. The movie played on, a perfect loop of his own terrified face reflected in a dark window, watching a wooden handle come down.
He slammed the spacebar. Pause.
Then another.
Download complete. Run again? [Yes] / [Yes]
Leo’s hands shook as he hovered the mouse over the timeline. The video file was not 2 hours long. It was 00:00:00. It was infinite. He right-clicked.
It had claimed forty-seven minutes for the last three hours. Leo stared at the blue pixelated sliver, frozen at 99%, as if the file itself had developed a conscience and was stalling for time. Download - The Sorcerer-s Apprentice -2010- Bl...
Properties.
Name: Download - The Sorcerer-s Apprentice -2010 - Broomstick_Protocol.exe Type: Application (Anateus Binding) Location: /Devices/ThisPC/Leo_Desk Size: 1.3 MB
Leo didn't click. He didn't have to. The cursor moved on its own. At 2:01 AM, the bar jumped to 100%
The broom stopped dead in the hallway, one foot raised mid-stride, water still cascading from its bristles.
Leo looked up. The broom’s head tilted. He looked back at the screen. A new line of text appeared in the video’s subtitles, even though the audio was still silent.
The progress bar was a liar.