Ralf

Ralf sat in the back of class 3B, as always—slouched over his math notebook, wearing oversized glasses that slid down to the tip of his nose, and hair that looked like it hadn't seen a comb in six months. He was eighteen years old, five foot seven (when he straightened up, which was rare), and had absolutely no friends. Everyone at school knew him, but only to kick his backpack, spill juice on him in the cafeteria, or throw his gym shoes in the toilet.

A typical nerd. Board games, manga, a game theory forum, and dreams of studying at a technical university—preferably as far away from this hellhole as possible.

Yesterday everything changed.

He was taking a shortcut home through the old park near the ruins of a church when he noticed something gleaming in the grass. A small silver ring with a black stone, covered in strange symbols that looked like a mix of runes and binary code. He took it home because "it might be silver." He put it on his finger just for fun.

And that was the first time he unconsciously used it.

"Shut up," he muttered to his younger sister, who had been screaming for the TV remote for an hour.

She fell silent. Immediately. As if someone had pressed the mute button.

Later, he tested it again. And again. On his mother ("Make me sandwiches"). On his father ("Give me one hundred dolars"). On the neighbor who always yelled at him for playing loud music ("shut your mouth and be grateful that I let you listen to my music, bitch").

It worked. Always. Without exception.

The ring compelled people to obey. Absolutely, immediately, and without the possibility of protest. Even if their eyes showed panic, hatred, or pure terror—their bodies obeyed.

Ralph now looked at the class, which, as usual, ignored him. He looked at Patric and his entourage – those who had been using him as a punching bag for three years. At Kinga and her friends, who laughed when someone threw his backpack into the trash can. At the teachers, who "didn't see" anything.

Twenty-seven days left until school ended.

Twenty-seven days to get even.

He smiled for the first time in a long time. Quiet. Cold. The finger with the ring was trembling slightly with excitement.