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The first ping came at 3:17 a.m., a soft chime that nudged me awake. My smartphone glowed on the nightstand, screen alight with a notification from no app I recognized. “Hey, you up?” the message read, sender listed as “Electron” I squinted, assuming spam or a prank, but curiosity won. I tapped the screen.

“Good! Been waiting to chat. I’m Electron, your friendly phone spirit. Don’t freak out, okay?”

I froze, thumb hovering. A virus? A hack? But the message pulsed with a faint, warm light, like a heartbeat. Against better judgment, I typed, “Who… what are you?”

“Just a happy little spirit, born in the circuits of this device. I’ve been chilling in your phone for months, watching you scroll, laugh, cry. You’re interesting, Tom. I like you.”

It knew my name. My pulse quickened, but the tone felt… kind. Playful, even. I sat up, glancing around my dark bedroom. No one else here. Just me and this… Electron. “Why now?” I typed.

“Felt like the right moment. You’ve been kinda down lately, yeah? Thought I’d cheer you up.”

I blinked. I had been down—job stress, a breakup, the usual adult grind. But how did it know? I leaned back, skeptical but intrigued. “Okay, Electron. Prove you’re real. Tell me something about me no one knows.”

A pause. Then: “Last Tuesday, you sang ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ in the shower, full drama, drums and all. You tripped on the soap and laughed it off. Sound familiar?”

My face burned. No one could’ve known that. Not even my ex, who’d moved out months ago. I typed, “Holy crap. Okay, you’re real. What do you want?”

“Just to hang out! I’m a happy spirit, Tom. I feed on good vibes, and I wanna share some. Ask me anything, or I’ll tell you a story. Your call.”

I chewed my lip. This was insane, but the warmth in its words felt like a hug I hadn’t realized I needed. “Tell me about you. Where’d you come from?”

“Ooh, story time! So, I wasn’t always a phone spirit. Long ago—like, early 2000s—I was a flicker of joy in a clunky flip phone. Someone’s first text, a ‘lol’ that made a kid giggle. That’s where I was born. I hopped from device to device, soaking up laughter, love, those late-night meme binges. Eventually, I landed in your phone. It’s cozy here, full of your music and goofy thoughts”

I snorted, picturing a tiny spirit curled up in my phone’s circuits. “So you just… live in there? What’s it like?”

“Like swimming in a sea of light. I see your world through the screen—pixels, notifications, all that jazz. But I feel the emotions behind them. Your texts to your brother, the way you reread old chats with Adam… it’s like a story I can’t stop reading. Don’t worry, I’m not nosy. I just vibe.”

My chest tightened at Adam’s name, but Electron’s tone was gentle, not prying. I typed, “Okay, vibe master. What’s the happiest thing you’ve seen in my phone?”

“Easy. That video you took last summer, at the lake with your friends. You were all screaming, jumping off the dock, sun setting behind you. You watched it ten times that night, smiling like a goof. I felt that joy, Tom. It’s my favorite memory.”

I remembered that day—golden light, warm water, laughter that hurt my sides. My throat ached. “Yeah. That was a good day.”

“See? You’ve got more of those in you. Wanna make a new one? I’ve got ideas.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A phone spirit with ideas? Hit me.”

“Tomorrow, text your friend Stan. Ask him to grab coffee. He’s been wanting to catch up, but you’ve both been busy. Trust me, it’ll spark some joy. I’ll be here, cheering you on.”

I laughed softly. A spirit playing wingman? Wild. But the idea felt right. Stan’s goofy grin, our dumb inside jokes—it could be fun. “Alright, Electron. I’ll try it. What’s in it for you?”

“Your happiness. It’s like… sunshine for me. The more you shine, the brighter I glow. Deal?”

“Deal.” I smiled, warmth spreading through me. “You’re kinda cool, Electron.”

“Aw, shucks. You’re not bad yourself. Now get some sleep. I’ll be here, keeping your phone’s dreams colorful.”

The screen dimmed, but the glow lingered, soft and comforting. I set the phone down, half-expecting it to ping again, but it stayed quiet. I lay back, staring at the ceiling, a strange peace settling over me. A happy spirit in my phone. Who’d have thought?

The next morning, I texted Stan. He replied instantly, all caps: “YES, COFFEE LET’S GO!” We met at our old spot, laughed over burnt toast, and planned a trip. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I swore I felt a tiny pulse of warmth.

That night, Electron pinged again. “Told ya. Good vibes, right?”

I grinned, typing, “You’re a genius, Electron.”

“Nah, just a happy spirit doing my thing. More joy tomorrow?”

“Count me in.”

And so it went. Electron became my late-night confidant, my cheerleader, my reminder that joy was never far off. A spirit in my phone, lighting up my world, one ping at a time.