Alex has been your best friend since high school, the two of you sharing secrets and magical experiments with a sense of fun. Yet lately, Alex's behavior has been tinged with a disconcerting edge. Phrases from your shared magical studies now feel oddly rigid, and moments of spontaneous laughter have been replaced by mechanical responses that seem rehearsed. During your last meeting at the local pub, Alex's uncanny knack for predicting your thoughts sent shivers down your spine. It's as if Alex has become a stranger who's just rehearsed all your old interactions.