Aurex felt like he was being ripped in two. One part of him screamed to stay, to trust his gut. Torren had to be wrong. There was something deeply, terribly off about that fence, about the very idea of crossing it, of leaving.
But then there was the other part, desperate and uncertain, whispering that maybe Torren was right. What if this town had truly messed with his head, feeding him lies and false warnings, just to keep him trapped? What if that memory by the fence wasn't a warning at all, but just another one of the town's cruel tricks?
Yet, the fear he'd felt when that memory surged back,that hadn't felt fake. And that unnatural pull, that force dragging him toward the black fence? How could he possibly explain that away?
No answers came, only a deafening silence.
The day dragged on, classes passing in a blur. He didn't meet Torren after school. He didn't even look for him. Instead, he walked straight to the school gates, pausing just before the exit.
His gaze drifted down the street where he and Torren had first snuck out. The memory replayed in his mind: the unsettling quiet, the eerie unnaturalness of it all. The black fence. The ocean. The searing pain.
As he stared, someone waved at him.
A boy.
Older, maybe by a year. Tall, with sharp, observant eyes. He exuded a kind of confidence that made you notice him. He walked over with a casual grin.he was the boy that stopped him in the first time.
"Hey," the boy said. "Name's Kaien."
Aurex hesitated, then nodded. "I'm Aurex."
Aurex thought,why do i feel like this happened before.
"You thinking of leaving again today?"
Aurex blinked. "What?"
"I saw you the other day," Kaien said, tilting his head toward the school building. "From the windows. You were sneaking out."
Aurex's stomach twisted. "You must be imagining things," he said quickly.
Kaien shook his head. "No, no. You were walking slow and you left the school. I saw you. You were alone."
That stopped Aurex cold. Alone?
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Pretty sure," Kaien said. "There was no one with you. You kept looking around like you were lost. I thought you were gonna run."
Aurex felt the air drain from his lungs. His mind raced, desperate to reconcile Kaien's words with his own memories.
He remembered Torren right there beside him. Talking. Laughing. Handing him the rope. He remembered their conversation, their exploration, the fence.
But now… this boy, Kaien, swore he was alone? No Torren?
"I've gotta go," Aurex mumbled. He turned without waiting for a reply, spotted his brother, and fell into step beside him, saying nothing. He didn't look back, not once.
At home, the weight of the conversation pressed down on him. His family was the same: all smiles, polite, locked in their unchanging routine. His brother cracked the same dry joke at dinner. His sister ate slowly, sipping juice as always. His father read the same newspaper, dated a week ago. None of them seemed to notice a thing.
In his room, Aurex locked the door and slid down to sit against it, his heart hammering. What had that boy meant? Torren wasn't there? Then who had he been talking to?
He tried to recall every detail. He thought of Torren talking to people in the cafeteria, waving, saying goodbye, testing their reactions. But now, a horrifying realization dawned: had anyone ever responded first? Had anyone ever initiated a conversation with Torren? Or were they just… playing along?
Could they even see him?
His stomach twisted into knots. He went to the window and drew the curtains. His breathing came fast and shallow. He didn't know what to believe anymore. He paced his room like a trapped animal, fists clenched, cold sweat prickling his back.
Then...
Tap.
A sound.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He froze.
Slowly, he crept to the window.
Outside, in the dimming light, stood Torren. He was throwing small pebbles up at the glass, like a friend trying to sneak him out for mischief.
Aurex didn't open it. He didn't wave. He just smiled. Instead, he raised a hand and made a small, slow gesture. A silent apology.
Torren paused, looked at him, then turned and walked away. No anger. No reply. Just… left.
Aurex stood there for a long time, watching the spot where Torren had been. He waited. And waited. But Torren never came back.
Aurex moved to the window and started stacking books against it, then the lamp, then his school bag. Anything to keep it from opening.
Tonight, he didn't try to spy on his family. He didn't try to escape. He just sat on his bed, back against the wall, eyes wide open. He was too scared to sleep. Too scared to trust.
Because if Torren wasn't real...
Then who had he followed?