Aurex stumbled through his front door, his mind a whirlwind of fragmented thoughts. His hands, still trembling, were a testament to the sheer terror that had seized him near that ominous fence. It wasn't just fear; it was a primal dread, an ancient, malevolent force that had reached into him, trying to drag him into the abyss. He'd resisted, barely, but the memory clawed at him.
Earlier that day, Torren's words had offered a sliver of hope: "I'll help you. I'll get a rope. Just leave your window open. We'll leave at 6 PM. If we can't find anything useful, we come back before 7. No heroics." Aurex had nodded then, a semblance of conviction in his eyes. Now, his body betrayed a profound reluctance.
The day dragged on, a suffocating charade of normalcy,same bland breakfast, same forced smiles. He moved through it like a puppet, maintaining the facade, but his mind raced, consumed by the impending escape. By 6 PM, he was a coiled spring, pacing his room, the window already unlatched as instructed.
Minutes stretched into an eternity. Then, a shadow detached itself from the hedge – Torren. He tossed up a thick, knotted rope, which Aurex snagged on the second attempt. He secured it to the sturdy beam beneath his window, testing its hold with two firm tugs. It was solid.
With a deep breath, Aurex began his descent, feet pressed against the wall, a slow, deliberate drop. Then, a sound , a snapping twig? A faint whisper? His hands slipped. His stomach lurched. His feet hit the ground hard, a jarring impact that strangely didn't hurt. He blinked, disoriented.
Torren simply raised an eyebrow. "We didn't even need the rope," he muttered, almost to himself. But there was no time to dwell on the bizarre landing. They had to move.
Instead of heading towards the familiar school district, they veered the opposite way, onto a less-trodden path. Narrow streets, flanked by silent houses, loomed around them. No people, no animals, not even the whisper of wind. The unnerving stillness was a chill down Aurex's spine. It was a replay of before, perfectly staged, unnaturally quiet.
"Where is everyone?" Aurex whispered, the question barely escaping his lips.
Torren shook his head. "Maybe it's the house rules. Everyone staying in. Like ours."
They pressed on. After what felt like an age, they reached the end of the street. The black fence. Again. The same one that bordered the school, stretching endlessly, a dark serpent coiling around the town's perimeter. They edged closer. Beyond it, a sheer drop plunged into the ocean below. Ships bobbed on the water, their lanterns casting warm glows. People moved among them, their laughter and conversations drifting up, a symphony of life.
Torren's eyes lit up. "We're on a mountain… There's a way out. There are people down there. This could be it!"
Aurex stood frozen, watching the scene unfold. Something was off. It was like looking at a painting too closely, the colors not quite blending, the voices not quite carrying, the laughter looping unnaturally, like a broken record.
Then, a memory flashed, short and brutal. From his own perspective, frantically scrawling in blood across a floor: "DO NOT CROSS THE BLACK FENCE. DO NOT."
Darkness.
His stomach plummeted. He turned to Torren, his voice urgent. "We have to go. Now."
Torren blinked, caught off guard. "What? No, Aurex, this is our chance. We can't wait any longer!"
Aurex's voice cracked, raw with desperation. "If you want to go, go. But don't drag me with you." He spun away.
That's when it struck. Something yanked at his body. His legs moved without his consent, a slow, inexorable pull,like gravity, but wrong. Every muscle screamed in protest. The more he resisted, the more his bones ached.
"Torren!" he screamed, his voice tearing. "Run!"
But it was too late. Torren's feet skidded on the ground, but the pull was relentless. He tried to shout, but his mouth wouldn't obey. His eyes were wide with terror, his arms clawing at the empty air. Aurex watched, helpless, as Torren's body was dragged towards the fence.
And then,he passed through. Like mist. One moment there, the next, gone.
Aurex stood alone, shaking uncontrollably. The pull vanished. The air lightened, as if a great weight had been lifted. He collapsed to his knees, chest heaving. Tears blurred his vision, yet a grotesque smile, like a scar, was plastered across his face.
He whispered into the empty street, his voice a broken lament, "Torren."