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 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.
"Are 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 slowly, 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 going to 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 got to 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?
Aurex had learned to defy sleep, a nightly ritual born of fear. Every evening, a silent, floating eye would appear, watching him. And every evening, Aurex would force himself to stare back, unblinking, until it vanished. He didn't know what it was, but he knew one thing for sure: falling asleep while it lingered meant something terrible would happen.
This morning, like every other, he woke up feeling unnervingly sharp, as if his body had subtly shifted since the eye's first appearance. He dressed, ate, offered the expected smiles, and followed his routine. But then, a new unsettling feeling emerged.
As he ate breakfast with his family, his gaze kept drifting to his sister's handbag, sitting by her chair as usual. This time, though, it felt different – like it was actively calling to him. A knot of unease tightened in his chest. It wasn't curiosity; it was a potent compulsion, a certainty that something vital, something he absolutely shouldn't see, was inside.
He tried to act natural. "Hey," he said, pointing, "You teach little kids, right? Is that where you keep their names and grades and stuff?"
His sister turned to him, her smile wide and a little too perfect. She paused for a moment before replying, "No, I remember all their names perfectly."
Aurex frowned. "Then what's inside it?"
She tilted her head, pondering. "Hmm. I don't know. I've never opened it." Then she giggled. "It's a secret i guess." She stood, brushing crumbs from her clothes. "Anyway, I'm late," she added. "See you later!" And just like that, she was gone.
Aurex watched her leave, his mind reeling. She's never opened it? It was her handbag. She brought it every day. But she didn't know what was inside? He pushed away his half-eaten toast and stood. I have to get out of this place.
School dragged on. Aurex went through the motions, blending in. At lunch, he sat alone until Torren appeared again, sliding into the seat across from him with a sheepish grin.
"I waited," Torren said quietly. "I didn't leave because I didn't want to leave you here alone. When you're ready, find me."
Aurex stared at him. The same face, the same voice. But now, he doesn't trust it. "Okay. Thanks," Aurex replied, carefully. Inside, he was already pulling away. Today, he had a different plan.
He spent the rest of the day observing the crowd. Then he spotted Kaien, the boy who had noticed him days ago. When the final bell rang, Aurex followed him toward the gates.
"Hey," Aurex called out. "We need to talk."
Kaien looked at him and nodded once. "Let's go somewhere quiet."
They found a secluded spot behind the school, by the old utility shed no one ever used, far from prying eyes.
"You were looking at me today," Aurex began. "In the cafeteria. Did you… did you see anyone with me?"
Kaien didn't answer immediately. Then he asked a question that sent a chill down Aurex's spine: "Did you see anyone with me?"
Aurex's breath hitched. "No," he said slowly. "You were sitting alone."
Kaien nodded. "So were you."
Aurex blinked. "What are you saying?"
Kaien leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I think you're the only one who'll believe me. There was someone with me. A boy, around my age. He sat with me every lunch. Said we had to escape. Said this place was wrong."
Aurex's heart hammered in his ears. "His name was Torren," he blurted out before he could stop himself.
Kaien's expression remained unchanged. "I don't care about his name. But I know what he wanted. He wanted me to break the rules."
Aurex sat down. "Mine too. He kept pushing me to leave. To cross the fence."
"Persistent?" Kaien asked. "Wouldn't you drop it?"
Aurex nodded. "He told me it was safe. That nothing would happen."
Kaien sighed. "They're clever. They pretend to be just like us. But they're not."
"How do you know?" Aurex asked.
Kaien's voice dropped lower. "Because this is my second place."
Aurex blinked. "Your what?"
"It'll make sense soon," Kaien said. "You're close. Just… stay awake. As long as you can. Every night. Until it happens."
"What happens?" Aurex asked, almost pleading.
Kaien offered a tired smile. "You'll get a call."
Aurex frowned. "A call?"
"Not like a phone call. You'll feel it. Like a pull. Like a door opening in your head."
Aurex hesitated. "So what do I do about him?" He didn't need to say Torren's name.
Kaien looked Aurex directly in the eye. "Play along. For now. He's not dangerous, not yet. He wants you to slip. Break a rule. Get erased."
"So he's not real?"
"He's not what you think."
A long silence stretched between them. Finally, Kaien stood. "You're awake, Aurex. Just keep your eyes open. Always. They're watching to see what you do next."
He turned and walked away, leaving Aurex in the shade, with more answers, and a thousand more questions.