Chapter 200

The morning came quietly, almost deceptively calm. The sun filtered through the curtains in thin, golden lines, brushing across the walls of Alex’s room and illuminating the dust that floated lazily in the air. It was a normal morning on the surface, but there was a weight in the silence that Alex couldn’t ignore.

Alex woke before the alarm, as usual, but something felt different. The air had a strange thickness, like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. ...