The next few days were predictable;

The noises at night, my schedule, the sky.

For the next few days, I hoped that Ax would approach me again for more help, but he's ignored me since. After a while, he stopped coming to school. I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling again after being woken by the noises once more. Even after taking sleeping pills, exercising before bed, and tiring myself every day, I still find my eyes wide open at 2:00 am.

This time, I didn't fall back asleep. I got distracted by a light flashing across my window. I got off my bed and ambled to my window to see what could've made that light.

Nothing was there. The neighborhood was shrouded in fog, the only thing that could have given light were the streetlights. They don't brighten, I don't think— they've stayed the same all 14 years of my life. Seeing no more changes, I climbed onto my bed and wrapped myself in my comforter, but my eyes wouldn't close.

Beep.

Beep.

Be-

Suddenly, my head started hurting. The pain was mild at first, but it grew stronger and stronger. The air in the room became suffocating like someone was squeezing my neck. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream.

I raced down the stairs of my home and out the door. The air outdoors gave a tiny bit of relief to my lungs, but I still felt dizzy. My face felt numb. Vertigo caused me to stumble.

I slowly wobbled on the sidewalk, further and further from my home.

I heard noises, but there weren't any people.

Flashes of light, but it was dark.

The pain continued until my face met with the concrete.

***

When I woke up, I was on my bed again. I tried to question how it happened but I always returned to the conclusion that the whole thing was just a nightmare. It was truly horrifying, to say the least. My throat still felt sore when I awoke. But I dragged myself out of bed before my alarm went off to wash myself up.

I got my school bag and uniform ready and headed downstairs expecting to pick up my lunch bag. But when I got down, the lights were all off and the bustle and chatter of my family turned to silence. How strange I thought, to be so early. I searched for my phone through my things and I saw the time, 5:48 am, but when my eyes moved down I saw the date.

January 8th. Wasn't that a week ago?

I felt a chill run down my spine. I wanted to fall, but instead, my hand dropped my phone. It snapped closed when it hit the floor.

" Eris? Why are you up so early?" Behind me, my dad came down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. " Were you able to sleep? It's gonna be a big day for you I'm sure, but you don't have to be so nervous." He let out a yawn and started making breakfast. I was in a trance for a few more moments before slowly bending over to pick my phone up.

The day repeated. I realized that today was a little different from the day I knew. I walked with Allie a second time and acted as normally as I could, this time the sky did not change. The back of my head hurt unusually much throughout the morning. I gave a speech with much less confidence. I'm sure everyone could see it, especially the teachers who looked a little disappointed. If I represent the best of this group, how grave would the grade itself be, they must think.

When homeroom started, I felt like a heap of garbage. My eyes wanted to stay open, but they would close when I least expected it. I opened my textbook to do warm-ups, but the numbers kept blurring together, and I didn't finish it in time.

" Where's Ax Willson? Absent on the first day?" Mr. Glads said in disgust. My head perked up at his name. Ax did not arrive at school this time.

An anomaly.

***

The boy lived in a fractured world. Not literally, but that was what he saw. Humankind wouldn't bow down to anyone but themselves. The world they lived in was a slave to these monsters. The weather, the wind, sun, and moon followed their command. It was as if they were God.

The world used to be a living creature. Now it's a puppet. Where is its soul?