The day began as usual.
Aurex moved like clockwork,up at six, showered and dressed, then down to breakfast with his smiling family.
His father sat at the table with his usual black coffee, eyes fixed on the newspaper. His mother sipped orange juice, humming softly. His sister looked sharp and ready for work, her teacher's pin neatly fastened. Jeno, his little brother, munched toast while swinging his legs under the table.
Everyone smiled. Everything was as it always was.
Except Aurex wasn't at peace.
He'd spent the night twisting around a thought: How do I ask about this place without making them suspicious?
Every version of the question in his head felt dangerous.
"Where do we live?"
"What's beyond the town?"
"Why do people disappear?"
Even thinking them made his chest tighten. One wrong word could mean everything was over.
But then he looked at his father,same as every morning,reading that folded paper, nodding slowly to himself, like he was in on something no one else was.
So Aurex tried something simple.
"Dad," he said, "what are you reading?"
His father didn't even look up. "The news."
Aurex kept his tone casual. "Yeah, but… what's in the news?"
His father finally glanced at him, the same warm expression on his face. "Let's see," he said, flipping a page. "A man was caught breaking the rules. Killed someone,was killed on the spot. Then there was a robbery near the southern sector. They took jewelry, mostly. Oh, and the prices for some groceries went up. Apples especially."
Aurex nodded, smiling. "That's… good."
It wasn't good. It was disturbing. But it felt normal. For the first time, someone had mentioned a theft. A murder. Prices going up.
That meant the town wasn't perfect.
There were cracks. And cracks could mean something was hidden underneath.
---
He and Jeno walked to school, waving at the neighbors who waved back. The streets were quiet and clean. Everything in its place.
The classes went on like always. The day began with a full hour of Rule recitation and glorification. Students sat in neat rows, smiling as the teacher praised the order of the town and the beauty of compliance.
Aurex smiled too, but his thoughts were a mess.
His chest still buzzed with the strange satisfaction of learning about the robbery. It shouldn't have made him happy,but it had. He finally knew something wasn't polished. Something was flawed.
When the bell rang for break, he headed to the cafeteria. Just like yesterday,and the day before,the boy was already seated.
Red eyes. Quiet smile. Eating alone.
Aurex saw 2 people approaching the boy again, curious but cautious he watched. "Why are your eyes red?" they asked.
The boy turned his head, the grin returning like it was stitched into his face.
"I keep my eyes open," he said, chuckling. "It's good for my health."
Aurex chuckled too, but something felt off. Not just the words,the seat.
Day one, the boy sat near the right wall.
Day two, by the left.
Now, dead center.
Aurex sat across from him this time, pretending not to notice the pattern. But his mind was racing.
Why change seats every day? Does it mean something? Is he testing something?it is better to just sit where you usually sit everytime.
He wanted to ask. But asking too much might get him noticed.
---
When the break ended, classes resumed. But Aurex couldn't focus. His thoughts were trapped between the boy, the newspaper, and the idea that maybe,just maybe he wasn't alone in questioning things.
After school, he had his usual fifteen-minute window before Jeno's class let out. Normally, he used that time to explore. But today, something pulled him in a different direction.
He decided to check on his brother.
The younger classes were in another wing of the school, not far but slightly more open. The hallways were still and too quiet.
He walked slowly, peeking into the rooms.
Each class looked the same. Teachers standing, students sitting, all of them smiling, listening, learning.
Exactly the same.
He moved to stand near Jeno's section. The final bell rang.
The students exited one by one, all in line, all smiling.
Then he saw Jeno.
Aurex waved,but Jeno kept walking.
Confused, Aurex stepped in his path. "Hey."
Jeno blinked. "Oh. I didn't see you. You came out of nowhere."
That struck Aurex as odd. He'd been standing there the whole time.
Still, he said nothing. They walked home together, and Jeno talked about something funny his teacher said. Aurex smiled and nodded.
At home, his mother welcomed them like she always did. Dinner was served, routine followed.
Afterward came the one-hour praise session. The ten rules. Their benefits. Their blessings.
Everyone played their part.
---
When the clock hit six, Aurex returned to his room.
He locked the door.
For the first time, that lock didn't feel like a privacy measure. It felt like a shield.
He sat at his desk and opened his diary.
But before he wrote, he paused.
What do they do?
My mom, my dad, my sister, Jeno. What do they actually do between six and ten?
He stared at the door. The lock clicked again in his head. This wasn't just a rule,it was a barrier between him and whatever truth might be lying beyond.
He tiptoed over and pressed his ear against the wood.
Nothing. Then,faint footsteps.
His body tensed.
Not the usual kind of footsteps. Not pacing. Not someone just getting something.
Just… footsteps. Steady. Soft.like someone is sneaking around to not wake him up.
His breath caught.
Why were there footsteps?
His parents had always been strict. "Once you're in your room, you stay." They said it with conviction. With fear.
Were they lying?
Or were they doing something he wasn't allowed to know?
He backed away from the door and went straight to bed, lying stiff under his blanket, forcing the corners of his mouth to stay lifted.
He didn't know why he was scared. Or why he felt… sad.
There was nothing to be sad about. Everyone was safe. The town was perfect. The rules were clear.
So why did the sound of quiet footsteps make him feel like everything he believed was about to fall apart?
He fell asleep with that question ringing louder than the 10 p.m. bell.