Fragments Beneath His Silence

nt. Like everything was happening behind a glass. Muted,

clutching a paper bag to her chest as she watched the rain fall in

ly behind her. Every time the automatic door slid op

impossible with the rain not slowing down. An

new. Just... one

. Her face was pale. With eyes that always looked like they were

called from inside, leaning

offering a small smile. "Ye

"In this cit

ust instant noodles, bread, and a small carton of milk. Enough to get through

ashing against the curb. Aria stepped back instinctively, her shoulder brushing the

te

ra

hing

or. Shiny. Wet. Red. Aria blinked hard, and it was gone. ".

He didn't look convinced, but let it go. If she says so. He wasn't goi

t her temple. It was happening again. Those flashes. It always came

was normal after trauma. Said they might come back fully one da

ance. She looked up. The rain had softened a littl

ing and into the drizzle. Her apartment wasn't far. A ten-minute walk, fiftee

ants closing. The city settling into that strange in-between where everything fe

teadily through fogged-up windows. A couple inside la

ing comforting about ordinary life. About people doing

pieces. Just then, Her phone buzzed in her pocket Amaya pulled it out, ba

r no reason, her fingers still lingered on the screen for a second longer than necessar

u're overthinking," she muttered to herself. A thing she had bee

nothing fancy. Just a modest structure with peeling paint and

f taking the elevator. It was slower, but she p

. And then, Third. By the time she reac

Darkness greeted her the moment she walked in. Amaya flipped the s

y kitchenette, a desk cluttered with not

ff her shoes before heading straight to the window. The Ra

erything felt still, but this stillness was immediat

pposed to see this." Amaya froze. As her

her breath came faster. And her fingers t

ld ring. Then, a man falling. Amaya gasped, stumbli

er head. "No... no, no..." Her vis

just as quickly as it

ed there for a long moment, breathing hard, and stari

ed. "Just a broken one." But it d

th it, didn't want to

walls reflected the storm and the skyline stret

the city lights behind him. On his desk, laid an

father's murder. Jake's gaze didn't wa

ed female. Status:

But Jake didn't believe in things like coincidence. Nor d

t. He reached for his glass, taking a slow

her,"

ant straightened. "We'

was calm. The kind of calm tha

s,

aked down the glass in front of him, distorting

ared back at him-cold, controlled, and unreadable. "All I need is to f