Standing in the damp-scented hallway, Alex’s heart pounded against his ribs, beating like a war drum signaling the start of a battle.
He clenched his hand over his chest, gripping the fabric of his hoodie as if trying to physically hold his heart in place.
“Calm down… you're just imagining it,” he murmured under his breath.
But the memories of the dream wouldn’t fade. The man, the cloak, the hat… it was him, wasn’t it?
Alex squeezed his eyes shut, his breathing ragged. He battled with the logic of it. Was he still dreaming? Or just hallucinating? What was the difference, really? Weren’t dreams just hallucinations during sleep, and hallucinations just dreams that dared to intrude on the waking world?
Click.
The sound broke the silence, snapping Alex out of his spiral. He turned sharply toward the sound of a lock tumbling. A young woman stepped out of Apartment 1102.
She moved toward the elevator with a slow, easy grace. Her long, white dress, clean and elegant, stretched from her neck down to the heels of her shiny black shoes, swaying gently with every step. In her right hand, she held a brown leather pouch, soft with age and use.
She locked eyes with him, and a warm, friendly smile bloomed on her lips.
“Good morning,” she said. Her voice was soft, bringing life to the silent hallway.
Alex blinked, caught off guard. “Uh… Morning.”
His eyes drifted away from her face, scanning the floor, the ceiling, anywhere but her eyes. It wasn't that he was rude, it was just a habit. Unless it was family or close friends, his eyes refused to stay put. It was a rule his body followed even when his brain tried to fight it.
“Have you pressed the button?” she asked, her dark eyes watching him with a soft expression.
“Uh, yeah,” he said, turning back to the elevator doors.
The numbers descended. Fifteen… fourteen… …Thirteen
‘Wait…’
Something felt… wrong. The numbers? The timing? Before he could dwell on it, her voice pulled him back.
“I’m Clara. Apartment 1102,” she said, offering that soft smile again.
“I’m Alex. 1107.” He managed a polite smile in return.
‘She must be the new resident Mrs. J told me about,’ He thought, stealing a quick glance.
Clara had pale, smooth skin, fairer than his. Framed by long, silky black hair that almost reached her waist. She was pretty. Undeniably so.
“Nice to meet you, Alex,” Clara said, turning toward the elevator. “I guess that makes you the second neighbor I’ve met.” She tilted her head slightly. “The first being Mrs. J. What a wonderful person she is.”
Alex scoffed, a genuine grin breaking through his anxiety. “Yeah, she really is.”
As they stood side by side, waiting for the elevator to arrive. Alex stole another glance, She looked a bit older than him… mid-twenties, maybe? A three or four-year gap.
“Well, time to go,” she said as the doors slid open.
Two others were already inside, glued to their phones as the familiar elevator music played. Alex and Clara stepped in, and the descent began.
*****
Outside, the city greeted him with its usual noise. The distant rumble of buses, the sight of cyclists, and the familiar sound of concrete beneath his shoes.
“I’m heading this way,” Clara said, pointing toward a bus stop a short distance from their building.
“I use this route,” Alex said, pointing in the opposite direction.
“It was nice meeting you, Alex,” she said, turning toward the stop. “See you soon.” She waved, that perfect smile still in place.
Alex waved back. ’A new neighbor… interesting.’
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
He turned and continued down the sidewalk, the gentle thump of his backpack setting a familiar rhythm. The cool morning air was lanced with the promise of breakfast, buttery pastries and dark roast espresso drifted from the storefronts across the street. His stomach clenched with a sudden, primal urge for a chocolate donut and a cappuccino.
Ting.
His phone buzzed. He pulled it out to see a notification.
[Carner: Dude where are you]
Alex blinked, glancing at the corner of his screen.
[07:48]
‘Darn it…’
“I’m late.”
He quickened his pace, practically speed-walking past buildings and pedestrians. He ignored his groaning gut and the sweet scents filling the street, making it to the stop just as the bus hissed its doors open.
It was 8:00 AM when he hopped on. He had missed his usual bus. If he had missed this one, he would have been stuck waiting an hour or paying a fortune for a cab to the eastern side of District 16. A car ride would take three hours in this traffic, the bus-to-train combo was the only way to make it.
He dropped off at the station and hurried to the checkpoint, swiping his card. A soft beep confirmed the payment.
[Alex Dawson - Ticket Available]
He ignored the list of eight stops and quickly pressed option four.
[Newcrest Peaks: Platform 6 - Departure 09:10 AM]
“9:10,” he muttered, checking his phone. 09:04. “Six minutes…”
He broke into a run, dodging the morning crowd. The station was a sea of people, difficult to maneuver through. Every time he had to stop and apologize for bumping into someone, it cost him precious seconds.
Finally, Alex stepped into the brightly lit carriage just seconds before the doors sealed behind him. He stood for a moment, catching his breath. There were plenty of empty seats, though many were taken by young men and women with headphones on, eyes glued to screens.
He sighed, sinking into a seat near the window. ‘I guess I’m not the only one late.’
As the train began to move… slowly at first, then accelerating until the view outside blurred into streaks of color, Alex pulled out his earbuds. He paired them with his phone, scrolling to his favorite playlist. As the soft rhythm filled his ears, the city faded away, replaced by the smooth hum of the train.
He watched the world pass by, stadiums, malls, bridges as the train carried him toward the mountains in the east.
*****
Standing idly before the massive gate, Alex stared at the billboard: Welcome To Newcrest University.
Two large pillars held the school’s flags, flanking the wide open gate where students and lecturers streamed in.
“It's been a while, hasn't it?” he whispered to the structure. The gate remained silent.
“Alex!”
A voice called from behind. Alex turned to see Marcus grinning, hand raised for a fist pump.
“What are you doing here on the first day, Marcus?” Alex asked, bumping fists.
“Well… you know me,” Marcus said, a smirk playing on his lips as he glanced at two girls walking past. “Just here to see what's new.”
Alex rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Always the same, Marcus. Some things never change.”
Marcus laughed, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. The late morning sun caught his dark-rooted blond hair, highlighting the messy-yet-deliberate style. He scanned the entrance with sharp, dark eyes, a leather bracelet on his wrist adding a touch of casual flair.
“What can I say? A man’s got priorities.”
They had been friends since freshman year, bonded by shared obsessions of computer science, food, late-night gaming, and an unspoken understanding of how the world worked.
“Shall we?” Marcus grinned, gesturing to the gate.
The campus was terraced into the mountainside like a giant natural staircase. The base was a gentle slope where students gathered, flattening into a bustling plateau for lecture halls and the library. Beyond that, the specialized research towers clung to the upper summit.
A network of automated “Pods” sleek electric carts on rails ran strategic routes to transport students between the levels. For those who walked, the countless stairs offered a workout and a million views.
They walked toward the nearest Pod station. Marcus was slightly taller than Alex, at 1.65 meters… average for his age, Alex’s head barely reached Marcus’s shoulder.
“I wonder if Carner is around,” Marcus mused.
“Right, Carner,” Alex said, the memory clicking into place. “He actually texted me asking where I was. I kind of left him on read.” He sighed, scratching the back of his head.
“Oh, Carner doesn’t like that one bit,” Marcus shook his head, smirking. “I did that once. Ever since, when I send him a text, he always leaves me on read. For hours.”
“Really? It’s not my first time leaving him on read,” Alex said, raising an eyebrow. “You must have done something else.”
“When you put it that way…” Marcus shrugged. “I might have been the one who started it… In my defense, I was caught up with something. I replied, like, three days later.”
Alex laughed, the sound drifting in the wind. The air smelled of seasonal flowers blooming along the pavement.
“He’ll get over it,” Marcus said as he opened the door to one of the waiting Pods.
The mini-trains were strings of four round pods, each about two meters in size. Alex slid into the seat opposite Marcus. The system required eight passengers to launch, so they waited.
Normally, Alex hated this part. Sometimes he’d wait forever before finally giving up and taking the thousands of stairs. But today, luck was on their side. Four people were already waiting, and moments later, four more boarded.
The pod hummed to life, the doors sealing with a soft hiss. And just as it began to move, a figure stepped onto the platform outside.
Alex froze.
It was Clara.
She wasn't smiling anymore. Her calm, black eyes locked directly onto his through the window. The warmth was gone, replaced by something sharp and intentional.
Slowly, she raised a single, slender finger to her lips.
Shhhh!
