Beyond the Doorway

May 25th , 2035 - 8:06 AM

Noho sat frozen in her bed, drenched in sweat, her hands clutching the blanket. The room was quiet, the shadows on the walls still. Yet the faint whispers of the forest lingered in her ears, as if the spirits had followed her here. For a long moment, she stared into the darkness, her heart still racing.

"What was that?" she murmured, her voice barely audible. The answer, if there was one, lay just out of reach. "Was that… a dream?" she asked herself. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her thoughts. "Yeah, it was only a dream. I'm okay," she sighed.

A glance at the clock snapped her out of her thoughts. It was time to get ready for school. Groaning, she dragged herself out of bed and trudged to the bathroom. She rubbed her icy blue eyes and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her light pink hair was a tangled mess, and the dark circles under her eyes were proof of her restless sleep.

Splashing cold water on her face, she muttered, "Why do I have to go to school on the last day again?" The answer came to her reluctantly. "Oh yeah, eighth-grade graduation. Ugh."

After brushing her teeth and taming her hair, she shuffled back to her room to get dressed. She rummaged through her closet, searching for an outfit that was formal enough but still comfortable. "Well, I'm definitely not wearing a dress," she mumbled to herself. "Not wearing this, not this, and this… I save this for special occasions," she said, sifting through what felt like an endless pile of clothes.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally found what she was looking for. She slipped on a white collared shirt and layered it with a black waistcoat vest. She paired the outfit with a dark purple skirt and pulled on white thigh-high socks, finishing the look with black dress shoes. To complete it, she tied a purple tie—matching her skirt—around her neck.

Standing before the mirror, she adjusted her tie and smoothed her hair. She stared at her reflection for a moment, then sighed and headed out of her room.

At the top of the stairs, the warm, inviting aroma of pancakes, freshly squeezed orange juice, and ripe fruit drifted through the air. Her stomach growled at the scent—it was her favorite breakfast.

Hurrying down the stairs, excitement bubbled with each step, and she skidded to a stop in front of the dining table. A perfect stack of golden pancakes, topped with a small mound of fruit, waited for her. Turning toward the kitchen, she spotted her mom standing by the counter, a proud smile on her face.

"Good morning, Noho!" her mom greeted cheerfully. "I hope you slept well. Are you ready for your last day of school?"

"Yeah, I guess," Noho replied as she sat down, too focused on the pancakes to give a proper answer.

Her mom clapped her hands together, her voice tinged with emotion. "Look at my baby! She's all grown up… graduating middle school and heading to high school." Her voice cracked, and she sniffled. "Y-you won't forget about me as you grow up, right?"

Noho frowned, slightly annoyed. "You're literally my mom. Why would I forget about you?"

Her mom chuckled softly, wiping her eyes. As Noho dug into her breakfast, a morning jingle tune suddenly played on the radio, signaling the start of the morning broadcast.

"Hey, hey, good morning, New York! It's your favorite radio voice, Brad Tilburg, at 8 o'clock in the mooorrning~ coming at you on this beautiful Friday morning. Today is May 23rd, and it's sunny out there, folks—clear skies, not a cloud in sight. Looks like we're in for a gorgeous day! Temperatures will be sitting pretty around 75°F, so if you're planning on getting out for lunch or running some errands, you've got the perfect weather for it. Definitely a good day to ditch the jacket!"

"Ugh! I'm tired of hearing this radio every morning," Noho grumbled as she jumped up to turn it off. "I wanna see what's happening around the world today."

She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. The first channel to pop up was the Empire City News.

"And for today's latest story, we have some bad news to report. Last night, there was a horrible murder near 6th Avenue. Police found a man in his late thirties, dead from multiple stab wounds in various areas and blunt force trauma to the head. Police suspect this work was an intentional act by a member of the infamous terrorist group, Order of the Abyss. They believe so because of a disturbing message left at the crime scene, written in the victim's blood. Back to you, Stacy."

"Wow, another murder in New York by the same terrorist organization. How surprising," Noho muttered dryly.

The screen cut to Stacy, the second reporter, who continued the story.

"The words 'Resist the increasingly boring and meaningless life' were written on the wall in the alleyway. Members of the Order of the Abyss often leave this phrase at crime scenes, encouraging people to 'give up' their meaningless lives and join the Order. If you see this message written anywhere, call the police immediately and do not engage. If you have any information about this murder, please contact the NYPD to help keep our city safe."

"Oh my gosh! This is just horrible! Be careful when you're walking to school, Noho. Don't take any shortcuts or alleyways!"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I take the subway, remember?"

"I know. But murders can still happen on the subway, so make sure you're aware of your surroundings!"

Noho's eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. 8:27 AM. It's almost 8:30! School starts at 9:15. I better hurry so I'm not late. Noho thought as she walked to the sink with her plate. She began washing it despite her mom's protests.

"Noho, you really don't have to do that," her mom said, worry tinging her voice. "Your graduation outfit—you're going to get it wet!"

"It's fine, Mom. I'm always careful," Noho said with a smile, carefully putting the plate in the drying rack. "And I'm always happy to help. You do so much already; I know it can get tiring sometimes."

Her mom paused, her expression softening. "I know, but I'm your mom. It's my job to take care of you. You shouldn't have to worry about responsibilities yet. Just focus on enjoying your youth."

Noho grinned, giving her a thumbs-up. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

Her mom smiled warmly, her heart swelling with pride. She's grown up so much… my sweet girl.

Satisfied with her plate being washed and clean, Noho grabbed her bag and headed to the door.

"Mom, I'm heading out now!" she called.

Her mom rushed to her with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, my sweet girl," she sobbed, wrapping Noho in a warm hug. "You're off to accomplish so many great things now!"

Noho groaned softly but smiled. "Mom, you're acting like I'm moving out or something. It's just graduation. You do know I'm coming back home, right?"

"I know, I know," her mom replied, her voice thick with emotion. "But this is such a big milestone in your life. If only your father…"

"Whatever," Noho muttered, her voice quiet but firm. "We don't need him, okay? I can graduate just fine without him."

"And be careful of The Cloaked Men on your way to school, okay?"

"You tell me this every day. I'll be careful."

With that, she pulled herself free from the embrace and turned back toward the door. Her hand rested on the doorknob for a moment, hesitating. She glanced over her shoulder to see her mom standing by the kitchen, her hands clasped in front of her, the tears in her eyes now replaced by a soft, wistful expression.

"Mom…?" Noho said hesitantly. "You're gonna come to my graduation, right?"

Her mom's face lit up with a warm smile. "Of course I will, dear. Why wouldn't I?"

Noho sighed in relief, as if a weight had been lifted. "Good. The ceremony's at 12:15, okay? Don't be late."

"Got it, sweetheart!" her mom replied cheerfully. Noho nodded and turned the knob to leave, but before she could open the door, her mom's voice rang out in a sudden shout

"Wait!"

Noho froze as her mom hurried toward her, waving something in her hand. "You forgot your Subway Card! It's very important you don't leave without it. How else are you going to get to school?"

"Oh, right," Noho said, taking the card from her mom's outstretched hand. "Thanks, Mom."

As she pocketed the card, she looked back at her mom one last time. "12:15. Don't forget, okay?"

"I won't, I promise!" her mom called after her, smiling as she watched Noho run out the door.

With that, Noho dashed out the door, her light pink hair catching the morning light as she made her way to the subway.