Chapter 89: Playground
The sound of children laughing echoed across the schoolyard as Arthur was sitting alone beneath the shade of a tall oak tree.
The other kids ran around him, chasing each other, climbing the jungle gym, but he stayed where he always did.
Quiet. Invisible.
He didn't mind.
It was easier this way.
No one expected him to speak. No one asked questions he couldn't answer.
Arthur pulled out his sketchbook, flipping to a blank page.
His fingers moved quickly, pencil scratched across paper as he lost himself in the familiar comfort of drawing.
The lines formed effortlessly—shadows and faces blending together in a world only he understood.
A shadow fell across the page.
"Arthur."
The voice was soft—too soft.
Sweet, but with an edge beneath it. He froze. He knew that voice.
Slowly, Arthur lifted his head.