The First Rift

Epilogue:

 The fog seeped in fresh and thick , swallowing the entire plane—the atmosphere darkened by clouds that seemed to layer with one another till infinity . As Ren stood frozen , face to face with a creature whose body seemed to tower to the sky . Its limbs impossibly long , bending in unnatural angles as it curled up it's body to sit , its leg bent and folded beneath its monstrous frame .

 Then came the sound—low at first , a whisper crawling into his ears like nails against bone , then growing , rising , shifting into a screech that felt like it was inside his skull .

 His eyes widened, sweat gathering under his brow .

He stumbled a step away , the ground beneath him feeling unsteady—his chest tightened , the air suddenly too thick to breathe . 

It clicked in an instant , the weight of truth heavy on him like the gravity of a massive planet.

"And then—nothing."

IT BEGINS :

[BELL RINGS]

The key to breaking time in Oak Ville High School is our attention being drawn to Class 1A, 11th grade, at a table surrounded by the usual lunchtime buzz.

In the school cafeteria during the break, Ren and Riku sat at a table, engulfed by the chatter and clatter of lunch trays.

Ren, with his black curly hair and light blue eyes, sat hunched over a book, his head practically buried in its pages. His lunch remained untouched, the food forgotten as he flipped through the text, attempting to grasp its contents.

Riku, on the other hand, had strikingly light blue hair and eyes the color of the ocean. His skin was almost as pale as snow. Leaning back in his chair, he casually scrolled through YouTube.

"Man, today's class was as boring as ever," he muttered, thumbing through videos.

Scroll...

"Did you know if you were shot while wearing—"

Scroll...

"Scientists say other dimensions exist—"

Scroll...

"A black hole might destroy Earth—"

Leaves app.

Ren barely looked up. "You're only saying that because you understood what Miss Emilia was teaching today."

Riku took a huge bite of his pizza and spoke with his mouth full. "Dude, look who just walked in. Class 1A, right by the window."

Ren remained focused on his book. "What about them?"

"It's Sarah. She just walked past."

Ren's fingers stiffened slightly around the page, but his expression remained neutral. "And how does that concern me?"

"Don't even try to pretend. I know how you look at her."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Riku sighed, shaking his head. "Just tell her how you feel, man. Instead of torturing yourself."

"I can't." Ren finally lifted his gaze, his expression clouded with doubt. "I mean, look at her. Why would she pick me of all people? I'm not even that attractive."

"You don't know that."

Ren exhaled softly, staring down at his book. "Well, I do. Or maybe… maybe I'm just scared."

[BELL RINGS AGAIN ]

 The break was over and it was time for the students to return to their classes . As Ren and Riku returned to their classes—Ren wore a soft frown on his face his mind still lingering on the conversation between Riku and himself yet hiding it from Riku . Although they had been best friend since childhood he couldn't still reveal to Riku when he didn't feel right . Riku would normally guess and he would give a nod , even if Riku was correct or not . He realized that's why he doesn't have much friends . Riku just felt so perfect — it was like a prince and a slave being friends . So he was scared that if he expressed his true self to him he might loose his friend.

They settled down in their seats with Riku sitting in the back while Ren's table was upfront . 

Time shifted, marking the end of the final class for the day. Students poured out of classrooms, eager to head home.

Outside the school, a sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom idled near the entrance. As the mayor's son, Riku always had guards shadowing him.

"We're heading in your direction. Want a ride?" Riku asked, hopping into the backseat.

Ren shook his head. "No, my mom sent me to buy groceries in the opposite direction."

"Hmmm." Riku sighed. "Alright then. See you tomorrow."

The car rolled away, leaving Ren standing amidst the sea of students dispersing in different directions. The setting sun painted the sky a brilliant shade of orange, its golden glow giving the world a warm, almost nostalgic feel. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, mingling with the distant hum of traffic.

Ren walked along the pedestrian path, hands in his pockets, earbuds in. The world was beautiful, yet to him, it felt as if he were viewing it through a grey lens maybe it all happened when his father left him but he didn't really care about him anymore .

He crossed the street when the pedestrian light turned green, his gaze momentarily lingering on the waiting cars. The grocery store was just a few blocks away, owned by his mother's childhood friend. As evening settled in, the city's lights flickered on, illuminating the buildings.

Upon entering the store, the familiar chime of the doorbell rang.

"Oh! If it isn't Ren!" The store owner looked pleasantly surprised. "Your mom told me to pack some things for her, but I didn't realize she needed them today. Give me a second, dear."

She hurried into the backroom and returned shortly with a neatly packed white bag, handing it to him.

Ren nodded in gratitude, gave a small bow as a sign of respect, and left.

His walk home mirrored his earlier journey, but as he passed by the school again, a chilling voice echoed from within the darkened grounds.

"Help me… please…"

Ren hesitated. His pulse quickened. The gates were locked, but instinct overpowered reason. Dropping the groceries down—he scaled the fence and landed inside, dashing toward the field at the back of the school.

"HELLO? I heard a voice! Does anyone need help?" he called out, scanning the dimly lit field.

A sobbing voice responded from the shadows. "Please… help me…"

He squinted, barely making out a figure curled on the ground. He reached for his phone to turn on the flashlight, but she interrupted.

"No! No, please don't… Some guys tried to—" she sobbed. "I'm not wearing any clothes right now."

Ren quickly untucked his uniform shirt and tossed it toward her. "Are they still around? Who are you?"

"My name is Sarah. I go to this school…" Her voice trembled. "They told me they wanted to show me something, then dragged me here when no one was looking. But when you arrived, they ran away."

Ren's breath hitched. "Sarah? It's me. Ren."

She froze before abruptly standing and launching herself into his arms, clinging tightly. Her sobs soaked into his chest.

"You saved me. Thank you so much," she whispered.

Ren's face turned red. "I didn't do anything, b-but I'm glad you're okay."

Sarah pressed closer, her body molding against his. "I've always watched you, you know. Admired the way you talk, the way you eat…"

Ren laughed uneasily. "O-okay…" He tried pulling away, but her grip tightened.

"You're just as handsome as him."

"Sarah… you can let go now. You're hurting me."

She laughed—a chilling, unnatural sound. "But I wanted us to have fun tonight. Don't you want to?"

Her breath ghosted over his ear as she leaned in.

Panic surged through him. Summoning every ounce of strength, he shoved her away. She stumbled, hitting the ground.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I may have a crush on you, but that doesn't mean I'll take advantage of you."

Silence.

Then, her voice darkened. "How dare you reject me?"

A cold shiver ran down his spine.

"Sarah?" he called cautiously.

Her body twitched. Then twisted. Bones breaking.

snap! ,snap!, snap!

A monstrous growl erupted from her throat. Her form stretched, limbs elongating, her silhouette shifting into something inhuman.

Ren's breath hitched. "Sarah?"

She didn't respond.

He fumbled for his phone, aiming the light toward her.

She was gone.

Then—a sharp pain seared across his back as claws tore through his skin, sending him sprawling to the ground. His phone slipped from his grasp. Blood soaked his shirt.

He gasped. Staggered. Grabbed his phone and ran.

Behind him, her distorted voice called his name—again and again.

He vaulted the fence, nearly collapsing from fear. A police officer stood nearby.

"Sir! There's—there's a monster! It's chasing me!"

The officer frowned. "A monster? Son, I don't have time for jokes."

Ren spun around. "No! My back—It attacked me! Look!"

But there was no wound.

No blood.

Even the groceries he had dropped in his panic were now in his hands.

"Are you sure you're not on something, kid?"

"I swear, I—" His voice faltered.

The officer sighed. "Hop on, I'll take you home."

That night, Ren found a note on the table.

Dear Ren,

Gone to work. See you tomorrow. The Groceries? Hope you got them. Let's go on a picnic soon.

Love, Mom. 

Then a soft smile was present on his face as he dropped the note back on the table . The steps of the stair let out a creak each step as he went upstairs to take a shower . He first washed his faced in the sink in other to refresh his mind brushing it of as a bad day . 

Then—

His breath hitched . His reflection stared back , wide - eyed, shaking and then gaze locked onto something—an absence

His shirt was missing.

The one he gave Sarah.

Wasn't it just a dream?

What happened?