Part 107
Adrian hadn't meant for the message to spread so quickly.
All he wanted was a whisper — a small flare of hope sent into the world, tucked inside the melody he hummed one night when Alex left the room.
But the internet worked faster than fire.
Now, as he sat in the dim light of the room —the faint scent of tea and metal in the air — he stared at the small phone screen she'd forgotten to lock properly.
It was his name.
Everywhere.
#AdrianStillAlive
#FindOurIdol
#BringHimHome
His fans were dissecting his last public video, finding the lyrics he'd written, the unfinished verse that spelled "help" when played backward.
Some said it was a coincidence.
Most said it was a cry.
He wanted to smile — but the sound caught in his throat, sharp and uneven.
It wasn't freedom yet.
It was just proof that the world hadn't forgotten him.
Across the room, Aura hummed softly as she made tea, oblivious.
She looked peaceful, almost happy, the steam curling around her face like a halo.
It would've been beautiful, if not for the locked door behind her.
He watched her, the way her hands moved with calm precision.
He'd learned the rhythm of her control — gentle, careful, suffocating.
She turned to him suddenly, catching his eyes.
"You're quiet today," she said softly.
"Something wrong?"
He forced a smile.
"Just… tired."
Aura smiled back — the kind of smile that pretended to care but carried an edge too sharp to touch.
"You'll feel better after tea."
She placed the cup before him and brushed a hand against his cheek before walking away.
Adrian stared at the cup, its surface trembling slightly from his shaking fingers.
The warmth, the scent, everything that was supposed to be comfort now felt like a leash.
But deep inside, under the fear and exhaustion, there was something else.
Something small, stubborn, and alive.
They know I'm out here.
For the first time, he felt his pulse match the rhythm of the world outside — not the rhythm Alex set for him.
And as he stared at his reflection in the tea, a thought bloomed, quiet and dangerous:
"If they're looking for me… I can't let her find out."