The first time Kairo died, no one noticed, not even him.
It happened two days ago, and he convinced himself it was only a bad dream. But a dream doesn't leave you feeling watched.
He tried not to think about it. As there were more important things to worry about. Homework. Fees. Food. Overthinking didn't pay his bills.
That morning, Kairo sat in his mathematics class, listening to the lecture. He felt his eyelids turn heavy, and he blinked.
In the next second, the air felt different, and the darkness hit him first followed by something cold and wet touching his feet.
He looked down and saw a faint glint near his shoes and instantly understood it was water.
He should have sunk. But his feet stayed on the water like it was solid.
As he slowly lifted his one foot and placed it down again he could feel ripples beneath him, but his body didn't go down, and the silence around him stayed the same.
Confused and slightly scared, he looked around.
The darkness was so thick that even if someone stood beside him, he wouldn't know as he couldn't even see his own knees.
""Hello?" he called out into the darkness only to be heard by himself.
Standing at the same place felt unsafe, so he began walking. He walked for a while, but the darkness looked the same from every direction.
And then he noticed something flicker far away. A second later, the flicker settled into a small glow in the same spot. He blinked, expecting it to vanish, but it didn't.
He didn't know what it was, but it was the only thing that didn't feel empty, so he started moving toward it, hoping it would lead him out of this place.
As he got closer, he realised it wasn't a lamp, and it didn't look like fire either. The glow stayed in shape, forming curved lines in the air, and he could tell they were letters.
[NOT READY]
"Not ready?" he muttered, stopping at that spot.
"Not ready for what?"
The words didn't move or flicker, as if it were disabled button. They stayed clear and steady, as if they were placed there only for him to read.
As he stood there thinking about it, goosebumps rose on his skin and a sharp burning sensation spread across the back of his neck, as if a gaze was fixed on that exact spot.
The burning at the back of his neck grew stronger, and that's when he realised something was moving closer to him.
His mind tried to make sense of it, and the first question that hit him was simple.
'How could something possibly see him?'
It was so dark that he couldn't even see his own legs properly, so how was it staring at him as if it knew exactly where he was standing?
Whatever it was, it was close now. Kairo didn't dare turn around or speak as he didn't want it to know he had sensed its presence.
Just as he felt it right behind him, a loud bang cut through the silence.
"Do you come to school to take a nap?!"
Mr. Rowiskhy stood beside his desk, his face tight with anger.
"Stand up," he said.
Kairo stood up fast, still sweating. He could hear the laughs and feel the stares on him. Someone at the back mimicked snoring, making the situation worse.
"Are you here to study or to sleep?" the professor asked. "Get out. Stand outside."
"I'm sorry, sir," Kairo said.
"Outside," Mr. Rowiskhy repeated, pointing at the door.
Kairo grabbed his bag and walked out without looking at anyone.
Mr. Rowiskhy was never a fan of him anyway. He didn't feel bad about it. Moreover, he was used to this kind of treatment.
He leaned against the wall outside. His heart was still racing, fast enough to make him aware of every beat. He took a slow breath trying to steady it.
The corridor was quiet, and so was his mind, until he started thinking about the dream.
The words stayed with him, NOT READY.
"Does it mean anything?" he asked under his breath.
He remembered the tightness in his chest, the burning at the back of his neck, and the sense that something had been too close.
"I haven't felt anything like that before," he muttered.
"What exactly was that?"
He frowned and shook his head, trying to brush it off, but the feeling didn't leave.
Still leaning against the wall, he tilted his head slightly and stared at the ceiling, letting his thoughts wander without reaching anywhere, until the lunch bell rang and pulled him out of it.
The corridor filled up fast after the bell. Students poured out of classrooms, talking loudly, laughing, rushing toward the stairs and the canteen.
Kairo pushed himself off the wall and adjusted the strap of his bag. He slipped his hand into his pocket and felt the coins there. By the feel of coins, he could easily tell they weren't enough to get anything from the canteen.
He let out a slow sigh and walked down the stairs, toward the playground.
Outside, the playground was already loud with students spread across the field. Kairo walked along the edge of the field, toward the far end of the playground.
There was only one tree there, and its shade fell across both the ground and the boundary wall, making it a perfect spot to sit quietly.
It was his usual hiding place where he wouldn't be noticed.
He placed his bag beside him, leaned back against the wall, and closed his eyes for a moment, tired from the emotional swings of the day.
A few minutes passed. The lunch break felt longer than usual. Even with all the noise around him, his stomach growled loudly enough for him to notice.
But there was no option, though. He felt more annoyed at his situation than embarrassed.
Lost in his own thoughts and the dull ache of hunger, he didn't notice the approaching footsteps.
"Not eating today?"
Kairo opened his eyes and instantly felt his mood drop.
Jason stood there, hands loosely in his pockets. Two boys were behind him, close enough to block the view behind the field.
Kairo decided not to answer. Getting into trouble was the last thing he wanted.
Jason glanced down at him and snapped his fingers to get his attention. "Forgot your lunch?"
One of the boys behind him spoke casually, as if it was obvious. "He doesn't bring lunch. He lives alone, remember?"
Jason nodded slowly. "Right. No one to pack it for him."
Kairo's jaw tightened as he heard the laughs at him, but he stayed still.
Jason looked at the bag beside him. "What's in there then?" He nudged it lightly with his shoe.
Kairo pulled it closer without looking up.
Jason watched him for a second, clearly irritated by the lack of reaction. "Stand up," he ordered.
Kairo sensed the tone shifting. He knew he had managed to irritate Jason somehow, and that meant this wouldn't end quietly.
Still he stood up, planning to walk back toward the building.
"Move," Kairo said quietly.
Jason didn't move. Instead, he stepped closer.
"Or what?" he asked, his voice lower now.
Kairo didn't answer and tried to step past him again. But Jason grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back one step.
"Don't act smart," Jason said, clearly annoyed.
Kairo held himself together, not wanting to break down, and didn't push back against Jason.
That silence irritated Jason more than any reply would have.
"Say something," one of the boys behind him muttered.
Kairo looked at Jason this time. Not angry. Not scared. Just tired.
"I said move," he repeated. With the things he was experiencing, he just wanted to be left alone. No drama.
Frustrated, Jason shoved him harder. Kairo stumbled and hit the boundary wall behind him.
Before he could straighten up, one of the other boys kicked his leg from the side. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, dirt staining his white uniform.
His palms scraped the ground as he tried to push himself up, but a foot pressed down on his shoulder and forced him back to the ground.
"Still quiet?" Jason asked.
Kairo clenched his jaw. For a second, he thought about swinging his fist. Just once. Hard enough to surprise them.
But he already knew what would follow and wasn't brave enough to face three of them. Feeling miserable, he stayed down.
Jason gave him a light kick near his ribs. Not enough to break anything. Just enough to hurt, making Kairo groan in pain.
"Next time," Jason said, stepping back, "don't pretend like you don't hear."
The boys laughed as they walked away.
Kairo stayed on the ground for a few seconds before sitting up slowly as the pain faded away.
Unseen by anyone on the ground, something else had been watching the entire time from a distance.
He stood near the boundary wall, completely invisible to human eyes. His body was tall and solid, shaped like a man but definitely larger. Two curved black horns rose from his head and his skin was dark, almost stone-like. His fingers ended in sharp, uneven nails.
His eyes glowed faint red, calm and observant as his eyes stuck on Kairo.
"Tch. Useless," he muttered as he watched the boy stay down instead of fighting back.
But then his eyes narrowed.
A faint glow flickered at the back of Kairo's neck.
"Why hasn't it dissolved?"