Upon meeting him, he never imagined his feelings could sweep him away like ocean waves, nor that his world would transform in a single second. In the suffocating darkness, his mind replayed the fleeting moments when their fates collided, leaving his heart aching…
A new star had seemingly appeared in the heavens, and that's how Noah's birth felt. He was his mother's cherished, brown-eyed baby, and his father's witty little spark. The very name Noah means comfort, a role he embodied in his family's life. He was a small, warm balm for his mother, father, and brother. A laughing child, a definitive light in their lives. Noah was a quiet boy, always content to watch life unfold from the sidelines. He was a bit reserved, obedient, and arguably the most loving older brother anyone could ask for. His parents were doting, their home a cozy haven, a place they truly called their own.
He never considered himself special; nor did he wish to be. He had everything he needed and nothing else truly mattered. Noah found joy in life's simple pleasures, just like any other young boy his age: losing himself in comic books, adventuring with his brother in the nearby woods, or cycling through their quaint town. His life was tranquil, a picture of contented ease.
Tragically, at the tender age of ten, his parents and brother vanished without a trace. Their home held no clues, nor did any other place. Noah was left with no choice but to move in with the family of one of his mother's best friends, supposedly at her "request." No one ever offered an explanation for their disappearance, leaving a profound rift in his soul. From that day on, he carried the crushing weight of loss, the torment of unanswered questions, and the sting of endless doubts. It was a cruel burden for a child, abandoned without a single reason.
The remainder of his childhood was spent with his parents' friends. They provided him with the necessities to survive: food, education, toys, and perhaps even love—or so he thought. He didn't truly care; a long time ago, everything had ceased to matter. His life blurred by in a blur, as if on autopilot. Elementary school graduation came swiftly, followed by high school. Then came his first cigarette, his first drunken night. Everything passed before his eyes, unnoticed and unremarked. When he came of age, he decided to move to the capital. Staying in his hometown was a constant, suffocating reminder of his past, each day sinking him deeper into despair.
The capital was famed as a paradise, a place where many believed they could truly feel alive. Noah simply longed to breathe again. He rented a small apartment, barely more than a place to sleep. Life in the capital was expensive, forcing him to juggle multiple jobs. He worked in shops, clubs, restaurants, and cafes. Thus began his life in the capital at twenty-one, a life that unfolded with quiet predictability. He kept his mind and body busy, working almost daily, occasionally seeing his friends—or rather, his best friend—to get drunk or just hang out. His existence became comfortable, a serene lull akin to being trapped in the calm eye of a hurricane, yet with a faint, unexplainable sensation stirring in his chest.
On August 12th, a day like any other, Noah was in his small apartment, the same one he'd called home for the past five years. As he was about to leave, he carelessly knocked over a cup of tea he'd left in his path, ruining his socks and staining the floor. It took him about fifteen minutes to clean up the clumsy mess. He finally left his apartment fifteen minutes later than planned. Stepping into the hallway, he caught sight of a tall man: smooth, pale skin, striking gray hair, and eyes so profoundly blue they seemed to hold untold depths. Something about this stranger sent an odd, unsettling shiver down Noah's spine. Instantly, he walked toward where the man had been, but the hallway was empty.
Later, feeling a pang of embarrassment, he inquired at the reception about the unknown man. The receptionist simply informed him that someone had been there investigating strange noises in some of the uninhabited apartments. Who in their right mind hires a guy like that to investigate? Noah thought to himself, then simply shrugged it off. What could he do? It wasn't his problem.
Days bled into weeks, and the incident faded from his mind. But the uneasy feeling returned when, one day, while asleep, he heard noises echoing from the apartment next door.
Are those voices? he wondered, yet he couldn't make out what they were saying. His heart began to pound faster and faster, a tingling sensation spreading through his body. Resigned, he buried his head beneath his pillows and pulled the blanket over himself, desperate not to hear anything more.
The next morning, when he recounted his experience to the landlord, the man seemed less surprised and more annoyed by the report. Grudgingly, he promised to send someone to check, dismissing it as nothing serious, perhaps just a rodent causing mischief. But both Noah and the landlord knew better. Noah pretended to believe him. He didn't typically consider himself easily scared, much less curious, but something deep inside told him things weren't right. Feeling both worried and frustrated, he decided to ignore the whole affair.
To his surprise, two days later, as he prepared for his first job of the day, he heard footsteps hurrying down the hallway that connected all the apartments. The steps stopped directly next door.