Absolutely. Here is:
MIRROR CAGE – CHAPTER 14: HUNGER IN THE WALLS
"Some cages aren't made of steel. Some are built from memory."
[Early Morning – Kingsvale Institute Basement Gym]
Elijah's fists struck the heavy bag in rhythmic, punishing bursts. Sweat soaked through his tank top. The gym was empty except for him, echoing with every hit.
Thud. Thud. Crack.
His mind wasn't here. It was reliving the rooftop conversation with Naomi.
She's getting too close.
He couldn't afford anyone prying into his life—not when he could barely keep his dual existence together.
He paused, breathing hard. Blood from his knuckles smeared across the leather bag. He hadn't noticed when his skin split.
A voice echoed from behind the weight racks.
"You always hit like you're trying to forget something."
Elijah turned sharply. It was Mason, hoodie half-zipped, headphones resting around his neck.
Elijah didn't reply.
Mason smirked. "Don't worry. I'm not here to psychoanalyze you."
Elijah grabbed a towel, wiping his hands. "Then why are you here?"
"To spar," Mason said simply. "You keep winning. I need to level up."
The look in his eyes said more than the words did. It wasn't just about strength. It was about fear—the fear of falling behind. Of being prey in a school built on power.
Elijah nodded. "Fine."
They stepped into the sparring ring.
No words. No ref. Just fists.
[Meanwhile – Naomi's Perspective, Kingsvale Archives Server Room]
The basement server room was off-limits to students. But Naomi had always been good at bending rules.
She moved quickly, inserting a small black drive into the terminal. The screen blinked green.
ACCESS GRANTED: LEVEL 4 SECURITY CLEARANCE
She'd hacked it.
The Mirror Cage program was hidden under several layers of obfuscation—an AI subroutine buried in the Institute's surveillance mainframe.
As lines of code unfolded, Naomi's eyes widened.
What the hell is this?
There were two sets of biometric profiles linked to Elijah Cole. Identical voiceprints. Nearly matching DNA. But entirely different physical readings.
One healthy. Muscular. Dominant.
The other… underdeveloped. Fragile. Registered as "Inactive Resident: Dorm C-27B."
No one lives there.
She took a shaky breath.
He's not switching outfits… he's switching bodies.
She copied the file.
Someone was covering for him. Maybe the school itself. Maybe someone higher.
A sudden beep. A second connection tried to access the system.
She yanked the drive and vanished into the shadows.
[Back to Elijah – Post Sparring]
Elijah and Mason sat against the ring wall, both bruised and breathing heavily.
"You always fight like you're running from something," Mason said between gulps of water.
"I am," Elijah replied.
The two sat in silence. For once, Mason didn't push. He just nodded like he understood.
Then he said something Elijah didn't expect.
"You're not alone, man. I don't know what you've been through—but whatever it is, you're not the only one hurting."
Elijah looked at him. Really looked.
Mason wasn't just some meathead. There were cracks behind the swagger. Pain hidden behind his cocky grin.
And for the first time in a long while, Elijah felt something stir.
Not trust. Not yet. But maybe...
Maybe the start of it.
[Night – Dorm C-27B]
In the forgotten wing of Kingsvale, Elijah slipped into his other body.
The old one.
The weak one.
Pain flared across his spine as the shift completed. The illusion of strength melted, and reality came crashing back like a tide of glass.
He stood before the cracked mirror in the tiny room.
Pale skin. Slouched shoulders. A face the world forgot.
But in his eyes, fire still burned.
A notification pinged.
Unknown Sender: "We need to talk. You're not the only one hiding."
His blood froze.
Naomi.