In this area, the lights never come on, there are no visitors, and it's always dead silent. The houses stand empty without residents, and no one wants to buy a home here.
Twelve-year-old Luke Campbell suffers from loneliness - he has no friends, an...
Until the very midnight, Luke was pondering. Who is this stranger, really? What does she want from him? What motives lay beneath her unexpected appearance, and why did she choose to intersect with his life?
No one else cared about Luke except her. It had never happened in his life that another kid initiated a conversation with him. Unfortunately, introverts like Luke aren't too appreciated at such an age. Books were his best and only friends—they never betrayed him, never mocked him, never caused him pain. With them, he could remain who he truly was, without playing a role of somebody else to fit in the society. The pages became a refuge where he could be himself without the pressure to conform.
In Luke's world, the echo of indifference from his peers was deafening. It was a lonely landscape where conversations with others seemed like a distant dream. No child had ever taken the initiative to approach him first, leaving him in the shadows of social obscurity. The boy found himself on the outskirts, a solitary figure navigating the complexities of adolescence.
Yet, amid this silence, a unique connection blossomed. She, the exception to the rule, broke through the isolating barriers. In a world that seemed to overlook his presence, her interest stood out like a beacon.
Who is Aliya, and what intentions lurked behind those enigmatic blue eyes?..
*** The next morning, Luke trudged through the schoolyard, shoulders slumped, as a group of peers approached him. His steps were slow, and his expression conveyed a sense of fear that hadn't lifted since the bullying began to him. As he navigated the familiar path, a group of students noticed his subdued demeanor and closed in around him, forming a circle.
"Look who's here, the loner Luke!" one of the children sneered.
The atmosphere grew tense as hushed whispers and stifled laughter filled the air. Luke felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, anticipating that today might bring more of the unkindness he had faced before. The circle of peers seemed to tighten.
"Yeah, where's your shadow, Luke? Oh, wait, invisible people don’t cast shadows!" another teased.
They laughed once again, and Luke felt a lump forming in his throat. Trying to avoid confrontation, he quickened his pace, but they followed.
"Why don't you just disappear like you always do, Luke?" taunted a third voice.
Feeling cornered, Luke made a snap decision. He decided to skip all the lessons and headed straight to his sanctuary, Dark Lanterns Lane. Sometimes it's dangerous even to attend school.
*** Finally, Luke's tense shoulders gradually relaxed. The hushed whispers of the rustling leaves were a huge difference to the harsh words echoing in his mind. Sitting on a bench, he let out a sigh of relief.
"This place understands me," he mumbled to himself, finding comfort in the solitude. The boy realized that sometimes, escaping to the quiet embrace of Dark Lanterns Lane was the best way to drown out the unkind voices that haunted the schoolyard.
But what if his parents find out he skipped classes? Luke couldn't shake off the nagging worry.
What would be the explanation he could offer? The thought of facing his parents' disappointment felt like an impending storm cloud, casting shadows over his escape to the quiet haven.
As he sought refuge on the familiar bench in the lane, Luke mulled over the possible scenarios. What words could he conjure to shield himself from the inevitable disapproval? His parents, who valued education and diligence, would surely be upset to learn that he chose solitude over his lessons. The internal struggle between seeking solace in his sanctuary and the fear of facing disappointed gazes left Luke in a precarious emotional state.
In the midst of Luke's contemplation, a sudden and unexpected presence disrupted the solitude of Dark Lanterns Lane. Aliya materialized seemingly out of nowhere. Her smile was mischievous as the previous time. The boy was just caught off guard.
"It seems you were offended by me last time," she said.
Yes, of course, he was offended, but today he was in too good of a mood to show it. So Luke just decided to change the topic.
"I've never seen you before, even though everyone knows everyone in our town. How long have you been living here?"
"Always and never. Does that answer satisfy you?"
"No."
The girl giggled brightly - it seemed she enjoyed leading him astray. It was Aliya's favourite game to play. But unlike other kids his age, she didn't make fun of him—on the contrary, she wanted to cheer him up and lift his spirits. Laughter wasn't something that happened often in Luke's life.
"How old are you?"
"Twelve."
Luke, still processing the unexpected encounter, couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity mixed with relief at the sight of a familiar face in the middle of nowhere. As Aliya joined him on the bench, the air around them seemed to lighten. Her presence injected a playful energy.
"No way! I'm also twelve and I thought you were no more than ten. You look like an elementary school student," Luke pondered for a moment, "By the way, do you go to school?"
"No."
"And probably never have?"
"You guessed it!"
"Well, where are your parents or other relatives? Why did they leave you all alone?"
"I never had them."
"They... passed away when you were very little?"
"No. They never existed."
"I've never heard anything like this before."
"Everything happens for the first time."
Luke became even more doubtful about whether to trust her. His skepticism went up a notch, like the volume on a radio when you're trying to catch a clear signal. The whole no-parents, no-documents and no-school story was starting to sound like a script from a mystery movie. It's the kind of plot twist that makes you squint your eyes and tilt your head, wondering if you missed a crucial scene.
It feels like playing a game where the rules keep changing. Luke felt like he was standing at a crossroads, trying to figure out if he should take the path of trust or make a U-turn and head the other way. Everything was so uncertain, and the girl with the no-trace-of-existence act wasn't making it any clearer.
"Do you want me to show you my house?"
"I've never been to anyone's house before," Luke hesitated.
"Well, you're going now," and she briskly pulled him by the hand.
*** They stood facing the shack, a dwelling that could hardly be called a home. It was an old, abandoned building with an unsightly appearance from the street. Some windows were half-broken - probably local troublemakers hurling rocks at them. The yard of the house was covered in tall weeds resembling a real jungle, suggesting neglect over many years.
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"I'm sorry, but how can anyone live here at all?" Luke tried to politely conceal his dissatisfaction.
"You'll see now," Aliya mysteriously smiled and opened the door.
