NIGHTMARE : Lie Lies In Eyes

19. Suffocated

Morgan:  Humans, they're masters of deception. Nobody knows their true colors.

Emma:  You're wrong. All of us wear a mask.

Ashley:  Morgan, stop blaming her. What do you think you could win over humans in this game? The Giant Cobra has the strength to defeat both. It just depends on how tricky one leads their shields.

Morgan:  If you want to trust her, you can. But don't force me. I won't give it a second thought, though. That's my final answer.

As I wandered the dimly lit corridors of the school, the oppressive darkness enveloping me in its quiet embrace, the flickering glow of the fire lanterns provided the only source of illumination. The school seemed to hold its breath in the absence of daylight, casting eerie shadows that danced along the walls.

Suddenly, a voice pierced through the silence, causing me to jump in surprise. It was Ashley, emerging from the shadows with a quiet grace.

"What brings you here all alone?" she inquired, her concern evident in the softness of her tone.

I sighed, attempting to conceal the turmoil swirling within me. "Just... taking a stroll," I replied, my voice barely audible against the backdrop of quietude.

Her gaze softened, understanding dawning in her eyes. "If it's about Morgan, you don't have to--"

But I couldn't let her finish, the weight of my guilt pressing heavily upon me. "I deserve her anger," I confessed, my voice tinged with regret. "I made a mistake. If only I had been honest from the start, perhaps things would be different now. Instead, I chose deception, kept secrets. Yet, despite knowing the truth, you all still offered me your friendship. It's more than I deserve. I'm not sure I could do the same if I were in your place."

"If you want to see something extraordinary," she suggested suddenly, a spark of excitement lighting up her eyes, "Only Heavens  are allowed. Come with me."

"It's absolutely breathtaking," I murmured in awe as Ashley guided me into a hall where the ceiling opened up to reveal the vast expanse of the night sky, adorned with countless twinkling stars.

"This is the Twilight Sky," Ashley explained.

"It's stunning," I breathed, my eyes drinking in the beauty of the scene before me.

Suddenly, a warmth enveloped me, as if the gentle touch of sunlight graced my skin. "But... Ashley, it's warm," I observed, a perplexed furrow marring my brow.

Ashley's expression shifted to one of realization as she followed my gaze to a crack in the sky, from which a slender beam of sunlight streamed through. "It's sunlight," she confirmed, her tone tinged with disbelief.

Motioning towards the crack, she continued, "And it's warm, genuine sunlight. Look, the barrier is cracked," she pointed out, her demeanor turning serious.

"That's a barrier." I questioned.

"It shouldn't be. It appears artificial, as though someone constructed it using their powers," Ashley concluded.

Before we could delve deeper into our discovery, her phone rang, breaking the spell of the moment.

"Emma, I have to go," she announced, her urgency palpable, leaving me standing there, my thoughts swirling with newfound revelations and unanswered questions.

As I traversed the quiet corridors, my footsteps echoing softly against the walls, I spotted Dominick standing alone, his silhouette bathed in the dim light filtering through the windows.
Dominick broke the silence.