Celestial: Fallen

Chapter 39 - Echoes of Silence

It's been three days since we last heard from Nick. Michael and Rafail keep assuring me—and my parents—that Nick is fine. But their reassurances feel thin, like a fragile shield against the growing tension in the air. We've informed the elders about his disappearance, and while they confirm Nick is alive and well, they still can't say where he is or what exactly he's doing. That gnawing uncertainty is like a weight on my chest.

Miel has been my rock through all of this, especially with my... "glowing" episodes. We've pored over endless books about our bloodline, desperately trying to find answers hidden in the Circle's history. But so far, nothing matches what I'm going through. Strangely, the glowing has stopped, almost as if my body is signaling that Nick is truly okay. I'm trying to believe that. I want to believe it.

Today marks the second day that I haven't gone to school. Yesterday, Joshua and Leroy dropped by to check on me. I reassured them I was fine, just needing rest, and promised I'd be back next week. They seemed satisfied with my explanation, but inside, I was anything but settled. Between my own strange condition and Nick's disappearance, my mind feels like it's on a constant loop of worry and confusion. But there's something else too. A nagging thought—someone who keeps creeping into my mind. I can't shake it, and it frustrates me to no end. Why am I thinking about this person when everything is already so overwhelming?

I take a deep breath, rubbing my tired eyes. Miel and I have been reading since dawn, scouring ancient texts for answers. My brain feels fried, and I realize we need a break. Quietly, I slip away and head for the rooftop. The house feels suffocating, filled with the constant worry of everyone around me. Though I know my parents, Michael, Rafail, and Miel are all here, trying to protect and comfort me, there's still a gaping hole in the shape of Nick's absence.

Papa's been busy managing his shop over the phone, while Mom spends her days trying to keep everything running smoothly. She's been feeding us constantly, taking care of Grae, keeping the household together as best she can. On the surface, everything seems peaceful, but the silence surrounding Nick casts a heavy shadow over it all.

I walk up the stairs to the rooftop, my thoughts swirling like storm clouds. When I finally step outside, the cool air hits me, and I wrap my arms around myself to ward off the chill. The sky is painted in the soft colors of sunset, casting a golden glow over everything. The sea glistens like a bed of scattered diamonds, breathtaking in its beauty, but I can't fully enjoy it. The breeze feels too sharp, too cold. I stare at the orange horizon, watching birds fly across the fading light, and feel a strange mix of calm and loneliness.

"Nick..." I whisper as if the wind might carry my voice to wherever he is.

As I scrolled through Instagram, I found myself mindlessly watching a few videos of BTS, their familiar faces and music filling the screen. It was comforting in a way, a small escape from the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind. Each smile, dance move, and melody offered a brief moment of distraction, pulling me away from the weight of the uncertainty surrounding Nick.

But even as I watched the videos, I felt a twinge of guilt. Here I was, indulging in something that made me happy, while my brother was still out there somewhere, unreachable. My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment, pausing the video as a wave of mixed emotions hit me—relief that I could lose myself in something familiar and frustration that I couldn't do anything to help Nick.

I sighed, letting the video play on. Maybe, just for a little while, it was okay to feel something other than worry.

When suddenly, my phone rang, shattering the peaceful moment BTS had created. The familiar comfort of their music vanishes instantly, replaced by a sharp jolt of anxiety. Frowning, I glance down at the screen, my thumb frozen mid-scroll. An unknown number flashes on the display, and my heart skips a beat.