Two lives.

10. unheard whispers

He was right. Things did get crazier.

As we made our way back through the forest, everything felt like it was alive. The ground beneath my feet seemed to be breathing, rising and falling in slow, steady waves, and the air around me felt almost... squishy, like I could reach out and mold it between my fingers. Every sound was heightened, every leaf rustle echoing through my head as if the trees were whispering secrets.

Ekko walked beside me, quiet and staring ahead like he was lost in his own world. I tried to stay focused, but my gaze kept slipping back to the way his hair seemed to blend with the shadows of the trees, like he was part of the forest.

"Ekko... psst, Ekko!" I whispered, or at least I thought I was whispering. My voice came out louder than I intended, the words bouncing around in the empty air.

"Huh?" He turned to look at me, eyes wide.

"Is... is everything moving for you too?" I asked, gripping his arm for balance as the ground pulsed beneath me. I felt like I was on a boat that wasn't actually there.

Ekko smiled, his eyes glassy, almost dreamlike. "Yeah... feels like were on water right?"

I giggled, the sound light and strange to my ears. "Like, it's breathing or something. It's kinda... cool?"

Ekko just smiled, staring straight ahead. Our arms were still linked, steadying each other in the surreal blur of the forest, but before long, Lucifer pulled us apart with a sharp whisper, breaking the daze.

"Listen up," he said, his voice low but commanding. "We have to get back inside without making a single sound. If we get caught, we're screwed. Got it?" He looked at each of us, waiting for a nod.

But my focus was only half-there. Ekko's quiet breathing seemed louder than Lucifer's warning, as if his breaths were syncing with the night, drawing me further into the haze. I nodded absentmindedly, catching only pieces of Lucifer's words.

Despite everything — the random stumbles and whispered giggles between Caylus and Ekko — we actually managed to make it to the building undetected. The thrill of sneaking through the dark halls was almost as intense as the high itself, each step feeling like a secret, a shared pact among us all.

Ophelia took my arm gently, guiding me down the corridor until we reached my room. She helped me inside, easing me down onto my bed as she slipped off my shoes with a smile.

"I'm really glad you came tonight," she whispered, laughing softly as she took in my glazed-over expression. "Even if you're not gonna remember much of it tomorrow."

I giggled, feeling light and warm from her words, like the whole night had been part of a dream I didn't want to end.

As Ophelia slipped out, I lay back and let my eyes close, the sounds of our quiet laughter and the pulse of the forest still echoing in my mind.