I.
I couldn't sleep. The oppressive weight of insomnia pressed upon my weary mind, leaving me no choice but to roam the darkened streets. Sleep had become rare, replaced by a restless curiosity that gnawed at my insides. It was during one such sleepless night that I found myself walking aimlessly, seeking solace in the silence that enveloped the town.
A town once a vibrant hub of activity, now lay dormant under the moon's watchful gaze. The streets, usually teeming with life, were abandoned, their empty storefronts like forgotten relics of a time long past. Yet, despite the desolation, I couldn't help but find a strange allure in the stillness, as if the town held secrets just waiting to be uncovered.
I pulled my jacket closer, the chill of the night seeping into my bones. As I wandered the labyrinthine alleys, my footsteps echoed against the silent buildings, my only company the flickering streetlights and the distant hum of my own thoughts. It was in this solitude that I stumbled upon an alley, shrouded in darkness, yet beckoning me forward.
The air grew heavy with anticipation as I cautiously approached, my senses on high alert. A whisper, barely audible, reached my ears, urging me to delve deeper into the unknown. A mixture of fear and curiosity gripped my heart, propelling me forward, step by tentative step. What could possibly await me in this forsaken corner of the town?
The flickering glow of a distant light led me to a dilapidated warehouse, its cracked windows and graffiti-covered walls a testament to the passage of time. My pulse quickened, a blend of excitement and trepidation coursing through my veins. With a trembling hand, I pushed open the rusted door and entered the warehouse.
And there, amidst the ethereal glow, I beheld a sight that would forever change my perception of her.
Makina.
A classmate I had known for a few years, stood before me. She have straight black hair that she always tied, but now her hair is free. Her appearance was almost ethereal, her movements too graceful, too deliberate. But it was the gleam of metal beneath her skin, the faint hum of machinery that accompanied her every breath, that shattered my understanding of what if she really a human.
"Makina?" I stammered, disbelief mingling with a strange mix of awe and apprehension. "What... what are you doing here?"
She averted her gaze, her eyes filled with a sadness I had never seen before. "Kraine, I... I think you made a mistake you see me here. Well... just promise me one thing—don't tell anyone at school."
Her words hung in the air, unanswered, as a hundred questions swirled within me. What was she? How had she come to be here? And most importantly, Did she just threatened me? But before I could gather my thoughts and find the words to respond, she began to retreat, her steps measured and deliberate.
"Don't tell anyone in school, I don't want to hurt you" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. With those parting words, she vanished into the darkness, leaving me standing alone, my mind ablaze with confusion and a burning desire to uncover the truth.
I stood there for a long while, my thoughts a tumultuous storm of uncertainty and intrigue. The revelation of Makina true nature had sent shockwaves through my understanding of the world. How had I never noticed the subtle signs? The grace that surpassed that of any human, the peculiar glint in her eyes that hinted at a deeper truth. It was as if she had walked beside me, yet concealed her true self in plain sight.
As the moon cast its haunting glow upon the silent streets, I may have been stuck in a situation I can't get out. I had become entangled in a web of secrets and intrigue.
"Yeah, I'm going home... That's enough for tonight."
***
I woke up the next morning with a heavy cloud of fatigue clinging to me. Sleep had eluded me once again, as my mind replayed the events of the previous night in an endless loop. My body felt like it had been dragged through a battlefield, battered and bruised by the weight of the unknown.
Despite my exhaustion, I forced myself to attend school. It was the only way to maintain some semblance of normalcy, to keep up the pretense that everything was fine.
As I entered my classroom, I was greeted with the familiar chatter and laughter of his peers. Everything seemed blissfully normal and ordinary. This is such a relaxing atmosphere, let's just pretend that strange encounter with Akira was but a distant memory, already fading from my mind.
Just then, Makina walked into the room, smiling and joking with a group of girls in her usual charming manner. She glanced across the room at me, giving him a subtle smile and wink before turning away to chat with another friend. A chill run down my spine, my heart racing with anxiety.
Makina moved through the day with the ease and grace that made her the most popular girl in school. She answered questions when called upon, earning praise from teachers and peers alike for her intelligence. She joined in conversations with genuine warmth and enthusiasm, her musical laugh echoing down the hallways. Everyone was drawn to Makina's radiant confidence and poise.
Yet I found himself scrutinizing her every move and gesture, searching for any clues to betray her human facade. But there were none to be found. Makina's disguise was as impenetrable as steel. She did warn me to stay silent, and now I understood why. No one would believe the truth. All I could do was watch, and wait, wondering when those gleaming eyes might turn their gaze upon him once again.
Her brief glance in my direction sent shivers down my spine. There was something in her eyes, a flicker of recognition and understanding that made my heart skip a beat. Did she know that I told no one her secret? Was there a hidden message in that fleeting gaze?
The morning classes passed by in a blur, my mind drifting between the lessons and the enigma that was Makina. I couldn't focus, couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. Every time I glanced her way, she seemed engrossed in her conversations, her smile radiant. It was as if the encounter at night had never happened.
But it had. And the memory of it gnawed at me, a relentless reminder of the danger lurking beneath the surface.
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the school grounds, I found myself alone at the back of the school, obeying a teacher's command to retrieve some forgotten supplies from the storage room. The air grew heavy with anticipation as I approached the dimly lit corridor leading to my destination.
With each step, my heart pounded louder in my chest. Fear mingled with curiosity, creating a heady cocktail of emotions. I reached for the door handle, my hand trembling slightly, but before I could grasp it, the door slowly swung open, revealing Makina standing on the other side.
Her eyes, once vibrant and lively, now glowed with an ethereal eerie light. It was as if the very essence of her being had been unleashed, raw and powerful. My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.
"Makina... I... I didn't tell anyone." I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible above the rush of blood in my ears.
"We have twenty minutes to talk alone, and if you scream, no one is going to hear you" she said, her voice low and filled with an undeniable edge.
The door slammed shut behind us, sealing us in darkness. Panic surged within me, but I fought to maintain my composure. There was a part of me that still clung to the hope that this was all a misunderstanding, that Makina had a reasonable explanation for her actions.
She released her grip on my arm, but her eyes never wavered from mine. I could see the conflict within her, the struggle between the person she wanted to be and the reality of her existence. Questions flooded my mind, demanding answers, but the words caught in my throat.
"What are you?" I finally managed to ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Her gaze softened, just a fraction, as if my question had stirred something deep within her. "That is a complicated question," she replied cryptically. "But I can assure you, I am not your enemy... If you behave okay?"
I wanted to believe her, desperately so. But doubt lingered, an unshakeable presence that refused to be ignored. I couldn't simply accept her words at face value, not when the world I thought I knew had been shattered.
A minute ticked by, each one stretching into eternity. Makina and I stood in that dimly lit storage room, locked in a battle of wills. It was a silent war, fought with glances and unspoken truths, as we grappled with the magnitude of what lay between us.
As the seconds slipped away, a question burned on my lips. But before I could voice it, Makina's expression hardened, and a new fire ignited within her eyes.
"Tell me you want to ask, and I will answer it." she declared, her voice cutting through the silence. "18 minutes left, Kraine start speaking."
With those ominous words, I press myself in the door, pressure is making my knee kiss the ground but I still stand despite that.
"Are you going to kill me"
.
.
.
.
.
She just smiled.