Weight of quite Shadows:

In the heart of a bustling city, surrounded by honking cars, crowded sidewalks, and neon lights, lived a teenage boy named Ryle. To the people rushing past him, he was just another face in the crowd—a young boy blending into the rush, moving along with the flow of the city. But within him lay a world of silence, a storm of thoughts and feelings that he could never express. Suppression wasn't something he chose, it was something that had become a part of him, a coping mechanism in a city that never seemed to rest.

The city streets were alive with voices, laughter, yet Ryle felt completely out of place. The constant noise outside was almost a comfort, it gave him something to focus on, a way to drown out the thoughts that echoed within him. But no matter how loud the city got, there were always moments of quiet when the voices in his head became too loud to ignore.

At school, Ryle's laughter was his shield. He was the one with a quick joke, the friend who could turn any awkward moment into laughter. But his laughter was hollow. His classmates saw him as lighthearted, the one who never seemed to worry. They didn't know that each laugh was a defense.

He laughed to silence the voices that told him he didn't belong, that he was just another speck in a sea of strangers. Laughter made him visible, even if just briefly. It allowed him to control the narrative, to present himself as someone he wished he could be confident, carefree and unburdened. And so, Ryle became known as the one who laughed the loudest, who seemed happiest.

But the truth was, he never really found any of it funny.

When school ended and the city welcomed him back. He would walk the crowded streets, watching people rush to and from places he could only imagine. Ryle felt like an outsider. He watched people rushing from work, couples laughing over coffee, friends meeting up at crowded intersections.And yet, despite the city's constant noise, Ryle felt voiceless, his thoughts locked away beneath layers of laughter and silence.

In almost eerie silence , Ryle found himself by his bedroom window, gazing out over the city. The neon signs flickered, and the glow of traffic lights yet again ignored. He watched people passing on the sidewalks, moving in clusters, each one wrapped in the warmth of connection.

But Ryle stood alone, his own reflection staring back at him from the glass. He wished he could express the fears that kept him awake, the feeling of being lost within himself.

Yet each time he opened his mouth to speak, the words stuck in his throat. How could he put into words what he felt, when he wasn't even sure himself? The city offered no answers, only distractions, and Ryle found himself drifting from one day to the next, suppressing his true self in exchange for a moment's peace.

*************************************************

"A mask, a joke, a fleeting smile,

hide thoughts that run for miles.

In the city's flow, I lose my voice,

drowning out the endless noise."

************************************************

Just a beginner author . Do show some lenience and hopefully you like the work.

The interval between releases isn't really fixed as I have personal life to tend to too.Do keep tuning in. Hope you liked the work.