Ariadne stood at the bus stop, staring into the dimming light of the late evening, her stomach tied in knots. The exams were finally over, and though she should have been relieved, an unsettling feeling gnawed at her. The weight of the semester, the endless studying, and the pressure of finishing her last few papers...it should have all felt like a distant memory now. But instead, a strange tension settled in her chest.
Her phone buzzed, interrupting her spiraling thoughts. It was a message from Mia.
"You done with the exams? Come home already. I miss you."
Ariadne couldn't help but smile, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. She was used to her younger sister's persistent nature. Mia had been texting her every hour on the hour, eager for her to come home, and now that she had finished, Ariadne could finally make the trek back.
"On my way." Ariadne typed back, quickly shoving her phone into her bag as the bus pulled up to the curb.
She stepped on, her boots echoing against the worn floor of the bus. The driver was quiet, his face drawn, and though it wasn't unusual for him to be serious, today felt different. The bus ride was uncomfortably silent. It wasn't the kind of quiet that filled you with peace, but the kind that made your skin crawl.
Ariadne stared out the window. The streets of the city were mostly empty. There was something off about it ...the lack of people on the sidewalks, the few cars that passed, their headlights dim and distant. It felt like everyone was hiding inside.
Probably just the exams, she thought, shaking her head. Maybe everyone's just too exhausted to be out.
But as the bus rumbled on, something didn't sit right with her. Every street seemed darker than usual. The streetlights flickered, casting erratic shadows across the pavement. Ariadne felt a shiver crawl up her spine, but she forced herself to look away from the windows, focusing on the steady thrum of the bus.
A few minutes later, she glanced up at the driver. He was gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles, his gaze fixed straight ahead, eyes wide, as if he were trying to navigate a storm. She caught a brief flicker of fear before he looked away.
What's going on?
Before she could ask, the bus gave a violent jerk, throwing everyone to the side. Ariadne's heart raced as she grabbed the seat in front of her to steady herself. The bus swerved, and the driver's eyes darted to the rearview mirror. His voice crackled over the speaker. "Just a little rough patch, folks. Hang tight."
The bus rolled forward with a soft grinding sound. Ariadne's nerves were on edge, but she said nothing. Maybe it was just the driver being overly cautious.
When the bus finally arrived at her stop, Ariadne stepped off, her feet hitting the pavement with a soft thud. The moment she left the bus, she was hit by a cold breeze that made her shiver. It wasn't the usual spring chill, it felt unnatural, like the air had been holding its breath for far too long.
The walk home was short, but it felt endless. The streets were eerily quiet, and Ariadne's footsteps echoed through the empty space. She glanced up at the darkened sky, no stars, no moon. Just a thick layer of clouds that blocked out everything. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag, and she quickened her pace.
The air was heavy with a strange stillness. It felt as if the world had paused, holding its breath. The only sound was the faint rustle of leaves as they danced with the wind.
Suddenly, a low rumble vibrated through the ground, so faint that at first, Ariadne thought it was her imagination. She froze, her heart hammering in her chest. The noise came again, this time louder, more distinct. It was the ground beneath her feet shifting.
Her eyes darted around, looking for any sign of movement, but the street remained empty, lifeless. Her breath hitched in her throat, and her pulse quickened.
She told herself it was just a truck passing by, something she hadn't noticed before. Get a grip, Ariadne. She shook her head, trying to calm herself, but the unsettling feeling wouldn't leave.
As she continued walking, a faint vibration underfoot rippled through the ground once more. This time, she stumbled. She gripped a nearby lamppost for balance. A sense of dread crept into her chest. What the hell is going on?
She looked around again. The houses on her street were dark, no lights flickering through windows, no sounds of life. The eerie quiet was almost suffocating.
Another tremor passed beneath her, a deep rumble that she could feel in her bones. Ariadne stumbled, falling against a nearby fence. This time, she couldn't ignore it. The ground wasn't just shaking....it was quaking.
Her phone buzzed again, startling her. She fumbled to pull it out, but her fingers were shaking too much to answer. Mia had messaged again.
"Are you home yet? I'm really getting worried. Please text me when you're close."
Ariadne swallowed hard, her throat tight. She quickly typed back, "I'm almost there. Just got a little distracted. Be home soon."
She couldn't shake the unease that crawled along her spine. Her heart pounded in her chest as she moved faster. She was almost there, just a few more blocks.
A distant, faint siren wailed in the distance, followed by another. And then another.
Her eyes darted up to the sky, but the clouds were thick, covering every inch of the sky. The air had turned even colder, biting at her skin. Ariadne's stomach twisted, and she quickened her pace, her footsteps growing louder against the pavement.
The rumble grew again, this time stronger. The air shifted, crackling with a strange energy. The streetlights flickered, casting shadows that danced like they had a mind of their own.
What is happening?
She reached her house, her fingers fumbling for the keys. But as she stood at the door, something strange happened...the world felt still, suspended in time. The vibrations beneath her feet stopped suddenly. Silence.
She opened the door and stepped inside, her breath shallow. Her sister, Mia, was sitting on the couch, scrolling through her phone, looking up when Ariadne walked in.
"You're home finally. You okay? You look... weird." Mia's voice sounded distant, like she was in another world.
Ariadne forced a smile, but inside, she felt a deep unease. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."
But as she looked at her sister, she felt the unease deepening. The world outside felt wrong.
And no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she knew that something had shifted. Something was coming, and it wasn't going to be good.