The days after Lucas had been released from the hospital blurred together. The silence in his home felt heavier than ever, as if the walls themselves were watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake. His parents were always busy, caught up in their own lives, so Lucas had long stopped hoping for their attention. They never noticed when he was hurting. They never noticed him, period.
But recently, there was something different. It was subtle at first, like the smallest shift in the air—a change in the temperature, a faint whisper in the background that he couldn't quite place. It was the feeling that someone was watching him, and it wasn't the same kind of oppressive presence he had grown used to. This time, it felt... different. Less frightening, more comforting, like someone was standing just behind him, ready to protect him.
It started in the middle of the afternoon, when Lucas was walking to school, his mind heavy with the usual thoughts, the usual fears. He had his head down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone, when he heard a voice.
"Hey, Lucas! Wait up!"
He froze. It wasn't like anyone ever called out to him. He couldn't remember the last time someone had spoken to him directly. He looked around, but all the students were still walking along their usual paths, not even looking his way.
"Did you hear me? Hey, Lucas!"
The voice was closer now, and it made him jump. He turned around to see a boy, around his age, standing behind him. He had messy brown hair, bright eyes, and a smile that seemed to make the world seem less intimidating. The boy was waving at him, almost like an old friend.
Lucas blinked, unsure if he was seeing things. He had never seen this kid before in his life.
"Who… who are you?" Lucas asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His throat felt dry, and his heart began to race.
The boy grinned wider, his smile full of warmth. "It's me, Alex! You know, from last summer? We hung out at the park?"
Lucas's head spun. Last summer? He couldn't remember ever meeting anyone named Alex, and yet, something in the boy's eyes told him that they should have known each other. Something deep inside him told him that Alex had been there, somehow, through all the years of silence.
"Are you okay?" Alex asked, his expression softening as he stepped closer. "You look kinda… off. Are you feeling sick or something?"
Lucas opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. Could this be a joke? Was this some sort of prank? No, there was something real about Alex. Something real that felt different from the ghosts and shadows Lucas had always known.
"I… I'm fine," Lucas stammered, forcing a smile. "I just… I don't remember you."
Alex raised an eyebrow, his grin faltering slightly. "That's weird. We were friends, Lucas. We used to play together all the time. You don't remember any of it?"
Lucas shook his head, a cold chill creeping up his spine. Something was off, but he couldn't quite place it. It felt like a memory just out of reach, like something important that he should know but couldn't quite grasp. He rubbed his temples, trying to calm the growing unease inside him.
"You're sure?" Alex pressed, his voice now a little more concerned. "We used to talk for hours. You'd tell me all your secrets, your fears. I was always there, remember?"
Lucas felt his heart race. Secrets? Fears? He never told anyone his fears. Not like that. He never trusted anyone enough to be that open. So why did this boy's words feel so familiar?
"I'm… I'm sorry," Lucas whispered, his hands trembling. "I don't remember."
Alex didn't seem angry. He just smiled again, a little more sadly this time, and patted Lucas on the back. "It's okay. I'll remind you. Just give it time."
Lucas nodded numbly, still unsure of what was happening. As they walked to school together, Alex chattered away like they had been friends for years, talking about everything and nothing at all. And Lucas, despite his confusion, found himself listening. Alex was so easy to talk to, so easy to be around. It was as though the weight of the shadows lifted a little bit when he was with him. For the first time in a long time, Lucas felt like maybe—just maybe—he wasn't completely alone.
But as the day went on, something started to feel wrong.
Lucas didn't know why, but every time he glanced around, he noticed that no one seemed to be paying attention to them. No one even looked at him when he was with Alex. It was like the whole world had suddenly forgotten he existed. It wasn't just a feeling—it was tangible, real. People walked past him, their eyes straight ahead, as if he were invisible. As if he weren't even there.
At lunch, Alex sat next to him, talking about random things, but Lucas's mind was elsewhere. He glanced around at the other students, all of them absorbed in their own conversations. They didn't see him. They didn't see Alex either, for that matter.
"Hey, Alex," Lucas whispered, his voice trembling. "Why is everyone ignoring us?"
Alex didn't answer right away. He paused mid-sentence, his smile faltering just for a second. But then he chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, they always do that. Don't worry about it. They'll come around."
Lucas wasn't convinced. Something was wrong. Why was no one looking at them? Why did it feel like the world had become a blur of faces, all turning away from him? He felt like he was disappearing, like he was vanishing into thin air.
After school, Lucas followed Alex outside, trying to make sense of everything. As they walked through the empty streets, Alex suddenly stopped and turned to face him. The smile had disappeared from his face, replaced with something more serious, more intense.
"You're starting to notice, aren't you?" Alex said quietly.
Lucas's heart skipped a beat. He stared at his "friend," unable to speak.
"Don't worry," Alex continued. "I'm still here. I've always been here. But they can't see me. Not anymore."
The world seemed to tilt beneath Lucas's feet. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of what Alex had said, but before he could ask more questions, Alex turned and walked away, vanishing into the distance.
Lucas stood frozen, the chill of realization creeping over him. He wasn't just imagining things. Alex wasn't real. He couldn't be.
And yet, for just a moment, Lucas had believed in him.
As the shadows crept closer, Lucas knew one thing for sure: the line between reality and his own mind was blurring faster than ever.