Chapter 30: A World That Feels Unreal
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Retreating into Silence
I push my plate away.
The uneaten food sits there, untouched.
A reflection of the emptiness inside me.
Mom's eyes flick toward me. Concerned. Dad sets his fork down. Mark glances up from his phone.
Lily stops talking mid-sentence.
The weight of their worry presses against me.
I can't take it.
"I'm not hungry."
My voice is barely a whisper.
It should be louder. Should sound real.
But there's nothing left to give.
I stand. Excuse myself.
And walk away.
I don't look back.
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No Solace, No Escape
My room.
The only place that should feel safe.
But even here—
The emptiness follows.
I collapse onto my bed.
The blanket is warm, but I feel cold.
Sleep drags me under, slow and suffocating.
But it brings no dreams.
No relief.
Just nothingness.
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A Grey, Indifferent Morning
The alarm rings.
I open my eyes—
But I feel no different.
The world outside my window is washed out.
The sunrise is nothing but a dull, colorless glow.
The usual vibrancy is gone, as if reality itself has begun to fade.
I get up.
Dress.
Move through my morning routine with slow, deliberate motions.
Everything is automatic.
Mechanical.
There is no purpose.
Only existence.
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A House Filled with Unspoken Worry
The weight of my backpack feels heavier than usual.
Not because of the books inside—
But because of everything else I carry.
I eat a quick breakfast.
I barely taste it.
The house is too quiet.
Not in a peaceful way.
But in a way that feels wrong.
My family is there, but their silence is heavy.
I can feel their worry.
But no one says anything.
Because what is there to say?
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An Unnatural Quiet
The schoolyard is strange.
Not in the way it looks—
But in the way it feels.
There is no morning chaos.
No laughter. No loud conversations.
The air is thick with something unspoken.
As if the school itself is holding its breath.
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Distant Faces, Unseen Tension
I walk past my classmates.
They avoid my gaze.
The usual banter, the greetings, the casual exchanges—
Gone.
They don't acknowledge me.
Like I'm not even there.
Like I've become something else.
I reach my usual spot.
Alone. Unnoticed.
The path I've walked so many times feels unfamiliar.
The world around me is both sharply defined…
And yet, strangely unreal.
Something Is Wrong.
And I don't know what.
But I can feel it.
Creeping in.
Taking hold.
Changing everything.
Including me.