Chapter One: Shadows of the Past
Pedro Henrique stepped out of his house, clutching his green cellphone tightly as he made his way to school. The phone gleamed under the morning sun, a distraction more than a tool, offering a comfort that ironically deepened the heaviness in his heart. The hum of the city was a distant echo; his mind was lost in a fog, a swirling chaos of memories that refused to fade away.
In class, while the teacher lectured about the intricacies of math, Pedro's thoughts drifted like autumn leaves, each one a reminder of mistakes he couldn't escape. He stared blankly at the board, but his eyes were unfocused, gazing into an abyss of regret. The incident from last week gnawed at him—a decision made in haste that had changed everything. His hands trembled slightly as he forced himself to pay attention, but the weight of his past clung to him like a shadow.
The bell rang, jolting him from his stupor. As he gathered his things, his classmates rushed past him, their laughter and chatter feeling alien, a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling inside him. Pedro shuffled home, the green cellphone now a lifeline in a world he felt he was losing grip on.
When he arrived home, the house was eerily quiet, a silence that echoed his internal struggles. With a deep breath, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, the familiar creak almost comforting. Yet something felt off. As he moved through the dimly lit hallway, a flicker of movement caught his eye. A paper slipped out from beneath his bedroom door. He picked it up, his heartbeat quickening as he recognized the handwriting—his brother's.
"I've arrived, brother."
Pedro's mind raced, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum. There was no mistaking it: his brother had been missing for years. He felt a mixture of dread and anticipation as he reached for the door, uncertainty clawing at him.
With a swift motion, he swung the door open, only to be met by an unexpected sight. A man stood before him, cloaked in shadows, his back turned. Pedro's breath hitched in his throat.
"You," he managed to whisper, the recognition flooding in like a tide.
The figure turned slowly, revealing a face that was both familiar and foreign. Kael, his brother—though not the same boy Pedro remembered. The luminous eyes that once held warmth now gleamed with an unsettling intensity, and the pale skin contrasted sharply with the dark fabric of his hood.
"Hello, brother," Kael said, his voice a deep melody that sent chills down Pedro's spine. "It's good to see you again."
Pedro's mind raced with unanswered questions, the memories of their last goodbye mingling with the eerie aura that surrounded Kael. Was this the reunion he had long hoped for, or had he walked straight into a nightmare?
"Where have you been?" Pedro asked, his voice a mere whisper. Fear and confusion skittered across his thoughts, and the weight of everything he had done—everything he was still doing—pressed down harder.
Kael stepped forward, a knowing smile creeping onto his lips. "We have much to discuss, brother. The past is only the beginning."
The door creaked ominously behind them as darkness pooled in the corners of the room, engulfing them both.
End of Chapter. End of Volume 1.