The Silent Catalyst

25 November 2024, 10 AM

The cool morning breeze carried the faint scent of grilled food and flowers, mingling with the chatter of excited visitors. The sun hung in the sky, casting a golden glow over the school grounds, where students darted around in colorful costumes, adjusting decorations, and calling out to draw people into their stalls. The buzz of energy was contagious, a perfect start to the festival.

Inside one of the classrooms, Natsumi leaned against the windowsill, watching the crowd below with a thoughtful expression. “It all looks so lively out there” she said, her voice carrying a hint of longing. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could join in too?”

Her friend looked up from utensils she was washing. “Don’t worry. Tomorrow’s our turn, and don’t forget, we’ve got the afterparty!”

Natsumi chuckled, her mood lifting. “Yeah, I guess I’ll save my energy for that.” She tapped the windowsill lightly, her gaze drifting back to the colorful scene outside. “Still, it looks like so much fun…” she said with a playful pout before pushing off the sill. “Alright, back to work, I guess!”

On the other side of the classroom, near the entrance, Izumi stood at the makeshift counter of their futuristic café stall. He tapped his fingers idly against the surface as his classmate buzzed with enthusiasm beside him.

“Honestly, this whole futuristic café idea turned out great” the classmate said, adjusting the flashing neon light sign above their heads. “We’re getting loads of customers!”

Izumi shifted his weight and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. It all depends on how you pull it off” he replied, his tone calm but uninterested.

As the next wave of customers approached, Izumi’s thoughts drifted. Sigh, this is so tiring. I’m not built for this much social interaction. He glanced at the energetic crowd milling around the café and then at his overly talkative co-worker for now. And they stuck me on cashier duty with this guy. Great.

As the afternoon rolled around, the festival showed no signs of slowing down. Around 12 PM, Izumi’s shift ended, giving him the perfect excuse to escape the noise and chaos. Without hesitation, he slipped out of the bustling area and headed for the quieter parts of the school.

He wove through the crowded hallways, dodging cheerful visitors and students in costumes. I didn’t know so many people came to these festivals, he thought, his expression unchanging. Not like I’ve ever bothered to find out.

After a short walk, he arrived at an unused classroom filled with forgotten props and supplies. He pushed the door open, letting the silence inside greet him, then shut it firmly behind him. The room was dim, the curtains drawn, leaving only faint streaks of light cutting through the shadows.

“It’s dark in here” he muttered, dropping to the floor with a quiet sigh. “Not that it matters.”

Leaning against the wall, he pulled out his phone, something unexpected caught his eye. A notification.

“Huh?” he murmured, raising an eyebrow. “A notification?”.

He opened the notification, half-expecting some spam or an app update. Instead, it was a message from his mom

"How's the festival? Are you enjoying yourself? Don't get too lost in it. your mid-terms are coming up, so make sure you're studying too"

Izumi stared at the screen for a moment, his thumb hovering over the reply button. Enjoying myself? he thought, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Yeah, right.

He typed a quick reply, "It’s fine. I’ll study later" Hitting send, he let his phone fall to his lap with a quiet sigh.

"All she ever cares about is my grades and me being the perfect son..." Izumi muttered under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper. He pulled his knees to his chest, resting his forehead against them as a deep sigh escaped him.

While Izumi was lost in his thoughts, the creak of the door broke his solitude. He looked up, startled. No one ever comes here, he thought.

The figure stepping into the room was none other than Natsumi. She closed the door softly behind her and leaned against it, letting out a long breath, as if she’d just escaped from someone or something. For a moment, she seemed unaware of his presence, her eyes closed, her shoulders relaxing.

But then her gaze swept across the room and landed on him. She froze, her eyes widening in shock. “Oh! I didn’t realize someone was here” she blurted, quickly stepping back toward the door. “I’m so sorry! I’ll just—”

“It’s fine” Izumi cut in, his tone calm but unbothered. “You can stay. I’m guessing you just wanted to get away from the crowd too.”

“Yeah, haha. I just hope I’m not intruding on your space” Natsumi replied, her laugh soft but uncertain as she lingered by the door.

“It’s alright, like I said.” Izumi muttered, his voice steady as he rested his head back onto his knees, retreating into his own bubble.

Natsumi hesitated for a moment, then walked over to an empty chair on the opposite side of the room. Settling in, she pulled out her phone and began scrolling aimlessly. She was careful not to disturb the quiet that seemed to blanket the room.

Minutes ticked by, eight, maybe more. Filled only by the faint sounds of festival chatter filtering through the walls. From time to time, she stole a glance at Izumi. He hadn’t moved an inch, his head still resting on his knees, completely silent. The stillness was almost unnerving, and she found herself wondering what was going through his mind.

As Natsumi scrolled absentmindedly through her phone, her eyes wandered across the room. Her gaze landed on a peculiar-looking box sitting half-buried under a pile of unused props in the corner. It was metallic, about the size of a small microwave, with a cluster of faded buttons and dials on its face.

She tilted her head curiously. “Hey… what’s that?”

Izumi lifted his head slightly but didn’t bother to look. “Probably just more junk from the drama club or something. They love making weird props.”

“Drama club, huh?” Natsumi stood, brushing off imaginary dust from her skirt as she walked toward the device. “It doesn’t look like a prop, though. Kinda… real.”

Izumi sighed, resting his head back on his knees. “If it’s real, then don’t touch it. Could be broken or dangerous.”

Ignoring his warning, Natsumi crouched in front of the box. Her fingers hovered over the buttons, her curiosity outweighing any sense of caution. “What if it’s like… a super-secret project someone left behind? Or maybe a time capsule! Oh, wouldn’t that be cool?”

She pressed one of the buttons lightly. Nothing happened.

“Huh. Guess it’s a prop after all.”

But just as she started to turn away, a faint hum came from the device. Lights flickered along its surface, and a low, mechanical whirring sound filled the room.

“What... did you do?” Izumi asked, his voice low but tense.

“I-I didn’t do anything! I barely touched it!” Natsumi stammered, stepping back.

The whirring grew louder, the lights on the device flashing erratically. Sparks crackled at the edges, and a thin wisp of smoke curled into the air.

“This… doesn’t feel like a prop” Izumi muttered, his voice laced with unease.

Before either of them could react further, a sharp burst of light engulfed the room. The air seemed to ripple around them, pulling them inward as if they were being sucked into a vortex. The hum turned into a deafening roar, and the sensation of weightlessness overtook them both.