Whisper of the Silence

"Flight APG364 has just arrived in Atrexia, Melaindur." The same announcement came through—repeated thrice. Shivering in fear, she walked along the jet bridge with her shoulders hunched. Her eyes darted in indescribable panic as she looked at the men in black surrounding her. A helpless sigh escaped her cracked lips. Hands trembling, she fiddled with the black coat topped on her bruised, cuffed wrists. She flitted her gaze to the large glass windows, watching the flock of birds flying across the azure sky. Her sad, longing gaze was enough to say everything. She was desperate to be freed, after months of being in darkness. 'I want to go home,' she thought, on the verge of breaking down in tears. The remaining passengers of the same international flight brushed past them, leaving nothing behind but the echoes of their hurried footsteps. Though a few looked back at them, and a slight hint of suspicion certainly flashed across their faces, they did nothing more than frown. No approach

Fright overtook her. Her cheek muscles wobbled as her startled eyes flooded with tears. "Damn!" Brandon cursed, banging the steering wheel for the tenth time. "Stop following me, idiots." He gripped the steering tighter, turning it wherever he could. He took a quick peek at the side mirrors. Those cars kept reemerging after each sharp turn, leaving him no choice but to keep speeding. "How did they know you're in here?" Kyle questioned. Clover opened her mouth, trying to claim her innocence. However, none of her words found their way out. They were stuck in her throat. Backing away from his demanding gaze, she pursed her lips and buried her face in the coat that was filled with the metallic smell of her blood. Kyle moved closer. "H-Hey... Sorry. I'm simply asking this out of curiosity. Don't worry. We'll keep you safe." He glanced at his manager for assurance. "Right, Brandon?" "Shut up, Kyle," he grumbled, still focusing on getting rid of the tailgaters. "I don't even know why I

The day had just started. Familiar arguments from yesterday reached her ears again. Brandon's voice was clearly furious despite having suppressed his volume. He was still trying his best to stop Kyle from entangling himself with her. Leaning against the door, Clover stared at the female clothes she was holding. "I miss home," she muttered as she stepped into the minimalist bathroom. Turning on the tap, water gushed down the sink as she stared deeply at her own reflection. Broken lips, lifeless eyes, and messy hair—nothing close to good or well. A completely different person than before. Who would've believed she was born with a silver spoon? She cupped the running water and splashed it on her face. The good times were gone. "Hang in there, Clover Hon," she said, feeling the drips coursing down her chin. "Don't give up." "You're gonna regret this, Kyle." The conversation became clear the moment she walked out. But Kyle ended it before she could get involved personally. "Wow, Cl

"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE!" the crowd shouted. Warm orange lights turned on and flooded across the packed hall. A male figure was walking up the apron stage carpeted in an exquisite shade of red. "Hello everyone! I'm Teddy, the host for today. First and foremost, let's take this chance to express our sincerest gratitude to our nation's No. 1 lawyer and also our top sponsor today, Mr. Jack Lee, for his continuous support in this fan meeting event." He snapped his fingers, signaling the camera to focus on the VIP seat. "Mr. Jack, would you like to come up to say a few words?" A man in his late 40s flashed up on the large projector screen. He was decently dressed. "Who'd want to listen to an old man?" he joked when someone passed him the mic. Hints of white hair on his head peeked through. "They aren't even here for me, to begin with." "Oh, come on! You're far from being old. We still need you to uphold justice." "I'll continue upholding it. But for now, please don't mind my pres

The dull yet captivating beige color of the traditional architecture exuded an air of tranquility. Delicately-carved antique vases were placed along the corridor outside. Portraits of remarkable imperials across dynasties were hung on the wall. They were separated by calligraphies in between that explained the evolution of the word characters."I'm really sorry for the long wait." A tall man pushed open the wooden door with a bamboo tray in his hands. "Here, have a taste of our chocolate mud cakes." He offered them to the people queuing up outside the café. "How much longer do we have to wait?" asked a young lady in her thick foreign accent as she shifted her weight to her left leg. She looked a little pissed. Pursing his lips, he spared a glance at the crowded space inside. Then, he turned around and said, "We're trying our best to be as fast as possible." "Oh my God! This is amazing!" someone in the line interrupted in a loud voice before the lady could say anything more. "Hey, t