Gray Norton

The rain fell softly on the school windows as Gray stared at the gray sky from the back desk in the classroom. The drops slid slowly down the glass, distorting the city lights into strange shapes that seemed to move like ghosts. That day felt different. I couldn't explain why. Perhaps it was the silence. Or maybe that persistent feeling that something was watching him from somewhere far away. While the other students chatted and laughed during the break, Gray sat with a faraway look in his eyes. "Overthinking again?" Leo asked as he sat down next to him. Gray smiled slightly. -Maybe. —That means yes. Leo let out a small laugh. But before he could continue speaking, a strange vibration ran through the floor. It was just a moment. Brief enough that no one else seemed to notice. Except for Gray. And that worried him. He couldn't sleep that same night. From his bedroom window he could see the sea. The moon illuminated the waves with a silvery glow that he usually found reassuring. But not that time. Because there was something in the waters. A light. Small. Distant. Moving slowly. Gray left the house without making a sound. I couldn't explain what I was doing. I simply felt the need to get closer. The streets were empty when he reached the coast. The light was still there. Floating on the water. As if I were expecting it. Then something impossible happened. The ocean began to open up. The waters parted, forming a path that descended into the depths. Gray took a step back. His heart was beating strongly. Every instinct told him to run away. But something stronger compelled him to move forward. And he did. The path led him to an underwater city he had never seen before. Blue glass towers rose amidst coral gardens with transparent bridges connecting enormous buildings decorated with ancient symbols. There was nobody there.