Chapter Text
On a random dull Thursday at 2:47 AM, Fluixon Aculon realized that he had nothing to live for.
No friends, no loving family and no interests. He was utterly bored of life, having lived for sixteen years too long.
His newfound understanding didn't have any dramatic events on his everyday life. He still woke up every morning, went to school— albeit he didn't pay much attention or studied— and he went to bed each night.
It was only a few months later when things stared to get worse. After an ugly fight with his sister, Cynikka, about something that he could barely recall— he mostly fought to protect his pride, but this something involved Cynikka calling him a waste of space, saying it was better when he wasn't home and bothering everyone with his unpleasant presence.
That sentence echoed around his head for a long time, opening a dam he had carefully crafted. The seed planted on that unassuming Thursday started to sprout, taking over him slowly, but surely.
Fluixon started to spend more and more time in his room and stopped attending his classes. He wasted away inside everyday, lying in bed and looking at the bone-white ceiling. Eating and getting up in general became secondary to keeping his treacherous brain occupied.
During that time, Fluixon felt like a prisoner of his own body. Everything felt mundane and boring, nothing able to catch his attention. And so, he stayed in that small, suffocating room with the door locked and simply existed.
He found that giving up was a surprisingly easy decision to make.
The incapability to provide anything useful to the world seemed to be enough proof of his meaningless existence. Besides, the constant disinterest in everything around him was slowly driving Fluixon crazy. Maybe he could find meaning in the afterlife.
…
Well, it soon turned out that his family hadn’t neglected him as much as Fluixon had thought. His first human interaction in a few weeks time was with his brother, Ender, bursting into the dark room and throwing the curtains open. Fluixon groaned, curling further into himself under his blanket.
Ender had announced, very enthusiastically for someone who rarely expressed such emotion, that their lunatic and frankly, filthy rich parents, had decided to purchase another property; This time in a small, rural town on the seaside called Luminara. Apparently, their father needed a calmer environment to work in and he had requested his children: Fluixon, Cynikka and Ender to accompany him for a few weeks and to spend Christmas there.
The family was stood in front of the house by the next afternoon, Crow fiddling with the keys. Fluixon very efficiently avoided his sister’s eyes as he stepped inside. Elanulo had furnished the place in advance, so he set his children free to explore the mansion.
Running on barely any sleep and with nothing but a cup of coffee in his system, Fluixon clambered up the clean, polished stairs, trying not to fall flat on his face. While they were out of town, Fluixon’s parents had decided to sign him up for online classes; He was not looking forward to those at all.
Fluixon’s room turned out to be on the second floor, the last door to the right. It had a bed, a desk and a grandiose wardrobe, all white and gray, almost like a hospital room. He immediately knew that he wouldn’t be spending too much time in the room, the cleanliness of it already making him sick.
A quick look around the place didn’t offer anything remotely interesting either, only the same, pristine white walls and cold marble floors.
The balcony did reveal a panoramic view of the ocean, the dark waves rolling into the stony shore and the salty breeze filling Fluixon’s nose. He could also see the towering form of a lighthouse afar, almost entirely swallowed by the grey fog that seemed to consume the small town.
A certain gloom covered the land, the air cold and damp, the streets empty and windows closed shut. Fluixon had a feeling that this place had a few secrets that he couldn’t wait to find out.
His new-found excitement sent a bolt of energy through him, suddenly curious and hungry for knowledge. What better way to spend his time than walking through somber streets and watching the dark ocean slowly consume the coast?
Okay, maybe he was getting a bit too enthusiastic.
Fluixon donned his dark coat and stepped outside. His shoes clicked loudly on the cobblestone. He wondered if he could make it to the lighthouse and back before nightfall. Searching his pockets, he realized that he had left his phone in his travel bag.
Oh well. Crow did always say that the reason for his ennui and burn out was that damn phone, so maybe leaving it behind would be beneficial. In his father’s eyes, at least.
A quick glance up at the sky proved his suspicion. While the sun hid behind the clouds, it wouldn’t set for a few more hours. walking back from the outskirts in the dark completely alone with no phone didn’t feel too appealing for the boy, so he settled for taking a look at the church in what he assumed was the main square.
True to late January weather, clouds shrouded the sky with no hint of blue in sight. Winds blew between the houses, making Fluixon shiver despite his big wool coat. The streets looked uninviting at best. The barren place gave Fluixon a bad feeling, like he wasn’t allowed to be there. Crows called from the roof tops and observed him with their creepy, beady and too intelligent eyes.
Still, it was far better than staying at the mansion. Fluixon didn’t think he could stand breathing the same air as his family right now and looking at the absurdly perfect bed and counter and couch, everything so carefully orchestrated and fake—
Fluixon took a breath, clearing his mind. He should try to enjoy his time away before he inevitably returned to that hell hole.
The square was, unsurprisingly, nothing special. The pavement here turned from the dull grey to a more inviting, dark, almost burnt, orange color. Small squares formed patterns like circles and swirls, all leading to a fountain that marked the center. Fluixon felt a tad bit disappointed to see that it did not work. The church that he had seen only from a distance now stood imposing on the far side; Built from brick with stained glass windows and a heavy, dark wood door. Fluixon had seen quite a few churches in his lifetime and while this one wasn’t anything special, he could appreciate the simplicity.
With the setting sun came the stinging winter cold that had Fluixon tucking his hands firmly into his pockets and rubbing his frozen ears. Now he had a choice to make, potentially freeze to death or go home and face his family.
Hard decision, but he supposed he had to go with the second option.
…
The house was eerily quiet when he got back. The sun had long disappeared from the horizon and only the flimsy lanterns lit his way back to the mansion. Thankfully, his family was nowhere to be seen. Inside, it was pleasantly warm, making his hands tingle with the sudden change.
Fluixon was ready to fall into bed and fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. Once again, he dragged himself up the stairs. Just as he passed Ender’s door, the one opposite his cracked open.
Cynikka emerged from the room, rubbing her eyes and froze the moment she saw Fluixon. They awkwardly stared at each other for a few moments. Fluixon waited for her to say something, anything. They hadn’t talked since their fight a few weeks ago; Fluixon waiting for an apology, while Cynikka barely acknowledged her brother.
Without any words, Cynikka slithered back into her room with a frown and shut the door. Fluixon’s shoulders drooped. Something ugly brewed in his chest as he retreated to his own room. So that’s how they were playing.
Ever since Elanulo’s affair, Cynikka and Fluixon had vowed to stay by each other. They were the only thing the other could hold on to while their parents fought and fought; Ender, significantly older, had often tried to step between them to no avail.
Fluixon didn’t know—couldn’t even guess what could’ve caused Cynikka’s sudden animosity towards him. Was he really that much of a burden that his own sister couldn’t stand to look at him?
…
On the third day of their stay, Fluixon acquired a map. Surprisingly, google maps didn’t cover any part of the small town, only the other villages nearby. The lighthouse was tucked away on the edge town and Fluixon hadn’t felt confident enough to find his way back to the house.
Until now.
He made sure to grab his phone from the nightstand before leaving. As it turned out, Fluixon had gotten a few frantic calls from Crow when he disappeared without a word. While his father was relieved to see him there the next morning, Fluixon was given a stern talking to was forced to stay home all day yesterday.
Predictably, he hadn’t left his room, only to use the bathroom and collect his meals to take them up to his room. There was an undeniable tension in the whole house, like a string stretched too far, ready to snap any moment. The air felt suffocating, even in his secluded room, so Fluixon was glad to be able to leave the house again.
It was a weird thought, when just a few nights ago he couldn’t do more than turn over in his sheets. He could still feel that familiar exhaustion weighing in the back of his mind that would inevitably take over him once again.
The sun was hidden behind the fluffy clouds as Fluixon walked down the cobble path. He was still yet to see another living soul in this seemingly barren town.
He had tried spend his time efficiently on his day in lock down and researched a bit, be he could barely find anything about Luminara online. The one article he stumbled across was a simple advertisement about a choir group and that was it.
Fluixon walked down unfamiliar streets,closely following his map. Crows —or maybe ravens? he could never tell the difference—hopped across from house to house, cawing to their hearts content. Weirdly enough, Fluixon never heard any other bird other than the raspy calls of the corvids.
The January chill nibbled at his fingers and nose. In the distance, Fluixon could make out what sounded like a conversation.
So there were people living there after all.
He peeked around a corner, hidden behind the thick ivy covering the house. In the middle of the street stood a guy who looked to be his age with ridiculously blond hair and a black spiky jacket. Fluixon briefly wondered how he wasn’t freezing.
In front of the guy was a crow (raven?), hopping in place like a flea.
“You are so annoying! I ask you one time not to come inside because there is fragile stuff, but no, Thomas is just so curious!” The guy looked about ready to kick the crow to kingdom come. Despite the scolding, the bird didn’t seem ashamed at all.
Well, it was a bird, so not very surprising. Who names a crow Thomas anyway?
The guy pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled aggressively, “Right. I hope you know you’re cleaning up and explaining what happened to Jophiel.”
Hearing that, the crow visibly wilted but followed after the guy anyway.
What a weirdo.
…
A long winding set of stairs led up the side of the mountain to the light house. Contrary to its name, it was completely dark and abandoned. Below, the ocean waves roared on the shore, consuming everything within their reach.
Sometimes, Fluixon wondered what it would feel like to surrender to the ocean and let himself be absorbed by the currents.
He had never learned to swim, after all. His parents were strict, accepting nothing other than straight As and making him master playing the piano. To them, he was like a music box, winding him up and watching him spin around while listening to the tune until he ran out and had to be wound up again. Fluixon’s mental health and preferences always came second.
The door to the light house was open, the hinges creaking when he pushed it open. Dust flew around the place from the breeze. Fluixon reached out and swiped his finger across cabinets to watch the dust lumps fall from his hand.
The main area looked like a kitchen, with a stove and cabinets lining the wall. In the center under the spiral staircase was a small table with a single chair and an empty vase. The room looked like it hadn’t seen sunlight in years.
The brick walls insulated the inside quite well, at least for a potentially abandoned building. Rummaging through the cabinets, Fluixon found a few cups and plates, along with rogue pieces of silverware. The place must have been looted some time ago.
Fluixon shivered, looking towards the stairs. The wood had eroded overtime, leaving missing chunks in the steps. He definitely wasn’t going up there anytime soon.
After a bit of puttering around, checking empty cabinets and clearing cobwebs he stepped outside. Almost immediately, Fluixon was assaulted by the freezing, salty wind. He couldn’t stand the gloomy weather of Luminara. Why his father would want to come to such a place for ‘relaxation’ he couldn’t understand.
The way back to the mansion started out quiet as usual. Clouds gathered overhead, promising rainfall. Fluixon was hoping to be inside by the time that happened. He picked up his pace.
Suddenly, a crow glided down from a roof, hopping down in front of him. Fluixon stopped short as the corvid inspected him. One thing he had learned on his walks was to never ignore the birds. They were like living sirens, cawing when another person appeared on the street. The animals had helped him avoid unnecessary social interactions a few times.
This one, however, seemed only interested in him. It did not call or crow, just kept looking Fluixon up and down. Seriously, what was wrong with the animals in this town?
He backed away as the bird hopped closer, “what do you want? Food? I don’t have anything,” Fluixon showed the crow his empty palms.
The animal flapped its pitch-black wings and lunged at the boy, ripping a piece of fabric from his long coat before Fluixon could jump away.
“Oh, what the—”
The crow flew away instantly with its new treasure hanging from its beak, diving behind a chimney. Fluixon stood still for a moment, thinking about what the hell happened before continuing on his way. He could unpack everything when he’d have a roof above his head.