THE CUBE

Two years had passed since humanity abandoned the core, and a quiet peace settled over us. A cool breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the sun's fading warmth across the horizon. I was 12, an ordinary boy assisting my parents and looking after my younger brother, Tobi. My world consisted of our small family and Nina Shimizu, the girl who'd been my constant companion since childhood. (There weren't many boys in our isolated community, if you're wondering.) Our home was nestled in the frigid, northern Stark Mountains, where perpetual ice demanded our constant labor to keep our families warm. Life was uncomplicated, devoid of fear or struggle—until I glimpsed the mirror. I couldn't have known that this was it: the crash that would shatter humanity's tranquility and unleash pandemonium.