Iris watched Aurelia walk away, but she didn't follow immediately. Instead, she remained in the corridor, the silence of the hallway feeling thicker than before. A strange, restless energy seemed to prickle at her skin.
Without thinking, she raised both hands, interlacing her fingers behind her head and leaning her weight against the opposite wall. The movement was casual, almost languid, but there was something deeply unsettled in her posture.
"You know," Iris began, her voice dropping to a lower, almost contemplative register that cut through the lingering tension. "There is something else we have to acknowledge..."
"Something that makes this particular collapse almost inevitable."
Aurelia stopped mid-stride. She didn't turn around immediately, but her shoulders stiffened.
"What are you talking about, Iris?"
Iris exhaled sharply through her nose. "The noise... The... performance."
