The alley did not exist on any map. Kaito stood at the entrance. It was between two buildings in the Grey District. The buildings were close. Too close. There should not have been space for a path. But there was. The air inside was still. It was colder than the street. The light from the sun did not reach the ground. It faded halfway down the wall. Kaito stepped inside. His shoes made no sound. The dust did not rise.
Kuro said: "This place is wrong."
Kaito said: "I know."
Kuro said: "It is not a crack. It is a gap. A space that was forgotten."
Kaito walked deeper. The shadows grew thicker. They were not cast by objects. They existed on their own. They moved like liquid. Kaito stopped at the end of the alley. There was no wall. There was only darkness. A figure stood in the dark. She was tall. She was made of void. Her edges blurred into the background. Her eyes were stars. They were small and white. They did not blink.
Kaito said: "Who are you."
