In a bright city where the streets smell like sweets and the sun feels like an endless party, there lives a boy. Everyone around him laughs, dances, and enjoys life — the world seems perfect. He spins along with the music, the sweet note of every beat flowing through his body and making him smile.
But within this joy, there is something strange: his friends' laughter doesn't sound quite right, and the reflections in shop windows seem longer than they should be. He sees shadows that others don't have. They follow him, growing with every rhythm of the song, hiding behind the smiles.
He tries to close his eyes, but the music always returns, pounding in his temples, in his head, in his heart. He hears voices:
— You must be like us.
— You must smile.
— You will not leave.
He starts to run, but every street, every turn leads him to the same place: an old house with windows covered by curtains. He opens the door — and there, under cheerful music, all his friends are standing with cold smiles, their eyes empty like glass.
He falls to his knees, his hands trembling, his heart racing wildly. He tries to scream, but the laughter around him swallows his voice. And in that moment, he understands: the song is not just music — it consumes the soul, turning it into part of the illusion, where joy is a trap, and the darkness inside him is now stronger than fear.
When the song reaches its final, highest note, the boy stands up. His smile has become just like his friends': cold, even, perfect.
The music stops — and the world remains bright, sweet, and joyful… but he is no longer who he was. The darkness has won, and no one will notice — except him.