There is always a moment before a fall when the body already knows it will not recover.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPtRue5CMV
The mind simply takes longer to accept it.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshNl0hkyGC
The threshold was not marked by fear.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQzeMNv0es
That surprised Arav.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEglnPRwAH
He had expected something dramatic—his pulse racing, his breath catching, a voice inside him13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPn8Ar2LjSI
warning him to stop. Instead, there was only clarity. A clean, quiet sense of alignment, like fitting13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZ4KfeW6PT
the last piece into a puzzle.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkqhmUO8ex
This was not impulse.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MjReE8xig
This was decision.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoWXpHo2Oq
It began with the lab assistant.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsbClw2AbF
His name was Mr. Joshi.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwFqlI2PIs
Middle-aged. Ordinary. Invisible in the way most adults became once their purpose was reduced13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpGXzWSTLp
to maintenance. He worked evenings in the lower research wing of the school, checking13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CJnjVKNmA
servers, calibrating sensors, logging anomalies no one ever read.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWZVNxxdDZ
He was kind to Arav.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySQYrwpmM2
That mattered.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cDkZzlPEJ
Kindness, Arav had learned, was not protection. It was access.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaW9RXRvLw
Mr. Joshi always greeted him with the same words.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8xeEL88IL
“Still studying late, champ?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6d2qUEYob
Arav nodded every time.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxWtj8sQfP
Sometimes he asked questions—small, harmless ones.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOSHNwhB10
“What does this machine do?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRtQx7OLql
“Why do the lights blink like that?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNgdtGRUfU
“Does the system ever make mistakes?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdGYAeZ1as
Mr. Joshi answered patiently.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdlDG8ems1
Adults loved explaining things to children who looked impressed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJs3l8P7TkQ
One evening, the school corridors were nearly empty. Parent–teacher meetings ran late. The air13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNxVnbCZS8
smelled faintly of dust and warm circuitry.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6a37TK0W7
Arav sat near the stairwell, tablet resting on his knees.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTjtVxwx2g
Mr. Joshi paused when he saw him.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKB2rwez5Q9
“You should be upstairs,” he said gently. “This area’s restricted.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE8RWs5K07
Arav lowered his eyes.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrU15NktAQ
“I got lost,” he said.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaB8CJI9in
It wasn’t even a lie.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLnff8z6Cu
Lost did not require intention—only direction.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm79xwiU7Y
Mr. Joshi sighed and crouched slightly, bringing his face closer to Aruv’s level.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEOiyiU3jU
“These places aren’t safe for you,” he said. “Too many machines. Too many wires.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrAegNHLIx
“I won’t touch anything,” Arav replied.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgUlJUO6d7
His voice was steady.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsaX1t28kV
Mr. Joshi hesitated.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pJwzPP4m8
And that hesitation—small, human, familiar—was enough.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovJfvmX5PV
“All right,” he said. “But stay right here. I’ll finish my check.”
Arav smiled.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidgglInEFt
While Mr. Joshi worked, Arav observed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlrKmPURu7
The way he keyed in access codes.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImEWJrgmCK
The sequence of his movements.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF67mv4dAD0
The habit of muttering passwords under his breath—not loudly, but consistently.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnhaFTuJqs
People trusted routine more than memory.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66i74ZJKjn
Routine betrayed them.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EnPxQAmmh
The server room was colder than the corridors. Blue lights pulsed softly, casting everything in a13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEF3Ih16ch
sterile glow. The predictive core hummed behind reinforced glass—rows of data flowing like13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJbpRyWxFf
silent rain.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJahubQTpp
Mr. Joshi leaned over a console.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiWZDEoXIf
Arav watched the reflection of his face in the glass.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zx69CxeaB
It looked tired.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11HRQKrXD1
Older than it should have been.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXFAvgkycI
“Do you ever feel scared?” Arav asked suddenly.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOIpz1fZYP
Mr. Joshi glanced back, surprised.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ518B18TuK5
“Scared of what?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSV6WciqYa
“Of being wrong,” Arav said. “Of missing something important.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsLyE9EL6K
Mr. Joshi chuckled softly. “Every day.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdJGcsU1Aj
Arav nodded, as if satisfied.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTza6ZLdHjJ
What happened next took less than ten seconds.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0w7zKsTMh
Arav rolled his tablet off his lap deliberately.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2naWeRUad5
It clattered against the floor, skidding toward the server rack.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKxIdiDrMM
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, panic entering his voice at precisely the right volume.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZbHaUnaWV
Mr. Joshi turned instinctively.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqkFmV9oOS
That was the threshold.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhNFsRgOhb
As he stepped forward, his foot caught a loose cable—one Arav had noticed days ago and13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xo3BfYfZD
quietly loosened further that afternoon.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsathXWO7kP
The fall was sudden.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNpqI3dfwz
Sharp.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnypQOK72Cv
Mr. Joshi hit his head against the console edge with a dull, final sound.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4OeS6Wkvr
Silence followed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVYSKul0yZ
Not dramatic.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSa4y7sRP6
Just empty.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTT2N0loteN
Arav didn’t move.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmw7gf52OTm
He counted.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsL6nDTYuL
One.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttblX1pXic
Two.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvtcnyIGHF
Three.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFc7d0GrMgN
No breath.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGXZepFDII
No groan.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPVqghLPjq
No recovery.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQLqZ7zmPD
For the first time in his life, Arav felt something unfamiliar press against his chest.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhra3JcV0cT
Not guilt.
Not fear.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMq0gpxpFNI
Confirmation.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhTzPZzEd1
He stood up slowly and approached the body.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RJcWGbv32
Mr. Joshi’s eyes were open, unfocused. A thin line of blood traced down his temple, dark against13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreDFvrBMQj
pale skin.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKvhjarXUm
Arav studied it clinically.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0GAHcsfBT
Cause: accidental fall.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvLRhc9rJc
Contributing factors: unsecured cable, restricted area access, adult negligence.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvVXkKFmez
Witnesses: none.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWzS6fWB8E
The system would agree.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenNGO3E29U
He adjusted his own breathing, letting his heart rate rise slightly. Stress indicators mattered.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHT5oS9VyQf
Then he pressed the emergency alert.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFNluh1BwO
Chaos arrived quickly.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMSzId2uzs
Teachers. Security. Medics.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8aE2YQCIU
Voices overlapped. Screens flashed. Wristbands synced data.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DFUjxlobI
Arav sat on the floor, wrapped in a thermal blanket, shaking just enough to look real.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSQH6ppVOT
“I dropped my tablet,” he whispered to the counselor who knelt beside him. “He tried to help13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGEC0mVntl
me.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuLf5wZ7EW
The counselor’s eyes softened instantly.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqHwPEWCCh
“Oh, Arav,” she said. “This isn’t your fault.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9tUbLLgk1
No one suggested it was.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAxiexBVR8
The report was clean.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJRb43nEdI
Accidental death. Workplace hazard.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqvIIkdTrq
The Behavioral Grid flagged no anomalies.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDckJJGUWu
Aruv’s data showed:13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mbngYJjgl
Elevated stress13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaAsz2HEzk
Shock response13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxcslXYhQ6
Emotional suppression typical of trauma13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfKgtqFZqF
The system updated his profile again.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxmMngtKN9
Vulnerability Index: Critical13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJ0NKIpG1j
Protection Bias: Maximum13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxkDPK660l
The city wrapped tighter around him.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡri5xeU98Ms
That night, Arav lay awake, staring at the ceiling.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVwb7oFjhc
He replayed the moment—not the fall, but the choice before it.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoAZS0cBmb
The hesitation.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVLaMImR56
The step forward.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTjOFnk64J
The point of no return.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KVa3bfQ5G
He understood now what the threshold truly was.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hLevPPjHJ
It wasn’t the act.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbvkoEkOqZ
It was the realization that nothing stopped you afterward.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWui0RfAc5F
At Mr. Joshi’s funeral, Arav stood between his parents, dressed in white.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISURYeOZdf
People touched his head gently as they passed.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDTIWlcsoj
“So brave,” they said.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhO8jEjroo
“So unlucky,” they said.
“Poor child,” they said.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSInDXevVSP
Aruv lowered his eyes respectfully.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkxDzycKEe
Inside, something settled into place.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHRGwSfdHH
That night, he wrote one sentence in his private notes and did not delete it.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTW9sNNP4L
There is no punishment for accidents.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHE8tkdGfiJ
He closed the tablet.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW5fqnk3zI
Outside, Neo-Varuna City continued to glow—confident, measured, blind.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfrScR5ldV
Arav slept peacefully.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiffbBvBAL
He had crossed the threshold.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtrebj2oeE
and then Add to home screen.