CHAPTER 52: BANISHING THOUGHTS IN HIS HEAD

Alaric sorted the last few files on his desk. The clock now pointed to 2:40 p.m an odd hour, not quite late but just enough to finally breathe after a long streak of piled-up work.

He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand over his face. His eyes still carried the traces of yesterday’s events, when the source code of his AI system was stolen.

Even though he had re-secured the system and traced potential backdoors, he knew one thing for sure: suspicion and unease don’t just vanish overnight.

This wasn’t just any code. It was his own AI system, built over years of persistence and failure. Shaped by wounds, countless experiments, and a resolve that had pushed him to the edge. At times, even brushing against madness.

He stared at the screen filled with lines of code against a dark background, though his mind was elsewhere. The questions from the night before kept returning, tugging at his thoughts.

"What exactly were they looking for?" he muttered to himself.

"Why would they steal the system? Do they even understand its real power? If this AI is fully integrated with a hybrid server... it could exceed the capabilities of fifth-gen military tech."

But then he gave up on the thought. Maybe they knew. Maybe they were just pretending to. But a technology like this was always tempting, especially if they realized the AI could learn and evolve on its own. That kind of power could reshape everything.

He rubbed his forehead gently. There was no point in overthinking it now. Problems would never stop coming, not as long as he was alive and walking through this world.

There would always be people who challenged, disrupted, or tried to get in his way. It had always been like that. And he wasn’t just anyone—he had things worth noticing. Which naturally made others curious. But Alaric was still human. He needed rest. He needed to breathe in peace once in a while.

He took a deep breath and closed his laptop with a soft click. The sound felt like an official sign that his workday had truly ended.

"That’s enough," he said quietly to himself. "I’ll take the weekend off. Let the system run itself for a day."

His thoughts drifted to possible getaway options. But this time, he didn’t want to bring anyone. Not Donny, his loudmouthed, unpredictable best friend. Not anyone from the office. He just needed time alone, away from the noise in his mind.

But where could he go to clear his head?

He opened a digital note filled with places he’d visited before. Just three days ago, he and Donny had gone to the beach. It was fun, but his body was still tired from it.

Besides, the beach had gotten too crowded lately. Alaric needed a place to erase the leftover noise, not add more of it.

Then one word surfaced in his memory—lake.

That place wasn’t just peaceful. It was special. Since childhood, the lake had felt like a second home. In a world that moved too fast, the lake stayed the same. Quiet and patient, always waiting for him.

He even had a favorite spot there. A large rock at the far end of the lake, hidden behind tall grass and bushes. He visited it every year on his birthday. For some reason, it was the one place where he could truly understand what his heart was trying to say. A place where he could hear his own thoughts without the world’s interference.

"I’ll go there tomorrow," he said with a firm nod.

He casually opened his calendar and set a small reminder for his departure time. No need for much preparation. Just a water bottle, a jacket, and maybe a small notebook. He wanted to let his thoughts flow, without force or structure.

As he stood and walked to the lab’s window, the sky had begun to shift in color. A soft orange hue touched the edges of the clouds, forming a calming gradient. Outside, the world kept moving.

A small smile formed on his lips. Tomorrow, he would go to the lake. A moment away from the noise and complications of the digital world.

Because sometimes, to keep going far, all a person really needs is to sit quietly and reflect.

---

That morning, the sun had just begun to warm the sky, casting soft golden light through the curtains in Alaric’s room.

He opened his eyes slowly—not because of obligation or pressure, but from an inner pull, like a quiet voice urging him to go.

He sat at the edge of his bed, taking a deep breath as he gazed out the window. The leaves of the large tree in the backyard swayed gently, dancing to the rhythm of the calm morning breeze.

"It’s Saturday," he thought. No work, no meetings, no code to untangle. Just him, himself, and a whole day that felt like a blank journal page, waiting to be written.

Alaric stood and walked toward the small desk in the corner of his room. Sitting on it was a medium-sized black backpack, the one he always brought when he wanted to be alone, to travel without a plan, or to step away from everyday chaos.

He didn’t pack much—just a bottle of water, a worn notebook he used for writing or sketching, and a small digital camera that had always accompanied him on trips to the lake.

As he walked down the stairs, the smell of warm tea and toast greeted him from the kitchen. His mother was already up, standing by the stove in her flower-patterned apron, busy preparing a comforting breakfast for their little family.

Alaric stepped quietly to the table and began eating in silence. It didn’t take long before his mother noticed him.

"Sweetheart, you’re all dressed up. Where are you going this early?" she asked, flipping toast in the pan with a spatula.

Alaric glanced her way with a small smile. "Just going out for a bit, Mom. Need to clear my head."

She tilted her head, curious. "Out? Where to?"

He shrugged slightly, avoiding a direct answer. "Somewhere special."

His voice was gentle, but held a hint of mystery. His mother knew his ways. When he was like this, it meant he needed space.

"Somewhere special, huh?" she said with a quiet laugh. "Can I come?"

Alaric chuckled. "You could, but don’t you usually have plans on Saturdays?"

"Oh, right... I’ve got a meeting with the neighborhood ladies about next week’s event," she said, sighing. "Such a shame. I’d love to see your special place too."

Alaric stood up, slinging his bag over one shoulder. "Maybe next time, Mom. But today, I just need to be on my own. I think my head needs a little breeze to cool it off."

She smiled warmly and came over to adjust the collar of his jacket. "Alright then. Be careful, okay? Don’t stay out too late. And don’t forget to eat."

"I will, Mom," Alaric replied softly. He bent slightly to kiss her hand, a gesture he’d kept since childhood. There was a warmth in this home, in the woman who never stopped caring for him.

He stepped outside. The morning air touched his face, cool and clean. The streets were still quiet, only the sound of birds and the occasional motorbike cutting through the soft chill.

He walked toward the small bus stop he always used when traveling alone. The day was still young. But he was sure the lake was already waiting. That quiet place full of memories, where time seemed to pause just long enough to let him breathe.

He never took a car to get there, since access wasn’t easy. It was hidden deep within a forest, too narrow for four-wheeled vehicles. If he insisted on driving, he’d have to leave the car at a nearby hotel or guesthouse anyway.

..

Alaric’s footsteps echoed through the natural corridor that separated two contrasting elements within one place, the cave entrance and the lake within. As he arrived, his gaze was met with a scene that felt peaceful. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder why there wasn’t a single other visitor around. It was the weekend, after all.

Normally, this place would already be lively by eight. People would bring food, hang their hammocks between the stone pillars, or simply dip their feet in the edge of the water.

But now? The young man glanced down at the watch strapped to his wrist. It had just passed seventeen. No wonder it was still quiet. He had come at the break of dawn, so it made sense that he’d arrived earlier than everyone else.

Alaric felt like the only person granted early access to a space that held nature’s quiet secrets.

He took a deep breath. "Quiet doesn’t have to be a bad thing, right? It’s actually perfect for clearing my head." itu He then looked around, observing the beauty of the place in more detail.