The Town That Forgot Sound

In a town devoid of sound, every morning the sun rises, yet no one sees it. Shadows meander without owners, gliding past the empty market stalls. A woman sits at the café, sipping her coffee, eyes fixed on a cracked porcelain cup—its edges bleeding softly into the air. Laughter echoes, but it’s only the wind teasing the nearby pines. Strangers watch her, their smiles stretching too wide, their gazes too piercing. The storefronts display outdated advertisements, yet no one enters. The woman’s heart races; she’s been noticing names scribbled on mirrors, her name among them. They don’t leave—but what if she's never really been here at all?