“It works.”
Adrian smiled.
“It works.”
Someone applauded.
Then everyone did.
Eli laughed.
A real laugh.
The first one Adrian had heard from him.
Then something unexpected happened.
The boy who had destroyed the machine stepped forward.
“Can I…”
He stopped.
Everyone looked at him.
“Can I say something?”
Eli didn't answer.
The boy looked at the floor.
“I was jealous.”
Nobody moved.
“I saw your project last week.”
Eli looked surprised.
“I thought you were showing off.”
“I wasn't.”
“I know that now.”
The boy swallowed.
“I broke it because I thought if yours failed, mine would look better.”
Eli looked at him.
“What was your project?”
The boy looked embarrassed.
“A volcano.”
A few students laughed.
He didn't.
Eli smiled.
“It's okay.”
The boy looked up.
“No, it isn't.”
Eli shook his head.
“You should apologize.”
“I am.”
“No.”
Eli pointed toward the machine.
“Help me fix it.”
The boy blinked.
“What?”
“You broke it.”
“I know.”
“So help me rebuild it.”
The boy stared at him.
Then slowly nodded.
“Okay.”
Adrian stepped back.
He watched the two boys work.
One had destroyed.
One had forgiven.
And somehow, the broken machine had become the bridge between them.
But Adrian still couldn't stop thinking about the notebook.
Claire Mercer.
The symbol.
The research.
The accident.
He needed answers.
That evening, after the competition ended, Adrian stayed behind.
Eli had gone home.
The auditorium was empty.
Adrian sat alone with the notebook.
He turned to the final pages.
Most were blank.
Except for one.
A single sentence.
Written in Claire's handwriting.
Adrian recognized it immediately.
He had seen her handwriting years ago.
The sentence said:
“If anyone ever finds this, don't trust the official report.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
He read it again.
Then again.
His hands began to shake.
The official report.
He knew exactly which report.
Claire's death had been ruled an industrial accident.
A laboratory pressure failure.