Present Day – New York
"…And they lived happily ever after."
What a load of rubbish. I snapped the book shut—the one Aunt Jennifer had gifted me for my 18th birthday. A love story, of all things. I hated them. For every possible reason on this planet, I despised love stories.
Oh, right. I should probably introduce myself.
I'm Serena Hamsler. Just turned eighteen about a month ago. My name means tranquil or serene—a name my Uncle Benjamin gave me because he believed I'd bring peace to the world someday. Hilarious, isn't it?
As I moved to place the book back on the shelf, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room. A book tumbled off the shelf and landed at my feet. It was the one Uncle Benjamin had given me on my fifteenth birthday… right before he vanished. Just disappeared. No one knew where or why.
I stood frozen for a moment, staring at the book like it was some kind of ghost. Uncle Benjamin wasn't just family—he was my person. He never had a family of his own; work always came first. He was an archaeologist, a brilliant historian, always chasing forgotten truths. But he stayed with us, and he was especially close to me and my twin brother, Thomas.
I remember that night so clearly. He handed me this very book and said,
"Dear Serena, you're stronger than you know. No matter how far apart we may be, remember—we'll always be each other's greatest support. And I hope to see you again someday."
I laughed when he said that. I thought he was being dramatic.
But I didn't know how much weight those words truly held.
He went missing that very night.
My dad did everything—contacted the police, hired investigators, called in favors—but nothing. Uncle Benjamin had vanished without a trace. Over time, people gave up hope. They whispered that he was gone forever. But not me. I never stopped believing. I still don't.
I bent down, picked up the book from the floor, and held it tightly against my chest. At that moment, the power in the entire city went out. The sudden darkness was unsettling, but what I saw through the window stole my breath—a shooting star, no, something stranger, glowing pink as it streaked across the sky.
Then, just as suddenly, the lights flickered back on.
I blinked. Maybe I was imagining things.
Maybe I was just tired.
With the book still in my hands, I crawled into bed, unaware that everything was about to change.