It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, and the dorm room was filled with the warm, comforting glow of a relaxing day off. Mia was sprawled out on her bed, her laptop propped up against a pillow as she watched her favorite movie, the familiar dialogue and scenes providing a soothing background hum to her thoughts.
Across the room, Eres was curled up in her own bed, her nose buried in the pages of a dog-eared paperback book. The soft rustle of turning pages and the occasional murmur of interest were the only sounds she made, completely absorbed in the world of her novel.
The room was quiet, except for the occasional laugh or snort from Mia as she watched her movie, and the soft hum of the laptop's speakers. The atmosphere was peaceful, with a sense of comfortable companionship that came from sharing a small space with a friend.
Mia paused her movie, looking over at Eres with a smile. "Hey, I'm so bored and I think we should go out. What do you say?" she asked, stretching on the bed endlessly.
Eres looked up with an uninterested look. "Nahh....I'll pass." she said engrossed in her book.
Mia raised an eyebrow. "Please," she begged with excitement in her eyes. "It's such a nice day out. We should really make the most of it." She swinged her legs over the side of the bed. "Why don't we go out for some sightseeing? We could explore the city, check out some of the local landmarks."
Eres groaned. "Do we really need to do this?," she asked. "Now?....I'm actually getting to the fun part of the book. It's the kissing part."
"Please..." Mia begged making a puppy face.
"Fine. Where do you have in mind?" Eres rolled her eyes at her.
Mia grinned, excited. "I was thinking we could check out that new museum that just opened up downtown. I've been hearing great things about it."
Eres shrugged. "Okay, fine. Let's do it!" She tossed her book aside, throwing off the covers and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
Mia laughed, already standing up and stretching her arms over her head. "I'll go grab my shoes," she said, heading over to the closet. "You get ready, and we can head out!"
Eres nodded. "I will also get another book from the bookstore on our way back."
Mia agreed. "Great idea."
The two friends headed out of the dorm room, locking the door behind them. As they walked down the hallway, they greeted other students who lived in the dorm. They took a cab to the museum.
Once they reached the museum, they were greeted by a stunning atrium filled with natural light. The sound of gentle chatter and the soft hum of exhibit displays filled the air.
Mia and Eres purchased their tickets and began to explore the museum's latest exhibit, marveling at the incredible works of art and learning about the artists who created them.
As they wandered through the galleries, they stumbled upon a beautiful sculpture garden. The sun was shining down on them, casting a warm glow over the entire scene.
As they continued to explore the sculpture garden, they came across a beautiful piece of art that caught their attention. It was a stunning bronze statue of a man, his arms outstretched and his face tilted upwards towards the sky.
Mia and Eres stood in front of the statue, admiring its beauty and intricacy. They tried to read the plaque at the base of the statue, but they couldn't because it was written in an unknown language.
Eres frowned, her eyes scanning the plaque at the base of the statue. "That's weird," she said, turning to Mia with a puzzled expression. "I've never seen a language like this before."
Mia leaned in, peering at the plaque. "It looks like Latin or something," she said, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Eres shook her head. "I don't think it's Latin," she said. "I've taken Latin classes before, and this doesn't look familiar."
Mia's eyes widened. "Maybe it's an ancient language or something," she suggested.
Eres raised an eyebrow. "But why would they write the plaque in an ancient language?" she asked. "It doesn't make sense."
Mia shrugged. "Maybe it's some kind of code?" she suggested, her eyes sparkling with intrigue.
Eres laughed. "You've been reading too many mystery novels," she teased.
But despite her joking tone, Eres couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about the plaque. She continued to stare at it, trying to decipher the strange symbols and words.
As Eres continued to study the plaque, Mia wandered off to explore the rest of the sculpture garden. Eres was so absorbed in trying to decipher the mysterious language that she didn't even notice Mia's departure.
After a few minutes, Mia returned to find Eres still staring intently at the plaque. "Hey, what's going on?" Mia asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Eres looked up, her eyes slightly unfocused. "I don't know," she said, "but I feel like there's something hidden in this message. Something important."
Mia raised an eyebrow. "You think it's a treasure map or something?" she joked.
Eres didn't laugh. "I don't know," she said seriously. "But I feel like we're missing something. Something big."
Mia's expression turned thoughtful. "Hmm." she sighed.
Eres shrugged. "It's fine. Maybe I am just overreacting."
Mia walked over to Eres and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it," she said reassuringly. "We can just enjoy the rest of the museum and forget about the plaque."
Eres nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah, you're right. Let's just move on."
They walked away from the statue, Eres couldn't shake off the feeling that she had missed something important. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had seen the plaque before. She racked her brain, trying to remember where she had seen it, but her mind came up blank. The more she thought about it, the more familiar the plaque seemed. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she wondered if it was more than just a coincidence. Where had she seen this plaque?
Eres's eyes narrowed as she glanced back at the plaque. She studied it intently, trying to commit every detail to memory. The strange symbols, the language, the layout - she couldn't understand... it all seemed so familiar, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on where she had seen it before.
Eres took a deep breath and tried to compose herself, pushing aside the uneasy feeling that had settled in her stomach. She didn't want Mia to notice anything out of the ordinary, and she definitely didn't want her to find out about her sense of déjà vu. She must keep her suspicions to herself, at least for now.
As Mia talked about other statues, Eres forced a casual smile onto her face, trying to appear nonchalant.
"We should head out. It's getting late and remember we have to stop at a bookstore." Eres reminded.
Mia nodded, checking her watch. "Yeah, you're right. Let's head out."
When they walked out of the museum, Eres couldn't help but glance back at the statue, her mind still racing with questions. She felt a sense of unease, as if she was leaving behind a puzzle that she couldn't quite solve.
Mia, oblivious to Eres's distraction, chatted happily as they walked. Eres smiled and nodded, trying to appear interested, but her mind was still stuck on the plaque. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had seen it before.
Mia and Eres made their way to the nearby bookstore, enjoying the cool evening breeeze. The streets were bustling with people, and the sound of chatter and laughter filled the air. Eres's mind was still preoccupied with the mysterious plaque, but she tried to push the thoughts aside and focus on the present moment.
As they approached the bookstore, Eres's eyes lit up with excitement. She loved bookstores, and this one was the one she had visited last with Mia. The sign above the door read "Page & Co.", and the windows were filled with stacks of books and colorful displays.
Mia pushed open the door, and they stepped inside, surrounded by the musty smell of old books and the quiet hum of conversation. Eres's eyes scanned the shelves, taking in the vast array of titles and authors. She loved getting lost in bookstores, discovering new authors and genres.
"Okay, I'm going to go find a romance novel," Mia said, wandering off towards the fiction section. "You go find whatever it is you're looking for."
Eres nodded, smiling to herself as she made her way to the fantasy section.
After a while, Mia returned with a book clutched in her hand. "Hey, I found a great one," she said, holding up the cover. "It's got a gorgeous guy on the front, and the reviews say it's amazing."
Eres smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like your typical romance novel," she teased.
Mia grinned. "Hey, don't knock it till you try it," she said, laughing. "Now, what about you? Find anything interesting?"
Eres held up her fantasy book. "I found this one," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I thought it might be interesting."
Mia raised an eyebrow. "You should become an ambassador for fantasy books. What's with you and fantasy?" she asked, a curious look in her eyes.
Eres shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I love a good fantasy book," she admitted. "It helps me escape from the real world to the world created by the author."
Mia nodded, smiling. "Well, maybe this book will help you escape once more," she said, grinning.
As Mia stood in the bookstore, surrounded by the familiar sights and smells of the shelves upon shelves of books, she couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over her. She had been here before, just a few weeks ago, and the memories of that day came flooding back to her.
She remembered walking to the counter to pay for the books she bought with Eres when she saw him.
Karl.
He was standing just few metres away from her and was paying for the books he bought.
Just thinking about his name made her heart skip a beat. She had been so embarrassed when she had bumped into him, but he had just nonchalantly ignored her as usual.
As she stood there, lost in thought, Mia's eyes scanned the store, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of Karl. She couldn't help but wonder if he would be here again.
She glanced around, taking in the familiar sights of the bookstore.
But Karl was nowhere to be seen.
Mia felt a pang of disappointment, but she pushed it aside. Why did she even care to see him? He was the last person she wanted to see. She didn't want to see that indifferent, uninterested and nonchalant face. She was here with Eres, and she was determined to enjoy their time together.
As they made their way to the counter, Mia and Eres chatted excitedly. They placed their books on the counter, and the cashier rang them up with a friendly smile. Mia paid for her romance novel, and Eres paid for her fantasy book. As they finished their transaction, they headed out of the store.
When they stepped out onto the sidewalk, they were immediately enveloped in a sea of chaos. A large crowd of people had gathered outside, all of them talking and gesturing wildly. Mia and Eres exchanged a confused glance, unsure of what was happening.
As they tried to make their way through the crowd, they found themselves being pushed and pulled in different directions. The noise was deafening, with people shouting and horns blaring in the distance.
"What was that about?" Mia laughed when she finally got out of the crowd. But when she spun around, frantically searching for Eres's familiar face in the crowd. She was nowhere to be seen. Panic began to set in as Mia realized they had been separated. She called out Eres's name, but her voice was drowned out by the noise of the crowd.
Oh no!
With a growing sense of unease, Mia pushed her way through the crowd, desperately searching for Eres.
Time seemed to move fast, Mia's anxiety grew. She had been searching for Eres for over an hour, but there was no sign of her friend. She had tried calling Eres's phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Mia's mind was racing with worst-case scenarios as she made her way back to the dorm, hoping against hope that Eres would be waiting for her there.
As she walked, the streets seemed to grow darker and more menacing. The crowds had thinned out, and Mia felt a sense of unease as she walked alone. She quickened her pace, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
As Mia turned a corner, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. She spun around, her heart racing, but there was no one there. The street was empty, the only sound the distant hum of a car driving by. Mia's eyes scanned the shadows, her senses on high alert. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She was just being paranoid, she told herself. There was no one there.
But as she turned to continue walking, she was confronted with a figure standing in front of her. He was tall and gaunt, with eyes that glowed like embers in the dark. Mia's heart skipped a beat as the figure smiled at her, his lips curling up into a mischievous grin.
"Well, well, well," he said, his voice low and menacing. "What do we have here?"
Mia tried to step back, but her feet felt rooted to the spot. She was frozen with fear, unable to move or speak. The figure took a step closer to her, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly intensity.
"You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?" he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun together."
Mia's mind was racing with terror. She knew she had to get away from this creature, but her body seemed paralyzed with fear. She tried to scream, but her voice was trapped in her throat.
Just as the figure was about to reach out and grab Mia, a voice rang out from behind him. It was a feminine voice, low and husky, with a hint of authority to it.
"Vlad, don't play with our food," the voice said, the words dripping with a subtle menace.
The figure, Vlad, turned to face the speaker, his eyes gleaming with annoyance. Mia, still frozen with fear, couldn't see the speaker, but she could sense a presence behind Vlad, a presence that seemed to radiate power and control.
Vlad's smile faltered for a moment, before he turned back to Mia, his eyes gleaming with a renewed sense of hunger. "Ah, but this one is so... tantalizing," he said, his voice dripping with malice. Mia noticed that others began to close in around her. They were creatures unlike any she had ever seen before, with eyes that glowed like embers in the dark. Their skin was deathly pale, and their movements were stiff and jerky, like puppets on strings.
Mia was frightened, her heart racing with terror as the creatures surrounded her. She tried to step back, but her feet felt rooted to the spot. The creatures began to move closer, their red eyes fixed on her with an unnerving intensity.
One of the creatures, a tall and gaunt figure with eyes that seemed to burn with an inner fire, reached out a bony hand and grasped Mia's wrist. His touch was cold and clammy, and Mia felt a jolt of fear as he pulled her closer.
The woman with the red eyes laughed, a low and throaty sound that sent shivers down Mia's spine. "Don't worry, little one," she said, her voice dripping with malice. "We're not going to hurt you... yet."
Mia struggled to free herself, but the creatures were too strong. They held her in place, their red eyes gleaming with an otherworldly hunger. Mia knew she was in grave danger.
"Let her go."