On a stormy night, a boy sprinted down a narrow road. Rain lashed at his face, thunder boomed above, and each flash of lightning illuminated his pale, anxious expression.
It was Rey.
He ran like a man possessed, legs pumping hard, heart pounding faster than the thunder. The narrow street stretched ahead like an endless tunnel, and behind him… he swore something was there. Something cold, something dark.
{Author's Note: I feel the same way when I turn off the lights and dash to my bed like it's a race for survival. We've all been there, right?}
Eventually, Rey reached the rusted gate of the abandoned factory—the same place Jonny had dumped his school guide earlier. He scanned the ground outside the factory walls, hoping to spot the book and avoid going in.
But luck wasn't on his side.
The area was empty and silent except for the rain pattering against the broken concrete.
Rey looked up. The factory walls were too high to climb, but he wasn't ready to give up. Circling the building, he discovered a weak point—a hole in the iron wire fence at the back, just large enough to squeeze through.
He crawled inside.
The air was damp and heavy with mold. Shadows danced across the debris-strewn floor as lightning flickered in the sky. Rey tiptoed deeper into the compound, his eyes darting left and right. Still no sign of the book.
He sighed, then spotted the main entrance.
Locked.
From the inside.
Rey frowned. Strange… who locks an abandoned place from within?
Not one to give up easily, he continued his search and eventually found a broken window. The glass edges glinted dangerously in the dim light. Carefully, Rey climbed through, gripping the frame to avoid being cut.
Once inside, he crouched behind a toppled machine and scanned the surroundings. Old equipment, cracked floors, and eerie silence greeted him. But at least he was alone.
Or so he thought.
Just as he stood up to search further, he noticed a faint glow in the distance.
A light.
His breath hitched.
"Is someone… living here?"
Fear tried to root him to the spot, but the image of his teacher, Peter, and that precious guidebook pushed him forward.
Just get the book and leave.
Rey crept closer, hiding behind machines and columns. Finally, he reached the source of the light. Two men, clearly intoxicated, were sprawled on a mattress surrounded by empty beer bottles. One snored. The other had a grin plastered across his face, likely lost in dreams.
Rey's gaze darted around the room. There—next to one of the men—was a book. His book.
Heart hammering in his chest, he tiptoed forward and reached out to grab it. Just as his fingers closed around it—
A hand shot out and grabbed his leg.
Rey's soul nearly left his body.
But the man didn't wake. Still asleep. Just an unconscious reflex.
Gritting his teeth, Rey jerked free and backed away. But then—
Thunk!
His foot struck something hard and round. He slipped and crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
"Who's there?!"
The thug's sleepy voice cut through the silence like a knife.
Rey scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging. He glanced down at the object that had tripped him.
A sphere?
It pulsed faintly. Strange, cold… yet alluring.
Compelled by an urge he didn't understand, Rey grabbed it and bolted. The thug was up now, shaking his companion awake. Rey didn't wait to see what happened next.
He ran.
Glass tore into his hand as he dove out the window, blood trailing in his wake. But he didn't stop. He couldn't.
Clutching the book in one hand and the mysterious sphere in the other, Rey vanished into the rain-soaked night.
Author's Note:
Hey there, amazing readers!
If you notice any typos, weird phrasings, or places where the story feels off, please tell me! I'm still learning, and your feedback helps me improve every chapter.
Also... things are about to get wild 👀The next chapter will be the finale of "Echoes of Destiny" — don't miss it!
Thank you for reading, and may your day be brighter than Rey's night 😅