Gertrude "Gigi" Gerhardt crouched behind a thick veil of foliage, her eyes fixed on the shimmering fracture that had appeared in the heart of the forest. The anomaly pulsed with an otherworldly energy, like a wound that refused to heal. She had seen it before, in the village that had vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a faint echo of its existence. The memory still haunted her, and she was determined to prevent i...

/ - Part One - \ Quentin Richardson strolled into the office, his mind still reeling from the weekend's festivities. As a puzzle enthusiast, he had spent most of his free time working on a particularly challenging crossword. The thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of filling in the final square. To him, it was a rush like none other he had thus far experienced in his life. As he settled into his cubicle, he noticed a pie...

The night sky in Jackson, Mississippi, was a glimmering canvas of twinkling stars, with the moon shining bright like a beacon calling out to Kehlani. She lay in her bed, feeling the weight of her world pressing down on her. The arguments with her family, friends, and Hudson, her boyfriend, had been simmering for weeks, and she felt like she was drowning in a sea of emotions. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't shake...

Mateus was a troubled and misunderstood young man growing up in Nazare, Portugal. His mischievous ways often earned him looks of suspicion from others that seemed to ask, "What are you going to get into today that you shouldn't?" The locals would whisper to each other as he walked by, his messy brown hair and bright blue eyes giving him an air of rebelliousness that made them wary. His father, Eleuterio, was a man of impo...

As they sat in the dimly lit internet cafe, Albert and Marta began to be engrossed in their favorite video game, "Epic Quest." The game was a virtual experience like no other, with its stunning graphics and immersive gameplay that made them feel like they were really in the game. With no notice at all, their screens flickered, dimmed, and went dark. The room also began to blur all around them. They couldn't see anybody el...

/ Prologue \ Paulo tightens the strap of his respirator mask as the lift platform groans beneath his boots, its ancient hydraulics protesting the descent. "Last chance to back out," mutters Kris from behind him, her fingers drumming against the rusted railing. Below, the jungle canopy stretches endlessly. It's a living, breathing thing that hasn't seen human footsteps in many generations. The city above them hums, a dying...