Content

The world spun violently, colors colliding in a chaotic dance as Evelyn Grey clenched the brass lever of her time machine. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath shallow and rapid. She had never traveled this far before. The year on her machine's display blinked furiously: Year 12,421.

In the sleepy town of Eldermere, where the mountains kissed the sky and the air was rich with pine and mystery, a man named Daniel lived a quiet, uneventful life. He worked as a librarian, spending his days amidst the smell of old books and the whispers of forgotten stories. But Daniel had always felt a restless itch beneath his skin, an unshakable feeling that he was meant for something beyond the mundane world he inhabited.

Jason Morgan had always been ordinary. He blended in like wallpaper—average height, brown hair, a wardrobe filled with the same ten shirts in different shades of blue. His colleagues at CyberDyne Solutions barely noticed him. In meetings, his opinions were accepted but rarely challenged. When birthdays were celebrated in the break room, Jason sang along quietly, his voice barely louder than the hum of the coffee machine.

The idea had come from her fans. During a live Q&A, someone suggested she do an overnight challenge in a haunted house. The idea snowballed, and soon, her comments section was flooded with recommendations. The most popular suggestion? Blackthorn Manor.

The tipping point came on an ordinary Tuesday. Thomas had been walking home after a particularly long day at work, the streets bathed in the amber glow of streetlights. The city was alive with its usual symphony—honking cars, snippets of conversations, and the occasional distant siren. As he turned a corner, he noticed a figure standing perfectly still on the opposite side of the street.