Genre: Science Fiction · Mystery · Drama
Copyright © 2025 by Saad Khan
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews or articles.
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Age & Content Advisory
Parental Advisory: This book contains themes and situations intended for mature teens. Recommended age: 16+.
Volume 1:
by Saad Khan
Lost Souls:
CHAPTER ONE : SNOWBALL'08
In 2008, Mr. Morales dropped off his daughters at Chicago High School. That winter, Lily Morales took part in the Snowball '08 event, a tradition held every December at CHS. Lily, the younger sister, had just begun her first year of high school, while her older sister, was already in her second year.
Among them was Ava Morales quiet, anxious, and deeply introverted. Ava's nature was tough, her walls built high, but behind them lived a girl who longed to be understood. Few could truly see her, yet one person did. His name was Caleb Brown, an extrovert in every sense of the word. Unlike Ava, he thrived in crowds and carried an energy that drew people in.
Since 2005, Caleb had been by Ava's side. What started as a quiet companionship grew into something stronger, a bond unshaken by the world around them. Opposites in nature, yet perfectly balanced, their connection was undeniable.
The story begins with a basketball game the first event that would set everything into motion.
The gymnasium buzzed with life, the echo of sneakers against polished wood mixing with the roar of students packed into the bleachers. Banners in the school colors hung from the walls, swaying lightly each time the crowd erupted in cheers. It was the first big basketball game of the season, and Chicago High School was alive with energy.
Ava Morales sat quietly on the edge of the bleachers, her arms wrapped around her knees. The noise pressed in from all directions, but she stayed still, almost invisible. Crowds weren't her thing. She preferred silence, the comfort of her own thoughts but tonight, her younger sister Lily had begged her to come.
Across the court, the players were warming up, their laughter carrying through the air. Among them was Caleb Brown. His presence was hard to ignore confident, charismatic, the kind of boy who belonged under the spotlight. While others thrived in the chaos, Caleb seemed to control it, every smile and gesture drawing attention like gravity itself.
Ava's eyes followed him almost unconsciously. He was everything she wasn't: loud, fearless, alive. Yet for reasons she couldn't explain, Caleb's gaze found hers in the crowd. Just for a moment, the roar of the gym faded, and it was as if the world had narrowed to the space between them.
The referee's whistle cut through the air, snapping her back to reality. The game was about to begin. The crowd rose to its feet, voices rising in unison, and Ava tightened her grip on her knees. She didn't know it yet, but this night the night of the first basketball game was where her story, and Caleb's, would truly begin.
CHAPTER TWO: A BREAKING POINT
The event had just begun. The roar of the crowd filled the gymnasium, but for Ava Morales, the world felt unbearably quiet. She sat beside Caleb Brown, their shoulders almost touching, though her heart was miles away.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for his hand, clutching it as if it was the only thing keeping her from drowning. "Caleb… I messed up so much," she whispered, her voice breaking under the weight of her fear. "I need to tell you something. Please… please just try to understand."
Caleb turned, his warm eyes searching hers. "Yeah? Tell me, sweetheart." His voice was gentle, steady yet it only made Ava's chest ache more.
She lowered her gaze, afraid of what his reaction might be. "My parents… they know about us. They'll take action now. And if they do, Caleb…" Her throat tightened, the words catching like thorns. "…maybe we should break up."
The cheers of the basketball game erupted around them, but inside, silence thundered. Caleb froze, his hand tightening around hers, unwilling to let go. His jaw clenched as if the thought itself was unbearable.
"Ava…" he muttered, shaking his head. "No. You can't mean that."
Tears welled in her eyes as she forced herself to look at him. "If we don't… it'll only hurt you. Hurt both of us. Please… just agree. For me."
Caleb's chest rose and fell heavily, his hesitation burning through every second. The boy who never faltered on the court now found himself powerless. Finally, after what felt like forever, he let out a breath that sounded more like defeat.
"If it's for your sake…" His voice cracked, softer than she had ever heard it. "…then okay."
The words shattered her. Ava held onto his hand tighter, desperate, as though that grip could undo everything. But they both knew the truth—living in the same building, the same society, meant they were walking on a knife's edge. Every step together was a risk, and tonight, it felt like the world had conspired to tear them apart.
CHAPTER THREE : THE SILENT CITY
Next Day
Caleb stepped into the elevator, heading to school. Inside, he found Ava and Lily already there. No words were spoken just a heavy, awkward silence filling the air.
Suddenly, with a violent jolt, the elevator froze between the fifth and sixth floors. Lily's panic was immediate, her breath shaky as she fumbled with her phone. They tried to call for help, but the signal was gone. Their voices echoed as they screamed and yelled, yet no one seemed to hear them.
Frustration boiled inside Caleb. He clenched his fists and began striking the glass door of the lift five punches, ten, fifteen until at last, the glass shattered. Blood dripped from his knuckles, crimson staining his skin.
They scrambled out through the broken frame. Ava immediately rushed to him, her eyes wide with worry. She carefully pulled out the glass shards embedded in his skin, her hands trembling. Caleb, despite the pain, couldn't take his eyes off her admiring the way her face was shadowed by concern, glowing with a warmth he couldn't name.
Without hesitation, Ava slipped off her hoodie and tore at the sleeves, wrapping them tightly around his bleeding hands to stop the flow. In that moment, her care spoke louder than any words, and Caleb felt something stir deep inside a sight of love he couldn't hide.
Caleb pulled Ava into a gentle hug, his touch filled with quiet affection. After a moment, they finally made their way home.
But as they reached their houses, unease spread across their faces their homes were locked, silent, and empty. Not a soul inside. It didn't stop there when they looked around, they realized the entire building stood deserted. Panic clawed at their hearts as they rushed outside.
The street was unsettlingly quiet. Not even the sound of a single bird. The air was thick, heavy, and strange. The city itself looked… devoured.
Buildings once alive with voices and light were now strangled by nature—walls split apart as thick vines crawled across them, their roots breaking through concrete. Windows were shattered and dripping with moss, while strange fungi clung to doorframes, glowing faintly in the dim light. The asphalt streets had cracked wide open, with weeds and saplings sprouting defiantly from their wounds. Cars lay abandoned, rusting under a blanket of green, their doors hanging loose as if ripped open by time itself.
Everywhere was silence, except for the faint rustle of leaves shifting in the wind. It was a silence so suffocating that even their breaths felt too loud.
CHAPTER FOUR : THE LOST SOULS
"We need to calm down," Caleb said firmly, though his voice shook beneath the weight of fear. "We should explore the city and find out what happened here."
Lily's eyes darted around, wide and wet. "Yeah… but I'm so worried, Caleb. We need to find our parents we need help! Ahh… fuck, is this some horrible dream?" Her voice cracked in desperation.
Ava stood silently beside them, shivering, her panic so clear in the tremble of her hands and the emptiness in her gaze.
Caleb led the girls into the parking lot, his jaw tight with determination. He unlocked his car, sliding into the driver's seat, and took a long, heavy breath before speaking.
"We need to find survival supplies." His voice was low but firm.
Ava's trembling voice broke the silence. "But… what are we going to do?"
"I don't know," Caleb muttered, frustration in every word. Then louder, with a sharp edge, he ordered, "Sit in the car!"
They obeyed, the tension thick between them. The engine roared to life, and the car rolled through the ghostly streets. Their destination: the nearest mart. But when they arrived, despair washed over them. Every store was closed doors chained, windows broken, shelves inside long stripped bare.
Nothing useful. No food, no water. Just the weight of their school bags on their shoulders, filled with nothing but books and scraps. They wandered the ruined city aimlessly, shadows of who they once were, drifting like souls without a purpose. Fear hung over them. Confusion clouded every step.
As the sun dipped lower, painting the abandoned streets in haunting shades of red, Caleb's eyes hardened with an idea. He gripped the wheel and drove them beyond the city limits. The silence of the urban ruins gave way to fields, and soon, a luxurious farmhouse stood before them once full of life, now as hollow as everything else.
They sneaked inside, the air stale with dust, furniture draped in cobwebs. It wasn't home, but it was shelter. That night, they huddled together in the darkness of the farmhouse, the reality of their fate pressing heavy on their hearts.
For the first time, they truly felt it.
They weren't students anymore.
They weren't children anymore.
They were lost souls
CHAPTER FIVE : A NEW BEGINNING
Ava and Caleb were sitting in the garden, gazing at the stars, admiring the stretch of the Milky Way. Suddenly, Ava rested her head on Caleb's shoulder.
Meanwhile, Lily sat nearby, lost in thought. A brilliant and nerdy girl, she often wrote theories about physics and astronomy. She strongly believed in timelines, parallel worlds, and the existence of the multiverse. She had read countless books, yet found no real answers leaving her and everyone else helpless.
Ava: "So, are we alone in this world, right?"
Caleb: "Seems like that."
Ava: "Good… at least we can spend our lives without any restrictions."
(She exhales deeply, as if freed from all her stress.)
Caleb: "But… won't we get tired soon?"
(He softly brushes his hand across her face.)
She looked into his eyes as if she had been starved for a decade, waiting only for this moment like she could devour him as her long-awaited meal. The craving in her gaze was clear, and Caleb noticed it instantly.
Shy by nature, he tried to avoid eye contact. But Ava held his face firmly and whispered,
"Look straight into my eyes. See the ownership I hold over you… you are completely mine."
Caleb replied softly, warning that she might lose herself after such a gaze. Yet, despite his words, the distance between them began to fade. Slowly, irresistibly, their lips were drawn together like a magnetic force.
Caleb's hand slipped to her neck, guiding her closer, while Ava tilted her face upwards. Their lips finally met first in a soft brush, then deepening into something hard, passionate, and consuming.
Her fingers clutched at his T-shirt, while his grip tightened around her waist. Both of them knew they were no longer in control.
Lily suddenly appeared and said, 'You guys are spending time together while I'm left alone that's unfair.' The three of them laughed and pulled each other into a warm group hug.
Just then, a small box-shaped brown device slipped from Lily's pocket.
Caleb frowned. 'What's that?'
'Uh… oh…' Lily hesitated.
Caleb stepped closer. 'Tell me.'
CHAPTER 6 : NERD
I call it the" Traveller" Lily said with pride. "I built it myself. I strongly believe there's an alternate dimension out there,one that could save us from apocalypse… or doom. It's… complicated."
She took a breath and continued, "Back in the late '60s, a scientist from Michigan, Dr. Robert Henry, discovered that certain regions in outer space emitted unusually strong electromagnetic waves. He believed there was life beyond our world. He even wrote several books about the multiverse. His theory was that whoever lived there owned some kind of massive magnet connected to a source capable of generating trillions of amperes of electricity. Because of this, those powerful electromagnetic waves spilled out into space."
Caleb tilted his head. "Well… never heard of him."
Ava smirked. "Do you even know Ohm's Law?" she asked with a sarcastic laugh.
Caleb rolled his eyes. "Heh… nice joke." His expression was flat.
Lily giggled softly. "I like Dr. Robert's theories. He proposed some fascinating calculations,ways we might be able to travel to a parallel world. "A mirror world." She lifted her hands in a helpless shrug, her expression saying I don't know. "Anyway… I studied his work and tried to build something of my own. I'm not sure if it's perfect…"
Caleb raised a brow. "So you made that device based on his calculations?"
Lily hesitated. "Well… Robert disappeared. Like he never even existed."
"Calculations??" Caleb and Ava exclaimed together.
"No one knows where he went," Lily whispered.
Caleb's voice cracked with frustration. "Of course no one knows! No one's even heard of him! How would they know, huh? Your sister's a total nerd, Ava. A freak!" His voice grew louder.
Ava shot back, equally fierce. "Yes, my sister's a nerd I know that. But she's not dumb. If she says something, she means it."
"Both of you, lower your voices," Lily interrupted firmly. "Robert took his calculations with him when he vanished."
Caleb's tone sharpened as he faced Lily. "So you made this device on a guess? Don't tell me you actually did that."
"Y-yeah… just a guess," Lily admitted nervously. "But… but… I've spent countless hours in my lab. My own calculations are 73.8% accurate."
Caleb exploded. "What the hell, Lily?!"
Ava's eyes narrowed. She glared at Lily, her gaze burning .
The silence of the cavern was as thick as dust, amplifying the sound of her own frantic breathing. Lily ran her hands over the impossibly smooth surface of the device, her fingers searching for a seam, a switch, any sign of a control. But there was nothing. "I don't understand," she whispered, her voice cracking with the strain of held-back panic. "I didn't test this. It doesn't activate automatically, and it has no buttons." She pulled her hands away as if burned, a shudder running through her. The truth, cold and sharp, cut through the last shreds of her composure. "Oh god," she breathed, her eyes wide with dawning terror as they took in the impossible landscape around them. "I don't know." The words were a fragile admission of defeat, a surrender to a mystery that felt far too big to solve.
One Week Ago…
The television screen flickered with urgency as the Chicago Bulletin logo flashed across it.
"Good morning, citizens," the anchor's voice boomed with a weight that silenced the room. "I'm your host, John Hogan. We interrupt your regular broadcast with breaking news. The National Space & Intelligence Agency (NSIA) has detected unusual solar reactions. At approximately 8:30 a.m., an intense wave of solar heat may strike, visible across several states."
Mrs. Brown froze, her hand clutching the edge of the table. A chill ran down her spine despite the warmth creeping in through the windows. Her motherly instincts screamed louder than the anchor's voice. She turned sharply toward her son.
"Caleb," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Don't go to school today. The weather, it isn't right." Her eyes carried a mix of fear and a mother's unshakable intuition.
Caleb, slinging his bag over one shoulder, forced a crooked smile. "Nah, Mum. Nothing's going to happen. Don't worry."
NOW…
Ava turned to her sister, her voice edged with doubt.
"Lily, are you sure? Are you really saying everything that happened to us… it's because of Dr. Robert's theory?"
Lily swallowed hard, her eyes shifting. "Yeah… I'm sure," she said, though hesitation clung to her tone.
Ava leaned closer, lowering her voice. "So… we have to travel to Michigan?"
Caleb furrowed his brows, cutting in. "But which city, Lily? Michigan's a big place."
Lily exhaled slowly. "Detroit."
Caleb smirked, forcing lightness into his words. "Four hours' drive. Let's go. It's not like we've got anything better to do… so why not?"
Ava let out a dramatic sigh, tossing her hair back. "Goodbye, crappy Illinois. We're heading to Michigan now!" Her face lit up with an excitement that didn't quite match the tension in the air.
The three of them packed into the car, their hearts carrying more weight than their luggage.
And so, they began their journey… a desperate attempt to uncover the truth, to find a solution to the chaos consuming their world. But what lay ahead was not a simple road trip. It was a trial of survival, of choices, of fate itself. The next twenty-four hours would test their courage and change their lives forever.Said by Narrator.
CHAPTER SEVEN : CHAOS
Caleb glanced at the girls as he slid into the driver's seat.
"Come on, one of you sit up front with me. I'm feeling lonely here."
Lily shot him a sharp side glance. "No thanks."
Ava laughed softly. "I will, for sure."
Caleb let out a small grin. "Ahh… thanks."
The car rumbled along the lonely motorway, its headlights slicing through the endless dark. Detroit lay far ahead, but the silence between them made the journey feel even longer.
By midnight, they to stop near a quiet lake. Ava and Lily stayed inside the car, curling up against the seats, while Caleb slipped out, too restless to rest. He pulled an old fishing rod from the trunk and walked toward the water.
The moonlight shimmered on the lake's surface as he cast his line, but his mind was elsewhere.
What if Lily's wrong? he thought, frowning at the ripples. What if this whole multiverse theory is just fantasy? We could be wasting time while everything around us burns.
His grip on the rod tightened. But… what if she's right? What if we're standing on the edge of something huge, something beyond our understanding? And what if I can't protect them if it all goes wrong?
Back in the car, Lily peeked through the glass, her voice low. "He's such a confused person, isn't he?"
Ava gave a knowing sigh. "Yeah. I know him. I know this mood too well. He's overthinking again."
The night grew heavier, silence pressing in around them. The lake reflected not only the stars but also the storm swirling in Caleb's mind.
Ava stepped out of the car and walked slowly toward the lake. Caleb sat at the edge, his fishing rod forgotten, his eyes lost in the rippling water. She knelt beside him, gently taking his trembling hands into hers.
"What's wrong?" she whispered.
Caleb blinked, his eyes shining with unshed tears. His voice cracked. "I'm scared."
Ava's grip tightened. "We're all scared," she said softly.
He tried to smile, but the weight on his chest broke him. He lowered his head as tears finally escaped, and Ava leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Caleb's body shook, his cries raw and childlike.
"Don't cry," she whispered, brushing his arm. "Everything will be okay."
But Caleb's voice broke through, bitter and hollow. "You don't get it, Ava. What if this is all for nothing? What if this theory, this… multiverse crap… is nothing more than a lie?"
Ava gently pulled him closer, guiding his head into her lap. She ran her fingers through his hair, her tone steady despite the fear she hid. "Everything will be fine. Don't worry."
She bent down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
Caleb inhaled shakily, wiping his tears away. A fragile resolve replaced his despair as he stood, gathering himself. Without another word, they returned to the car.
The road stretched endlessly before them, two hours still to Detroit. Lily sat in the back seat, her eyes glued to her thick, weathered diary of nearly five hundred pages, searching desperately for any mention of Dr. Robert's house. The diary, worn from years of scribbled notes and half-baked theories, was her constant companion.
The hum of the car filled the silence as they drove. Between pages of calculations and nervous glances, they shared chips and seasoned peanuts they had grabbed from a Chicago supermart,an oddly ordinary comfort against the weight of extraordinary uncertainty.
dark plume spiraled into the sky, twisting unnaturally above the horizon.
"Look… smoke! What the hell?!" Caleb shouted, his voice breaking with shock.
"Stop the car now!" Ava yelled.
The tires screeched against the asphalt, the car jerking to a halt. Silence pressed in for a moment, broken only by the low hum of the engine and the crackling of smoke in the distance.
Caleb leaned forward, his face pale. "Wait… does this mean there are other people on this planet?"
Ava whipped her head toward Lily, suspicion sharp in her tone. "Lily… do you know something?"
Lily folded her arms, rolling her eyes with a mix of irritation and smugness. "You idiots… of course there's life here. Water, plants, sunshine, moonlight ,it all screams life. Honestly, how can you two be this clueless?"
Her words hung in the air, but none of them laughed. The smoke rose higher, thick and heavy, as if daring them to come closer.
Caleb's eyes narrowed at the rising smoke. "Humans…?" he muttered under his breath.
Lily snapped back, irritation flashing in her tone. "I wasn't born here, stupid. How the hell would I know?"
Ava drew in a steadying breath. "We should check… but carefully. Just a sneak peek."
Caleb nodded, then leaned forward. "Open the dashboard."
Ava frowned. "What? You… you have a revolver?"
"It's not mine. I just found it there." - Caleb
Ava shook her head, unsettled. "Anyways… let's move."
They stepped out of the car, the forest swallowing them whole. Branches creaked overhead, shadows shifting like predators waiting for their moment. The smoke lingered in the air, leading them deeper with each step. Their hearts pounded louder with every crunch of leaves underfoot.
At the edge of the treeline, Caleb tightened his grip on the revolver. With a click, he reloaded, his breath sharp.
They pushed past the last veil of leaves.
But silence greeted them.
Nothing.
No people. No signs of life at all. Just fire.
Suddenly, a towering creature, nearly seven feet tall, burst out from the shadows, charging straight at Caleb. Its grey skin glistened under the firelight, rows of sharp teeth flashing like blades.
SWISH! An arrow cut through the night air.
The beast roared in agony before collapsing to the ground,its body landing barely half a foot away from Caleb's boots.
Ava and Lily screamed, their voices piercing the silence of the forest.
From the smoke, a young woman emerged. She wore a crop top and denim shorts, a bow still gripped firmly in her hand. With a calm, almost playful smile, she said:
"Thank me later."
Ava's voice trembled. "W-who are you…?"
The girl straightened her stance. "Maya Jensen."
Caleb's eyes flicked between the fallen creature and the stranger. His lips curved into a half-smirk. "Nice shot. Clean through the neck."
Ava, still shaken, shot Caleb a jealous glance.
Lily, overwhelmed by the moment, adjusted her glasses, her words tumbling out in panic.
"Where did you come from? Are you even from this world? No, no… it can't be… how did you even get here?"
Maya held up a hand, her voice steady. "Breathe. Just… breathe."
Caleb crouched over the monster's corpse, studying its grotesque form. "Damn… never seen anything like this before. Grey, eyeless, teeth like knives… it's like something straight out of my video games."
Caleb exhaled, still shaken from what had just happened. "So… what now?" he asked.
Maya's eyes glimmered in the firelight. "We're heading towards answers."
Ava frowned. "What answers?"
Maya smirked. "Just come with me… you'll see soon enough."
Lily sat in silence, still in shock, her hands trembling against her diary.
Soon, the group returned to the car. But this time, Maya slid into the driver's seat, certain of the road ahead. The tires hummed as they sped down the highway, Detroit just minutes away.
Inside the car, Maya's gaze lingered strangely on Caleb and Ava. She tilted her head, pointing a playful finger. "You two… lovers?"
Caleb stammered, caught off guard. "Uhmm… we… y-yeah."
Ava tilted her head, giving the smallest of nods, her cheeks warming.
Caleb, trying to shift the moment, asked suddenly: "What about you, Maya Jensen? Ever been in love?"
Her eyes flickered with something unspoken before she answered. "Yes… once. But it was only one-sided."
Ava leaned closer, curiosity sparking. "Then spill the tea."
Lily groaned, rubbing her forehead. "Yes, please! Ugh… my head's spinning. I need something to distract me."
Maya let out a quiet laugh, her hands steady on the wheel. "Alright, fine… I'll tell you."
Maya's voice softened as she kept her eyes on the road. "So… I fell in love when I was in high school. His eyes...God, they were the very definition of the Nile, flowing endlessly. He was the reason I began to believe in the word love. His personality… so gentle, so sweet. And yes, he was my classmate."
Caleb leaned forward, cutting in. "What was his name?"
Maya's lips curved faintly as she whispered, "Stephen."
Caleb nodded slowly. "Ohh, I see…"
Maya drew a breath, ready to continue, but Caleb interrupted again. "So… what happened? Did you two ever confess to each other?"
Her face fell, the shadow of heartbreak crossing her expression. "No…" she murmured.
A heavy silence filled the car before she added, her voice trembling, "I never told him. That's why."
For a moment, her words hung in the air. Then, with a bittersweet smile, Maya spoke almost like a confession to herself:
"Sometimes, the person you love feels so perfect that you're afraid to express your feelings. You stay silent for the sake of their happiness, because deep down, you know you might ruin it with your own desires. So you keep your love hidden. Just admiring them feels safer… though it's bitter too. But their happiness..." she sighed, "their happiness kills all bitterness."
CHAPTER EIGHT : END OF BEGINNING
After a long and chaotic journey, the car finally rolled into the outskirts of Detroit. The city's faded skyline stood in the distance, but Maya's direction was clear there was no turning back now.
Maya glanced at Caleb. "Swap seats with me. I know the way from here," she said confidently. Caleb nodded, understanding the urgency in her tone, and without hesitation, he switched places with her.
As the car rumbled deeper into the forest, the air grew denser, and the trees loomed like dark giants. The headlights cut through the darkness, guiding them towards their destination. Maya led them to an isolated cabin near St. Clair Lake, nestled deep in the woods.
The cabin stood modestly, made of weathered wood, yet there was a certain charm to it. The kind of place that seemed timeless, stuck in a forgotten era. But something about it felt... off.
Maya parked the car and turned to the group. "This is it," she said, her voice almost hushed as she stared at the cabin.
The front door was locked. Caleb, not wasting a second, grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at the window. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash. Caleb grinned, his usual thrill for chaos lighting up his face. "I love doing that," he muttered, clearly pleased with himself.
Lily, who had been silent this entire time, suddenly perked up. "Oh my god… Look at all those books!" Her eyes widened, and she rushed toward the cabin like a kid in a candy store.
Ava grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back gently. "Lily, no! We don't have time to go through every single book. Focus."
Lily turned to her with pleading eyes. "But there are thousands! This could be the key to everything!"
Ava sighed. "I know, but we need to find only one book,the one that leads us back to our world."
Maya's voice broke the moment, laced with sarcasm. "Are you sure you can actually get back to your world?" She chuckled, eyeing Lily with a knowing smirk.
Lily shot her a confused look. "Of course I can. Why are you laughing like that?" She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "Do you think I'm lying?"
Maya only shrugged, her smile still teasing. "I'm not saying anything. You do you, nerd."
Caleb interrupted, his voice low but steady. "Maybe Maya has a way."
Maya glanced up, smirking faintly. "Yeah… maybe. But go on, don't let me stop you."
While Lily combed through the shelves, her hands brushing over the dust-stained spines in search of Robert's notes, Caleb and Ava sank into the shadows of the corner. For a moment, it felt as though the chaos of the world outside had disappeared. It was just the two of them.
Caleb leaned closer, his eyes soft. "Do you remember the day we first started talking? I was sitting alone in the corner of the class, and you walked up. We just… stared at each other, like we're doing now."
Ava lowered her gaze, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah… I remember. You looked so broken that day, like you had just been scolded by your dad."
Caleb's chest tightened at her words. He exhaled slowly, then reached for her hand. "That was the first time someone actually saw me… not the loud, careless Caleb everyone thought I was, but me. You."
Ava's eyes shimmered as she squeezed his hand gently. "And that was the first time I realized… maybe I wasn't as invisible as I thought."
Their faces drifted closer, the air between them heavy with unspoken words. Across the room, Maya silently adjusted the strings of her bow, her head turned toward the window but her ears caught every beat of their conversation.Their hands lingered together, warm and trembling, as if afraid to let go. The cabin around them was silent except for the soft rustle of Lily flipping through books, her voice whispering numbers and titles under her breath.
Caleb's eyes locked onto Ava's, the way they always had like she was both the storm and the calm he had been searching for. "Ava," he murmured, his voice breaking slightly, "I don't care if this world is ending or if we're lost in some other universe… you've always been the only real thing in my life."
Ava's breath caught in her throat. For a second, she hesitated, but then her hand reached up, brushing lightly against his jaw. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear that," she whispered.
Caleb leaned closer, his forehead pressing gently against hers. Their breaths mingled, shaky and uneven, until finally, the invisible wall between them shattered. His lips found hers in a slow, desperate kiss- soft at first, then deepening with every heartbeat.
Ava's fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer, while Caleb's hand slipped to the back of her neck, holding her like he might lose her any second. The kiss wasn't just passion it was survival, a promise, a confession of everything they'd left unsaid.
From across the room, Lily rolled her eyes but didn't say a word, too consumed with her search. Maya, on the other hand, tightened the string of her bow and smirked faintly to herself, muttering under her breath, "Lovers…" before turning back to the window.
But for Caleb and Ava, the world outside no longer existed. In that abandoned cabin, surrounded by forgotten books and the weight of destiny, they finally gave in to what they had both known all along
they belonged to each other.Lily's sudden gasp broke the moment. "I found it!" she shouted, clutching a stack of yellowed notes against her chest.
The others rushed toward her, their faces lit with hope. Caleb almost stumbled over a pile of books in his hurry.
"What is it? Did you find a way?" Ava asked, her voice trembling with both fear and anticipation.
Lily spread the papers on the wooden floor, her hands shaking as she pointed to a scribbled formula. "Look this is it. Robert's formula! I knew it had to be here." Her eyes were wide, glowing with obsession.
She flipped through her diary, cross-referencing her own calculations. "See? I already applied gravitational force plus radiation of electromagnetic waves. But Robert's notes say that...her voice cracked with excitement, "you must combine gravitational force into EM waves, then measure the wormhole's gravitational pull!"
Caleb blinked, completely lost. "Wait, wait, wait. Wormhole? Now what the hell is a wormhole?"
Before Lily could answer, Ava jumped in, her tone sharp but steady. "It's… well, simply put, a passage. A tunnel that can connect two points in space. If it exists, you could travel from one side of the universe to another in the blink of an eye."
Caleb frowned, running a hand through his hair. "Great. So you're saying we need some cosmic tunnel just lying around? Like that's supposed to be normal."
Lily groaned, slamming her diary shut. "You don't get it! This is our only way back. But…her voice softened, frustration sinking in…I don't have the materials to build a new device. And I can't fix the broken one."
For a moment, silence filled the cabin. The only sound was the distant rustle of the trees outside. Their fragile hope, once burning, now flickered like a dying flame.
Maya suddenly cut off their conversation, her eyes narrowing. Without warning, she raised her bow and aimed the arrow straight at Lily's head.
Everyone froze.
"WHAT THE HELL, MAYA?!" Caleb shouted, his voice breaking with panic.
Maya didn't answer. Not a word. Her silence was more frightening than her weapon. Instead, she moved quickly, pulling out steel cuffs from her backpack. One by one, she snapped them around their wrists.
Caleb's chest heaved. Normally, this would've been the moment he exploded with rage but this time, he didn't. He just stood there, breathing hard, his anger trapped inside. Ava noticed.
Then Maya pulled out strips of black cloth. "No wait!" Ava protested, but it was too late. The blindfolds came down, plunging them all into darkness.
"Where are you taking us?!" Ava's voice trembled.
Maya stayed silent.
She pushed them into the car, slammed the doors, and took the wheel herself. The engine roared as the vehicle sped down the road. With every turn and every bump, the teens' hearts raced faster. They had no idea where they were going, no way to fight back.
After what felt like forever, the car screeched to a halt. The scent hit first earthy, sharp, mixed with feathers and damp straw.
The blindfolds were ripped off.
They blinked against the sudden light. In front of them stretched a wide poultry farm, fences running far into the distance. The faint clucking of chickens echoed in the night air.
Caleb's voice was low, unsettled. "What… the hell is this place?"
Ava's eyes burned with anger, but her hands trembled in helplessness. They had no choice but to follow.
She led them into a dimly lit building at the edge of the poultry farm. But the moment they stepped inside, their breaths caught.
It wasn't a farm at all.
The room before them was alive with a hum unlike anything they had ever heard. Futuristic machines lined the walls, pulsing with blue light. At the center rose ten colossal poles, at least seventy feet tall, all connected to a monstrous magnet seventy feet wide, weighing easily fifty tons. From the magnet spread a web of thick cables, linked to fifty or sixty towering antennas, each spitting out sparks of electricity into the night sky.
The teens stood frozen, their eyes wide, their hearts thundering. They had never seen anything like this. It was terrifying. And beautiful.
Lily whispered under her breath, "This… this shouldn't even exist…"
Before anyone could reply, a sound shook the air.
Dhgg… Dhgg… Dhgg…
Heavy footsteps. The slow, deliberate rhythm of leather shoes striking metal flooring.
Their bodies stiffened as the sound grew louder, closer, echoing in their ears.
From the shadows emerged a tall gentleman in a black suit. His shoes gleamed, his presence commanding silence. He stopped just a few steps away, his expression unreadable.
Then, with a thin smile, he lifted a gloved hand and pointed directly at Lily.
"I appreciate you, girl." Caleb stepped forward, his voice sharp. "Who the hell are you?"
The man let out a low laugh, deep and unsettling. "Maya," he said smoothly, "why don't you tell them?"
Maya's lips curved into a grin. "He is the great scientist of his time… and still is. Dr. Robert Henry."
The air seemed to shatter around them.
Ava's eyes widened in disbelief. "Holy crap! The world thinks you died or you disappeared!" Her voice cracked between fear and shock.
Dr. Robert adjusted his cuffs calmly, speaking in a tone so polite it made their skin crawl. "It's better to leave behind a toxic world that has no vision for the future."
Before anyone could react, Maya snatched the Traveller from Lily's hands and placed it into Robert's. He turned it slowly, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of its design. Five long minutes ticked by in silence, the air heavy with anticipation.
Finally, he looked up at Lily and offered a small nod. "Impressive. Very impressive, girl."
But in the same motion, he raised the device high and slammed it against the steel table, shattering it into pieces.
The sound echoed like a gunshot.
Caleb's face went red with rage. "WHAT THE HELL?! That was our only way back home, you fool old man!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fury.
But Lily… Lily said nothing. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her silence louder than Caleb's outburst.
Ava reached over and gripped her sister's fingers tightly, grounding her, keeping her from breaking. Her own eyes burned, but she whispered just loud enough for Lily to hear, "Hold it in… don't let him see your anger."
Dr. Robert raised his hands calmly, his voice deep but reassuring.
"Don't worry. I won't let you live here, surrounded by predators. Don't be afraid, kids. I'll build another Traveller ,this time with accurate calculations."
The room fell silent. Even Caleb, who moments ago was burning with rage, stood frozen.
Lily swallowed hard, her voice trembling but respectful. "Thank you, sir."
Robert's piercing eyes fixed on her. "But I'll need your help."
Without hesitation, Lily nodded. "Where do you need me?"
He gestured toward the towering poles outside. "Go. Increase their output. Take the system to its highest possible voltage. You'll need the control computer."
The moment Lily's eyes landed on the massive futuristic console, she nearly forgot her fear. It was unlike anything she had ever seen sleek, metallic, alive with streams of glowing data. Her heart pounded as she rushed to it, her fingers gliding over the keys, her face lit with excitement.
Maya watched her, then leaned close to Robert, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Why are you letting them go? If they return, they'll spill everything to the NSA."
Robert chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with quiet confidence. "First of all, Maya, in 2008 the NSA has no advanced technology capable of tracking a multiverse traveller. And even if, by some absurd chance, they captured these children and believed them, the National Space Agency could do nothing. Because…He leaned closer, his words sharp as a blade. "They don't know we are on Earth S-08. And the kids don't know that either."
Maya stiffened, her brows furrowing. "But what if they find out? What if they figure out where we are?"
Robert's smile widened, cold and knowing. "Then it'll already be too late.". "Well then," he said, his tone unnervingly calm, "we don't have time to waste, girl. Go make some ramen for everyone. And tea."
Lily spun in her chair, utterly stunned. "W-what?"
Maya rolled her eyes and groaned. "Agh, weird… fine, I'll do it." She stalked toward the side counter where a small electric kettle and packaged ramen sat like this nightmare of a lab was also someone's kitchen.
Meanwhile, from a distance, Ava's sharp eyes caught every detail. She stood slightly apart, her mind racing. Something about Robert's calmness, something about Maya's obedience,it didn't sit right. She wasn't just watching. She was studying.
Dr. Robert stepped closer to Caleb, his polished shoes echoing softly on the metallic floor. His gaze was steady, but behind it lay something human, something weary.
"Don't give up on her," he said quietly.
Caleb blinked, taken aback. "She's already giving up on me." His voice cracked, the pain too raw to hide.
Robert's lips curved in a sad half-smile. "Then don't let her. Make her yours."
Caleb scoffed, anger flaring in his chest. "What do you know about love, old man? You hide in this… this science prison of yours. What do you know about anything real?"
For a moment, silence hung heavy. Then Robert's shoulders dropped ever so slightly, his voice softening with a weight that made Ava glance up from across the room.
"I know more than you think," Robert murmured. "I had a wife once. Her name was Chloe. She told me… when you become successful, when your theories can provide for us, then come back to me."
Caleb frowned, caught off guard by the vulnerability in Robert's tone.
Robert's eyes darkened. "And she was right. Theories don't fill empty stomachs. Equations don't keep a house warm. So… I left her. Because I knew I could never give her the life she deserved."
...For the first time since they met him, Robert looked less like a genius and more like a broken man.
Robert's gaze drifted to the glowing poles outside, but his words were far away, locked in a past he could never escape.
"You know Caleb… success means nothing when the person you love is'nt there to see it."
He let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head.
"She wanted comfort, I gave her chaos. She wanted love, I gave her numbers."
His voice trembled as he looked back at Caleb, his eyes glassy.
"I spent my life chasing the stars, but I couldn't hold on to the one star that mattered most."
Robert pressed a hand to his chest, as if steadying a wound that had never healed.
"Do you know what it feels like, boy? To have someone say, 'Come back when you're enough'… and then realizing you'll never be?"
The silence that followed was crushing. Even Maya stopped stirring the kettle, her eyes briefly flicking toward him, the usual sharpness softened.
Caleb swallowed hard, the weight of Robert's words sinking deep into his own fears about Ava.
"Let's have dinner!" Maya announced, breaking the tension.
For once, there were no arguments, no fear just tired smiles. They all sat cross-legged on the cold floor, sharing bowls of ramen and tea. After so many days of running, hiding, and fighting for their lives, this moment felt almost unreal. Peaceful. Joyful. As if, for a fleeting second, they were normal teenagers again.
But soon, the bowls were empty. The air grew heavy again.
Dr. Robert's voice cut through the silence. "So… from which year? Which exact date did you come?"
Caleb wiped his mouth, glancing at the others before answering. "December 24th, 2008. Around 8:30 a.m."
Robert nodded thoughtfully. "And the place? Be precise. I need to send you back to the exact spot and the exact time. That way, no one will notice you were ever gone."
Caleb leaned forward. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. We came from 128th Street, Mary Lane Apartments, Chicago, Illinois, USA."
Robert's eyes shifted. "And you, Maya?"
Maya froze. "M… Me?"
"Yes," Robert said gently. "You too. Thank you for everything. Go back. Live your life. I trust you."
Something broke in her tough demeanor. She nodded, then leaned in and hugged him tightly. "London Sky Towers. 10:50 a.m. December 24th, 2035. London, United Kingdom."
The others stared at her in shock, their jaws dropping.
"What…?" Caleb muttered.
Ava's voice shook. "Two thousand and… thirty-five?"
Maya rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance. "What? It is what it is."
Robert turned back to Lily. "Did you input all dates, times, and locations into the system?"
Lily adjusted her glasses, determination in her eyes. "Yeah. Everything's set."
"Good." Robert's voice hardened. "When I push this button, the portal will open. You'll be pulled in instantly. Stand together. Hold your breaths and you'll feel pressure in your chests. Five seconds, and you'll be home."
He stepped back, his face sinking into the shadows. "I won't go with you. Loneliness is my curse… and my choice."
The countdown began.
"Three… two… one…"
A blinding flash ripped through the room. The portal roared to life, swirling like a storm, and before they could even scream, it pulled them in.
--- POST CREDIT
December 24, 2008.
The elevator doors slid open with a metallic ding.
They stumbled out, gasping for air, clutching their chests back in Chicago, exactly where it had all begun. Relief washed over them
Until a sharp voice cut the silence.
"Freeze! You're under arrest!"
They turned.
A woman in a dark suit stood waiting, flanked by two armed agents. Her eyes were cold, calculating.
The teens froze, their hearts sinking.
"To be continued…"