A new day had begun. The dew of the morning settling and glistening on grass reflecting off the morning’s light. Birds start to chirp singing their greetings and people start to wake to move around doing their morning chores. As the sun starts to rise it soon shines down on a young woman who is collapsed in the middle of a library. The open door pushing in some of the cool morning air gently waking her up. Opening her eyes she stares at the counter. Her last vision and reality countering each other. The old man is no longer there. What can she do? Getting up she walks over to the counter touching the table gently. It’s old scratched rosewood giving warmth to her hand as if comforting her for her loss. Taking a dazed look at the outside of the library she sees people pass by and reluctantly decides to start her day. Walking out of the library closing the door behind her she sees the puddle of rain she had left when she had come to visit last night. Feeling sorry for leaving a mess behind quickly goes back in to clean the mess up. After doing so she finally locks the door behind and starts walking to the orphanage.

She was now of age and soon had to leave the orphanage in two weeks. For others who come of age without being adopted feel a loss in their life and don’t know where to go but follow what they know. For her, however, she couldn’t feel much as to begin with that place had never strongly impacted her. But, even so, she feels as much loss as the others. What could she do? She knows she can’t just wander around and die on the streets wasting the old man’s effort. Although contradicting it was the only way to halfway keep her sanity.

 For the next few days, she woke up like usual and finished her chores before going to the library and instead of reading sat there staring not moving for hours until sunset. And repeated the same routine over and over until it was her last day. Just like the end of her life at the orphanage she chose to end her sorrow. Now that she was a member of the society she had to find work. Going around she looked for any job. Soon she found one at an office where she worked by helping to put the daily newspaper in her town together. Every day waking up and getting ready to arrive at work. Then to just go home. Time seemed to not even exist. The so-called ‘timeless’.  How hateful. What a ridiculous life to live. What do you do? What is happiness? The colors of her once vivid world became dull and unexciting. The bird’s cheerful morning melodies turned to sound like the long and slow blow of a trumpet. The morning sun seemed to now to judge her with it’s hot and burning rays as she walked the streets trying to survive. When it rained with showered her with compassion. The only time to reminisce of the past. Perhaps the only happiness and place for her to find joy were in the old man’s library. Here it was the colors of the dusty brown and red books that filled her chest of a void with euphoria. The books were the key to turn back the time of the present and go to the past and let her join the main character into their adventure. Here is where she was happy and living. She thought that this was how she would live out her days. However, there were many others who watched her and one in specifically found an interest and would soon become her bane. 

A man came to the library every day to cast his gaze upon the one who owned it. His violent and vicious thoughts covered by his calm and gentleman facade. Making small talk to the young lady and giving her gifts which she never accepted. Days go by and regardless he could not make a single ripple of emotions in her heart for him. Making his malicious intent growing stronger and stronger. The man was a high person in society and was known to be a playboy going around the town and teasing the town girls despite already having a wife. But, she wouldn’t know of him as she never bothered with the news in the town. The more she ignored him the more he wanted to monopolize her. Another group had an eye on her. The key she kept at her side constantly that was left in her possession from the old man was a sacred artifact that they had been looking for a long time. After seeing the man come and go with hostility they soon came up with an idea. A plan to get rid of the girl and evidence along with gaining the key. 

“Isabel! Let me just stay for a bit longer, please! It’s not even nightfall yet!” a man whined as he was shoved out of the gates of a library with a woman staring blankly at him with her green and bright eyes covered with a dull haze.  Turning around she hugged the book in her hand to her bosom and walked back into the building. “ I’ll come again tomorrow Isabel!” he shouted staring at her. Her back length hazle wavy hair swaying gently in the night chill wind. His eyes flashed with determination before walking down the streets of the local area. He felt his hunger for her grow. His greed and lust growing so enormously that it was hard to control when he was in her presence. Anytime he comes to visit there is no progress. It’s driving him mad. The feeling of being in control while her in submission was a dream among dreams yet he still yearned for it. However, the time was not now. Not yet, but soon. And, he couldn’t wait for it. 

Isabel on the other hand after shoving Edward the so-called gentleman outside she proceeded to go up the stairs to the attic where when she first arrived, converted it into a small but comfortable bedroom. A small knee-high bed with a suitable desk that had books and files for the library and other bills. Next to the right side of the bed was a window and a small seating bench for her to sit and view when’d it rained. The raindrops reflecting in half tears slowly drifting and falling off into nothingness when it hit the ground, combining with the rest of the water. Every night when she went to bed she would read a chapter of her favorite book before putting it on her small bedside with her lamp before opening the small drawer that contained the old man’s letter. Reading the letter over and over again tracing every word and etching it within her very soul she reluctantly placed the letter back in the drawer before turning off the light and stroking the key he had given her. Like a lullaby, it soothed her within the world of dreams. Every time she dreamed she would dream of the time when the old man was alive and the same situation repeating over and over again. It’s a precious memory for her. A treasure that she never wanted to forget. It was when she was 8 she and the old man went out to the back of the library where there was a glass door that led to a garden. He had closed the library for the day to celebrate a surprise for her as a birthday as she never knew how old she was and the old man and he chose the very first day that they had met as her birthday. Outside in the garden was a small gazebo with small sandwiches, a small cake, and of course a birthday present. Her she and man were talking happily but she could never hear what they had said. Although it was the same dream over and over again she could never read their lips. All she could tell was that she was genuinely happy. This was probably the only representation of her ever being happy. That is her usual dream but today her dream was nothing of the sort. This time it was a dream of the key the old man had given her. It was enlarged and was standing in front of this large portal swirling with what seemed to be the galaxy. The hourglass that was embedded within the key which when it was in its original size had its sand within frozen. Some was on top pouring some sprinkling down to the bottom. It was always suspicious and odd as to why it was and how the sand was able to do it. Now it was moving in a constant flip when the sand filled the bottom and illuminated gold dust which disappeared into nothingness at a certain distance. It was beautiful but wary at the same time. The words which were embedded on the handle was so clear now. However, she couldn’t understand what they stated as they were coded in some sort of ancient ruin which she had never come across. She stood there in front of the key and portal. Admiring its glow and comfort while she could as it reminded her of the old man once again. However, the peace and quiet was disrupted by the whole area shaking.  It felt like a violent earthquake and a voice emerged which was so loud and condescending spoke to her. However, whatever the entity tried to convey seemed to be somewhat muted as she felt her consciousness slowly awakening. 

When she awoke she it was morning and the birds that always come to her window sill were pecking on the window asking for the seeds she usually gave them each morning. She slowly rose from her bed still analyzing her dream. It felt so real it was so hard to differentiate dreams and reality for her anyways. But, it still impacted her to the point where she felt disturbed. She once read in a book that dreams can sometimes predict or even warn you about the future.  But those were old wives tales that she once read but it was still fascinating to her. Regardless she had a day ahead of her and it wouldn’t do her any good to stay willowing on this dream. However, the dream came back to her that night, then the next and the next and soon that turned into a month of the dream. Each day the voice becoming clearer. The voice sounded like that of an old man which she could sort of make out the message. “...plete th. task... Jenete return..” before the voice faded and she woke. A task? A mission? Who was the voice? Is this her becoming delusional? She pushed away the thought in the back of her mind and despite the thoughts of it being ridiculous, she’d always remember the dream. After having the dream she also had this weird feeling come over her. She could now see a type of light covering a person. At first, she thought that she was going crazy but it was there. Everybody had either the same color or different colors depending on their moods. The colors could also represent different things for different instances. 

Edward, for example, had the light haze of red surrounding him. It gave an odd feeling but even so he still came and went and had started to make an impression on Isabel. She paid no attention to the light. Regardless Isabel saw him as a friend but nothing more than that. And with the attention she gave sent wrong signals to Edwards which cause him to hastily plan out his next attack. 

One night after visiting the library Edward who as usual walked down the alleyways suddenly heard multiple footsteps behind him. Alerted he started to walk down different alleyways twisting and turning listening carefully to the footsteps. After turning down a certain alleyway he saw a garbage bin and quickly hid behind it watching his pursuers quickly walking past him. After they had left he listened and waited. Confused as to why there were these people out to get him. He was sure that he had dealt with all the people who he’s messed with and made sure no one survived. Could it be a girl he messed with today that had a powerful backing? Angered he creeped out behind the garbage bin  but before he could continue on his way twenty black shadows blocked his path. All wearing cloaks and armed with sharp daggers shining in the moonlight taunting him with his life. He tried to turn around but another group was behind him. He was surrounded he suddenly heard footsteps running behind him. Turning around quickly he was met with a knife and arm around his throat. “ The so-called gentleman Edward. Born from the duke and a mistress. An illegitimate heir who has won his father’s favor and is the most likely next for the ascension. However, most don’t know who he really is. How would people react when they hear that the missing girls and families were all due to the duke’s precious and popular son who plays with the common girls to only annihilate them when he done with them?” The hooded person asked with a sinister mocking tone. 

“Who are you?” Edwards struggled out as he felt his throat caving it as he stressed his words out to the attacker. 

“It’s no matter of who we are? You could consider us as enemies but also allies. Maybe more so when you hear of our proposition of a certain lets say girl who own a library down the street?” 

Edward froze. The hooded man pushed Edward aside and watched him. Edward then got up before thinking. He felt humiliated that these men did such a thing to him and how they found out suh information. However, they did have a method in their possession about how to obtain Isabel. “I’m listening.” He could just get rid of them later after he had gained what he wanted.

The hooded man grinned ear to ear before smiling and laughed in complete madness his laughter echoing down the streets causing anybody to hear it have shivers down their spine.

“Splendid.”

The sound of wood splintering, smoke filling her senses, and an immense amount of heat awoke Isabel. She looked around her to see fire. Shocked and scared she quickly grabbed the old man’s letter and went to her window coughing. Looking out she could see people down below at the front of her gates point but not doing anything. Not trying to put out the fire just staring and letting it burn. Quickly she turned to her nightstand where the letter of the old man resided and tucked in within her bosom with the key around her neck. Taking a nearby flower pot on her window sill she smashed her window before stepping on the ledge and looking down. Raining hitting her in the face and the night’s chilled air soaking her. It was a two story house. It wasn’t that far away from the ground but she still felt the fear consume her making her freeze. “Isabel!” a man shouted from beneath her. Looking down she saw Edward waving with a worried face. Relief washing over her as she felt safe jumping down but something in her paused. For years she’s become immune to her emotions. She saw things in black in white. But now looking down she saw Edwards encased in a red mist. His usual smiling face was erased and a sinister grin of happiness was plastered as he raised his arms out to catch her. Taken back she quickly shook her head and just climbed to the side of the window just in time as fire blew up in her room and exiting out the window in a big blast. Shivering her slowly made her way on the side of the attic. Here there was another house closer to her. About a foots length she quickly made her escape on top of the roof Edward shouting and following after her. No matter what she couldn’t jump down that was what her inner self shouted. Her gut feeling terrorized her to not jump down into his embrace. To not fall for his facade. Quickly she made her way on to the middle of the roof. The rain now hitting her from all sides. The wind howling past her ears. Clutching the key around her chest she shivered but she felt safe. Nonetheless it was a false version of security.Suddenly she heard grunting behind her and she saw a hand grasping on the edge of the roof. Frightened she took a few steps back to only be scared by a loud thump behind her. Taking a look she saw three black hooded figures. Their faces hidden by their robes she could only  make out a maddening grin. Looking from side to side she crouched in fear. One was a man who had bad thoughts about her and another a mysterious group which clearly emitted ill intentions. 

Edward had finally made it up on the roof. “ Isabel! Quickly come here!” He shouted opening his arms. His voice sounded so convincing but Isabel knew if she were to walk into his arms it would just be like sending herself into the jaws of a lion. “Stay back!” she screamed. “What are you saying!? Quickly come here!” he shouted again. She knew something was wrong. Although it was only a glimpse of the group of men behind her she knew they were agile and strong from their body structure. If they so wanted she would already be dead. But they did nothing and only smiled while having their daggers loosely around their hand with no intent on acting. There had to be something connecting between the mysterious group and Edward. Looking at Edward with fear of betrayal Edward knew his act was given up.

Stopping his act his worried face turned into a frown. No longer trying to coo Isabel near him he stood up and looked at the group before nodding at them. As soon as he did the group pounced on Isabel. One man grabbed her arm while the other grabbed the other arm. The last one pushed her on the ground and put his knee on her back while yanking her hair to make her face Edward. 

Edward slowly approached Isabel her heart racing in panic and she struggled before the man who pushed her on the ground  yanked on her hair making her yelp before Edward swooped in and clenched his hand around her chin yanking it towards his direction forcing her to look at him. “Poor poor Isabel… if you had just played along you wouldn’t be in this much pain. Now would you?” he questioned. She glared at him. For the first time in a long time, her emotions now showed on her face. This ignited the fire in Edward more knowing that he made her show emotion on her emotionless face. It was ecstasy for him. Disgusted she averted her eyes from him but he then slapped her.  “Stupid woman! Look at me when I’m talking to you!” he bellowed in anger making her shiver once again. Indeed she was a stupid woman. She threw aside any feelings or warnings her body was giving her. Forgetting to analyze her surroundings. Instead of trying to move on she was willowing away when she should’ve analyzed those who came into the library. But who would think anybody would come to a small library with ill intent. Regret was now too late to look back on. 

Closing her eyes she ready herself for the impact. Edward tsked before roughly tossing her head to the side. “ Give me her and what she has you can have.” The man who was holding her laughed. Multiple men then appeared behind Edward grasping his arms. “What is this!? Unhand me! This is against the deal!” He shouted, shaking the men grasping him. “ I don’t recall ever promising you that you won’t be in any harm.” 

Shaking in anger he struggled in the group’s lock and screamed “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill all of you!”. The leader only laughed at the pitiful man who fell into such an easy trap. Turning to Isabel she shivered. This man knew Edward enough to trick him into a death sentence. Just what would he do to her after he was done getting what he wanted?

Unlike Edward who approached her with physical violence the hooded man decided to use mental violence. He took out his dagger playing with it between his hands the silver dagger making a haunting scraping sound against his black leathered gloves. He walked like a person awaken from dead but regardless of how out of place it looked he walked with the rhythm of the storm. Strong yet graceful his movements directly showed his intent. Standing right in front of her she felt the blood run from her face. She could now see his face. Psychotic eyes stared right back at her. There were no color only large white eyes with a tiny black dot for the colon devoid of anything called human. When he grinned you could now see clearly that his teeth where soft pearl white or even a dirty yellow it shined metal. His smiled twisted in sadistic satisfaction. 

Crouching down in front of her he placed his dagger underneath her chin. “What a darling. Unlike that failure you sure don’t flinch for something that can easily take your. Rather it seems you welcome death.” he frowned. It was true though. She couldn’t wait for death to claim her. She was living for the day she died. What was the difference if came a bit earlier than expected.

“That isn’t fun. Why don’t you scream? Give us a small shriek. It’s not enjoyable killing someone who doesn’t put up a fight for survival.” he smiled waiting for anything to show on her face. 

Nothing. She had nothing. Death was better than being stuck with Edward. Who knows what he will do to her. Death at least gave her a safe place and she would be entrapped with the worlds ongoing time after she was dead. However, the man didn’t care if she wanted death or if she didn’t scream. He would lose the fun in killing her but in the end he would gain what he had been searching for throughout millennials.

“Your probably wondering why you're being targeted. A young lady who stays to herself and rarely goes out except for work and who owns a library. How could you have offended anyone? Right?” he then moved his dagger down to her necklace that hung the chain. “You have something that belongs to me. A certain key.”  Her gut feeling was screaming at her to not give the key over to him. “If you give me that key I’ll give you death that you so wanted. It’s a good deal? No?” after that the men holding her let go and she was now standing their soaked and a big decision on her shoulder that weighed her down. 

It was tempting but regardless she clutched the key shaking her head. The voice in her dreams screamed at her causing a splitting headache. The hooded man sighed in disappointment pointing at the men behind her force her to her knees which caused her to instead fall onto all fours. Briefly, she remembered the old man's last words to her in the letter.  “This has been passed down to every generation of my family with the power to turn back time in your time of need. Keep it close. Keep it hidden. It will surely help you in the future.” 

The words repeated over and over again “Keep it close. Keep it hidden” the hooded man walked roughly up to her grabbing her hair forcing her to look at him. “...power to turn back time...”  He grasped the dagger tightly in his hand and raised it high in the air readying the death sentence. “It will surely help you in the future.”  Just as he was about to slash her neck smiling eagerly waiting for the key to be his time seemed to stand still. And a flash of a memory came to her. This memory she had never seen before but it was nostalgic. She was in the same setting as her dream but this time instead of the voice being muffled she heard it loud and clear. 

“Your mission is to find the key of time and power. Once found secure it at the space of eternity. Return it to it’s motherland before humanity is lost in time forever. Doomsday is upon us. Quickly complete this task Jenete and return to us safely.” 

A bright light emerged from the key blinding the hooded man and men who held her. When the light dissipated she was no longer there. The hooded man froze his smile paused. His eyes then shook with anger. He screamed in dismay which echoed throughout the stormy night.