Glow of Conundrum

Chapter 1: Mystique Bookshop

On a cold evening, a gentle wind blew across the empty streets of Brooklyn. The sun had just set as a young girl walked slowly down the street, her hands in the pockets of her long coat. She was walking in an effort to get home before dark fell upon the streets of this strange city. Her brown hair was pulled into a ponytail. A soft smile formed at her lips as she passed by various stores, each with the name of a business on them.

At one point she paused as she saw a small shop with the words, 'Mystique Bookshop' written underneath a bright yellow sign. The girl made her way over to it and stopped outside, gazing through the glass window at the books inside.

Her eyes scanned the shelf until she found what she was looking for and grabbed a book from the end. It was about a boy who had fallen in love with a vampire and his death. Her fingers lightly caressed the cover before opening the front cover, which displayed a picture of a man holding a woman in his arms. She placed it back in its place and continued on her walk.

As she rounded another corner, she heard a sound coming from behind her. Turning around to face it, she saw a tall figure standing there. Her lips parted as she stared at him.

He had jet black hair. His skin was pale like he spent decades on ice. His sharp green eyes glowed in the dimmed light. She couldn't take her eyes off him. She didn't know why but he looked familiar, yet completely different. His features seemed foreign somehow, like they were meant for someone else.

He took a step closer and she could see that there was something wrong with his mouth. His teeth were sharper than anything she had seen in the city or even New York. But when he spoke, she noticed that his voice was deep and raspy. His accent sounded like it belonged to some kind of European country.

"Who are you?" she asked.

He smiled slightly before taking another step toward her.

She began to back away and she tripped. Before her body could fall, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her back. She felt herself being lifted up until she was standing upright again and the mysterious man put her down. He gazed down at her for a moment longer before turning away and disappearing into the darkness.

She stood in stunned silence before heading home.

The next morning, she woke up feeling uneasy. She sat up and stared out of her bedroom window. There weren't any clouds in the sky, which was rare.

"It's only Saturday," she muttered to herself before going out of bed.

She changed out of her pajamas and went downstairs to make breakfast. While she was cooking pancakes, she started to remember something odd. In fact, everything was odd.

Everything felt out of place. As if she hadn't been in this house before. She sighed, grabbing a pan and flipping the first pancake. She placed it on the plate and continued making pancakes. After she was finished frying them, she carried two plates upstairs to eat.

When she entered her room, she realized that something else wasn't quite right. Her dresser drawers were all open and all of her clothes were strewn on the floor. They looked new, not wrinkled and stained by sweat and dirt.

She frowned as she picked up the pile of clothes, examining them thoroughly before throwing them in the laundry basket. Something wasn't right. Everything just seemed so... different. And yet everything was exactly the same.

After putting everything away, she made a cup of coffee before returning to her kitchen. She set down her mug on the table while staring blankly at her reflection in the microwave door.

Everything was fine. It was just one day. One night of sleep. Just one normal day. That's all she needed. She could handle this! If anyone could do it, it would be her.

That night when she awoke, she felt restless, even more so than usual. She rose from her bed and quickly dressed. She went outside and headed for the store, not having the heart to wait. As she entered the bookstore, she breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar smell of the store.

"Welcome to Mystique Books. How may I help you today?" the elderly clerk said in a calm voice.

"I'm just here to buy something."

"Oh, alright then," she said as she glanced at the list of books in her hand. "I'll give you twenty minutes, Miss."

Nodding, the girl headed up the stairs and looked around curiously. This place really wasn't like any other bookstore she'd ever been in. She's been in lots of places, but never in a store like this.

There were no computers, only old bookshelves filled with books, and tables and chairs scattered throughout the room. At the far end of the room, she noticed several shelves stacked with old books. She wandered through the aisle and stopped at a particular row. She read the titles, trying to find a title that matched the description given to her on the sign.

Suddenly, a loud crashing noise interrupted her thoughts and she spun around. When nothing appeared after a few seconds, she let out a nervous chuckle. "Maybe that was just my imagination..." she murmured under her breath as she moved to the next aisle. She kept reading the titles, hoping that one of them might trigger her memory.

Finally, after checking every single aisle, she found it. Her eyes widened as she recognized the name of the author. She quickly picked up the books and hurried back down the aisle. Her heart was racing. The man must have come from a different universe where things worked differently. No wonder she knew him! It would make sense for their universes to interact. So this was his universe. Or, at least, some version of it.

Just before she reached the exit, she looked up and saw the sign. 'Khaldun' was scrawled in big letters above the entrance. She looked at her watch before heading to the register.

As she waited patiently for her order, she thought back to her dreams last night. She remembered seeing a man with black hair and green eyes. She also remembered hearing his voice. She wondered if he was real.

Was he real? Did he exist? Who was he? What did he want from her? Was she supposed to meet him at the park? Was this him? Maybe this wasn't the right universe, maybe it was another dimension or another reality entirely.

After she paid, she rushed out of the store, determined to find the mysterious man. Her mind raced with questions. Why does it feel so unreal? Where is everyone else? What if he doesn't exist? Does that mean I'm dreaming? No, he wouldn't leave me alone without letting me know. I just can't stop thinking about him. What's happening? Are we friends? Is he still alive? Am I dead? Is this heaven? Is that the right afterlife?

By this time, she had already gone too far. She had arrived at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn red. Her gaze drifted towards the large building that stood nearby. The sign stated 'Mystique Bookshop'.

Suddenly, she saw the man again. Standing right beside the sign. He looked at her and smiled slightly. Then, just like that, the traffic light turned red and he vanished.

"Damn it!" she muttered before rushing down the sidewalk. She had no clue how to contact him, or if he was even still alive or well. All she knew was that if she didn't find out who he really was, she'd be damned.

For all she knew, he might be the only person in existence that knew where she came from, or that she even existed.