COORDINATES

the first letter

Rory was going through her usual routine one morning, sipping on her coffee and scanning the headlines, when a peculiar letter caught her attention. It was nestled among the usual assortment of bills and advertisements, standing out with its elegant handwriting and wax seal. The name on the envelope, however, puzzled her: Alexander Wren.

Rory furrowed her brow, turning the letter over in her hands. She didn't know anyone by that name, and it certainly wasn't addressed to her or any of her relatives. With a shrug, she set the letter aside, intending to deal with it later.

As the days went by, Rory continued to receive more letters, all addressed to the mysterious Alexander Wren. Each envelope was crafted with the same care and precision, sealed with wax and written in the same elegant script. Growing increasingly curious but unsure what to do, Rory began placing the unopened letters in a drawer, letting them accumulate.

After about a week and a half, she had amassed a small stack of these enigmatic letters. It was during a rare meet-up with her college friend, Claire, that Rory finally mentioned the letters.

They were sitting in a cozy café, catching up on each other's lives. Rory, her green eyes sparkling with warmth, recounted her latest investigative work while Claire, a vivacious and curious soul, shared tales from her adventures abroad.

"I've been meaning to tell you something odd," Rory said, stirring her latte absentmindedly. "I've been getting these letters for about a week and a half now, all addressed to someone named Alexander Wren. No idea who that is."

Claire's eyes widened with interest. "Really? That is peculiar. How many letters are we talking about?"

"Let's see," Rory counted mentally. "One every day for about twelve or thirteen days."

Claire leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "Have you opened any of them?"

Rory shook her head. "No, I haven't. They're not addressed to me, and I feel weird opening someone else's mail. I just put them in a drawer."

Claire frowned thoughtfully. "Do you think it could be related to... you know, Scar?"

Rory hesitated, her mind flashing back to Stephen. The nickname "Scar" had always made her smile, a reminder of his resilience and the bond they shared. But this? It didn't feel like his style.

"I thought about that," she admitted. "But I knew Stephen well enough to know this isn't something he'd do. He was always direct, even when he had to be secretive."

Claire nodded slowly, absorbing this information. "Maybe it's just a mix-up, then. But it's still strange. Maybe keep an eye on it for a bit longer. See if the letters stop or if you get any clues about who this Alexander Wren might be."

Rory agreed, feeling a bit better after sharing the odd occurrence. "Yeah, I guess that's all I can do for now. It's just... weird, you know?"

"Totally," Claire said with a reassuring smile. "But hey, if anyone can get to the bottom of this mystery, it's you."

Rory chuckled, feeling a surge of determination. "Thanks, Claire. I'll keep you posted."

With that, they moved on to lighter topics, laughing and reminiscing about their college days. But as Rory headed home later that evening, the stack of letters weighed on her mind. She knew she couldn't just ignore them forever.

What if there was more to these letters than met the eye? What if they held secrets that could change everything she thought she knew? For now, all she could do was wait and see what tomorrow's mail would bring.

Days turned into weeks, and the letters kept arriving. Each morning, Rory found another envelope in her mailbox, always addressed to Alexander Wren, always sealed with the same wax crest. She continued to place them in the drawer, the stack growing steadily larger. Despite her best efforts to ignore them, the mystery of the letters lingered at the back of her mind, refusing to be dismissed.

One Saturday morning, Rory decided to take a break from her investigative work and catch up with Claire again. They met at the same cozy café, eager to share updates on their lives since they last met.

"Still getting those letters?" Claire asked as she sipped her coffee.

Rory nodded, her frustration evident. "Every single day. It's driving me crazy, not knowing who this Alexander Wren is or why his mail keeps coming to my address."

Claire leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Maybe we should try to figure it out together. Two heads are better than one, right?"

Rory smiled, grateful for Claire's support. "Alright, let's give it a shot. Where do we start?"

"Have you checked the return address?" Claire asked.

Rory nodded her head. "There isn't one. It's actually frustrating."

Claire frowned, tapping her fingers on the table thoughtfully. "What about the postmark? Does it indicate where the letters are coming from?"

Rory shook her head. "They're all postmarked from different places. It's like someone's deliberately trying to keep it a secret."

Claire sighed, running a hand through her hair. "This is turning into a real mystery. We need more information. Maybe you should try opening one."

Rory hesitated, her principles warring with her curiosity. "I don't know, Claire. It feels wrong to open someone else's mail."

Claire gave her a sympathetic look. "I get it, but we need to figure out what's going on. It's been weeks, and you still don't have any answers. Maybe just opening one letter will give us a clue."

"I'll open one if the letters stop, but for now I'm going to leave it be," Rory said, setting the letter aside with a determined look.

Claire sighed but nodded. "Fair enough. But if they don't stop, we need to dig deeper. This could be important."

Rory smiled, appreciating Claire's understanding. "Agreed. For now, let's just enjoy the rest of the day."

They chatted and laughed, trying to put the mysterious letters out of their minds. But later that evening, as Rory sat alone in her apartment, the stack of unopened letters seemed to weigh heavily on her thoughts. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something significant about them, something she was meant to uncover.

The next few days passed uneventfully, each morning bringing a new letter addressed to Alexander Wren. Rory's curiosity grew, but she stayed true to her word and placed each new envelope in the drawer without opening it.

One Friday evening, Rory received a text from Claire: Any more letters?

Yes, still coming every day, Rory replied. But nothing new yet.

Okay, just checking. Let me know if anything changes.

Rory put down her phone and glanced at the drawer. With a sigh, she pushed the thoughts aside and focused on her work.

The following week, Rory was hanging out with another friend from college, Emma. They decided to grab lunch at a local bistro, catching up on each other's lives.

As they ate, Emma noticed Rory's distracted look. "What's on your mind, Rory? You seem a bit off."

Rory hesitated but then decided to share. "I've been getting these letters, addressed to someone named Alexander Wren. Every day for about three weeks now."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "That's odd. Have you opened any of them?"

Rory shook her head. "No, they're not addressed to me. I didn't think it was right. But it's been really strange."

Emma leaned in, intrigued. "Do you have any idea who this Alexander Wren might be?"

"None," Rory replied. "I even asked Claire if she thought it could be related to Stephen—my friend from high school—but it doesn't seem like something he would do."

Emma frowned thoughtfully. "It sounds like a mystery straight out of a novel. Maybe it's something bigger than we think."

Rory chuckled. "Yeah, it does feel like that sometimes. Claire suggested keeping an eye on it, and I agreed. But I'm starting to wonder if I should do more."

Emma nodded. "Well, whatever you decide, I'm here to help. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Thanks, Emma. I appreciate that," Rory said, feeling a bit lighter.