Case Zero : The Awakening (#1 Paranormal Agents Series) |Ongoing|

Prologue

As I lay on the cold, hard ground, gasping for breath, I could feel the life slowly draining from my body. My vision losing focus, the wounds on my body didn't hurt anymore, and I knew this was it. I was about to die. Amusing, how your life flashes before your eyes in moments like these. And what a life it has been!

It all started when I came up with the brilliant plan of summoning an unknown spirit using an Ouija board. Yes, an Ouija board. The classic horror movie trope that every smart person in the audience yells at the screen for characters to avoid. I was one of them, complaining about how dumb the protagonist was. But now look at me. I know you as a reader would be judging me how utterly stupid of me to do the exact thing that I thought was plain stupid. It sounded thrilling, the idea of summoning spirits for fun. And it was fun until it wasn't.

Following that, I met a man. The man was very pleasing to the eyes with mysteries that were yet to be explored and an almost magnetic aura. He told me about the disaster I had invited into my life, the only way out was to join their association, a group dedicated to investigating and combating paranormal phenomena. It sounded like the plot of every supernatural thriller out there, but I was hooked. I was always a sucker for a good story, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to write my own.

Joining PARAPSYche was like stepping into a different world. I met people who were so different from my usual circle, I felt like the haughty frog who had never left his well, suddenly entering the sea. They became my family, my comrades in arms. I learnt so many new things and opened my senses to a world that was right in front of my eyes but I could never see.

And now, here I am, bleeding out after doing the exact same stuff that I was told not to do but at least I am dying a hero, I guess.

will they consider me that?

I miss them all so much. I can hear the faint echo of their voices in my mind. Rihan would probably be lecturing me about being more careful, his voice stern yet filled with care. Such a tsundere. Layla would be tending to my wounds along with the doctors cuz she is way too worried about me. Her hands gentle but firm. Andrew would be cracking some joke about how I always get into the worst situations. That guy can't be serious, he always told me how uncomfortable such serious situations made him. Cheryl would be rolling her eyes, a cigarette between her slender fingers, calling me an idiot, but in a way that only she could make sound endearing. And Dev... Dev would be silent, his eyes conveying his frustration 'Could you follow the rules for once?'.

My mind drifts back to that Ouija board, the beginning of this wild ride. What was I thinking? If I had known it would lead me here, would I have done it? Maybe. Probably. Who am I kidding? Definitely. No regrets, right? Just a lot of guilt for the trouble I've caused.

I wonder how my parents will react when they find my body. My father had such high hopes for me. He wanted me to be successful, to make something of myself. Instead, I chased shadows and ended up here. Would my mother be still complaining that I never listen? And my sister, oh that little devil, always calling me out for my stupid decisions but loving me savagely, acting like the older one between us two, despite it all. It would devastate her. No matter what she said, I know she idolized me. Running behind me, copying my every gesture, she sure grew out of it. And now I'm leaving her behind, just like that.

My friends... sigh. What will they do without me? What if Shweta finds out about this? I don't want Nyasa going around looking for revenge. They don't deserve to get dragged into this mess. They deserve to live normal, happy lives, far away from the darkness that consumed me.As the darkness closes in, I think about the man who brought me into this world. What a con artist. He sold me a ticket to adventure, but he forgot to mention the fine print: a high likelihood of death and dismemberment. Classic.

But despite everything, I can't bring myself to regret it. The thrill, the companionship, the feeling of being part of something bigger than myself. It's been one hell of a ride. If this is the end, then so be it. Before this, I might have been living, but for the past few months, I had been ALIVE.

So here I am, Kaya Raj, probably about to die, but with no regrets about my short 17 years old life. Only a heart full of memories and a lot of stories left untold. Funny how life works out, isn't it?But please, to anyone out there who might be listening, don't follow in my footsteps. Stay away from the paranormal. Don't chase the shadows. It's not worth the price. Learn from my mistakes, and live a safe, happy life far away from this madness. If I can leave you with one piece of advice, it's this: keep your feet firmly planted in the real world, and cherish the ones you love. Don't let the darkness take you.