Florence never considered his life extraordinary. At 25, he was just another face in the city, navigating the daily grind with quiet resignation. His small apartment, cluttered with half-read books and the hum of a computer screen, was more of a sanctuary than a home. He never felt like he truly belonged anywhere—not in the crowded streets, not at work, not even with friends who, though kind, never understood the restlessness gnawing at his soul. Something had always felt missing, though he could never quite place what it was.
That night, it was the rain that began the unraveling.
Florence had always loved the rain. It drowned out the city's noise, turning everything into a blurry, ethereal world where nothing mattered. But this rain was different—there was an unnatural energy to it, like it carried the weight of something ancient. He stood by his window, watching the downpour as a cold shiver crawled up his spine. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it.
A flash of light—brief, violent—like lightning had struck the earth but without sound. Florence turned, his heart pounding. The light wasn't coming from the outside; it was coming from inside his apartment.
Before he could react, the world around him bent, twisted, and folded in on itself. The air thickened, suffocating him. His vision blurred, and a sharp ringing filled his ears. He stumbled back, his body feeling weightless, like he was being pulled through a vacuum. Panic surged through him, but his mind couldn't process what was happening.
And then, everything went dark.
When Florence opened his eyes, he wasn't in his apartment anymore.
The sky above him was vast and endless, tinged with colors he had never seen before—swirls of deep purples and bright blues painted the heavens. A soft breeze brushed his skin, carrying the scent of something sweet, something... unearthly. He lay on a bed of soft grass, the world around him unfamiliar, yet hauntingly beautiful.
"What the hell just happened?" he whispered to no one in particular, his voice barely more than a breath.
Little did he know, this strange new world would not only change his life—it would also lead him to someone who would change his heart.
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Whispers of Astoria
Fantasy"Whispers of Astoria" is a captivating fantasy romance that follows Florence, a man who is mysteriously transported from his mundane life into the enchanting world of Astoria-a realm between worlds, where destinies intertwine. Lost and searching for...
