Stephen's eyes flickered to a brilliant white light, with just the steady beep punctuating the silence. He lay still, feeling the dull ache of pain mixed with the warmth of a soft hospital bed. His head turned upward slowly as his mind worked furiously to piece together fragmented memories of a sinking yacht and the water's cold embrace.It was a small, sterilized room with white walls and only one window. He distinguished two security guards at their posts through the frosted glass door, shadowy silhouettes to ensure that no man went in or out of the room. Stephen's heart began to race. The last moments still fresh in his mind: Yuna clinging onto him, the frenzy of the water, and then that "Mission Successful" message that had flashed before his eyes as he sank into unconsciousness."What… what happened?" he muttered, reaching to sit up; his muscles were stiff and weak. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, the cold floor against his feet. Panic surged in through him when his g

She drove back to the penthouse; a sense of relief washed over her as she finally felt in control of events, securing her family's safety and peace. As she parked the car, the city's lights glittered like scattered diamonds, contrasting strongly with the dark thoughts whirling in her mind.She took the elevator to the last floor: the penthouse. Softly chiming, the doors slid open, and she stepped out into the corridor, squaring her shoulders and smoothing her expression. She pushed open the door on Stephen and Ariane, who were sitting on the couch and could not have looked more content. Stephen was reading from some storybook, and Ariane had her head on his shoulder with her eyes shining in a gleam of happiness.A pang of guilt stabbed through Marianne, but she quashed it. This was necessary.Her mother, standing a ways to the side, turned to watch her enter. Her eyes swept the room, seeking. "Where's Yuna?" she asked. Her voice edged with unease."I've gotten rid of her," Marianne re

When the rollercoaster finally reached its highest point, Ariane's joyous scream cut through the loudest colors of the theme park. Her giggles were now turned with the wind, as the ride descended; small hands clasped onto cotton candy like one would a precious treasure. It spun, a whirl of pink against her smiling face. Stephen stood a few feet away, looking at her with a small smile, all the uneasiness he was feeling earlier long gone with his daughter's pure delight.She had just bought soft drinks, and as Marianne was on her way back, she saw Yuna standing at the edge of the park. Her heart skipped. "What on earth is she doing here?" Marianne muttered under her breath, mouth now agape with a mixture of surprise and concern. She had thought Yuna had left, and the last thing she wanted was for Yuna to run into Stephen, or worse still, for Stephen to run into Yuna.Marianne hurried back, trying to keep out of sight as much as possible, moving to where Stephen was. She looked back over

Stephen's heart began to race. It hadn't been some dream or just a flick at the back of his imagination. This was real, connected with something from his past. He must be able to remember it. There was his profile displayed before him on the screen: **Name: Stephen King Level: Penicia OneSkills: Persuasion, Prediction Points: 25**.His eyes fell on the 'Rewards' icon. It seemed to pulse, urging him to tap on it. He did so after a moment's hesitation. A new window opened, showing his current skill points and the option to unlock a new skill. "Persuasion skills?" Stephen thought. If he could use these to get answers from Marianne, it might be worth the risk.Just as he was about to select the new skill, the screen vanished into thin air, leaving Stephen staring through the now-normal room. He felt a strange mix of excitement and apprehension. He had to play this carefully. Gathering his thoughts, he decided it was time to head back to the hotel and confront Marianne.Meanwhile, Enoc

The first light of dawn was seeping through the curtains into Marianne's bedroom, casting a light on the littered room. Marianne sat at the edge of her bed; her eyes fell on the blackened windowpane. She had hardly slept since Stephen went out the night before. It was as if her heart was beating against her chest while she replayed their last confrontation repeatedly in her head.She had glanced at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. The screen was an endless list of missed calls, all of them to Stephen. Each ring had been answered by voicemail. Frustration gnawed at her, and she pressed her trembling fingers to her lips in a struggle to keep her anxiety at bay.She dialed Stephen's number again and inhaled sharply at the immediate click of his voice. She hung up and pressed redial, but when again the call went straight to voicemail, she put down the phone to pace around the room.The quiet was suddenly too much to stand, so Marianne dialed her mother's number and waited