Ryan stood before the telescope, his heart pounding in his chest, he was ready to know, ready to see, and ready to face the first stage of the test of purity.A wave of memories washed over him, transporting him back to his childhood, to the bleak and lonely corridors of the orphanage where he had spent his formative years.He vividly recalled the harsh, cold stares of the orphanage staff aside from his two favorites. The taunts and jeers of the other children, and the gnawing emptiness of abandonment. He remembered the nights spent lying awake, tears streaming down his face, longing for a loving home, a family to call his own.The memories were painful, a stark reminder of the harsh realities he had faced as a child. But Ryan didn't let the pain consume him. Instead, he used it as fuel, a reminder of the strength he had found within himself, the resilience that had allowed him to overcome adversity and emerge stronger and more compassionate.As he delved deeper into his memories,
The observatory's interior transformed once again, the familiar surroundings dissolving into a swirling vortex of darkness. Ryan found himself standing alone in a vast, empty void, the silence broken only by the pounding of his own heartbeat.As he gazed into the darkness, a voice echoed through the void, its tone ominous and unsettling. "Ryan," the voice rasped, and deep, "you have faced your past and your deepest fears, but the true test of purity lies in discerning illusion from reality."Ryan's heart pounded in his chest, a sense of unease settling in his stomach. He had already faced two challenging stages of the test, confronting his abandonment and his deepest fears. But this challenge felt different, more insidious.The voice continued, its words weaving a tapestry of doubt and uncertainty. "What you witnessed was not the truth, Ryan," it declared. "It was a carefully crafted illusion, a twisted reflection of your own fears and insecurities."Ryan's mind raced, struggling t
Ryan stepped away from the telescope, shaking his head a bit. The observatory returned to its normal form and he met Turner’s curious gaze. He couldn’t help but feel disturbed after the scene that just unfolded in front of him. What could Turner be hiding from him? “How was the test?” Turner asked, placing his hand on Ryan’s shoulder. Ryan flinched back, blinking to process all the information. “Scary,” He nodded, furrowed eyebrows expressing confusion. Turner could tell Ryan was keeping something from him but chose not to question it. “Alright. Any more clues? I mean regarding the secret of the watch,” Turner pestered. Ryan pursed his lips, calculating his next response. Turner could also be an untrustworthy person. “No,” he muttered to himself then turned to Turner, “I think it just showed me things about my past.”They both exited the observatory together, agreeing to get back to Evans. Ryan asked Turner to go his own way while he went his own. He didn't inform his friend th
“Say hello to my grandfather,” A gunshot sound pierced the air, followed by a ringing that the little boy found unbearable. The voice was rough, a sinister grin exposing his half-chipped tooth. A wooden smoking pipe hung between his teeth when he tossed his gun to the man beside him. His vision started to blur, the scene losing its color and then swiftly changing. This time Ryan was a spectator. He watched his little self beside his now lifeless father, blood splattered across his clothes and smeared on his face. His little hands trembled slightly, eyes trained on the body beside him. A small gasp left his lips as he heard someone yell again, huge hands gripping his tiny arms. Ryan watched as his little self was thrown out of the car and let out a painful cry. His eyes shot open, his clothes and bed drenched in sweat. His breathing became unsteady as his eyes searched the room. He groaned in frustration, taking a fist of his hair in his hands. It’s been two days since the test
“How’s this even possible? I’m very sure I was alone. The place was deserted enough for me to know if someone was following me or not. I don’t get it.” Ryan scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the screen in sheer disbelief.Evans only laughed then clicked replay. He changed the playback speed and the video played slower. Evans instructed them to watch carefully then suddenly hit the spacebar, so quickly that both parties flinched. His chubby index finger pointed at the computer, almost making contact with the screen."Look really closely, there's a moving figure between those trees. Barely noticeable but he's there," He said to them and rested his back on his swivel chair. Ryan's eyes widened in shock as he stared at it, refusing to believe the sight in front of him. He shuddered a bit, the eerie feeling of paranoia hitting him again. Turner looked at Ryan, shook his head, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He pushed play on the video again and watched it intently. He paus
“We are sticking to the plan, aren’t we?" "Definitely," Turner confirmed, earning an acknowledging nod and hum from Ryan. Ryan swept across his fairly used loveseat with his hand, noticing some dust had settled on it. He looked around his small apartment again, then glanced at Turner, hoping he felt comfortable scrunched up in it. Turner's eyes were kept fixed on his smartphone, paying little attention to him. Ryan sighed in disappointment and slouched back in his seat. He couldn't wait to leave this small home. They both sat in Ryan's living room waiting for Jessica to arrive. Having informed her there was new information about the watch, Jessica would definitely not waste any time getting there. Soon enough, they heard footsteps by the door, followed by three short knocks. Jessica's signature knock, Ryan recognized. As he stood up to get the door, he turned to Turner one last time and they gave each other reassuring nods. Ryan swung the door open, a welcoming smile when he g
Evans had already been waiting for them in the living room, aware that they had arrived. As if on cue, both men entered the room with sinister smiles on their faces. “So? How did it go?”“It was hilarious. Ryan here─,” Turner swung an arm around Ryan’s shoulder, using his free hand to ruffle his hair, “─could play a very good actor. He lied so smoothly that he almost convinced me.”“No, it wasn't that good…” Ryan smiled sheepishly, cowering into Turner’s embrace. “It was, boy. Give yourself some credit” Turner scowled and jokingly smacked his arm. “Jessica totally fell for it! You should’ve seen her face,” Ryan started, bursting to another fit of laughter.“She looked so desperate like a mother hen that lost her chicks.” Turner mocked, mimicking Jessica’s facial expressions. “Alright. It's good she was convinced. Let’s hope Smith receives that information and waits for them to make their next move.” Evans encouraged, eyes twinkling at the two men that were so excited by the progr
Evans and Ryan turned to him, confusion etched on their faces"There are literally people waiting outside," He repeated with his arm waving in front of them waiting for a reaction from both men. When realization completely settled in, Evans quickly stalked to his desk, swiftly landing on his swivel chair, and punched in keys on the computer.The CCTV footage opened and true to Turner's words, there were a handful of men scattered around the exit points of the house. "What the" Ryan's mouth dropped open in shock. Evans let out a deep breath, fist supporting his head with his elbow on the desk. "They made their move," He concluded."They're quick," Ryan remarked, shaking his head in disbelief. "To the point of stalking us here? Persistent," Turner was baffled, almost impressed even."They're after the watch, Jessica must've gotten to Smith already" Evans corrected him. "So what do we do?" Ryan blinked, still monitoring the men. "We give them what they want.""What? There's no way