The sun was cheerfully flaunting itself in the azure sky, and a pleasant morning warmth was caressing the metropolis. Birds were chirping and the grass was recovering from the downpour that had previously occurred. The population was slowly awakening, and the typical urban life was resuming.

Apparently, this routine did not spare the Mitressey family, as both parents had already gone to their respective jobs. As for their daughter, she was pulled from the realm of dreams by her alarm clock. Another school day was on the horizon. Consequently, the teenager turned off the device resting on the adjacent table and let out a deep sigh of weariness. Obviously, if the student had the choice, the comfort of her mattress would have been the best option. Unfortunately, this was not feasible and she had to face the anxiety that was instilled in her.

Yawning, Lolya had to abandon her blankets, before heading to her bedroom door. Her eyes, displaying magnificent purple irises, were not yet fully open. However, despite her state, the young girl ventured into the corridor, then descended the stairs leading to the ground floor. After a few seconds, she reached the kitchen and served herself a bowl of cereal. Someone had left the radio on. As a result, the host's voice made her forget that she was the sole and unique presence in the house.

"Good morning, Ezora citizens! You are listening to USLS, the radio that everyone finds useless! Get your ears ready, because it's time to treat you with a brand new electronic mix!"

Various songs started playing. Fortunately, their sound pleasantly lulled the fifteen-year-old hearer. Eating her meal became less tedious. Eventually, the teenager consumed her last bite. Afterwards, her dirty dishes were placed in the sink.

Now, a change of clothes was in order. Therefore, the student headed back to her bedroom to reach her dresser. Her pajamas were replaced by a purple t-shirt and blue jeans. At this point, she had to make a trip to the toilets. The night had taken its toll on her long amethyst-colored hair, stopping at her armpits. Thankfully, many strokes of comb solved her knot problem. Also, brushing her teeth got rid of her bad breath.

Subsequently, she descended the staircase and went to the vestibule. The next step was to put on her coat and shoes. From there, Lolya ventured outside the residence. The large gray brick house, situated in one of the neighborhoods bordering downtown, sat on the edge of a community park. A beneficial location because all she had to do was to enter it to shorten her journey to school. This shortcut was mostly used to avoid certain busy streets. With this plan in mind, the young girl carefully traversed the road to the access gate. A playground caught her sight. However, no real attention was paid to it. Her priority was to get to the main trail.

As she strolled, the exit became clearer. The wooded route stretched for about a hundred meters before ending in a parking lot. Thankfully, the adolescent overpassed it easily, as the place was not crowded. Now, after regaining the city landscape, her trip led her to a pedestrian crossing. In a hurry, the purple-eyed student ventured onto the lines adorning the asphalt. The traffic light indicated that she needed to quicken. Her destination was a bit further. She could already see the wall surrounding the school. Upon reaching the other side, all she would have to do was to follow it to the entrance of the property. Moreover, several of her classmates were taking the same path, while the rest got off the buses that had stopped nearby. Unfortunately, this scene heightened her anxiety, as she received strange, mocking looks accompanied by muffled laughter.

"Hey, Lolya the Martian!" a group of boys called out to her.

The addressee tried to ignore them. A large part of her daily life amounted to this kind of treatment. Faced with this situation, the easiest solution was to silently move away. The label of being different had been imposed on her. From then on, the poor girl could not shake it off.

As she entered the school grounds, a student seized the opportunity to deliberately bump into her, before distancing himself, chuckling proudly. It was clear that this act made her mutter under her breath, but the luckless fifteen-year-old was not in a position to confront her assailant. Her only option was to report it to the administration. However, very few disciplinary measures were taken against her bullies. Knowing this, Lolya simply climbed the stairs to the main access.

Inside the building, a labyrinth of corridors greeted her. After that, the teenager headed to her locker. Over the years, she had found a way to minimize her misadventures within the place. Nevertheless, she first had to retrieve her course materials.

Despite this, when the metallic door came into her field of vision, a very bad surprise was added to her list of woes. A sketch, depicting her caressing the genitalia of a mysterious hairy creature, had been stuck to its surface.

"I did not know you were sleeping with Bigfoot," a young man suddenly said to her, leaning against the locker next to hers.

"Leave me alone, Hosha!" his victim replied, ripping off the caricature with a swift gesture.

Hearing these words, the tormentor was quick to laugh. He was having a horrible pleasure in publicly humiliating her. Thereupon, he pretended to punch her to scare her, and moved towards other individuals. This gave the adolescent the opportunity to enter the combination that allowed her to unlock her padlock safely.

Upon opening the steel object, one of the compartments revealed the cause of her distress. A copy of "Beyond The Unknown," the local magazine dedicated to paranormal phenomena, was there. Furthermore, a poster of the "X-Files" franchise adorned the drab interior. Why did her passion for the supernatural poisoned her life? The answer to this question was still elusive. In the meantime, the esoteric enthusiast took off her coat and hung it on the hook that was provided.

It was at this moment that her strategy kicked in. At this hour, most students preferred to roam the halls or gather in the cafeteria. Therefore, she grabbed two ring binders and her pencil case, and then headed to the janitor's office. An unused classroom was nearby, and only stacked tables kept her company.

Sitting on one of the chairs that were stored there, Lolya then opened her second binder. The item contained numerous lined sheets, and text adorned their surface. In addition to the unexplained, writing was another one of her hobbies. The fantastic stories that the young girl imagined and transcribed extracted her from the tasteless reality. Unfortunately, the bell resonated after ten minutes. Now it was time to go to her English lesson. The dreamer could no longer stay in her fictitious universe.

The zone in question was located on the first floor of the building. Consequently, the student hurried to the closest staircase. A few moments later, she entered the room. Her desk was near the windows, but the only view was the staff parking lot.

Once seated, her gaze fell on three friends who were laughing joyfully. For many nights, Lolya had cried, lacking this kind of connection with her peers. Now, the teenager had come to terms with the idea that solitude would accompany her until she obtained her diploma.

"What are you gawking at, bitch?" one of them abruptly sent her upon noticing the situation.

By reflex, their observer timidly lowered her eyes, before turning her head away. This act of spying had been carried out thoughtlessly. All the fifteen-year-old female wanted was to experience normality. Currently, only her relationship with her father and mother provided a glimpse of it. Fortunately, her indignation was quickly dissipated because the teacher arrived at the scene.

"Good morning, everyone," began Mathilda Reynor, placing her work bag on the large oak desk.

The thirty-something woman received only a weak greeting from her students. However, this did not surprise her. She had gotten used to being welcomed this way. Therefore, she settled into her chair and opened her planner to check her notes.

"Today, we will continue with the presentations from the last class," she announced, adjusting the left strap of her yellowish dress. "So far, we have had some fascinating topics. It is only natural that I am eager to evaluate those who have not spoken yet."

With these words, the instructress with short chestnut hair with upturned ends scrutinized the members of her group. Clearly, her amber eyes were seeking a potential candidate.

"How about we start with Lolya!"

Upon hearing her name, the girl in question pulled a USB key from her pencil case. Then, her purplish shoes, adorned with white laces, firmly hit the floor to allow her to stand up. A feeling of nervousness overcame her, as she knew her oration would not go unnoticed.

"May I use the projector?"

"Of course."

Following this confirmation, the young female approached the communal computer. With a frightened movement, she inserted her removable drive, while the teacher lowered the viewing screen. Suddenly, multiple mouse clicks triggered the broadcast of a slide. A wireless connection linked the device to the projector fixed to the ceiling. Naturally, seeing the result of her manipulations, the teenager began her speech:

"Hello, everyone. My name is Lolya Mitressey and today, I will talk to you about a particular theory."

A transition occurred in her multimedia project. Now, all could observe the cover of a book. Its black surface and gold letters easily attracted attention. Moreover, its title sparked murmurs among the twenty spectators.

"In 1969, Erich von Däniken, a Swiss essayist, published a book called "Chariots of the Gods." In it, he presented a hypothesis suggesting that antique civilizations could have been influenced by life forms from another planet. Now, this speculation is known as the "ancient astronaut theory" and it provides an interesting explanation for many historical mysteries."

With these words, the occult enthusiast introduced an image reflecting the second phase of her analysis.

"Here is a photograph of the Bolivian ruins of Puma Punku. Its construction dates back to the fifth century AD. However, some specialists assert that this place was erected long before this period. You will notice that most of the structures are carved with unusual patterns. If we consider the tools of the time, the lines are perfectly straight. Not to mention the angles with astounding precision. Nowadays, such stonework would require a saw equipped with a diamond blade. Clearly, something is amiss. Could it be that Puma Punku was built by entities other than humans?"

When this question reached Mathilda's ears, she could not help but raise her eyebrows. Meanwhile, the fifteen-year-old presenter immediately replaced the slide.

"A thousand kilometers away, we arrive at the Nazca lines in Peru. They were discovered in 1927, but their creation was several millennia ago. From the ground, these geoglyphs are quite difficult to distinguish. However, their beauty is striking when observed from the air. Based on the work of mister von Däniken, it is possible that these messages are addressed to extraterrestrial visitors. The inhabitants have simply mistaken them for divinities."

The audience did not know how to react. Half was holding their laughter, while confusion dominated the other. As for their speaker, she approached the final stage of her explanations.

"This is a fresco dating back to two thousand five hundred years before our era. It symbolizes what the Sumerians called "the Annunaki," a term translating to "Those who came to earth from the sky." Note the huge pair of wings they wear on their backs. Some ancient peoples often described pennate individuals in their mythology. The Mayans, Greeks, Aztecs, Babylonians, Egyptians, and so on. Why do these civilizations depict the same creatures when they are scattered all around the globe? Perhaps, it is because that all of them had an unpredicted encounter. Who were these people? Why did they come here? Where did they come from? Why did they decide to leave? When will they return? The questions follow one another. However, nobody is able to provide a justification. I would love to talk about it for hours, because there are so many aspects to cover. Unfortunately, I must conclude this presentation. Thank you very much for listening. I hope my words have captivated you."

Very little applause resulted from this conclusion. Instead, it was general hilarity. To the great dismay of the orator, who sighed with discouragement. She expected such reactions. Still, too much effort had been invested in this project. A change of topic would not have been conceivable.

"Fascinating!" exclaimed her instructress. "I gave you carte blanche, but this surpasses anything I have heard in ten years of teaching. Aliens with wings! I thank you for sharing your beliefs, my dear Lolya. Tonight, I will head to bed more educated."

While avoiding eye contact, the purple-haired student retrieved her USB key before returning to her seat. Suddenly, one of her classmates made a particularly biting remark:

"Watch out! The Martians have called! They want us to surrender Lolya to them so they can take her back to the psychiatric hospital!"

The snickering intensified. The majority perceived this mockery with humor, while the persecuted one was shaken by it. Her heart felt like it was being pierced. These comments had just annihilated a good portion of her self-esteem. Everything she said automatically turned against her.

"Show some respect, Hosha!" Miss Reynor intervened. "If not, the detention room would be delighted to welcome a new occupant!"

"Sorry," he apologized as he became aware of this warning.

These words did nothing to lift the teenage girl's spirit. On the contrary, they hurt her even more violently. This was not the first time Hosha Païzaho pretended to have remorse. Sooner or later, the cycle of meanness would start again.

"Well, I think Rosalie could be the next to go," the thirty-year-old finally declared, switching to the main subject.

This call brought forth another person. Nonetheless, this held little interest for the young paranormal enthusiast. She preferred to bury her head in her forearms, which she had placed on top of her desk.

"Hello everyone. My name is Rosalie Uminski and let me tell you about Ardent Love, my favorite movie."

This introduction was futile. The gloom was stronger than anything else. After being ridiculed, Lolya wished for only one thing: to return home. Tears were almost running down her cheeks. However, if somebody saw her crying, the consequences would be disastrous. A new batch of insults would be hurled at her. Only silence should persist.

Thus, the presentations followed one after another for an hour and a half. An eternity that was incredibly difficult to overcome. Mathilda had finally managed to evaluate all of her students. The next lesson would be about poetry. With nothing else to do, all the occupants were patiently waiting for the sound that would allow them to proceed into the subsequent class. When it rang, the fanatic of unexplained phenomena stood up while taking her belongings. Surprisingly, she was quickly accosted by her teacher as she approached the exit.

"Lolya, I would like you to come to see me after school. We need to discuss before you go home."

Stress immediately overwhelms the person concerned. Had she done something wrong? Had her presentation put her in a bad position? The possible reasons were crowding her mind. Alas, the answer would not be revealed to her until the very end.

"No problem, Miss Reynor," she replied apprehensively.

With these words, the teenager stepped into the hallway and headed towards the staircase. Back on the ground floor, the process repeated itself. A stop at her locker allowed her to grab what would be necessary. After which, the usual waiting was taking place in the empty room. From there, the rest of the day was incredibly difficult. In her history class, her neighbor decided to bombard her with projectiles made of papier-mâché. During the lunch break, someone came to spit on her food. In physical education, a ball hit her in the face. Finally, in math, her teacher had berated her because she did not understand what was being explained. Lolya could not tolerate it anymore. It was eating her up psychologically. Soon, she would not find the strength to attend school. A resolution that would automatically shatter the trust her parents had in her, as they only reappeared home in the evening.

When the last bell ultimately rang. It was time for the students to return home. As for the young girl, fatigue afflicted her so much that she was holding back tears. All these events had drained her emotionally. If only she did not have to go to Mathilda Reynor. Unfortunately, one had to be courteous. Therefore, the amethyst-haired female suppressed her mood, as usual, then packed up her things. While retrieving her coat, a sigh escaped her lips. After that, her steps led her to the English classroom.

Upon arriving there, the woman in the yellow dress could be seen from the doorway. The teacher liked to leave it open. However, her concentration was directed towards a series of documents. Consequently, her guest cautiously entered the place so as not to startle her.

"May I come in?"

"Yes. Actually, I was waiting for you."

Stress dominated the teenager. Surely, bad news would be announced to her. Hence, her inquirer put down her pen before turning in her direction. A smile adorned her face, contrasting with the melancholy of the young invitee.

"I know that your parents work until nineteen o'clock, so I hope you did not have plans for the next hour. Our meeting might take a while."

"Why?" asked the adolescent, widening her eyes. "Am I in detention?"

"No, absolutely not," Mathilda reassured her. "On the contrary, what I have to tell you should sweep away the sorrow that weighs you down."

On this, the supernatural enthusiast became confused. How could the thirty-year-old be aware of this? Nothing revealed her state since she was careful not to disclose anything. Still, the aid provided by the staff brought her only disappointments. So, it was better to avert the subject.

"Um, I am not sure I understand, Miss Reynor. Today, I am doing particularly well."

This lie served to avoid the conversation. However, her interlocutor could not help laughing. It was almost as if she perceived the truth. From there, she simply added something quite unusual.

"Ha, ha, ha! If I did not have my gift, I would have believed you."

When this sentence reached the young girl's ears, her sadness suddenly changed to curiosity. Their dialogue had taken an unexpected turn. She absolutely needed to get some clarity. Lolya could not possibly remain in the dark.

"May I know what gift you are talking about?"

To answer this question, the teacher beckoned her to come closer. In this context, a verbal explanation would be of no use to her. The best thing was to resort to a demonstration. As a result, the employee soon declared:

"Give me your hand. I will show you."

With a hesitant gesture, her student complied. However, this contact granted her a mysterious sensation. A shiver ran down her spine, followed by one of the most unpleasant discomforts. For no apparent reason, Lolya felt vulnerable. Fortunately, it only lasted a few moments.

"I see," the woman concluded, releasing her calmly. "You are wondering if it would be preferable to stop school altogether so that others would leave you alone. I also know that this morning, you ate cereal while listening to the radio. In complement, I advise you to be careful when going to bed. Tonight, Mother Nature is likely to give you a little reddish present."

The reaction from the occult enthusiast was immediate. Her gaze lit up, and her features became more expressive. Generally, only her magazines could plunge her into this state. Joy had taken hold of the teenager, and she demonstrated it quite vigorously.

"Oh my God! You are a psychic!"

"That is not the term I would use, but it is close," confirmed her addressee, nervously scratching her head.

This change in attitude had surprised the amber-eyed woman, even to the point of unsettling her. It made her happy and scared her at the same moment. Initially, her young pupil was shy and reserved. This sudden explosion of exaltation was atypical.

"Would you mind predicting my future? What will I look like when I grow up? Will I ever get the chance to meet some people who do not bully me? I would also like to know when I will have a boyfriend! I have always dreamed of having one!"

"Not so fast," the teacher chuckled. "Foremost, you should listen to what I have to say. After that, I might consider your request."

The paranormal fanatic could not believe it. For the first time in her life, she had found the solution to her torments. These revelations would allow her to do everything in her power to be accepted by her peers. Her heart was beating at a fast pace. The excitement was struggling to keep her in place.

"Yes, I am sorry."

"Thank you," replied the thirty-year-old, pulling a smartphone out of her professional bag. "I had nothing against the conversation, but my words are the priority at the moment."

"Go ahead."

A slight silence fell over the room as Mathilda brought the device to her ear. Luckily, only a few seconds passed before she started talking again. This did not seem to bother her at all while she waited to get the line.

"If I told you that in addition to being a teacher, I have another job."

"Which one?" the student with purple hair wondered.

"It is quite difficult to explain, so I will let my boss do it for me. I informed them about your interest in strange phenomena, and now they want to meet you."

Upon hearing this, Lolya raised her eyebrows. She did not understand why someone would desire to see her for this reason. As for Miss Reynor, she had just established communication. Afterwards, a mysterious exchange began with her correspondent.

"Hi, Roh"Ka. I need an F.T.S. in my classroom closet."

A thank you succeeded, and then the woman hung up. With a slow gesture, she returned the smartphone to where it was previously stored. Now, the brown-haired female motioned for her guest to follow her to the door at the back of the room.

"Come in," she finally ordered.

Confusion overcame the teenager for a second time. The area contained only maintenance tools. Furthermore, considering its dimensions, a person would struggle to move around in there. She saw no reason to step inside.

"Why are you asking me to go into the closet?"

"Trust me," continued her interlocutor.

With shaky hands, the girl in question therefore placed her palm on the metallic handle. Her damp fingers had trouble staying attached. A curious foreboding afflicted her. The secret of her companion might not be the only surprise in store for her. However, impatience gave her enough courage to turn the brass object.

"What the..."

Upon opening the storage space, astonishment pinned her in place. Once again, the impossible had manifested. Instead of displaying cleaning products, the interior revealed a brightly lit corridor. The gray walls highlighted the scarlet door at the other end.

"Go on," the instructress intervened, gently pushing her forward.

"This is totally nonsensical! How did you manage to do this?"

"We call it the F.T.S.," explained the woman with extrasensory abilities. "It is an abbreviation for "Fast Travel System." Essentially, it allows us to connect our headquarters to any location in the world."

"That is so cool!"

Her student's admiration was unprecedented. During the journey, her gaze continuously examined the surroundings. The esoteric enthusiast did not understand how such a feat could be accomplished. Unfortunately, the closer the exit became, the more anxiety dispelled this enthusiasm. The idea of having to interact with her teacher's superior made her worry. Her usual demeanor was gradually returning.

Finally, only about twenty seconds passed before the duo ended up going through the red door. Now, the adolescent girl had arrived in an enormous reception hall. The futuristic-looking architecture gave her the impression of having landed in a science fiction movie. Meanwhile, a huge desk was placed in its center. Furthermore, a nineteen-year-old man was busy there, tapping on a computer.

"Good day, Agent Reynor," began the young male cordially, abandoning his task.

"Hello, Roh"Ka," his colleague responded. "I hope we are not late."

"Not at all. You are right on time."

At that remark, the employee rose from his stool. His mid-length, crimson hair, one side of which fell over his face, providing him a mischievous appearance. To complement this, he had a piercing in his nose. Unfortunately, the closer he got, the more uncomfortable the adolescent felt.

"And you, you must be Lolya, I presume. My name is Roh"Ka Bellevue and I am the operator of the F.T.S."

"Pleased to meet you," replied the girl timidly, shaking his hand.

With that, the man escorted the group to two large doors annexed to the zone. The tree motifs adorning their white surface indicated that an important individual was inside. As a result, the student started to tremble. As for Mathilda, she opened the entrance and gestured for Lolya to venture in.

"Good luck," the nineteen-year-old chimed in.

In conclusion, only Lolya and her teacher came into the room. At first glance, the place was luxurious. Paintings, seemingly from the Renaissance, enhanced the masonry. Moreover, a collection of ancient books was displayed here and there. Despite this, discomfort pervaded the atmosphere. The armchair near the desk of the mysterious requester was turned in the opposite direction. A position that did not allow them to see its occupant. Then, the young girl swallowed hard as she sat down onto one of the visitor's seats.

Suddenly, the said piece of furniture began to pivot to face the duo. At that moment, the aficionado of unexplained phenomena could not help expressing a certain form of astonishment. The person standing before her was a bodyguard. Though, he was holding a satin cushion on which lay a rectangular speaker.

"Welcome to you, Lolya Mitressey," a strange voice intervened.

It came directly from the device. However, its distorted tone made identification impossible. It was difficult to discern whether it belonged to a man or a woman. Therefore, she did not know how to properly address it.

"Uh, thank you," she stammered.

"I will get straight to the point. My name is D4Rk_5h4d0w5 and I am the director of this organization. Generally, we try to stay discreet, but your comprehension of esotericism has piqued my curiosity. That is why we have been watching you for a few weeks."

Hearing this statement, the occult enthusiast was gripped with worry. Initially, she had nothing to hide. Nonetheless, her anxiety gave her wide eyes. She even turned to her companion, who merely smiled at her. Despite this, the electronic voice continued its speech, paying no attention.

"You must already suspect this, but our world contains many secrets that would completely disrupt humanity if they were revealed. To avoid anarchy, our role is to track, study, and control certain supernatural phenomena. Therefore, since you are knowledgeable in this area, I would like to put your skills to the test. Agent Reynor thinks your integration among us would be beneficial."

"And I sincerely believe that," the teacher in her thirties chimed in.

Instead of showing panic, Lolya's gaze lit up again. Was it too good to be true? Had she succumbed to some illusion? The current moment felt like a dream. A mysterious leader was asking her to join an organization working in the field of occult sciences.

"To begin, can you briefly explain "the Chase Vault" to me?"

"Uh, it is a burial vault in Barbados where the coffins move on their own. Every time someone enters the place, they are arranged differently. Some suppose that it is the ghosts of the Chase family shifting them, while others blame earthquakes."

"Interesting," the curious interlocutor uttered. "Now, if I say "Croatoan," what can you tell me about it?"

"On August 18, 1590, British man John White landed on Roanoke Island. His ship brought supplies to the very first English colony established in America. But when he arrived, he noticed that the inhabitants had completely vanished. Only the words "Cro" and "Croatoan" were found, carved on the palisade surrounding the territory. To this day, no one has been able to discover what happened."

"Very good. And to conclude, does the name "Memphre" mean anything to you?"

"It is the name of the creature hiding in the depths of Lake Memphremagog, in Quebec. It is described as being shaped like a sea serpent or a plesiosaur. In any case, it is a local Loch Ness monster. It was initially seen in 1815. Now, it is attributed with nearly two hundred and twenty-five sightings."

Applause emanated from the speaker. Clearly, D4Rk_5h4d0w5 was impressed by her performance. In the wake of this, he could not help exclaiming:

"Excellent! The spontaneity with which you responded proves that you spend a lot of time studying these mysteries. Normally, my agents need to undergo training before they can answer me as you just did. That means that it might not be necessary to give you one."

Suddenly, the protector of the sound device placed the object on the desk's surface. Now that his hands were free, he extracted a large envelope from his jacket. Upon inspection, it seemed to contain important documents, so the teenager took possession of it. Her name was affixed on it.

"Of course, the choice to join us is yours," the distorted voice continued. "In the meantime, you will find all the information about us inside the envelope that Agent X just provided you with. When you have made your decision, all you have to do is to follow the instructions indicated in it. We are giving you twenty-four hours. Just know that if you refuse, we will make sure you completely forget our conversation. The F.T.S. is not the only magic trick we can perform. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a fairly busy schedule. I had to squeeze you in between two video meetings."

These words forced both Lolya and Mathilda to rise. Clearly, the interview superbly ended. From this point, the purple-haired girl had to make a choice. Meanwhile, the duo came back to the lobby, where the pierced employee approached them to inquire about their news.

"So?"

"If all goes well, I think we will soon have a brand-new recruit," his colleague announced with a wink.

"Oh!" exclaimed Roh"Ka, turning towards the relevant person. "In that case, I hope you will accept. It would be an honor to have you among us."

"Thank you," she replied shyly.

"Now," the instructress continued, "would you mind taking her home? I also have things to do. I need to get back to the school to finish my corrections."

"No problem at all."

Hastily, the man returned to his computer, where he executed several commands. Suddenly, a beep sounded, signaling that the F.T.S. had established a connection to its destination.

"Voilà! It is done! If you progress through door number three, you will arrive at your home!"

Previously, the student had not noticed, but the wall had five scarlet entrances. This meant that the strange travel system could create many simultaneous paths. Therefore, Lolya thanked her hosts and moved towards the one corresponding to that number. Opening it, the gray hallway rose before her eyes. All she had to do was to walk to the exit.

With all that had happened, the fifteen-year-old teenager had completely forgotten that Mathilda Reynor was supposed to predict her future. Meanwhile, when the way out was within reach, she was greeted by her bedroom. The peculiarity of the scene even made her smile. Lucky that her parents were not present, otherwise she would have had to explain what she was doing inside her closet, which had been selected as the transition point.

At that moment, the young girl removed her shoes and coat, and placed them on the floor. When she would need to go downstairs, she would bring them back to the vestibule. Right now, all that occupied her mind was the desire to relax. So it was only a few seconds before the esoteric enthusiast laid on her mattress. At this stage, a flood of tears wet her cheeks. Joy had put her in all states. The emotion caused by her recent encounter with a secret society made her forget that her horrendous school day had happened. Nothing else mattered. Without reading the contents of the envelope, she already anticipated her choice. Accepting D4Rk_5h4d0w5's proposal would lessen her scapegoat status. As a result, Lolya Mitressey opened it without the slightest hesitation. This evening would be devoted to the complete study of her dream job.

_______________________________________
Author's Note(s)

- Here you go, folks! This was Chapter 1 of D4Rk_5h4d0w5, entirely translated into English from French! I hope you enjoyed it.

- I'd like to thank SitoraCada for the proofreading. Don't hesitate to check out his/her Wattpad account. <3

- For those who might be curious, the inspiration for this story comes mostly from the TV show called Martin Mystery, a video game called Secret World Legends, the ancient astronaut theory, and a YouTube channel named Dark5.

- Little anecdote: the magazine Beyond The Unknown originally comes from one of my texts that I posted in "Recueil d'histoires et de poèmes" during a writing activity. As it was an esoteric magazine, I thought it would fit well in the universe of my story. Therefore, you'll hear about it quite often during your reading.

- Before anyone asks, yes, Mathilda Reynor gets her name from Jim Reynor in StarCraft! XD

- Just out of curiosity, did you enjoy Lolya's presentation on extraterrestrials?

- Thank you so much for reading this chapter. If you liked it, don't hesitate to leave me votes, comments, or to subscribe to me, as it encourages me to continue writing stories.

- Lastly, feel free to join my Discord server. You'll find exclusive information and bonuses related to my stories. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to make friends, participate in various activities, and benefit from some writing-related resources. To access it, all you have to do is to take a look at my Wattpad profile and find the link. Just make sure to choose the right one, as I also have one for my French-speaking readers.