Or maybe it's something you were finding...?

Author's pov

As the evening wore on, Izzy and Brian meticulously crafted their plan, unaware that their exploration into the realm of magic was about to take a dramatic turn. Outside, the bustling streets of London continued their usual rhythm, but the atmosphere was charged with an unseen energy, a subtle tension that hung in the air like the calm before a storm.

After finalizing their itinerary, they decided to take a brief break. Izzy excused herself to grab a glass of water from the kitchen, her mind still racing with thoughts of what lay ahead. As she reached for a glass, she glanced out the window and noticed a peculiar shimmer in the night sky—a fleeting flash that seemed to dance just beyond her line of sight. She squinted, trying to discern what it was, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Brian!" she called out, her voice laced with curiosity. "Did you see that?"

"What?" Brian responded, leaning against the doorway, a look of confusion on his face."

I thought I saw something in the sky. It was like... a spark or a glow, but it disappeared." Izzy felt a strange flutter of excitement mixed with unease, as if the universe was teasing her with a hint of what was to come.

Brian shrugged, unconcerned. "Probably just a trick of the light. London's filled with so many distractions at night."

But Izzy couldn't shake the feeling that it was something more. She returned to the living room, determination set in her features. "We should stay alert. If we're going to be looking for evidence of magic, we need to be open to everything."

The next morning, they set out early, armed with their cameras, notebooks, and an unyielding sense of adventure. The first location was a small park in the heart of the city, where witnesses had reported seeing strange lights flickering among the trees.

As they arrived, a palpable tension hung in the air, as if the park itself was holding its breath. They began their investigation, interviewing a few locals who had gathered to discuss the unusual happenings. Most dismissed the rumors, attributing them to urban legends, but one elderly woman caught Izzy's attention.

"I saw it with my own eyes," she insisted, her voice trembling with urgency. "A light, a flash, and then a feeling of warmth that washed over me. It was like nothing I've ever experienced. It's as if the very fabric of reality shifted for just a moment."

Brian exchanged a glance with Izzy, a mix of skepticism and intrigue flickering between them. "Can you describe what you saw? Was it a color, a shape?" he probed.

The woman hesitated, her eyes glazing over as if she were recalling a distant memory. "It was... beautiful. Like a thousand stars colliding in the night sky, and then—" she paused, her expression turning grave. "And then it was gone, replaced by an unsettling silence."

Izzy felt a shiver run down her spine. "Did anything happen afterward? Did you notice any changes in your surroundings?"

The woman's gaze drifted past Izzy, her expression distant. "Change is a powerful thing, dear. Sometimes it comes gently, and sometimes it comes like a storm. But it always leaves its mark."

As the interview concluded, Izzy felt an unease settle in her chest. There was something about the woman's words that resonated deeply within her. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the brink of discovering something extraordinary—something that would alter the course of their lives forever.

As they moved deeper into the park to gather more evidence, Izzy suddenly felt an unusual sensation wash over her. It was as if the air thickened, charged with energy, and in that moment, she heard a soft whisper, barely audible yet unmistakable: "Find me."

Izzy's heart raced, and she turned to Brian, who was busy documenting the surroundings. "Did you hear that?" she asked breathlessly.

"Hear what?" he replied, looking up with a puzzled expression.

Before she could respond, the ground beneath them trembled subtly, and a luminous glow began to emanate from the center of the park. Izzy's breath caught in her throat as she and Brian turned to face the source of the light, their eyes widening in disbelief.

In that moment, they were no longer just researchers chasing rumors; they were standing on the precipice of something monumental, something that would challenge everything they thought they knew about magic and reality. Unbeknownst to them, this was just the beginning of a journey that would change Izzy's entire life—and perhaps the very fabric of reality itself.

"There's something wrong..in this place" Isabelle muttered, looking around the place. "Maybe you should head home." The woman replied whom they were interrogating. "This place isn't for normal people" Isabelle looked up at Brian who looked back at her. "What do you mean that this place isn't for normal people?" Brian asked her, Isabelle kept looking around until her eyes went on something and she started walking there. Brian kept talking with the woman, "this place..it's cursed by some magical people.."

Isabelle's curiosity got the best of her as she reached out to touch the peculiar wall. As her fingertips made contact, a sudden jolt of electricity shot through her hand, causing her to recoil in shock. She stared at the wall in disbelief, puzzled by the unexpected sensation. There were no visible electric wires around, and the wall was constructed of solid bricks. Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

Meanwhile, Brian continued his conversation with the woman, unaware of Isabelle's sudden departure. The woman's cryptic words about the place being cursed by magical people echoed in his mind. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. Something about the entire situation felt off, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Isabelle, still reeling from the electric shock, hesitated for a moment before tentatively reaching out to touch the wall again. "Izzy?" She flinched and immediately turned around to find Brian with a questionable look, "are you okay?" She looked back at the wall, contemplating whether to touch it again or not. As Brian was walking towards Isabelle, the woman spoke from behind, "she should stay away from that wall."

Isabelle's heart raced as the woman's words filled her with an uneasy feeling. Brian, now standing next to her, reached a handout as if to touch the wall. Isabelle quickly intercepted, grabbing his wrist. "Don't touch it," she warned, her voice holding a hint of fear. Brian cast her a puzzled look, then turned his gaze back to the wall. "Why not?" 

"It... doesn't... feel good" Her voice was filled with worry and caution.

Brian, now equally curious and concerned, looked at Isabelle with a mixture of confusion and worry. "What do you mean it doesn't feel good?"

Isabelle stepped back a bit, her eyes still fixed on the wall. "It's hard to explain. I touched it and it.." her voice trailed off, memories of the shocking experience still fresh in her mind. 

She took a deep breath before turning around to ask the lady again. "Brian.. that woman was standing right here, right?" Brian turned around and they both were feeling scared now since the whole park was empty and the woman left no traces before vanishing into thin air. Brian and Isabelle looked around in growing dread, the once lively park now oddly silent and devoid of any trace of the mysterious woman.

Brian's voice held a hint of disbelief as he spoke. "This is starting to feel surreal." Isabelle turned around again. "Something is off about this place. It feels like something odd is pulling me towards it but I can't pin point what" 

Brian, now feeling the same sense of uneasiness, was confused but nodded, "this place is strange.." Isabelle took a few steps closer to the wall, her body drawn to it despite her instincts telling her to stay away. Isabelle's fingers traced the smooth surface of the wall, expecting another jolt of electricity, but nothing happened. This time, all she felt was a smooth, cool surface. "Weird...I could have sworn it would shock me again," she mumbled, perplexed. 

"I think we should really head home" Brian said, packing his bags before turning around to face Isabelle, "Izzy what the hell are you thinking?" He asked in shock as he saw her rushing towards the wall. "Isabelle, come back!" Brian called out, his voice filled with worry. But it was too late. He had been taken by surprise when she suddenly darted towards the wall. And now she was gone.

He frantically looked around the park, hoping to spot her somewhere, but she was nowhere to be found. "Isabelle!" he yelled again, desperation creeping into his voice. 

The surroundings were unfamiliar and dark. Her heart was pounding in her chest from both fear and confusion. "Brian?" She yelled again, her voice echoing through the unknown space, but only silence answered. No trace of Brian, no familiar voices or sounds. Just a strange stillness that was all-consuming.