A/N: Hi, everyone. It's nice to be back in Wattpad. Here's a new chapter where we left off after the prologue.
Chapter 11: The End
He stared at the screen. The word “The End” seemed to dance in front of him – mocking him. Fred ran a hand over his face. The story wasn’t that accurate. Some of the hard facts would be considered imaginative than truth.
In the year 2128, most people were more open-minded to uncanny abilities some of their peers possessed. They didn’t dismiss the existence of empaths and animal whisperers.
Still, the story’s setting was mired in superstitions and speculations befitting its nickname, the City of Mysts. Not a soul had gone to the tunnels and returned in recorded history. Having it posted online in a website full of fan fiction, no one would believe half of what was written there.
The truth would remain a secret. There was no cause for alarm after all. But his gut feeling told him that he was missing something important. He mulled over the story. Fred scrolled up the page, read the title, the author, and...the date: 2113. He hadn’t stepped foot in the academy, much less in the city until 2118. Could it be?
Nowadays, anyone who knows how to use a computer could manipulate the date, his sensible side said.
But it’s worth looking into, just in case, his instinct countered.
Fred couldn’t let anyone in on this, except – those who were involved. He had lost contact with Louis after leaving the academy. And, even if he hadn’t, Fred didn’t want to upset Louis unnecessarily.
James would have to do, he thought. Fred sat straight in his chair. In fact, he’s the best person to make the inquiry. James had recently won an award for his third book. Who can better reach out to a writer than a fellow author?
He hooked the earpiece to his ear and said, “Call James Hydleburgh.”
“Hello”, a man answered groggily at the fourth ring.
“Hello, James. It’s Fred.”
“Fred who?”
The seriousness in his tone made Fred backtrack a little. James hadn’t recognised him.
“Frederick Williams”, Fred said.
Silence.
“Hello?”
“I’m —” James yawned. “I’m still here – sorry. Do you know what time it is?”
Fred looked at the clock: eight o’clock. The time in the Mysts was six hours ahead. Quickly, he calculated and realised his mistake. Before he could say anything, James beat him to it.
“It’s two in the bloody morning”, James complained.
“I apologise. I forgot about the time differences. But it’s important that I call you—”
“In the middle of the night? Can’t it wait for a couple more hours?” A baby wailed in the background. “Give me a minute.”
Faintly, Fred heard James say, “Honey, let me take David. You go back to sleep.”
“He’s hungry and you don’t have breast milk”, a woman replied and laughed softly.
“Yes, I do.”
“You do?”
“No, I – I meant I have your milk – the one you had pumped”, James defended. “Oh, bother! Just let me have him.”
YOU ARE READING
Lemuria: The City of Mysts
Fantasy"Anything and everything is possible in the Mysts." Dr. Fred Williams has a secret. He fears its discovery when a daughter of his patient starts asking him about the City of Mysts. Fred is led to a website where a story about his past is...
