Chapter 1 – Message from Nowhere
Moscow, Present Day
Maxim woke at 9:30, his eyes drawn to the curtained windows where a thin strip of dim light revealed another characterless December day in Moscow. The weather matched his mood – neither warm nor cold, just an endless stretch of dreary dampness that seemed to mock the very idea of sunlight. The next glimpse of sun wasn’t due until May, and the thought weighed heavily on his soul.
Following his daily ritual, he reached for his phone and spent the next half hour scrolling through social media, still wrapped in his bedding. Another morning identical to countless others – the predictability of it all terrified him. The endless cycle felt like a trap, but escape seemed impossible. Everything was so painfully foreseeable it made him nauseous: shower, breakfast, work – or rather, the “rat race” – then lunch, a walk, more work, and suddenly darkness would fall, signaling time for dinner and sleep. The monotony had become unbearable. But that evening, everything changed. Reality itself seemed to shift, leaving his former life behind like a distant memory.
As Maxim slowly maneuvered his car out of his office parking lot, he could barely contain his irritation. Moscow’s streets were choked with traffic, typical for the evening rush hour. The sky above hung gray and expressionless, a perfect mirror of his internal state.
A sudden impact from the side jolted him from his thoughts. The car shuddered from the force of the collision, and he felt adrenaline surge through his body, awakening every cell. After a few seconds, having recovered from the initial shock, Maxim stepped out to assess the situation. To his surprise, the other driver was remarkably calm – a woman around twenty-five, with striking black eyes that seemed impossibly bright against the gray urban landscape.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t see your car,” she said, meeting Maxim’s gaze directly. There was something mesmerizing in her look. Maxim felt his irritation dissolving, as if the fabric of his ordinary reality was beginning to unravel at the seams.
“It’s fine, everything’s okay,” he replied, unable to look away.
As their eyes met for the second time, Maxim felt the world around him freeze. His heart raced, and a strange flash of light burst in his mind. He tried to focus, but suddenly his legs gave way, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Reality returned with the scent of frosty air and the touch of a warm hand. Maxim found himself lying on a park bench. Beside him sat the woman from the accident, holding his hand. Her face showed concern, but her eyes still held that same extraordinary power.
“Are you alright?” she asked gently.
Maxim nodded, trying to piece together the recent events. His gaze fell on her again, and he once more felt that inexplicable energy radiating from her presence. The world around them seemed different somehow, filled with hidden meaning and mystery.
“What happened?” he asked, looking at her.
She paused thoughtfully before answering, “It’s my fault, I wasn’t careful on the road.” Her words rang with sincerity. “I’m sorry I frightened you. How are you feeling? Are you better now?”
Maxim nodded, attempting to gather his thoughts.
“Yes, I think I’m fine,” he replied, slowly rising to his feet.
He felt the stability of the ground beneath him restoring his confidence and mental clarity. Together they walked silently back to their cars, each lost in contemplation about their strange encounter and its implications.
When they reached the accident site, Maxim was astonished to find that the damage to his car had somehow vanished. The dent he clearly remembered – deep, with a spray of cracks in the paint – had simply disappeared. The car looked untouched, as if the last half hour had been nothing more than a strange dream.
“How did…” he turned to the woman, but the words caught in his throat. She was gone, dissolved into the evening air like a mirage.
He looked around – no one. Maxim felt a surge of bewilderment and amazement wash over him. His eyes returned to the car, which now appeared completely intact, as if the accident had never happened.
He stood motionless, trying to unravel the mystery of this encounter, sensing that his life had just brushed against something inexplicable and enigmatic.
Reaching into his pocket, Maxim felt a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, he saw several lines written in clear, almost engraved handwriting:
“This meeting was no accident. Look for answers in unexpected places. Your journey is just beginning.”
Maxim carefully folded the note and tucked it away. Sitting in his car, he paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on the empty space beside him where the mysterious stranger had been. His thoughts swirled around the enigmatic encounter and the cryptic message on the paper.
He put the car in motion and headed home, driving slowly, deep in contemplation, trying to piece together all the elements of this extraordinary evening.
