For Spehe memory felt strange, like something buried deep within him, something he had fotten. It was as if Pierre's loud pints about the terrible book (the author) were eg in his mind... Bh, bh, bh. It sounded like an atta his on sense, a viotion of his freedom of expression.

  Spencer picked up the book Pierre had thrown to the ground and, out of curiosity, began to read it. It was a crazy story. Pierre had been right.

  The book followed a cssic structure, with a predictable beginning and end, and the famous "happily ever after"! The protagonists lived a happy life, while the antagonists led a miserable existehey were cruel, using anger, hatred, and pain tthen themselves. Their attitudes were utterly unworthy and insignifit.

  The punishmeh—redictable and actal. The bodies of the vilinous children vanished into the sea without a proper burial.

  Over ten years had passed since Spencer had read the book. If his suspis were firmed, what would he do?

  It was a tragedy that a man of the w, who had dedicated his life to his try, had ended up in this position—a terrible story filled with bloodlines, money, dark desires, and love.

  Spencer remembered the names of Aster O'or and Damián Bowes-Lyon. The two were friends. Spencer silently prayed that Josh would turn out to be Damián. He couldn't bear to lose his brother.

  Leaving the bathroom, Spencer walked straight to the other bed, notig that the room was a high-end hospital suite. His heart pounded as he approached.

  The young man lying there didn't resemble Josh at all. Damián had reddish-blond hair and a handsome face. His thin, straight h a vertical tip was sidered beautiful. Pink freckles adorned his cheeks, giving him aic appearance.

  Spencer surveyed the hospital suite, searg for any hidden cameras, before attempting to wake the person on the bed.

  In an attempt to maintain their cover, Spencer had decided to learn Latin. It was an a nguage, rarely used in their world. He khat Josh also had knowledge of the nguage, so he took a d spoke to Damián in Latin, hoping he wasn't Josh and wouldn't suspeything.

  "Frater expergisi, frater expergisi. Noli metuere, est mihi frater tuus, non sumus in nostro mundo. Alquid factum, cum pnum ingruat, explicare non possum, hinc quam primum exire debemus."

  ("Brother, wake up, brother, wake up. It's me, your brother. We're not in our world. Don't be afraid. Something happened when the pne crashed. I 't expin it. We o get out of here as soon as possible.")

  Spencer repeated the words several times until Josh slowly opened his eyes. To Spencer's relief, Josh replied in Latin, "Sum frater hic!" ("I am your brother here!")

  Spencer felt a wave of relief flood over him. Josh was with him!

  Spenoted Josh's wide almond-shaped eyes and pearl-like plexion as he g him. The outermost part of his irises was an unusual bination of blue, brown, and amber.

  When Josh turo face Spencer, he couldn't help but tease, "Who is this handsome guy? Hahaha, hahaha." His ughter quickly turned into a desperate expression of fear, his voice trembling.

  Spencer, already overwhelmed with emotions, felt a pang of as he noticed the ge in Josh's demeanor. He furrowed his brow aly pced his hand on Josh's shoulder, trying to reassure him.

  Spencer quickly sed the room again, firming that there were no hidden cameras or surveilnce devices.

  The weight on Spencer's shoulders lifted. Josh was by his side.

  With a sense ency, Spencer surveyed the room once more, ensuring their safety. Satisfied, he turo Josh and said, "I think... we're on fodder. Our existence is a springboard for others' success."

  Josh looked puzzled and asked, "What's your e to all this? Is this... (Josh paused) an experiment?"

  Spencer replied, "When we're safe, I'll expihing."

  Both got up, walked to the window, and realized they were oenth floor. They deduced that the lower floors housed staff, including uniforms, undry, kit, and ing services.

  Opening the door slightly, Josh led the way as they pheir escape route. The corridor was eerily empty, devoid of strangers, retives, nurses, or doctors. Spencer couldn't help but think that the author of the book had taken poor care of Aster and Damián.

  When they reached the third floor, they broke into a room and found some clothes. Unfortunately, they had no luck finding shoes and had to tiheir escape wearing disposable hospital slippers.

  With their meager belongings in hand, they left the hospital through the staff access door.

  Josh asked, "These people don't seem ed about us. Where should we go?"

  Speook a moment to think and replied, "Going back to our apartment isn't safe. But I remember a woman named Emeline, a friend of ours. Emeline, an employee and friend of Damián and Aster. She might be able to help us."

  Walking cautiously dowreet, they identified surveilnce cameras and searched for blind spots. Emeline lived in a quiet residential inium a few kilometers from the city.

  At 5:40 a.m., someone from security called Emeline's house, rep that Aster and Damián were requestiry. Emeline quickly authorized their entrand hurried to meet them ireets of the apartment plex.

  As Emeline approached, she spotted her friends from afar and saw the distressed state they were in. Overwhelmed with emotion, she ran toward them and embraced them, tears streaming down her face.

  Uo speak from the overwhelming relief of finding possible safety, Spencer held Emeliightly, knowing they were finally in the pany of someohey could trust.

  After they had a moment to collect themselves, Emeline led Josh and Speo her apartment, where they could talk and figure out their steps. The sense of security and familiarity provided them with a mueeded respite from the chaos they had experienced so far.

  Emeline offered them a seat and a cup of tea as they ehe apartment. They didn't know why or where to start unraveling the mysteries surrounding their circumstances and devising a pn to navigate this new world they had found themselves in.