Ethan suddenly turned around, the cool breeze behind him like the breath of the Grim Reaper, nearly stopping his heart. That humanoid shadow, no, that thing had silently appeared inside the room. Even though only its silhouette was visible, Ethan felt it staring intently at him.
Damn!
Ethan tried to scream, but his voice seemed trapped in his throat, unable to make a sound. He wanted to run, but his feet felt as if they were glued to the floor, immovable.
The shadow grew closer, its vague outline becoming clearer, until its true form was revealed—a monster covered in tentacles, its tentacles shimmering with a strange glow that made it unbearable to look directly at. What terrified Ethan even more was that the monster's face was identical to his own!
As the monster approached, it became clearer and even began to emit a eerie light.
"Get away!" Ethan tried to muster the strength to struggle like he had against Chloe during the day, but he was completely immobile.
As the monster drew closer, its light becoming blinding, nearly illuminating the entire room, Ethan felt a powerful force about to engulf him. He desperately wanted to call for help but could only shout silently in his heart.
Just as the monster's tentacles were about to touch him, Ethan screamed out in despair—yet his voice echoed in the empty room. Suddenly, all light disappeared, and the terrifying tentacled monster vanished without a trace. Ethan found the sunlight streaming in through the window, casting its warmth on his face.
Ethan was drenched in cold sweat, realizing it was all just a dream.
Just as he was feeling relieved, he suddenly found himself lying on the floor!
What was going on? Was it not a dream? Had he fainted afterward?
He looked around; everything in the room had returned to normal. The shovel leaned quietly by the door, as if mocking his previous fear. Ethan shook his head vigorously, trying to expel the terrifying dream from his mind, but the image of himself covered in tentacles lingered.
Ethan resisted the urge to cut his arm with a knife to check for tentacles. He checked his phone's battery, quickly ate some snacks, and noticed Mark was probably already at work.
Dwelling on it was useless; it was time to act! Ethan encouraged himself.
After getting ready, Ethan headed to the train station. His apartment was modest but conveniently located near the station, making it easy to travel around London. This was a major reason he chose to rent there.
Checking the train schedule, Ethan was lucky to catch the train he needed. The intervals for this train were long, and missing it would mean a 20-minute wait.
On the train, Ethan found a seat by the window. He enjoyed watching the passing scenery—even though East London had little to offer besides low, dilapidated houses, trees, weeds, and endless graffiti. Yet, Ethan liked the raw beauty of East London, a testament to the real lives of its residents.
As the train slowly entered West London, a completely different scene unfolded. The buildings here exhibited classic elegance, the streets were clean, and the gardens burst with blooming flowers, showcasing their beauty to passersby. The transition from the ruggedness of the East to the refinement of the West made Ethan sigh, thinking of his roommate Mark.
Ethan didn't have many friends in London, but Mark was one of them.
Finally, Ethan arrived at the British Library, a modern landmark at the intersection of history and the present, drawing visitors from around the globe. Most visitors were actually heading to the British Museum, but since the library was so close, they often stopped by to take photos.
After all, most people don't love reading but like others to think they do.
Ethan wasn't much of a reader himself; this was his first visit here. So, as he stepped into the library, he was astounded by the sea of books. Huge bookcases stretched from the floor to the ceiling, like a miracle of engineering, dividing the vast space into a labyrinth of knowledge.
"Hope there's no Minotaur here," Ethan thought.