As I lay in bed, my gaze drifted to the old, worn-out photograph on my bedside table. The faded edges and creases seemed to whisper stories of the past, stories I longed to remember. My fingers instinctively reached out to trace the smiles of my parents, Sophia and James Blackwood. Their bright laughter and warm embraces were etched in my memory like a bittersweet melody. Today marked the tenth anniversary of their disappearance, a day that had become a painful ritual of remembrance.
I was only eight when they vanished, leaving me with a void that seemed impossible to fill. Now, at eighteen, the ache still lingered, refusing to subside. Dr. Rachel Lee, my guardian and family friend, had raised me with love and care, but the longing for my parents never faded. As I gazed at the photograph, memories flooded my mind - summer vacations at the beach, Dad's silly jokes, Mom's bedtime stories. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as the familiar questions swirled: Why did they leave? Where did they go?
My name is Ethan Blackwood, and the world calls me an orphan. But I know I'm more. I'm the son of brilliant scientists whose research changed the world. Their disappearance changed me, leaving me with a sense of incompleteness. I felt like a puzzle with missing pieces, and I was determined to find them. Today, I began my search - for the truth, for my parents, for myself.
As I rose from bed, a newfound resolve ignited within me. I would uncover the secrets surrounding their disappearance, no matter the cost. The journey ahead would be daunting, but I was ready. For the first time in ten years, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I'd find the answers I'd been searching for. Maybe I'd find myself.