I don't remember much of my early years. The streets were harsh, cold, and unforgiving—especially to children like me. Every day was a fight for survival, and every night brought uncertainty. We were a small group back then, but I was the one they followed. Not because I was the biggest or the strongest, but because I had learned early on that the mind is a powerful weapon. People underestimated me because I was small, but that only gave me an advantage. I used that to protect myself—and those who stuck by me.
That was the world I knew, until he came.
---
**First Encounter**
It was a cold evening, and the streets were quieter than usual. I was sitting near a crumbling stone wall, watching the others play with makeshift toys we had crafted from scraps. That's when I noticed him—a man walking with purpose, his gaze sharp and observant, but there was something different about him. He wasn't like the other adults who passed by without a second glance. He was watching us, but not with the eyes of someone who pitied us. No, it was something else—something I didn't understand then.
He approached us slowly, his eyes locking onto mine. The others went quiet, sensing something was about to happen. My heart raced, but I didn't let it show. You couldn't afford to show weakness, not even for a second.
"What's your name?" he asked, crouching down to my level.
I didn't answer right away, narrowing my eyes at him. Adults who asked questions usually wanted something from you, and it was never good.
"Eli," I said finally, keeping my tone flat. "What do you want?"
His smile was disarming, but I wasn't fooled. "I'm looking for someone smart. Someone who can learn quickly. How would you like a better life?"
I almost laughed. Better life? I had heard promises like that before, and they never amounted to anything. But there was something about the way he said it—like he wasn't offering charity, but an opportunity.
"What's the catch?" I asked.
"There's always a catch," he replied, standing up again. "But you'll know it's worth it."
I stared at him for a long moment, trying to figure him out. He wasn't like anyone I had ever met, and that intrigued me. Finally, I nodded.
---
**Leaving the Streets Behind**
I didn't trust him at first—not completely. But I went with him anyway. Part of me was curious, and the other part was just tired of the streets. He took me to a house, bigger and warmer than any place I had ever been, and introduced me to a world I didn't know existed. For the first time, I wasn't thinking about how to survive the next day or where my next meal would come from.
At first, I didn't know what to make of him. He was calm, collected, and always seemed to be a step ahead of everyone else. He never talked down to me like other adults did, and he never made me feel small. Instead, he treated me like an equal, like someone worth investing in.
He began teaching me things—things I had never even imagined. Business, trade, politics. But there was always something deeper, something he wasn't telling me. I could see it in the way he spoke, in the way he sometimes looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite place. It was like he was preparing me for something bigger than just managing wealth.
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**Learning from Isaac**
As the years passed, I became more involved in the family business. Isaac—because that's what I eventually called him—showed me how to navigate the complex world of power and influence. He wasn't just wealthy—he was wise. He made decisions carefully, always thinking several steps ahead. It was like he could see the future, though I never fully understood why.
I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be able to make those kinds of decisions, to understand the world the way he did. But no matter how much I learned, there was always something more—something I couldn't grasp.
It wasn't until much later that I started to notice the cracks in the façade.
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**The First Glimpse of the Truth**
At first, I didn't think much of it. Isaac had always been private, keeping certain parts of his life closed off from me. But as I grew older, I began to see the inconsistencies. There were times when he would disappear for a moment—just a brief moment—and when he returned, something would be different. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but I could feel it.
He never aged. Not in the way people normally did. He looked the same, year after year. His face never changed, his voice never wavered. It was as if time had no effect on him.
At first, I thought I was imagining it. But the more I paid attention, the more I realized that something wasn't right. There were moments when he would seem distant, as if his mind was somewhere else—somewhere far away. And then there were the small details—things I had never noticed before. A flicker in his eyes, a moment of hesitation, as if he was carrying the weight of something far greater than the family business.
I tried to ask him about it once, but he brushed it off, saying it was nothing. But I knew there was more to the story.
---
**A Growing Suspicion**
The more time I spent with Isaac, the more questions I had. He was brilliant, there was no denying that. He could predict market shifts, political changes, and even social trends long before they happened. But it wasn't just that—his knowledge seemed too vast, too precise, as if he had lived through events he shouldn't have known anything about.
I watched him closely, though I never voiced my suspicions. How could I? He had given me everything—a life beyond the streets, a future I could never have imagined. But still, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something... unnatural about him.
There were times when he would disappear, but not for long. In fact, it was almost as if he hadn't left at all. One moment he'd be standing beside me, discussing the latest business deal, and the next he'd be gone—only to reappear a heartbeat later, as if nothing had happened. It was subtle, but I noticed.
I started to wonder if time itself worked differently around Isaac. He never seemed rushed or stressed, even when the world around us was in chaos. It was like he had all the time in the world—and maybe, just maybe, he did.
---
**A Test of Trust**
I didn't confront him right away. I was patient, watching, waiting. I wanted to be sure before I asked him about it. But the more I observed, the more convinced I became that Isaac wasn't just a brilliant businessman. He was something... more.
It wasn't until one evening, several years after I had come to live with him, that I decided to test my theory. We were sitting in his study, reviewing the ledgers for one of our newer ventures. The fire crackled softly in the background, casting a warm glow over the room.
I pretended to be distracted, my attention seemingly focused on the numbers before me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Isaac. He was staring off into the distance, his expression far away, as if his mind was somewhere else entirely.
And then it happened.
He blinked, just once, and in that split second, I saw it. The flicker. A momentary ripple, almost as if time itself had shifted around him. It was so brief that if I hadn't been looking for it, I would have missed it. But I didn't. I saw it.
I didn't say anything at first, waiting to see if he would notice that I had caught him. But he didn't. Instead, he turned back to the ledgers as if nothing had happened.
I decided to wait a little longer before confronting him. I wanted to gather more evidence, to be absolutely certain.
---
**The Revelation**
Months passed, and I continued to watch Isaac. The signs were always there, though subtle. He never aged, never seemed tired, and his disappearances—though brief—became more frequent. I began to piece together the truth, though I still didn't fully understand it.
And then, one evening, it all came to a head.
We were sitting in the study again, the fire burning low as the night deepened. Isaac had just returned from one of his "disappearances," though he thought I hadn't noticed. But I had. I always did.
"Where do you go?" I asked suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us.
Isaac looked up, surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"
"You disappear sometimes," I said, keeping my tone casual. "You think I don't notice, but I do. It's like... time works differently for you."
For a moment, Isaac didn't say anything. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he studied me.
"You've always been observant," he said finally, his voice calm. "More so than most."
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