Three novels lined together. Each had its unique cover. The first book had the name Light of Mysteries, the second book After the Fallen, and the last book Hear the Call.
Kaya, a young man in his twenties with black hair and silver eyes, wearing an oversized T-shirt and a track trouser, stood behind a crumpy wooden desk. Staring at the three novels in front of him with his hand on his chin. He was confused about which he would pick to read.
Although he had read these novels multiple times, these were his favorites, and he needed something to keep him company as he prepared to start a new session in his college.
"Hmm…" Kaya sighed in worry as he slammed his hands on the desk ma, making it shiver. "I have to reach the peak of this session. Last semester was a blast, but I need something more—full of energy this time."
As these words left his mouth he briefly placed his hand on the middle book. "No, the other one. No, this one… Ahhhh." Kaya cried out in frustration while his hands rubbed his head as he was unable to pick a single novel.
"This time, this time… I will pick something!" Kaya said as he placed his hands on the last book, soon after the middle book, then the first book. This went on for thirty minutes. And still, he was unable to pick a novel to read.
"My life, Hugh!… What a boring life. I am a man in his twenties living in a low-level apartment all by myself. My parents. Nowhere to be found, they are probably wandering around the world enjoying their lives by now. I attend a third-rated college, with no prospect of having a girlfriend. Not a single one, none… since middle school. What is wrong? Me and my half-decent looks. It's not all bad, I mean… a guy like me at this age, should have at least gotten one or two girlfriends by now."
Kaya left his apartment and went to get another novel in the books store. On his way to the books store he stood at the parking lot of his apartment and thought for a while.
"Instead of getting another novel, I should just be able to pick one of my favorites." Kaya was still eager to read a novel from his favorites. But he still went on to the bookstore to get another novel.
After he got to the books store, he searched for a very good novel he could read. He was into more fantasy, so he had his eye set on the fantasy shelf.
Soon after, he found a book with the title After the Fallen 2, all alone at one side of the self.
"Hold up… After the fallen had a second part? I didn't know it was still ongoing. I mean, the way the last one ended was not satisfying; I would say it was incomplete. But for it to have a second part, then there must be a real scene to watch out for."
Kaya went to make the payment for the novel and the young man standing behind the desk said to him.
"Oh… that book! No one has ever come to buy it. "What do you mean," Kaya asked.
"Well, It has been here for six months now, and no one has ever picked it up."
"Six months. But this is the only one left, so how come no one ever picked it up? Where are the rest."
"Oh… there is no rest. That was the only copy that ever came in from the editor."
"What do you mean?"
"We tried asking for more copies, but we couldn't get in touch with the editor. It was like he just vanished. No one has been able to track him down after the novel got here. We checked other stores, but this was the only copy ever made by the editor. It is not the original manuscript but it is the only work of part two we could find anywhere.'
Kaya suddenly paused for a moment and thought to himself. 'What… the only copy ever brought in by the editor. That's not possible? The last one sold a lot of copies during the past years. So why only one copy?
Kaya stood for a while in thoughts, until the young man interrupted them.
"Hey… are you gonna pay for it or not?"
"Oh, sorry!" he exclaimed. He then brought out his wallet, paid for the novel, and departed the store.
On his way home, he thought more about what the man had said.
'It doesn't make sense. How could the editor vanish? The novel made a lot of money from its first part, so there should be enough money to make more copies of the second part.'
"Oh… well!"
Kaya did not bother too much about the possibility of the editor truly vanishing. So he just focused on the fact that he was finally able to find a novel he could read, and it was a continuation of one of his favorites.
When he got home, He was so excited to start reading, that he forgot to lock his door.
Immediately, he rushed to his bedroom, sat on his couch, and opened the book. But first, he had to get prepared, so he stood up and went to the kitchen.
He got himself a glass of orange juice and a bowl into which he could pour the popcorn he bought.
Soon after he got all he needed to start the novel, he then went back to his bedroom, removed his oversized T-shirt, and sat shirtless on his couch.
He then afterward started reading the novel. After reading the prologue, he noticed the author's name below the page of the prologue.
"That's strange."
He then got up from his couch and went to the desk where the first part of the novel was. He looked at both books and noticed that they both had two different authors' names.
Suddenly he heard the sound of his apartment door opening.