Journey Into Mystery 112 Novels & Stories

Just past the first turn, she realised there was no house, no village in front of her, only a long stretch of whiteness bordered by snow-powdered hedges without a telltale rise in smoke in the distance. She didn't dare look up again for a long while. Time lost all meaning as she walked onward, her cheeks stinging, then without feeling, as hints of eventide crept in behind the melancholy December sky. It was then that Betty murmured an almost forgotten prayer from her childhood……...a little something to her guardian Angel begging an entree to paradise. ………………………….. She awoke stretching contentedly. Staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling, it took her a few moments to determine where she was, but

Almost like there was something to hide. At the end was some kind of shrine lit by hundreds of candles, with a book in the center. It seemed to be some kind of a diary. There was a scrap of fabric wedged in the pages that Jill recognised as her mother's perfume. This strange mystery made everyone curious as they began to read its pages. It would seem that this diary belonged to the very man the juggernauts were trying to bring back. Not only that but he clearly knew Jill’s mother. Was he the friend she met before Sean stopped her?

She had not slept. The pages were dry now ,no longer stained with rain, but still held the imprint of a mystery that had deepened rather than resolved. The ciphered notes she discovered beneath the charcoal drawings had become legible only after heat had been applied: a faint script written in lemon juice, emerging like ghost letters over time. It had taken a fireplace poker, a breath of courage, and an hour of gentle coaxing to reveal the words. “Seek the Keeper of Ashes beneath the clocktower. Trust only what burns.”

Elion said. "I look like a variable." "Let's go buy a getaway car." They left the apartment. Elion locked the door. As they walked down the stairs—slowly, painfully—Cale stopped. "Elion." "Yeah?" "The notebook." "I have it." "Write this down." "Now?" "Yes. Before I forget." Elion pulled out the book and pen on the landing. "What?" "Anomaly 116," Cale said. "The Blank Page." "Okay."

“Then we must reach it first.” He studied me carefully. “The journey will be dangerous.” “So is staying here,” I replied. A flicker of admiration crossed his face. “You’re relentless.” “And you’re stalling,” I countered. He chuckled softly. “Very well.” Our eyes met, and the air between us warmed. “We leave at dawn,” he said. An Unexpected Discovery As I turned the final pages, something slipped free from the journal. A folded parchment. My breath caught as I opened it. Inside was a portrait, two young girls standing in a sunlit meadow.

I need a little help here. The map glows for a moment, points toward the bed, and then goes blank again. I walk over to the bed. I pull back the covers and look under the pillows, but nothing. I go to my knees and look under the bed. Beneath the bed, I see a dark brown and black amulet shining at me, waiting for me to take it home. There is also a set of eyeballs looking at me.

Nothing. A heavy silence fell between us. I closed my eyes, pressing my fingers against my brow. “Wait,” Pelin said suddenly. “What’s that?” I followed her gaze. “A riddle,” I breathed. My heart raced as I read aloud, my voice barely steady: “Along Ephesus’ quiet paths, tread with care, Listening to its whispers in the air. Deep secrets lie, in dreams they bide, Seek high and low, where mysteries hide. In arches and vaults, where knowledge dwells,

Pearl untied the leather cord securing the reports and began reading. Maps. Scout observations. Travel routes. Nothing unusual. Then she found a folded page tucked between two reports. Her brow furrowed. This wasn't official documentation. The handwriting was rushed. Uneven. As though whoever wrote it had been in a hurry. Pearl unfolded the page and began reading. The journal belonged to one of the missing scouts. The first few entries described the journey. The ruins. The symbols. Nothing alarming. Then the final entry began. Pearl's expression slowly changed as she read.

⸻ The package contained a single cedar box. Inside rested an old brass compass. Unlike Daniel’s compass, this one had no cardinal directions. Instead, four words surrounded its face. Memory. Truth. Mercy. Hope. As Amelia lifted it, the needle began to spin. Then it stopped. Pointing due north. Folded beneath the compass was a note written in elegant handwriting. The first journey preserved the truth. The second must discover its origin. Follow the compass when you are ready. —J.A. Amelia smiled. “Julian.”

"How may I lend my aid this day? What wonders doth thou seek within the pages of our vast collection?" I inhaled deeply, composing myself as I spoke, fixing my gaze upon her own. "Ms. Paulina, I’m Jasmine Hanzo, and I have stumbled upon secrets, mysteries that have brought me here. I long to unravel their meaning, to understand the hidden tensions and unseen struggles that have been revealed to me. Can you guide me on this journey?"