Prologue
It was a silent cold night and Nathan Matthews sat at the backseat of the taxi nervously as the radio played. “At 11:00 pm tonight, a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower would grace our night sky. So, prepare your wishes…” The radio DJ said enthusiastically.
Nathan tried countless times to contact his adoptive brother, Ian Jameson, but to no avail. At that point, he couldn’t care less about the once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower, all he cared about was finding Ian.
The road was dark and the few streetlights standing on the side of the road were either broken or near the end of its life.
Dried leaves flew as the taxi drove down the road. “Are you sure this is the right place?” Nathan asked the taxi driver as he looked around and saw no living soul around the area. “How come it’s not appearing in my navigation app?”
“I told you, this place is weird…” The taxi driver replied in a shaky voice.
Just before they drove up the hill, Nathan saw an eerie sight that made the hair on his arms stand up. On the side of the road, just outside the forest, was a man whose face was hidden under a black umbrella.
That sight was like an omen on what was yet to come.
The sole establishment up the hill was as creepy as the road that leads to it. It was an old hotel, the kind that ghost hunters would love to visit.
“What is he doing in a place like this…?” Nathan asked under his breath as he opened the door of the taxi. As soon as he alighted the car, the taxi drove quickly away.
When Nathan was walking towards the entrance of the hotel, his phone rang. Seeing Ian’s name in his screen made Nathan answer the phone in an instant. “Go to my room, Nathan, hurry…” Ian told him, the moment he picked up the call.
Ian’s room was unlocked and it made Nathan suspicious and scared. “Ian, where are you?” Nathan asked nervously as he entered the room very carefully.
“My hard drive is inside the toilet tank. Take it and get out of there.” Ian sounded very panicked. Ian was panting and Nathan could hear branches breaking over the phone; it sounded like he was running.
“What are you talking about? Ian, what exactly is going on?” Nathan was starting to get very nervous.
“Nathan…” Ian was out of breath. “Even though we’re not blood-related, you’ve always been my family, my brother. I’m sorry if I nag you all the time, I just wanted you to have a better future. I know you’re smart and talented, sometimes you’re just… lazy…” Ian chuckled, though sadness was clear in his voice.
“Stop talking like that. You’re scaring me…” Nathan said. “Where are you? I’ll come…”
“No!” Ian told him. “Just get out of there!” Ian fell silent. “Nathan… thank you…” Ian said before the dead silence of the night overcame the phone call.
“Ian… Ian… answer me!” Nathan pleaded, but there was no answer.
On his way to the bathroom, Nathan noticed Ian’s car key on the coffee table. It was odd. Why would Ian leave the hotel without his car? Where did he go exactly? Looking around, there was no sign of a break in either, aside from the front door being unlocked.
After taking Ian’s soaked hard drive inside the toilet tank, Nathan ran out of the hotel, with Ian’s car key in tow. He remembered the forest that he passed by and decided to drove there. It was farfetched, but he was hoping that he could find Ian there.
Suddenly, a speeding truck appeared from the blind curved. It was running directly towards him on the same lane. Nathan pressed his car horn numerous times before changing lanes, but instead of moving away, the truck only sped up.
In a matter of seconds, Nathan’s car collided with the truck.
As countless shooting stars lit up the night sky, Nathan’s vision started to darken. His own blood flowed down his face as he tried to open his car to no avail.
This is it huh? This is how my life ends… I can’t believe I’m dying without even achieving anything worthwhile. I should’ve listened to Ian. I should’ve worked harder…
Those thoughts flooded his mind as his body weakened.
“An angel…?” Nathan muttered in his last breath as he watched a sole figure, with a long oglden hair and a slender figure, walked towards his car.
Enveloped with a blinding light, the angel shone even brighter than the stars hanging and falling from the night sky.
