Myths of the Night

By Fizza Younis

The paths of five individuals from four different worlds are destined to intertwine, shaking the very foundation of reality. When Sameer embarks on a quest to find a missing friend, little does he know that his journey will entangle him with murders, vindictive witches, misunderstood Grim Reapers, happy fairies, and lonely demons.

 

As secrets begin to unravel, the fate of their worlds hangs in the balance, and each character must find their place in this complex web of mystery and magic or risk losing themselves forever. The clock is ticking, and the stakes are higher than they could have imagined.

 

Amidst the wonders and dangers of their diverse worlds, these individuals must confront their deepest fears and desires. Will they rise above the shadows threatening to consume them, or will their worlds be forever lost to the Myths of the Night?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fizza Younis
• Release date: May 13, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224396405

Fizza Younis

Dr. Fizza Younis resides in the vibrant city of Lahore, Pakistan, where her journey through life has been as diverse as the tapestry of her country. With a Ph.D. in economics, she has delved deep into the intricate webs of financial theory, but it's the enchanting realms of fiction and poetry that have captured her heart. As a dedicated indie author and ardent reader, she revels in the art of storytelling, crafting narratives that transcend the boundaries of her academic pursuits. Rooted in the principles of minimalism, equality, and harmony, her writing reflects her steadfast beliefs. Her stories are both mirrors of her philosophy and windows into the lives of intriguing characters navigating the labyrinth of existence. In her world, characters come alive, and their misadventures resonate with the shared joys and tribulations of humanity. With every word, she sprinkles love and encouragement, creating a cocoon of empathy and connection that envelops her readers. Though she might describe herself as an average person leading a mundane existence, in the world of fiction, Fizza is nothing short of spectacular. Join her on a journey through the written word, where ordinary lives take on extraordinary hues, and the essence of humanity is distilled into every sentence.

Book preview

Part One: Rolling

The paths of five individuals, who have nothing in common, cross in a way that changes them forever.

In the Dead of the Night

Sameer had heard the phrase 'your life can change in an instant,' but he never fully grasped the truth of it until it happened to him. Within a few minutes, not only did his life change forever, but his perception of the word altered as well.

It wasn’t that long ago when on a dark, stormy night, he was walking home from the police station, which was a few blocks away from his house. With hasty steps, he was fighting a sense of impending doom that seemed to follow his troubled soul. Nothing could ease his worry, and as much as he wanted to chalk it up to nerves, he couldn't help but focus on his suspicion. Heart hammering within the confines of his ribcage, he feared the night would never end. Or end in a disaster.

He shuddered, suddenly feeling colder than normal, and burrowed deeper into his overcoat. Desperate to find the comfort of his warm bed, he walked faster. His brain returned to his visit to the station, which hadn't gone as he had envisioned. Life was turning into a nightmare for him. But then, he hadn't had a peaceful moment since the day Rayan went missing. And to make matters worse, the police had been as helpful as a blind guide dog. Not that he could blame them because a grown man not returning his best friend’s calls wasn’t that big of a deal to them.

An involuntary shiver ran down his spine, and he pulled the lapels of his coat closer to cover his chin. Not equipped to deal with stressful situations, he always feared the worst. He would never understand how others managed their anxieties and often wondered if people pretended to be okay, the way he was trying but failing. Rayan was his anchor and without his friend, he felt like an untethered boat drifting away to the open seas.

A desperate sigh left his lips as he continued his brisk walk through the fog, hoping Rayan was well and alive. He had done his best to help the authorities with their investigation, but nothing had turned up. And he hated that they weren’t taking his concerns seriously and were ready to give up the search, pretending as if Rayan moved away instead of anything foul. After all, why an adult male would go missing from a small town when he was neither rich nor influential and didn’t have any enemies? But why would the said male leave all his possessions behind if he were leaving on his free will? He wished he could convince them but he was as eloquent as Rayan when talking to others.

Regardless of what the police said or the town’s people thought, Sameer would never give up on his best friend, who was like a brother to him. Besides, he knew Rayan better than anyone else in the world. No matter the circumstances, his friend would never leave without saying goodbye. They were all the family they had got now.

As he made his way down a dark alleyway, Sameer admitted to himself that Rayan had been acting strange after his mother passed away. But that was understandable. Wasn't it? Even if he despised his mother for being a drunkard and never caring about him, he loved her too for being there. She was the only blood relative Rayan even knew of.

Sameer remembered when his parents had perished in a car crash, no amount of kindness from others had hidden his depression. He was devastated, and only Rayan could get through to him in his distraught state. Then the tables turned, but he hadn't been able to help his friend. When he thought about it, he felt like a failure. What good was their friendship if he couldn't support his friend during the darkest moments? But something in Rayan had changed. It was like he buried a part of himself with his mother, and nothing could make him whole. Now, he was gone, and Sameer couldn't think of a single thing that might help find his location or shed light on what happened.

They spent much of their childhood and teenage together. Sameer's parents always welcomed Rayan at their house and treated him like their own. The two boys were inseparable, doing everything together, from studying to cooking up mischief. Their connection went deeper than the bonds of friendship. Something Sameer couldn't explain in words, but he could feel it in his bones—his soul.

And that's why regardless of what others thought, he knew his friend wouldn't leave without a word. Because he remembered how torturous the few years, that they spent apart in college, were for both of them. There was no doubt in either of their minds they would return to their peaceful little town and start their practical lives, upholding the promise they made to each other—to be friends forever and never leave the other behind.

Yet another wave of sadness gripped his heart as he thought of Rayan's playful smile—a smile that rarely appeared on his friend's lips but could light up a room when it did.

Sameer's thoughts turned darker, and a fresh wave of fear gnawed at his insides. The sense of foreboding intensified. Nothing felt normal, and the very air seemed charged with danger. Nervous energy ran through him, and he looked around, noticing how silent the night was.

Turning a corner to his street, he hoped to reach home in one piece and collided with someone. The moment stretched to eternity as the clouds parted and the full autumn moon appeared, brightening the night. And Sameer stared at the woman, who had appeared out of nowhere, running into him.

With shaking hands, he steadied her and composed himself. Excuse me, let me help you. He bent down to pick up her wallet that had fallen to the ground on their impact. A photo fell out of it and he grabbed it, meaning to return it, but he paused. He could make out Rayan's face. Before he could ask the woman anything, she snatched her wallet and photo from his hand and without saying a word, hurried away.

Sameer followed her down the street. Please, can I talk to you for a moment? He noticed how she looked wary and kept throwing glances over her shoulder, never meeting his eyes. When she didn't slow her stride, he almost shouted, I just want to ask you something about the photo. It won't take long. A slight tremor in his voice betrayed his desperation and distress.

They stopped under a street lamp, and the woman glared at him. She was petite and had wavy auburn hair that reached her shoulders. Her deep brown eyes were currently staring daggers at him. If the stares could kill, he knew he would be dead.

He took a step back and raised his hands in an attempt to show her he meant her no harm. Just a few minutes of your time, he pleaded.

Look, mister— she began in an angry tone.

Cutting her off, he introduced himself. My name is Sameer. He didn't feel guilty about following her in the dead of the night because his instincts told him she was the key to finding Rayan. And because of his certainty, he was willing to appear as a stalker and alarm an unarmed woman who already looked worn out. Okay, he did feel a little guilty. But his instincts were rarely wrong, and even though the night blanketed them in darkness, he would recognize his friend's face anywhere. She carried Rayan’s photo and Sameer wanted to know why.

I don't care about your name. And I don't have the time to chitchat. In case you didn't notice, it's the middle of the night and I need to be somewhere. Now, if you will excuse me, I'll be on my way. She turned to leave as he reached for her arm. Side-stepping, she said, What is wrong with you? Irritation dripped from her tone, and Sameer couldn't fault her for it.

Please, before you go, just tell me how you know Rayan. The man in the photo. He elaborated in case she didn't know the name.

Why would I know your friend?

How do you know he’s a friend? Suspicion raised its ugly head, and he wondered who was this mysterious woman. She wasn't from around there and she wasn't someone related to Rayan. It was the first time he had seen her, yet she knew his best friend and seemed to know him, too.

He observed keenly as the woman rolled her eyes, not caring what he thought. Flipping her perfectly styled hair, she said, I don't know what you're talking about, mister. Don't follow me again or I will report you to the authorities. She walked away, hurriedly crossing the street.

Not giving her warning a second thought, he followed her. Stop, he shouted. Listen to me for a few minutes. He wasn't ready to give up and didn't care how it might appear to anyone watching him go after her like that. Something compelled him not to let her out of his sight. It was the oddest sensation, and if he wasn't worried about Rayan, he might have stopped and thought twice about the feeling. He felt as if she was a magnet attracting him. Helplessly, he trailed behind.

The woman in question didn't slow down—she was almost running to put some distance between them. At least, that was what he thought, and foolishly ran after her. She was going in the opposite direction to his house, but he didn't care and when she turned, Sameer knew it was a dead-end alley. He smiled to himself and followed her into the dark alley, hoping to corner her into answering his query.

He stopped in his tracks. No longer in a rush, she stood leaning against the wall as if she didn't have a care in the world. The moon hid behind the clouds, and the lamp over their heads blinked—once, twice, and then went off. Complete darkness engulfed them into its embrace, and Sameer had a hard time making out anything in front of him. But from her silhouette, he knew she was still there.

Now, will you listen to me? he rasped, thinking he had the upper hand.

You're very annoying for a human, she said, her voice showing a hint of amusement.

Her tone took him aback, though. And the way she said the word human chilled him. It implied she wasn't one, but how could that be? Anyway, his primary concern was to find out about her link to Rayan, so he ignored her remark.

He stood blocking her only way out of there, and felt confident enough to ask, yet again, The photo I saw, who is it to you, and why are you carrying it? He looked in her general direction, but it was too dark to make out anything.

It's someone I know, but it doesn't matter.

It matters to me because the person in that photo is missing. Do you know anything about it? For the first time in a month, he let himself hope.

Ah, so he is missing. I didn't know but no matter. There is you. She paused and moved away from the wall. And you really shouldn't follow strangers into the dark alleys in the dead of the night. Or do you think a woman can't be a threat?

I don't want any trouble. He still couldn't see her well, but his eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to make out her figure. Tell me how you know Rayan.

You don't give up, do you? Her voice was closer than before. He hadn't realized she had moved, but she was only a breath away from him. Well, your funeral. There was mirth in her tone.

Sameer didn't have time to react or to say anything else when she placed her hands on his shoulders and muttered, I tag you and thus you shall be.

The next thing he knew, the world spun away from under his feet. His head felt heavy, and nausea assaulted his senses. It felt like falling down a bottomless pit, and then there was nothing.

Right before he passed out, he heard a chuckle and a soft voice saying, Tsk, tsk, you really shouldn't follow strangers to the dark, dead-ended alleys.

∞

The next time Sameer opened his eyes, he saw the woman leaning over him with a satisfied Cheshire smile on her pretty face.

Finally, I thought you would never wake up, she said lightly and moved away.

He sat bolt upright and looked around him. They were in a sparsely furnished, windowless room with grey walls and a single lightbulb hanging from the low ceiling. There was only one door. And as he looked at it, contemplating his escape, the said door flew open. A tall, well-dressed woman strode in with an air of authority and a look that said, 'I own this place, and you better watch out.'

Ah, Nina, you're back. And you have brought a friend, the newcomer said to the woman standing over Sameer.

This is Sameer, his kidnapper introduced them. Sameer, meet my boss, who is now your boss as well. She gave him a broad smile. Clasping her hands, she looked as happy as a child with a new toy.

This woman, Nina, was one hell of an actress. He rubbed his forehead as if that would cease the pounding. He was having a hard time processing everything. Did you drug me? He looked at her accusingly.

Drugs? No, definitely not, Nina said with vehemence. She looked at her boss and continued, I promise, I didn't drug him. It was a fair and square deal. He followed me to the doorway willingly. I did nothing wrong. She stood with her hands folded in front of her.

The boss lady smiled indulgently, but her tone lacked the softness when she said, Of course, you didn't, my dear. Because if you were stupid enough to cheat, my dogs would have torn you apart from limb to limb. The smile she gave Nina caused Sameer to shudder in fear. She wasn't someone he would ever cross, but nothing about the situation made sense.

What exactly is going on here? Who are you people, and why have you brought me to this place, wherever it is? What do you want? Then something occurred to him, and he said, Is Rayan here too? Did you kidnap him as well? For a second, he thought he might hyperventilate. Focusing on his breathing, he took three long gulps of air. Imagine if he died of a panic attack before finding Rayan. No, that shouldn’t happen. It couldn’t.

Both women looked at him as if they had momentarily forgotten his presence.

The boss lady said, "Ah, right. Mr. Sameer, welcome to the