The letters were printed intricately on an old book with a font as otherworldly as its plot. Each word was steady, but they seemed to be dancing in his eyes. It had been three minutes since Stan was staring at a fantasy novel, but nothing was absorbing his brain.

“Could it be my lack of sleep?” He thought as he tilted his head. A while ago, he checked Elsie’s room, but she wasn’t there. It was the second day of her absence and it gave him an unfamiliar feeling. What is she up to?

Stan held his new bookmark, a piece of paper with Elsie’s name and address written on...