Prologue
I run my finger down the spines of the books lined up on the shelf. A sigh of pleasure escapes my lips as I breathe in the sweet scent of the pages. My finger stops on the spine of a particularly thick book. I turn my head, reading the title written on the spine. The spine is blank. I pull it out of the shelf, leafing the pages quickly. Black ink covers them in a dark contrast to the stark white pages. I flip the book over to look at the cover. Welcome, it reads, Open me for more information. I flip the cover open, not able to stand the curiosity. A letter is written in elaborate script on page one.
Dear Scarlett Maxwell,
Congratulations. You've received a special invitation, indeed. This letter is your ticket to a new world. With this letter comes the certification that you will find your perfect Match, the love of your life, your soulmate. This is your formal invitation to join the School, the place to fulfill all your dreams. Forget Disneyworld, the School was created just for people like you. Here, you could be Matched with your favorite Character. You could complete a life with your soulmate.
Registration begins as soon as you arrive. The School would love your participation. The Executive Staff have Chosen you to come to the School. It is an honor to be invited, and you should count yourself special that the Executive Staff considered you worthy enough to be invited. You have no choice, as by the time you finish reading this, you will already be on campus. Once you have been Chosen, there is no going back. Being Chosen is the greatest honor a Fan can receive. Consider yourself special.
Signed,
The Executive Staff of the School
I scan the letter quickly. My breath catches as I finish it. I look up to see a completely different setting surrounding me. Instead of the quite, bustled bookstore, there is a ring of trees surrounding me and the distant sound of birdsong. The book falls from my hands, crashing against the ground in a flurry of blank pages.
