The sky over the city was a bruised, dark purple. It looked like a giant, ugly wound in the clouds, perfectly matching the sudden darkness that had descended upon Raj's soul. Raj was hundreds of miles away from home, sitting alone in a quiet, high-end hotel room in another city. He had traveled there just for two days to deliver an important guest lecture at a famous university. His study table was covered with university papers, red pens, and thick academic books. He was trying to focus, trying to grade the papers, but his mind was not cooperating. His heart had been incredibly restless all day. A strange, heavy feeling sat in his chest, a feeling that something was terribly wrong.

He took a sip of his cold coffee, rubbing his tired eyes. The silence of the hotel room was suddenly shattered by a sharp sound.