Chapter Text
It was a windy morning on October 31st, 2022, and something had stirred Edward from his sleep.
He shifted beneath the covers and groaned as his cellphone alarm blared insistently, announcing that it was time to get up. Cracking one eye open, Edward debated whether calling in sick would really be such a crime—especially if it meant staying home to study for the MCAT. Taking the test had been his goal for years. Depending on the results, he might finally apply to medical school. But between a full-time job and research commitments, his time had slowly been eaten away, leaving his social life as little more than an afterthought.
Eventually, responsibility won out—as it usually did.
Edward dragged himself out of bed, shuffled into the bathroom, and stepped into the shower. Hot water cascaded over him, easing the tension in his shoulders and helping clear the fog from his mind. Sometimes, he felt far older than twenty-eight, judging by how stiff his body was each morning.
After drying off, he slipped into his boxer briefs—and froze.
Oh shit.
He had completely forgotten about the Halloween party later that evening. One of his coworkers was hosting it, and he’d already said yes.
Crap, I forgot that was happening tonight, Edward thought as he buttoned up a light green shirt and tucked it neatly into his black jeans.
Sarah, the coworker in question, had been relentless about getting him to come. There would be Harry Potter trivia, and Edward knew—without a shred of humility—that he was practically unbeatable when it came to the wizarding world. Apparently, the winner was walking away with a cash prize.
As he made his way into the kitchen of his small one-bedroom apartment, Edward paused at the window. The trees outside bent violently as gusts of wind tore through the street, dark clouds rolling in overhead.
Great. Another storm, he thought.
He washed the few dishes in the sink, set them on the drying rack, and grabbed his keys. Before leaving, he glanced around one last time to make sure everything was off. Satisfied, he locked the door behind him and stepped into the street, heading toward his car.
Just another monotonous day.
Unbeknownst to him, it would be his last.