The Invitation

"We’re excited to invite you to join our exclusive team!"

The email came from a company Ava had never applied to, but the phrasing intrigued her. The message was vague—no job title, no salary, no details about the role. Instead, it simply read:

"Congratulations, Ava Daniels. You’ve been selected. Your first task is to await further instructions. Do not discuss this opportunity with anyone."

Ava’s brow furrowed. Selected? For what? She scanned the sender’s address: **[redacted]@unknownpathways.com**. It wasn’t familiar. Curiosity pricked at her. Against her better judgment, she replied:

“What is this about?”

---

Hours passed. Just as Ava was about to dismiss the email as a hoax, her phone buzzed. A text message from an unknown number lit up the screen:

"Ms. Daniels, your questions will be answered tomorrow. Go to the Blackthorn Diner at 9 p.m. A booth will be reserved for you. Come alone. Destroy this message after reading."

Her pulse quickened. The Blackthorn Diner? She hadn’t been there in years—it had been shut down for over a decade.

---

The next night, Ava arrived at the diner. Its peeling paint and shattered windows suggested abandonment, yet a single light glowed inside. As she stepped in, the air felt electric, like she was walking into a storm.

In the farthest booth, a man in a dark suit and sunglasses sat waiting. A leather-bound folder lay on the table before him.

"Ava Daniels," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "You’ve been chosen to participate in an experiment that could change the world—or destroy it. The decision is yours to make. But once you say yes, there’s no turning back."

Ava’s breath hitched. What kind of experiment? And why her?

---

The man slid the folder toward her. Her name was embossed on its cover in silver letters. Inside was a single page with two options:

**[ ] Accept**

**[ ] Decline**

"You have five minutes to decide," the man said, his gaze unyielding.

Ava’s hands trembled. This was no ordinary job offer. It was a door to something far more dangerous—and possibly extraordinary.

“What happens if I decline?” she whispered.

The man smiled faintly. "Then you'll forget this meeting ever happened. But deep down, you’ll always wonder: *what if?*"

---

Her pen hovered over the page.

Would she take the leap? Or walk away forever?