He struck a small match and carefully approached the photo. Two minutes later, he looked again, and indeed, there were faint lines of text, though somewhat blurred due to the passage of so many years, and not recent by any means. Nevertheless, it was enough for him to discern the characters.

"Dear Alex,

When you read this, congratulations. It's time to begin your new story...

Think of a place that has nurtured and empowered you, and given you your soul. From there head north for a distance that is equal to the gap between the world's greatest river and the Great Pyramid of Giza, where you will witness the sunlight and moonlight rays merging at the correct angle, casting their radiant reflection upon the tranquil waters of the river. That reflection is your answer."

Dad."

His father had left me some sort of message. But there were too few clues to find the answer. "In this vast United States, could I find anything? Where should I look? Why did he write in such cryptic terms? And how did he write it as if he already knew that I would read it in the future?"

His head was once again spinning with a whirlwind of questions. Everything now seemed increasingly strange. Alex felt dizzy...

- "Look at this, Alex."

- "What is it?" - Alex respond immediately without any seconds delayed, like what he needs right now is just, any clues or evidences that could explain about this as much as possible.

- "There's a photo. Your father took it outside the forest. He's holding something. It looks like a pure red diamond, a gemstone that's unparalleled on this planet. It holds an extraordinarily high value. From what I've heard, red diamonds are so incredibly precious that people have fought and even killed for them. 

"Oh, really? Sounds like a fantasy story." - I have absolutely no clue about that" - Alex's confusing. 

"Lately, in times of war, nations have sought them to create a certain type of weapon. Its market value is exceedingly high, so instead of spending money, many are willing to trample over others' lives to obtain it. But that's just a red diamond in general. The stone your father is holding, it's the most exceptional red diamond, and there's never been another one like it. It's as if it's an entirely independent existence." - The girl continues explaining 

- "But how do you know it's a red diamond? And besides, this is a black and white photo, taken a very long time ago."

- I sense colors. But let's temporarily set that aside. Right now, I have a feeling that your father is in danger.

- "Wait, what are you talking about? I still don't understand... What is all this about?"

- "Your father used to be a jeweler and a miner, correct?"

- How do you know? We've never met, so what... and how...

Before Alex could finish, Sam continued.

- He accidentally unearthed the unique red diamond in the world. Its diameter is large, and it's extremely dense. This red diamond is probably nearly 100% pure. Unfortunately, it seems that underground organizations are after your father. He left to perhaps ensure the safety of you and your mother back then.

- Hey, don't make wild guesses. It's clear he left me because he no longer cared for me or my mother. How could there be...

- Listen, now go to sleep. It's nearly 1 a.m. Tomorrow you still have to go to school, right? 

- I don't want to sleep yet. I want to clear things up. What is all this? I don't understand anything. I'm just an unfortunate, broke student working on my thesis to finish my degree while juggling a part-time job to make ends meet. I don't even have any close family members...

- "Hey, I'll explain everything later, alright? For now, just rest. It's already 2 a.m. When the mind and body are exhausted, a person won't be alert enough to understand and grasp the situation. That's why I haven't told you everything yet. But trust me, you're safe now. No one can harm you, understand?"

Though Alex was still somewhat dazed and bewildered, her comforting words eased him somewhat. He had a secure feeling that Sam wasn't someone who meant to harm him. He doesn't know why but his intuition just makes him believe so, and anyway, he had nothing left to lose but this little live.

- "Alright, but remember to tell me the truth later. Please don't hide anything from me."

- "I have no reason to deceive you. Don't worry. I'll accompany you in the coming days."

"What did she mean by accompanying? Her words were quite hard to comprehend. Surely she didn't plan to sit beside me and help me with my electronics engineering projects. No way." Alex still, keep dumping himself in a bunch of wonderings which forcing him to seeking a question from nowhere that nobody can answers.

After a while when Alex is finally feel calmer, though still surprised by her background and peculiar abilities. He took a deep breath and asked again,

- "So, why do you want to help me?"

- "Because only you haven't judged me. That's something I appreciate. People think I'm weird, crazy, unsual, something that is not belong to anywhere or anyone in this society. They've even chased me away. I used to think everyone was selfish, and full of harshness, until I met you. Thank you very much."

Alex paused... his eyes got stinging a bit.

- "I understand now. Thank you."

Having conversed for a while, he gradually gleaned a bit about Sam's character. Even she appeared quite mysterious, keeping her past tightly sealed, and he could not extract much information. However, all he knew was that she somehow managed to survive without a penny to her name, and without any known relatives or acquaintances. That was very amazing. Also, by some miracle, his bag was now in her possession, its contents miraculously intact even though he was fully aware that a robber had lunged out from the shadows at the intersection, snatched it, and sped away at an astonishing speed. But that was nothing compared to the mixture of astonishment and bewilderment he felt upon encountering this girl.

Alex now resembled a person who had lost their sense of nature, unsure if it was a illusion or reality. He couldn't have a clear justification for what had just happened. He was both dizzy and exhausted, a tad excited, and also nervous about what lay ahead.

"If this were a dream, fine. If it were real, well, then life could throw anything at me. At least I had my bag back, which was a stroke of luck." - Alex thought

After a long day, his limbs were weary, and there were still some unfinished parts in his draft. But with the deadline looming in three days, he planned to complete it all once he goes back. However, due to sheer exhaustion, he couldn't summon the energy to open my laptop and continue. Tomorrow, at the school's library, he would power through to finish this assignment, as it was a crucial element for his graduation project's final grade.