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................................... A Few Hours Earlier ................................... ......... Lake ......... The intrusive sound of my ringtone jolted me awake, causing me to sit up abruptly, disoriented and groggy. My hand instinctively reached for the source of the disturbance, wondering who could be calling at this ungodly hour. Glancing at the digital clock beside me, the glowing numbers confirmed that it was 12:01 a.m. And my heartbeat quickened as I glanced at the caller ID, my eyes widening with surprise and trepidation. It was Minerva. I cleared my throat and answered the call, my voice raspy from sleep. But before I could utter another word, Minerva’s urgent voice resonated through the phone. She spoke rapidly, her words tumbling out as if time itself were against h