Mightier than the sword (A Candela Obscura assignment)

As the lady walks down the cobbled street, its gas lamps casting a warm glow against the facades of elegant buildings, she can’t shake the excitement of the book reading she had just attended. The author's words had transported her to another world, a world of intrigue and mystery unlike any she had experienced before. Though the genre was not her usual cup of tea, the first half of the novel, freshly released, had piqued her interest like never before, prompting her to purchase a copy before leaving the event.

Lost in her thoughts, she begins to feel a strange sensation wash over her, a feeling of dizziness and disorientation that seems to blur the edges of reality. The once-familiar street now appears indistinct and surreal, as if she was stepping into a dream. Before she can make sense of what is happening, the world around her fades into darkness, and she collapses onto the pavement.

The camera on the scene pans back to reveal the empty street, devoid of any sign of life, as if frozen in time. No passers-by rush to help the woman, no concerned faces peer out from nearby windows. The silence is deafening as the scene remained eerily still.

A week later, the Lady stirs awake in a hospital bed, her once vibrant complexion now pale and drawn. Her eyes flutter open, revealing a gaze clouded with confusion and exhaustion. As she regains consciousness, she finds herself repeating a single word over and over again, as if it holds the key to unlocking the mystery of her ordeal. "Ziggurat," she whispers, the word echoing in the sterile hospital room, its meaning shrouded in the haze of her fractured memory.