13/4/1994
7:04pm
The lanterns cast flickering light against the restaurant's wooden walls, but Mirabel barely noticed. She and Elliot sat in tense silence, trying to stay unnoticed. The smell of roasted meat and spices filled the air, but neither had an appetite.
Then, the door creaked open.
Mirabel's heart nearly stopped as Agent Day and Agent Dawn stepped inside, their sharp gazes scanning the crowd. Dawn followed closely behind, whispering something to Day, who gave a small nod.
Elliot's grip on his fork tightened. "They're here."
Mirabel didn't need to be told twice. She forced herself to stay calm, placing her napkin down before slowly pushing back her chair. No sudden movements.
They weaved through the tables, using the waiters as cover. The back door was just a few feet away. Almost there. Elliot nudged it open just enough for them to slip outside.
Cool night air. Finally.
"Run."
They sprinted down the narrow streets, past wooden stalls and startled townspeople. Their footsteps echoed against the cobbled ground.
Then— Mirabel collided into someone. Hard.
She stumbled back, her breath catching as she looked up— and froze.
The man in front of her had a familiar sharp jawline, piercing eyes, and confident stance. Her heart skipped a beat. Eamon?
No. That wasn't possible.
Eamon was in the present. This was the past.
She took a step back, her mind racing. Was he an ancestor? A great-great-grandfather? The resemblance was too much.
"You alright?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
Mirabel stared. "Who… who are you?"
Elliot, still on edge, grabbed her wrist. "Mirabel, we don't have time—"
But the Eamon-lookalike held up a hand, scanning the streets. "You're being followed," he said casually. "Come with me."
Mirabel hesitated for only a second before letting Elliot pull her along. They followed him through a tight alley, slipping into an abandoned building just as Agent Day and Agent Dawn rushed past outside.
The room fell silent.
Mirabel turned to him, her eyes still wide. "Who are you?" she asked. "You look just like someone I know."
The man smirked. "Oh? And who would that be?"
"My friend's boyfriend," she said slowly, still trying to make sense of it. "But that's impossible. He's in the present. Unless…"
Her thoughts raced. Could this be Eamon's ancestor? Was that why he looked so much like him?
"You have a lot of questions," he said, amused.
"Yeah, and I need answers," Mirabel shot back. "Why do you look like Eamon? Are you related to him?"
Instead of answering, he let out a small laugh and leaned against the wall. Then, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, he asked:
"Oh? So you finally figured out how to time travel?"
Mirabel's blood ran cold.
What?
Elliot stiffened beside her.
She stared at him, her heart hammering in her chest. How did he know?
A dozen new questions flooded her mind, but she could only manage one shaky response:
"...What did you just say?"
The man smirked. "You'll understand everything later."
---
Mirabel's breath hitched. "What do you mean, 'so I finally figured out how to time travel'? How do you know about that?"
The man smirked, as if her confusion amused him. "Let's just say… I've been keeping an eye on you."
Mirabel stiffened. That wasn't the answer she wanted.
Before she could press him further, Elliot stepped closer to her and leaned in, whispering, his voice urgent.
"I don't trust him."
Mirabel turned her head slightly. "What?" she whispered back.
Elliot's expression was tight, serious. "I know I'm not from the present, and I don't really understand much about this time… but I don't trust this man . And he doesn't seem like someone you should trust either ."
Mirabel's stomach twisted. Elliot wasn't just paranoid—he was certain.
But then why did this man look so much like Eamon? Why did he act like he knew her?
She swallowed hard and turned back to him. "You said you know me. Then tell me—who are you?"
The man studied her for a moment, then sighed. "Let's not waste time, Mirabel. You started something. A rebellion. A very loud one."
Mirabel's heart pounded.
"You think that wouldn't attract attention?" he continued. "There are people watching."
Mirabel clenched her fists. "And what about you? Are you one of those people?"
For the first time, his smirk faded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small metallic object. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it into the air. The metal glinted as it spun—a familiar symbol etched into its surface.
Mirabel's breath caught.
That symbol. She'd seen it before.
The man caught the object effortlessly, then looked her dead in the eyes.
"I know your mother."
The words hit like a shockwave.
Mirabel felt the world tilt. "My… my birth mother?"
He nodded. "We were best friends."
Elliot tensed beside her.
Mirabel could barely process it. This wasn't just about time travel anymore. This was about her past, her family—her very existence.
"You're lying," she whispered.
The man simply smiled. "Believe what you want. But I know you, Mirabel. And I know that soon… you're going to start asking the right questions."
The room fell silent.
Got it! Instead of freezing the object with ice, he stops it mid-air, freezing it in time, just like how Mirabel accidentally did before. This shocks her even more because only she was supposed to have that ability. This proves that he knows not just her mother, but also the truth about her powers.
---
Mirabel's breath was unsteady, her mind still reeling from the man's words.
"I know your mother."
She wanted to demand more, to force him to explain everything right now—but then Day and Dawn's voices echoed from the streets.
Elliot's grip on her arm tightened. "We need to go!"
But the Eamon-lookalike stood firm, holding up the no small metallic object.
"You don't believe me," he said, watching her carefully. "Then let me prove it."
He tossed the object into the air.
Mirabel's instincts kicked in, expecting it to fall back down—but it didn't.
It stopped.
Right in front of them.
Suspended in mid-air.
Her breath hitched. The world around her kept moving, the sounds of the town, the flickering lanterns—but the object? Completely still. Frozen in time.
Just like how she had done before.
Elliot cursed under his breath. "What the—"
Mirabel took a shaky step forward, her eyes locked onto the floating object. "How…"
The man smirked. "You recognize it, don't you?"
She swallowed. "That's… impossible."
"Is it?" He tilted his head. "Or did you just think you were the only one?"
The weight of his words sank in.
Only she was supposed to be able to do this. She had no teacher, no explanation for it—just instinct and fear pushing her limits.
And yet, he did it effortlessly.
Her mind reeled. Who was this man?
Before she could say anything, Day and Dawn's voices grew closer.
"She's near. Find her!"
Elliot grabbed her arm. "Mirabel, we don't have time for this!"
The man waved his hand, and the object dropped back into his palm like nothing had happened.
"Listen to me," he said, suddenly serious. "You need to jump. Now."
"Jump where?" she demanded.
He held out the object. "Take this to 2024 and find your uncle he will have the answers." He said , shoving the object in her hand
Elliot's eyes narrowed. "Why should we trust you?"
The man met Mirabel's gaze.
"Because your mother sent me."
The world seemed to tilt.
Mirabel's heart pounded in her chest.
She didn't know if he was lying. She didn't know if she could trust him.
But deep down, something told her this moment mattered.
"But how , I don't control how it where I jump to." Mirabel as said as panic began to rise .
Eamon's lookalike quickly shoved Eliot's hand into Mirabels saying. "All your jumps have been a mistake ok? So now I'll need you to concentrate and jump!" Dying this he pushed Mirabel and both Mirabel and Eliot were enveloped in a pink light .
Lagos
20/4/2024
7:56pm
The jumper wasn't working.
Adunni cursed, gripping the wires tighter as sparks flickered.
Olamide stood beside her, arms crossed. "Try again."
She pressed the activation switch. Nothing.
Adunni groaned. "Why won't this stupid thing—"
Then, the air shimmered.
A pink light pulsed outside, bright enough to make the shadows stretch.
Adunni's heart jumped.
Olamide stiffened. "What was that?"
Adunni didn't answer. She was already running.
They burst out the door—
And froze.
A girl stood in the yard, panting, disoriented. A boy was next to her, scanning his surroundings like he had no idea where he was.
Adunni's breath hitched.
The girl looked exactly like her.
Same height. Same face. Same eyes.
Mirabel.
She had never seen her before, but she knew.
Adunni's body moved on instinct.
"Mirabel!"
Mirabel flinched.
She stared at Adunni like she was seeing a ghost.
Adunni ran.
She threw her arms around Mirabel, holding her so tight she could barely breathe.
Mirabel stiffened.
Then, she shoved Adunni away.
Adunni stumbled, shocked.
Mirabel took a step back, her voice shaky. "Who—who are you?"
Adunni's stomach dropped.
"You don't know me?"
Mirabel's head shook slightly, confusion all over her face. "I—I don't understand. Why do you look like me?"
Adunni's heart pounded.
Olamide exhaled sharply. "Because she's your twin."
Mirabel froze.
Her ears rang. The world tilted.
Twin?
That… that wasn't possible.
Right?
---
Inside, the silence was heavy.
Mirabel sat stiffly, staring at Adunni like she was still trying to process what was happening.
Adunni, on the other hand, was vibrating with emotion. She had searched for Mirabel for so long—and now she was finally here.
But she didn't even know her.
Olamide leaned against the table, arms crossed. "I should have told you sooner."
Mirabel's voice was small. "You knew?"
Olamide sighed. "Yes. I've always known."
Mirabel's hands clenched. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because your parents sent you forward in time to keep you safe. I was meant to raise you as my own—without telling you who you really were."
Mirabel's chest tightened. "Why separate us?"
Olamide hesitated. Then, his gaze dropped to something in her hands.
His expression froze.
"The key," he murmured.
Mirabel frowned, gripping it tighter. "Eamon gave it to me."
Olamide's eyes darkened.
Slowly, he reached into a drawer and pulled something out.
A second half of the key.
Mirabel's breath caught.
"When I found you," Olamide said, "this was with you. Your father must have slipped it into your basket before sending you forward."
Her fingers shook as she stared at the two halves.
And then—click.
The pieces merged into one.
A soft glow pulsed.
Then, the air rippled.
Mirabel gasped. Elliot stumbled back. Adunni's eyes widened.
Olamide let out a slow breath
The room fell silent
"I'll give you two some time," Olamide said, stepping out of the room with Eliot to let them talk.
Now, it was just Mirabel and Adunni.
For a while, there still was silence.
Then, Mirabel exhaled and shook her head. "Twins. I still can't believe it."
Mirabel's brow furrowed. "What were our parents like?"
Adunni's expression softened. "Strange," she admitted. "They were different from everyone around them, and I never understood why… until now."
Mirabel leaned in. "What era were we even born in?"
"1700."
Mirabel blinked. "You're joking."
Adunni chuckled. "Nope. We're older than electricity."
Mirabel groaned, rubbing her temples. "This just keeps getting weirder."
Adunni smirked. "Well, it gets better. I saw your test results, by the way. Looks like you got your brains from Dad."
Mirabel gasped. "Excuse me?"
Adunni shrugged. "I'm just saying, one of us clearly got the better end of the deal."
Mirabel rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. For the first time, this all felt real.
Then, she hesitated before asking, "Can you do the thing?"
Adunni raised an eyebrow. "The thing?"
Mirabel gestured vaguely. "The… you know, the time-pausing thing."
"Oh! You mean this?"
Adunni bent down, picked up a small stone, and flicked it into the air.
It froze mid-flight.
Mirabel's breath caught as the world seemed to still around them.
The stone hung motionless, defying gravity.
Then Adunni snapped her fingers, and it dropped back into her hand.
Mirabel exhaled. "Okay. That's… that's insane."
Adunni turned. "What about you can you?"
Mirabel sighed. "Not on command it only happened once."
Adunni grinned. "You'll get used to it."
Mirabel was quiet for a moment before asking, "When did you first figure out you could do that?"
Adunni's expression turned nostalgic. "I was ten. I was chasing a grasshopper, but it was too fast. I couldn't keep up. Then, suddenly—everything around me froze."
Mirabel's eyes widened. "What did you do?"
"I screamed."
Mirabel laughed.
Adunni smirked. "I told our parents, and they said it was my gift. I wasn't really surprised, though. We were surrounded by gifted witches and magical creatures. It just… made sense."
Mirabel hesitated. "And Eamon? Did you know him?"
Adunni nodded. "Yeah. He used to visit our mum a lot. I thought it was weird when I saw Sunmi's boyfriend and realized he looked exactly like him."
Mirabel frowned. "Wait—then what happened to him?"
Adunni's playful smile faded. "One day, he just… stopped coming."
Mirabel's stomach tightened. "Why?"
Adunni took a deep breath. "After investigating, I found out he had been captured by three of the most powerful witches. Ee, Eghosa, and Onome."
Mirabel's blood ran cold.
She didn't know those names, but something about them felt dangerous.
"And they were after me," Adunni continued. "For some reason, I never found out why."
Mirabel's hands clenched into fists. "What did they do?"
Adunni's jaw tightened. "On a stormy night, Onome created a monster out of mud—one of her special abilities. She sent it after me."
Mirabel's breath hitched. "And then?"
Adunni let out a dry chuckle. "I jumped off a cliff."
Silence.
Mirabel blinked. "I'm sorry… you what?"
"I jumped off a cliff."
Mirabel stared at her.
Adunni shrugged. "And I landed in 2024."
Mirabel pressed her fingers to her temples. "Crazy how o also jumped off a cliff and ended up in the past." Mirabel said and they both laughed.
But.
The laughter between Mirabel and Adunni faded when Olamide returned, his expression unreadable. He carried a stack of old, time-worn journals and placed them on the table.
"These belonged to your father," he said.
Mirabel's breath caught as she ran her fingers over the unfamiliar handwriting. She hadn't seen his journals before or anything thing about him.
Flipping through the pages, she noticed a repeated sequence of numbers. They were scrawled in the margins, carefully rewritten over and over. Like they mattered.
Her brows furrowed. "These… these look like coordinates."
Adunni peered over her shoulder. "Coordinates to what?"
Mirabel didn't answer. Her mind was already racing.
She grabbed her phone, quickly typing the numbers into a GPS app. The screen loaded, then zeroed in on a location.
She froze.
"No way."
Olamide leaned in, his eyes narrowing. "What is it?"
Mirabel turned the screen to face them, her voice barely above a whisper.
"The Bermuda Triangle."
Silence.
Adunni blinked. "You mean the creepy ocean spot where people disappear? That Bermuda Triangle?"
Olamide let out a sharp breath. "If your father left this in his journals, then it means something important is hidden there."
Mirabel shook her head, her pulse racing. "But why? What's inside the Bermuda Triangle that needed two halves of a key?"
She flipped through the pages again, desperate for an answer. Then, something caught her eye—a passage scribbled in the corner of a torn page:
> "The veil is weak there. What is lost can be found. The truth will reveal itself when the key is whole."
Mirabel's heart pounded. "The veil…" she murmured. "He's talking about time. The Bermuda Triangle isn't just some mystery—it's a tear in time itself."
Before Adunni or Olamide could respond—
BOOM.
The entire house shook violently.
Mirabel gasped, gripping the table for balance. A bright blue light flickered outside the window, followed by heavy footsteps and muffled voices.
Olamide's expression hardened. "They found us."
Adunni grabbed Mirabel's wrist. "We need to leave. Now."
Mirabel clutched both halves of the key, her mind still spinning.
She had so many questions. But right now—they had to leave.