The highway stretched endlessly beneath the glow of the headlights, cutting through the darkness as laughter drifted through the packed SUV. Empty snack bags littered the seats, music played just loud enough to keep everyone awake, and the conversation bounced from embarrassing freshman memories to impossible plans for the future.

It was well past midnight.

Noah was behind the wheel, rubbing at tired eyes while insisting he was still awake enough to drive. Maya occupied the passenger seat, occasionally pointing out the next exit on the GPS. In the back, Eli strummed absent-mindedly on a travel guitar, Jordan and Sofia argued over what counted as a "real" road trip snack, Zoey had somehow fallen asleep against Avery's shoulder, and Theo was reading by the dim light overhead despite everyone telling him he'd ruin his eyesight.

The roads were almost empty.

Then—

Blinding headlights.

A pickup truck burst over the hill ahead, weaving wildly between lanes. It wasn't slowing down.

"What is he—"

The truck crossed the center line.

"Noah!"

Instinct took over. Noah yanked the steering wheel to avoid a head-on collision.

The SUV lurched violently.

Tires screamed against the asphalt before losing their grip entirely.

The guardrail exploded into twisted metal.

For one endless moment, the vehicle hung suspended over open air.

Then gravity won.

The world became a blur of shattered glass, weightlessness, and terrified screams as the SUV plunged toward the dark ravine below.

Everyone braced for the impact that never came.

...

Silence.

The smell of pine and gasoline had vanished, replaced by old parchment, herbs, and something faintly metallic.

One by one, they opened their eyes.

The SUV was gone.

Instead, they stood on polished marble beneath an impossibly high domed ceiling painted with swirling constellations. Massive telescopes pointed toward a sky that didn't exist beyond the glass. Towering bookshelves disappeared into the darkness above, overflowing with books in countless languages. Shelves of glowing potions lined one wall, while strange mechanical gadgets clicked and whirred on another, gears turning with no visible source of power.

"...Where are we?" Zoey whispered.

No one had an answer.

Their footsteps echoed through the enormous observatory as they cautiously looked around.

Not a single person.

No voices.

No doors opening.

Just the quiet ticking of countless mysterious machines.

At the center of the room stood a polished wooden sign mounted on a brass stand.

Written across it in elegant golden letters were six simple words:

Welcome. You have been selected for reincarnation.

The group exchanged stunned looks.

"...This has to be a prank," Sofia muttered, though her voice lacked conviction.

Jordan slowly looked around the seemingly endless observatory again.

"If it is..." they said quietly, "...where's the person who wrote the sign?"