chapter two

Echoes in the Dark

The morning light felt alien, harsh even, after the oppressive stillness of the night. Evelyn woke with a start, tangled in her sheets, heart still racing from the visions and whispers that haunted her dreams. The images were clearer now—faces she didn’t recognize, voices calling her name, shadows moving just beyond sight.

She pushed herself upright, rubbing her eyes. The sun filtered weakly through the thick curtains, casting long, trembling streaks of light across the dusty floorboards. Outside, the gray sky threatened rain, mirroring the heaviness inside her chest.

Downstairs, the house creaked and groaned like a living thing waking from a long sleep. Evelyn shivered, though the room was warm. She wasn’t sure if it was the chill in the air or the chill inside her that unsettled her more.

At the kitchen table sat her father, his face drawn and tired. The disappearance of her mother had left a deep crack in the family, one that no amount of words could mend. He glanced up as she entered, forcing a smile.

“Morning, Eve.”

She nodded, sinking into her chair, trying to hide the tremor in her hands.

“We should talk,” he said, voice low. “About what’s happening. About you.”

Her stomach twisted. How much did he know?

Before she could answer, her phone buzzed on the table. A message from Liam.

“Meet me at the old bridge after school. We need to talk.”

Evelyn’s breath hitched. The old bridge was a place they’d always avoided—the stories of disappearances and strange happenings in Graymoor were rooted there. But Liam never called her there unless it was important.

The day dragged, every minute crawling by. Evelyn tried to focus on classes, on the noise of other students, but her mind kept drifting back to the glowing figure from last night, to the messages from shadows she couldn’t understand.

After school, she slipped through the cold drizzle toward the bridge. The wooden planks creaked beneath her feet as she approached, the river below swirling dark and silent.

Liam was already there, waiting, his face serious.

“I saw something,” he said without preamble. “Something at the house last night. Not just your glow—something... worse.”

Evelyn’s heart pounded. “What do you mean?”

He hesitated, then pulled a small, weathered journal from his backpack.

“This belonged to your mother,” he said softly. “I found it hidden in the attic. There’s... a lot in here about your family. About powers. About darkness.”

Evelyn took the journal with trembling hands, opening to a page filled with her mother’s neat handwriting:

“To Evelyn, if you find this—know that our blood carries a burden. Powers that can heal or destroy. You must learn to control what you fear, or it will consume you.”

A chill ran through her. Everything was more real now—the fear, the power, the mystery surrounding her family.

Liam’s eyes held a new intensity. “You’re not alone in this, Eve. And I’m not just your friend anymore. I want to help you... whatever it takes.”

For the first time, Evelyn felt a flicker of hope amid the shadows.

But as she looked up, a sudden movement caught her eye—a figure standing at the edge of the woods, watching silently. And the cold whisper of danger drifted on the wind.

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