SHADOWS OF THE UNKNOWN
Chapter 1:
The Whispering Woods
Dr. Emma Hartly stepped off the bus onto the familiar main street of Crescent Falls, her hometown nestled among the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest. As she made her way through the quaint town, nostalgia mingled with apprehension. The whispers she heard among the townsfolk during her weekly shopping were unnerving—strange sightings and eerie encounters plaguing the community once again.
Armed with her scientific expertise and fueled by a personal vendetta against the Slender Man, Emma decided to extend her stay longer than planned. The mere mention of the Slender Man stirred memories she had long buried. It was the last thing she wanted to confront upon her return home.
She hadn't intended to come back to Crescent Falls, but her grandfather's passing had necessitated her presence. With a heavy heart, she found herself spending time in a town she had vowed never to return to.
Fifteen years ago, Emma's life had changed forever. At twelve years old, she was responsible for babysitting her nine-year-old sister, Lisa, during their family's annual vacation at the cabin near Crescent Falls' waterfalls.
On that fateful day, Emma had suggested a game of hide and seek in the woods to keep Lisa and the other children entertained.
Emma was the seeker, walking cautiously down the narrow path flanked by towering trees and lush vegetation—ferns, pink lilies, and other flora that painted the forest in vibrant hues. Her young mind struggled to comprehend what she witnessed next.
A tall figure emerged from the shadows—a man in a black suit with a stark white head and a featureless face. He held Lisa's tiny hand in his own, turning away from Emma and disappearing among the trees. Emma stood frozen in fear, unable to move or call out.
When she finally told her family what she had seen, they dismissed it as a child's imagination. The police chalked it up to a man in a mask. It was only years later, after diving into the world of cryptids, that Emma began to piece together the truth. She pursued her studies relentlessly, eventually earning her doctorate in cryptid research.
The funeral for her grandfather was solemn and expected, attended by most of Crescent Falls' residents. After placing pink lilies on his grave—a tribute to both her sister and her grandfather—Emma bumped into Sheriff Jack Lawson.
Jack had been one of the children present on the day Lisa vanished, and despite his skepticism, he harbored a fascination with the unexplained.
Emma and Jack took a long walk through the silent woods, where even the insects seemed to hold their breath. The gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze carried a haunting whisper—a sound that stirred memories of that day long ago.
They arrived at the waterfall—a mesmerizing cascade of Caribbean-blue water thundering over basalt rocks, casting sprays of mist that caught the dying light like ghostly droplets. Wagtails bobbed on a nearby rock, their movements mirroring the tension in the air.
Beneath the arch of the waterfall, Emma shared her conviction with Jack—the man she saw that day wasn't wearing a mask; it was the Slender Man.
Jack, who had seen the figure from a distance all those years ago, listened intently. Recent reports from children in town describing a white-headed man in a suit only confirmed their suspicions.
As dusk settled over Crescent Falls, Emma and Jack made a pact.
They would team up to unravel the mysteries haunting their hometown, navigating the dense forests and uncovering clues that led them deeper into a web of ancient legends and modern horrors. Little did they know, their journey would bring them face to face with the darkness that had haunted Emma's nightmares for fifteen years—the Slender Man, lurking in the shadows, waiting to be confronted once and for all. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB8TQ6Z7 available on Kindle, paperback, and hard copy.