Nathan's eyes brightened at the idea. “Let’s take a detour to my house first. I have some old books about local legends that might help us.”
Clara looked relieved. “That’s a great idea! If we can find any connections to Mr. Smith or those noises, it could give us a better perspective on what’s happening here.”
The two of them briskly made their way to Nathan’s house, a small, cozy place nestled among the trees on the outskirts of town. The familiar scent of sawdust and oil wafted through the air as they entered, a reminder of the countless hours Nathan spent tinkering with vehicles with his father in the garage.
“Just let me grab those books,” Nathan said, heading towards a shelf packed with titles ranging from classic literature to dusty tomes on folklore and local history. Clara watched him, her mind racing with anticipation. She could sense that they were onto something significant.
As Nathan rummaged through the clutter, he found a worn leather-bound book titled “Alder Creek: Shadows of the Past.” It looked like it hadn’t been touched in years. He carefully opened it, revealing pages filled with stories of the town’s early settlers, mysterious creatures seen in the woods, and strange occurrences that residents had documented over the years.
“Here!” Nathan exclaimed, pointing to a passage. “It mentions townsfolk hearing cries in the forest around the time old Mr. Smith disappeared. They thought it was just folklore—stories to scare children.”
Clara leaned closer, captivated by the contents of the book. “Do you think Mr. Smith might have stumbled onto something he wasn’t supposed to find?”
“Maybe,” Nathan mused, flipping to another page. “It also suggests that some people believe there are hidden caves around here… places where ancient rituals were performed. It could explain those cries.”
Just then, a deep rumble echoed outside, shaking the very foundations of the house. Clara’s eyes widened in alarm. “What was that?!”
Nathan jumped, his heart racing. “I don’t know! It came from the direction of the woods!”
Fear coiled in Nathan’s stomach, but a sense of urgency took hold. “We need to check it out. If those noises are getting louder, it could be related to Mr. Smith and whatever is going on in this town.”
Clara nodded, adrenaline surging through her. “Let’s go, but we have to be careful! We don’t know what we might encounter.”
They both grabbed flashlights from the kitchen drawer, Nathan pocketing the book as they headed towards the back door leading into the dark woods.
As they stepped outside, the night air was thick with tension, and the rumble faded into an eerie silence. The trees loomed around them, whispering secrets in the wind.
“What do you think it could be?” Clara asked quietly, her voice almost swallowed by the darkness.
“Honestly?” Nathan replied, swallowing hard. “I have no idea. But whatever it is, I believe we’re getting closer to the truth—whether we’re ready for it or not.”