Detective Claire Harrow stared at the cryptic note that had appeared on her desk overnight. It was written on a piece of aged parchment, the ink smudged as if it had been written in a hurry. “Find me before I disappear,” it read.
The message sent a chill down her spine. She had no idea who had left it or what it meant, but something about it seemed familiar. Claire had been working on a case involving a series of disappearances in the city, all linked by strange, untraceable letters. Each victim vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a cryptic note similar to the one now in her hands.
Determined to solve the mystery, Claire began her investigation. She retraced her steps, revisiting the scenes of the previous disappearances, but found nothing new. As she pondered the connection between the victims, a name came to mind—Jonathan Hale, a reclusive writer known for his bizarre tales and fascination with the occult.
Claire tracked Hale to an old, decrepit mansion on the outskirts of town. The door creaked open as she approached, and she felt a sense of unease wash over her. Inside, the air was thick with dust and decay, and the walls were lined with shelves filled with ancient books and strange artifacts.
In the center of the room stood Jonathan Hale, his eyes wide with terror. “It’s too late,” he whispered as he handed her a book. “The words… they consume us.”
Claire glanced at the book’s title—The Vanishing. It was a story about people who disappeared after reading a cursed letter. As she opened the book, the pages began to glow, and she felt herself being pulled into the story, the words wrapping around her like tendrils.
Realizing the truth, Claire fought against the pull, but it was too strong. As the world around her faded, she knew that she had become the latest victim of the cursed tale.
Her final thought was a desperate hope that someone would solve the mystery before the story claimed another life.
Leave feedback about this