2|| Whispers in the Wind

10|| i believe i can fly

Kalyani

Kalyani zoned out, watching her sister rummage in the closet. The two had reached a silent agreement not to talk about their argument. For now, they were picking outfits to go to Evelyn's house. Or- Aria was picking out outfits. Kalyani was just being an obstacle, vetoing most of the things chosen for her.

But that wasn't what was on her mind. The problem was that 'jayStone' from that ghost hunting website suggested she collect more information and proof. Today, she'd messaged him again, and he'd explained a lot.

Like how he lived very close to the graveyard Roxanne was buried in, but she'd never bothered him in his home. He said his theory was that she was looking for a place that reminded her of the past. Did Kalyani want her house to resemble Roxanne's? Absolutely not.

But the weirdest part was that he suggested there may be more than one person in her family with psychic sensitivity. According to him, spirits manifested in places they'd be noticed. She could believe it about herself, but the rest of her family? Almost impossible. Maybe the theory needed more work. More research on Roxanne. They still had a few hours till Evelyn's, anyway.

"Aria, just pick out anything for me. I need to do something," she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Um- 'kay!" Aria replied, her voice muffled from inside the closet.

Kalyani decided to try reading in a secluded room, like the attic. The biography was waiting on her bed just where she'd left it, and careful not to disturb her parents or Aria, she dropped the trap door and climbed upward.

She flipped to the last page she had read.

Theories and a Chilling Prospect

Roxanne grew up on a farmhouse with an original six acres of land which were later sold off. Her family chose not to keep animals, and the area was peaceful and secluded. Neighbors often commented on how silent they all were, unwilling to engage in social interaction. Records show that Roxanne's upbringing was heavily influenced by her siblings, all of whom were doting- no evidence indicated a sign of discontent before the murders. An interviewee who chose to remain anonymous insisted that they sometimes heard the little girl screaming at night. They submitted this photo of a figure stooping over her bed. This happened when she was five years old, but our interviewee claimed that these occurrences continued even after the girl's death. 

A sharp scratch snapped Kalyani out of her reading. She was grateful for a moment, thoroughly spooked by the last line. This book wasn't like any other biography she'd read. For one, it was lacking in detail and leaving out important dates. It left a lot to imagination and just seemed kind of like a summary instead of professionally written. And a "tall figure stooping over the bed"? She had looked into the autopsy reports earlier, and nobody in their family was particularly tall. Perhaps someone broke in at night, like the aunt Roxanne was visiting on the day of her disappearance.

Or maybe-

Something tapped her on the shoulder, just like last time. Kalyani expected it to be the little girl, but it wasn't. Darkness flooded into the room, hugging the corners in an almost humanlike manner. Kalyani felt a shiver run up her spine. There was a yell downstairs.

"Help me! Stop it!"

And even though she knew better, Kalyani wanted to be near the owner of the voice, comfort it. When faced with a dark shadow and a screaming kid, she'd choose the kid every time.