Evergreen was sick off and on for ages, but during her moments of clarity she explored her small amount of space. She was allowed just outside of her room, and into a few rooms in the hallway. She took advantage of this liberty, and walked around aimlessly for hours. One of the rooms was a little sitting room with a small library. It was elegant and picturesque, a cozy little nook with a large window seat. It was adorned with many pillows and blankets, plus some stuffed animals, making it the perfect image.
If only Evergreen had her camera. She felt naked without it, it had been with her always since she could remember. She sighed and looked over at the large fireplace in the room, and walked over to it, noticing a switch attached to the front. She flipped the switch, and it came to life, filling the room with a very comforting glow. Her eyes twinkled, she was enchanted by this magical place already, as she turned around to look at the bookshelves, a shine caught her eye.
She walked over, and moved a book to find a camera sitting on the shelf. It was a very professional camera, even more intricate than her own. On it, a little note was attached with a ribbon. Evergreen gently detached the note, and it read:
Dearest Evergreen, I know this is a tough time for you. You are confused and sick and probably scared, and I wanted to give you something to make you feel a little better. This is my old camera, I can't make use of it anymore due to personal reasons, but I know you can. I trust you will take good care of it and cherish it, so I hand it off to you. Please be careful, and when the sun goes down, stay in your room and whatever you do, DO NOT OPEN THE WINDOWS AT DARK, HE WILL FIND YOU. Take care darlin', we'll be in touch.
Maddison
Evergreen gingerly picked up the camera, and smiled, draping the strap over her neck. She looked back at the bolded part in the note and immediately felt sick. The note was so kind and sweet, yet the warning in it felt harsh and dark compared to the rest, she felt uneasy. She put the note in her pocket, and started to snap pictures of the beautiful room, feeling a wave of comfort rush through her. This camera made the queasy feeling go away somehow, maybe it was just a comfort item for her to always have a camera, or maybe Maddison had done something to it. Either way, Evergreen was grateful, and as she stood in the light of the fireplace, a sound caught her attention.
Footsteps.
She froze, not recognizing the steps. Maddison's were gentle but firm, The Hooded Man's were heavy and authoritative. These steps almost had no rhythm, and were extremely heavy, her stomach dropping as she hid behind a bookshelf. The steps stopped in the doorway, and she heard someone breathe in deeply, exhaling exaggeratedly.
"I smell something sweet.....A girl...." The voice was scratchy and somewhat unpleasant, it had a wheeze to it, like a burn victim from a house fire. Evergreen swallowed deeply, trembling.
"Come out, come out wherever you are sweetie, I just want to talk." This person definitely did not just want to talk. Evergreen heard the steps coming closer, and she quickly hid behind another bookshelf before he could catch her.
"Awh, c'mon now darlin'. The more you make me look for you, the worse I'm going to be." This was a man's voice, and she caught his silhouette from his shadow. He looked tall, and strong. She would not win in a physical scuffle with this individual, especially not with the knife he was brandishing, something else his shadow revealed.
"I'm getting angry, honey, just come out so Jeffery can get a good look at you...." He started to move quicker, and so did Evergreen. Her heart was pounding, and she just wanted to stay away from whoever "Jeffery" was. She was almost out of the room when she tripped on the edge of a rug on the floor, landing with an audible thud.
"I FOUND YOU, SWEET ASS!" He started to run at Evergreen, and she screamed, getting up and sprinting out of the door, making her way down the hall. She was terrified, and the only thought in her mind was to continue running, she found her way out of the large house pretty quickly. She sprinted into the woods, and found the trail that led back to town. Even when she couldn't hear any trace of the man, she continued running.
Who was he? Why was he there? What was happening in her life? She felt so safe until that moment, and then she just felt the need to run, run far away. As she made her way to the edge of the woods, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face in the distance.
Tom.
She ran as hard and fast as she could, and as he turned and saw her, she collapsed into his arms in tears.
"Evie, where have you been!?" He held her close, as she cried into his shoulder. He sighed and gently, holding her close. "Let's get you home, your mama will be happy to see you, as will Hades. We have been worried sick about you." Tom helped Evergreen home, who was still sniffling.
As they walked home, Evergreen glanced over her shoulder, seeing the silhouette of Maddison. She mouthed "I'm sorry" before finally blacking out in Tom's arms.
YOU ARE READING
Forgotten Photography: The Case Of Maddison Valentine
Mystery / Thriller{THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 100 READS!!} What do a local conservationist, a detective, and a teenage girl all have in common? Normally not much, but when people are missing and there are no answers to be found, it's the job of one Evergreen Williams to u...
