In this area, the lights never come on, there are no visitors, and it's always dead silent. The houses stand empty without residents, and no one wants to buy a home here.
Twelve-year-old Luke Campbell suffers from loneliness - he has no friends, an...
Each of us has our own skeletons in the closet, especially when it comes about such secretive people like Aliya. For some, these are ordinary everyday secrets, while for others, they are on a much larger scale.
For the first time, Luke came to the conclusion that if he was never meant to meet the girl again, he at least needed to find some information about her. Maybe she truly had no documents or official proof of her existence, but there had to be some information about Dark Lanterns Lane, where her house was located.
The boy spent the whole evening scrupulously searching for any sources about that mysterious street where the lanterns shed light only for him. But, unfortunately, even Google was unable to help anyhow. The Internet contained no articles, photographs, documents, or other evidence. It seemed that one could find absolutely everything in the worldwide network, except for that unfortunate place.
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Eventually, Luke decided to turn to one famous old-fashioned method — he would visit the local library for the first time in his life.
***
Luke spent the entire Saturday trying to find information about Dark Lanterns Lane. It was the first time he went to the local library, which impressed him with its size. The place was large and filled with rows of shelves. There were so many books that it seemed like they went on forever.
The library had a quiet and cozy atmosphere - the one that the boy admired most of all. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, casting soft light on the reading tables. Luke wandered through the aisles, looking for any mention of Dark Lanterns Lane. He pulled out books and searched through their pages.
He found many books on various topics, but none of them had the information he needed. Luke felt frustrated as the hours passed. He flipped through dusty volumes and old newspapers, but nothing about Dark Lanterns Lane came up. However the boy appreciated the library’s quiet and the wealth of knowledge it held, there was nothing of what he desired to find. It was a long, tiring search, and he realized that finding information in a library was quite different from searching online.
The title of the article was "The Girl in White." This immediately reminded the boy of someone... Luke's curiousity was piqued so he instantly began reading.
A Girl In White
A chilling report has surfaced of a young girl seen wandering the streets of Willow Lane, bearing a striking resemblance to Aliya Mercado, the child who vanished from this very neighborhood just a few weeks ago.
Eyewitnesses describe the girl as approximately 9-10 years old, petite in stature, wearing a pristine white dress. Her fair skin and light blond hair match the description of Aliya perfectly, leading many to believe that the missing child may have been found.
The sighting occurred late yesterday afternoon on Willow Lane, the very street where the Mercado family reside. The girl was said to have been alone, wandering aimlessly, and appeared to be in a state of indifference.
Local authorities were immediately notified and rushed to the scene. However, despite an extensive search of the area, no trace of the girl could be found. The disappearance of Aliya Mercado has captivated the whole country, and this latest development has only deepened the mystery surrounding her case.
The Mercado family are well-known for their wealth and the family-owned flower shop that graces the town center. They have never had any serious issues in life. Hector Mercado, a shrewd businessman, heads the family enterprise while his wife, Helena, is a renowned philanthropist and also a very polite woman. Their eldest son, 20-year-old Fabian, is a promising young entrepreneur with a keen business mind, while their youngest, the spirited Aliya, is a beloved local figure whose disappearance has sent shockwaves through the whole community.
Neighbours of the Mercado family recall Aliya as a radiant child, full of life and kindness. “She was always smiling,” Mrs. Thompson, an elderly teacher, reminisced. “Such a sweet and gentle soul.” Another resident, Mr. Johnson, added, “Aliya was a bright light in our neighborhood. Her laughter could brighten anyone's day.” Even the local shopkeeper, Mr. Patel, chimed in, “She was a regular customer, always polite and respectful. A truly exceptional child.”
The Mercado Estate is a sprawling and elegant mansion. Nestled amidst meticulously manicured lawns and surrounded by towering trees, the house is an architectural marvel among small wooden huts. Inside, the estate boasts lavishly decorated rooms, each a showcase of fine art and exquisite furnishings. It’s a home everyone would like to reside.
As the investigation into Aliya's disappearance deepens, police are considering a disturbing possibility: the kidnapping may be motivated by envy of the Mercados' affluent lifestyle. The family's high profile and conspicuous wealth have made them a target for those with malicious intent. Detectives are exploring all angles, including the potential involvement of individuals harboring resentment towards the family's success.
Many questions remain unanswered: was the girl seen on Willow Lane truly Aliya? If so, where has she been all this time? And why did she vanish again after being spotted?
As investigators continue to follow every lead, the community of our town remains alert, hoping for a swift resolution to this haunting case.
22 March, 1938
Luke silently set aside the newspaper, trying to gather all his thoughts into a single cohesive mass, but they kept breaking apart into millions of tiny fragments, not allowing him to think clearly. Aliya Mercado... The girl in white... The boy didn't know her last name, he had never even asked, but something inside told him he was closer to the truth than ever before.
