The Forgotten

The First Day

Emily awoke early the next morning, the weight of the previous day still pressing on her. The unsettling conversation with Caroline had left her restless, her mind turning over the implications of what she had learned. The curse was real, and it was still claiming victims, perhaps even Caroline's daughter, Lila. But as much as Emily wanted to dive deeper into the mystery, she knew she had other responsibilities.

Today was her first day at the Ravenswood Medical Centre. It was a small clinic, but it served the entire town and surrounding areas. As a paediatrician, Emily had always been passionate about caring for children, and despite everything, she was determined to make a difference here.

After a quick breakfast, Emily put on her white coat and grabbed her bag. She glanced at the journal she had placed on the shelf the night before, feeling a pang of curiosity, but she pushed it aside for now. There would be time to read more later. For now, she had a job to do.

The walk to the clinic was short, and as she approached, Emily noticed how quiet the town seemed. It was as if Ravenswood was holding its breath, waiting for something. She pushed the thought aside as she entered the clinic, where she was greeted by a friendly receptionist.

"Good morning, Dr. Harlow," the receptionist said with a warm smile. "We're so glad to have you here."

"Thank you," Emily replied, trying to match the woman's enthusiasm. "I'm happy to be here."

The clinic was modest but well-kept, with a handful of examination rooms and a small waiting area. As Emily walked through the halls, she was introduced to the staff, a small but dedicated team of nurses and doctors who welcomed her warmly.

After a brief orientation, Emily settled into her office, familiarizing herself with the layout and the files of the patients she would be seeing. She was just starting to feel comfortable when there was a knock on her door.

"Dr. Harlow, there's a couple here with their son. He's had a fall, and they're asking for you," the nurse informed her.

Emily nodded and quickly made her way to the examination room. As she entered, she found a young couple standing anxiously by the bed, where their son lay. The boy looked to be around seven years old, with sandy blond hair and a pale complexion. What struck Emily immediately, though, was the vacant look in his eyes. He stared straight ahead, unblinking, as if he was lost in another world.

"Good morning, I'm Dr. Harlow," Emily said as she approached the bed. "What happened here?"

The boy's father stepped forward, his face lined with worry. "He fell down the stairs this morning. He tumbled all the way down, but the strange thing is...he didn't cry. He just got up and stood there, staring like that. We thought he might be in shock, so we brought him here right away."

Emily frowned, her concern growing. "Has he said anything since the fall?"

The mother shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "No, nothing. He's just...been like this."

Emily nodded, keeping her expression calm despite the unease gnawing at her. She carefully examined the boy, noting the broken wrist and the hairline fractures in his legs. Despite the injuries, the boy remained eerily silent, his gaze unfocused.

"I'm going to treat his injuries and then keep him under observation for a while," Emily said gently. "We'll need to monitor him closely to make sure there's no internal damage."

The parents nodded, their relief palpable. Emily worked swiftly, setting the boy's wrist and applying casts to his legs. Throughout the procedure, the boy remained silent, his vacant stare never wavering. It was as if he was in a trance, disconnected from the world around him.

Once the treatment was complete, Emily had the boy moved to a private room where he could rest. She stayed with him for a while, hoping he might show some sign of awareness, but the minutes ticked by without any change. Finally, just as Emily was about to leave the room, the boy's lips parted, and he spoke in a soft, distant voice.

"Where's my toy?"

Emily's heart skipped a beat. It was the first sign of life he had shown since arriving. "What toy, sweetheart?"

"My bear," the boy murmured, his eyes still unfocused. "I want my bear."

The father, who had been standing by the door, immediately perked up. "I'll go home and get it for you, buddy. I'll be right back."

Emily watched as the father hurried out of the room, her concern deepening. She gently stroked the boy's hair. "Your dad's going to get your bear. You just rest now, okay?"

The boy nodded slightly, his eyes finally fluttering closed as he drifted into sleep. His mother, who had been quietly sobbing by his bedside, excused herself to the bathroom, leaving Emily alone in the room.

Emily stayed for a few more minutes, making sure the boy was resting peacefully before she left to check on her other patients. The clinic was busy, and the hours passed quickly as she attended to her duties, but the boy's vacant stare and odd behaviour lingered in the back of her mind.

As evening approached, Emily returned to the boy's room to check on him. To her shock, the bed was empty. The covers were neatly pulled back, but the boy was nowhere to be seen. Panic surged through her as she quickly called for the nurses.

"Where's the boy?" she demanded, her voice trembling.

The nurses exchanged confused glances. "He was here just a little while ago," one of them said. "His mother went to the bathroom, and when she came back, he was gone."

Chaos erupted as the staff searched the clinic from top to bottom, but there was no sign of the boy. The mother was hysterical, sobbing uncontrollably as she begged for someone to find her son. The father returned with the toy bear in hand, only to be met with the devastating news that his son was missing.

Night fell, and still, there was no trace of the boy. The authorities were called, and a search party was organized to comb through the town. Finally, as dawn approached, a witness came forward, an elderly man who claimed to have seen the boy walking toward the forest on the outskirts of town.

Emily's heart sank as she listened to the man's account. She knew the forest well; it was the same one she and Caroline had explored as children, the same one where they had first encountered Elara. The search party immediately headed to the forest, but as the hours passed, hope began to fade.

By the time the sun rose, the boy was still missing. The only evidence they found was the toy bear, lying abandoned at the edge of the woods.