Moonlit Secrets

Chapter 4: A Pact of Secrets

The next morning, Emily woke to the sound of birds chirping outside her window, their cheerful calls a stark contrast to the unease that had settled in her chest overnight. The events of the previous day lingered in her mind, playing over and over in a loop she couldn’t escape. The girl’s body in the woods, the strange feeling of being watched, and the way the police had brushed off her concerns—it all churned in her head, leaving her restless.

Emily dressed quickly, slipping on a comfortable pair of jeans and a light sweater. She had decided she couldn’t sit around and wait for answers that might never come. Today, she’d reconnect with Sophie, her old friend from Willow Creek. Sophie had always been the kind of person who knew everything that went on in town, and if anyone had an idea of what might be happening—or was willing to help her figure it out—it would be her.

It wasn’t long before Emily found herself walking down the familiar streets of town. The air was cool, the breeze gentle, and the early autumn sun bathed the town in a golden light. Willow Creek was as picturesque as ever, the kind of place people sent postcards from. But beneath the surface, Emily couldn’t shake the feeling that something darker was lurking.

As she rounded the corner to Main Street, she spotted Sophie sitting outside the café, her wavy auburn hair unmistakable in the morning sunlight. Sophie hadn’t changed much over the years, her easy confidence and relaxed posture were still the same as when they were teenagers. She was sipping on what looked like a caramel latte, her sunglasses perched on top of her head.

Emily waved, a smile finally tugging at her lips. Sophie looked up and beamed, standing to greet her with a tight hug.

“Emily! I almost didn’t recognize you!” Sophie exclaimed, pulling back to look her up and down. “It’s been way too long. What’s it been, five years?”

“Six, actually,” Emily corrected, smiling at the familiarity of Sophie’s voice. “You haven’t changed at all.”

Sophie laughed, motioning for Emily to sit across from her. “Neither have you, at least not much. I was so surprised when I heard you were back in town. What brings you to this sleepy place after all this time?”

“I’m staying with my grandmother for a while,” Emily explained as she sat down. “I needed a break from the city, and Willow Creek seemed like a good place to clear my head.”

“Well, you came back at an interesting time, that’s for sure,” Sophie said, raising an eyebrow. “A lot’s changed around here, but a lot’s still the same too.”

A waitress came by, and Emily ordered a black coffee. As she waited for it to arrive, she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about. Something… strange happened yesterday.”

Sophie gave her a curious look. “Strange how?”

Emily hesitated for a moment, not sure how to begin. She hadn’t talked about the details with anyone besides the police, and that had been more frustrating than anything. But this was Sophie—she’d understand.

“I went for a walk in the woods near the creek yesterday,” Emily began slowly, “and I found a body. A girl—she couldn’t have been older than sixteen. It was… it was awful, Sophie. Her body was all torn up.”

Sophie’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait, what? You found a dead girl? Oh my God, that’s insane!”

Emily nodded, feeling a tightness in her chest as she remembered the scene. “I called the police right away, but when they came to talk to me about it, they were so dismissive. Like they didn’t believe anything was wrong. I told them about this weird feeling I had in the woods, like something was watching me, and they just brushed it off. They acted like it was no big deal.”

Sophie frowned, leaning back in her chair. “Typical. The police around here never take anything seriously unless it’s right in front of their faces. They probably think it was just some animal attack and that you’re overreacting.”

“That’s exactly how it felt,” Emily said, frustration creeping into her voice. “But I know what I saw, and I know what I felt. Something wasn’t right in those woods, Sophie. I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t just an animal.”

Sophie was quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful. She tapped her fingers lightly on the table before finally speaking. “You know, I’ve heard some weird stuff going on in town recently. People have been talking about missing pets, and strange noises at night. There’s been this feeling of tension in the air like everyone’s waiting for something bad to happen. But no one talks about it openly. It’s like they’re afraid to admit something’s wrong.”

Emily felt a chill run down her spine. Mrs. Thompson had said something similar the day before, but hearing it from Sophie made it feel more real. “That’s exactly what I’ve been feeling too. Like something’s wrong, but no one wants to deal with it.”

Sophie leaned forward, her eyes narrowing slightly. “So, what are you thinking? That the police are just going to ignore this and hope it goes away?”

Emily sighed, taking a sip of her coffee as it arrived. “I don’t know. But I have this feeling that if I leave it to them, they’re not going to find out what happened. And I can’t stop thinking about that girl. Whoever she was, she deserves better than that.”

Sophie was silent for a moment, and then a slow smile spread across her face. “You know, we could always look into it ourselves.”

Emily raised an eyebrow, surprised by how quickly Sophie had jumped on the idea. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if the police aren’t going to take this seriously, maybe we should. I mean, we both grew up here. We know this town, the people. And besides, I’ve always wanted to play detective,” Sophie said with a grin.

Emily couldn’t help but smile, despite the gravity of the situation. “You’re serious? You want to investigate this ourselves?”

“Why not?” Sophie shrugged, leaning back in her chair. “It’s not like we’ve got anything to lose. And besides, I’ve got some connections in town. I can ask around, see if anyone knows anything about the girl you found or if they’ve heard any other strange stories.”

Emily thought about it for a moment, weighing the risks. Part of her was hesitant—this wasn’t some harmless mystery they were dealing with. There was a real danger lurking out there, and getting involved could lead them down a dangerous path. But at the same time, she couldn’t just walk away. She couldn’t forget the look of that girl’s lifeless body and the way the police had dismissed it so easily.

Finally, she nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it. If the police aren’t going to find the truth, then we will.”

Sophie’s grin widened, and she reached across the table to grab Emily’s hand. “That’s the spirit! We’ll start by asking around town, to see if anyone knows anything about the girl or if there have been other strange occurrences that haven’t made it to the police. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Em. I promise.”

Emily felt a surge of determination, her earlier fear and frustration melting away. With Sophie by her side, she wasn’t alone in this anymore. Together, they’d find the answers the police weren’t willing to look for.

As they finished their coffee and made plans for the rest of the day, Emily couldn’t shake the feeling that they were about to uncover something far bigger—and far more dangerous—than they expected. But whatever it was, she was ready to face it.