River's Creek: The Disappearance of Erin White

Chapter four

The worst thing we were trying to avoid happened. Erin was found dead. At least that's what Jackson believed. He texted in a frenzy about them finding Erin. But I could still feel her echo. It was fading but still there. It means that the body they found has to be someone else. It doesn't make sense for the kidnapper to kill her. Especially if they know about the child. But I texted to be supportive. Jackson and his family are going to see the body. I texted him to make sure it was her. Because if it's not, then it goes deeper than we thought. Right now, I need to find that house. I had visions of it along with the echoes of Erin. But when I went to the library after Jackson left, the house didn't exist. Not even in the history of River's Creek. What is this town trying to cover up? With nothing left, I went into the bathroom and used my power to enter the medium. It suddenly became quiet. I open the bathroom door to an empty library. The only people who're connected to the medium are souls. And people like me. The medium can be described as an empty reality. Kind of like an apocalyptic world. The physics and world is distorted with no set point in time. Which means that the world is filled with the past, present, and possible future. So for the house not to appear here so easily is scary. I walk the empty streets of the medium searching for the house, but I notice something else. There was a dark field in the distance. I walked closer to the field, noticing that I was reaching the outside of town. When I finally reached the end, I couldn't go any further. There is some kind of supernatural force field that blocks us from leaving. Is it trying to keep something out? Or something in? I should leave. I walked back to the library but someone was watching me. I stopped in the middle of the road looking around. I felt eyes all around me, but nobody was there. I quickly went back to the bathroom and entered back into the real reality. I walk out of the bathroom and head outside. The force field even goes farther than Richard's house. Does the field affect everybody? My phone then vibrated. It was Jackson.
"Hey. Is it her?"
Jackson lets out a sigh.
"It's not her."
"That's good."
"It is."
"Do they know who the girl actually is?"
"No. But the investigation is now getting bigger."
"This is not good."
"They are looking for a possible serial killer or kidnapper. Cases that have never been given to the police."
"Secrets are coming to the light."
"I have to go, but I'll talk to you later."
"Okay."
I hung up after him. At least it wasn't Erin, but that raises the question of how many? How come that girl never got a missing person's case? Unless she's an outsider. I went home and realized that Earl wasn't here. That's two days. Very odd, but I didn't care. I need to find out about that field around this town. I knew this town was odd, but something like this was bizarre. I drop my things and enter back into the medium. The brush of wind blew against my body. And I open my eyes to the medium. I was transported to a clear and beautiful green field with a clear blue sky and calm wind breeze. Made to calm the soul and stay hidden. I then knew where I was. I turn around to look at her shadow standing in the field. She was staring at the sky calmly. Her black hair was in a ponytail. August is a native of the medium. She can connect to the medium like me. The only difference is that I can interact with the human world as well. We have more of a mural agreement than an actual partnership. She then turned to me. I sighed.
"If I'm here, then something has got to be wrong.
"Emma. Glad you came."
"What do you want, August?"
"I just want to talk."
"About?"
"The thing you've been feeling. The darkness that surrounds us."
I couldn't hide my concern.
"The force field? You know about it?"
"It's something I'd never felt before. A strange power that emerged out of nowhere."
"Can you stop it?"
"No. I've tried and failed."
"And you come to me, why?"
"Because it's affecting the human world."
"Which should be impossible. The medium was created to keep the supernatural from affecting the human world."
"Not unless it's from there."
"You think the power is from the human world. Then why affect the medium?"
"I don't know. But that's what we need to stop."
"It might have taken someone. Her name is Erin White. Why her?"
"I don't know yet. But it has an evil vendetta. I can feel it."
"Do you at least have a notion of what it could be?"
"No. But I know how I can help."
"How?"
"The house that Erin was trying to show you in the medium doesn't exist in the real world. At least not anymore."
"What is that house?"
"Something that goes beyond the medium and real world."
"How do I find it?"
"Continue searching for Erin with Jackson. I think this investigation will reveal the truth to this town and it will help you find that house."
I was then transported back to the human world with more questions than answers. I have to find that house. I then left the house to check on Jackson. He agreed to meet me at the library to discuss about the body. But instead of staying at the Library, we took a walk through the woods until it was just us.
"I'm glad it wasn't Erin. But what happened?" I ask.
"The cops told father that they had found a body in the woods that match Erin's description. They thought it was her, but when forensic team came and my mother saw the body, we learn that it wasn't Erin."
"Did you hear who it might be?"
"No."
"I wonder how long that girl has been there."
I look up at Jackson, who was distant.
"Jackson."
"Yeah?"
"What's on your mind?"
"I was just thinking about how I felt when they told me they found Erin's body. How everything around me turned dark and died. What if that was her for real?"
"It won't be."
I grab his hand and squeeze it for reassurance.
"We will find her."
Jackson smiles.
"Thanks.
"Are you ready to go back?"
He sighs.
"We can. I can't avoid my family and friends forever."
It wasn't until he finally pull his hand away to get up that I realized that we was still holding hands. What made me blush was the fact that he never awkwardly pull it away. He then reach out his hand to help me up. Looking at Jackson made me think about what August had said. Helping him would help me find that house. Come to think of it, I never asked Jackson.
"Jackson?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know anything about a white house. A one that has the number 321?"
"Sounds like a house in the suburban area of River's Creek."
The suburbs. I didn't think to search there.
"Is the house still standing?"
"No. It's that house that burned down years ago. My dad use to know the couple that lived there before?"
"What happened after?"
"It got rebuild. Actually, it's the house that Chad lives in."
"Thanks Jackson."
After saying goodbye to him, I waited until he got farther ahead to follow him to the suburbs. But I think it was better to do this in the medium. I never thought to search the suburbs in the medium. But I soon learn why. When I got there, the entire area looked burnt. Nothing left but darkness and ash. What happened? Why does the medium remember the land like this? I continued to walk through the ashen neighborhood. Until I saw a familiar darkness. There was a reality hole in the middle of the ashen land. This was where Chad lives. This was where the house stood. I tried to reach August but my power wouldn't work. This darkness was something else. It must be the other part of the medium. The one that was out of our control. I suddenly got the feeling that I was being watched. Whispers were in the distance. There were others here. Multiple of them. The whispers were getting louder. I covered my ears as their voices overwhelmed me. But that wasn't the worst thing. Something was emerging from the shadows. Its presence was stronger and more sinister. The voices were getting louder by fear. But there was only one voice that stood out to me. A deep voice that came out in an echo.
"What are you?"