What Was Left Behind

Chapter 5: The Missing Thread

The campus of Hillstone University buzzed with the usual mid-afternoon energy. Students lounged on the grass, backpacks slung over their shoulders, their conversations light and easy. It felt like a different world from the one Maia was caught up in—the weight of her investigation into Camilla's disappearance, her father's secrets, and the quiet conspiracy threading through the town's history. The normalcy of it all felt out of place, like something she couldn't connect with anymore.

Maia hadn't been back on campus in months, not since she'd taken a break from classes to deal with her growing obsession over Camilla's case. It had become impossible to focus on lectures or exams when the person she cared about most in the world had simply vanished. She had spent too many nights with her laptop, eyes burning as she scoured old newspaper archives and scribbled notes across maps, trying to figure out where the next missing girl would be—or how she could have missed the signs with Camilla.

And now, with the new revelations from Detective Ross and Levi, everything felt like it was closing in. The pieces of the puzzle were shifting, and Maia wasn't sure where it would all lead.

She stood outside the Arts Building, one of the older structures on campus, with ivy creeping up its stone walls. Camilla had loved this building. It was where she spent most of her time, sketching or working on projects for her art degree. The studio was where Maia had often found her late at night, paint smudged on her cheek, always deep in thought. Camilla had been vibrant, passionate about her work, and now... it felt like a lifetime ago.

Taking a deep breath, Maia pushed open the door to the building, her footsteps echoing off the polished floors as she made her way to the back hallway where Camilla's art studio had been. The hallway was quiet, almost eerily so, and the familiar smell of paint and old wood hung in the air. Everything here reminded her of Camilla.

As she approached the studio, something made her stop. The door was slightly ajar.

Her pulse quickened as she reached for the handle and pushed it open. Inside, the studio was dimly lit by the afternoon sun filtering through the tall windows. Paintbrushes and canvases were scattered across the room, and in the middle of it all was a student she didn't recognize. A young woman, no older than Maia, sat at one of the easels, her back to the door, deep in concentration as she worked on a painting.

Maia hesitated, not wanting to intrude, but something about the scene felt off. The studio had been locked since Camilla's disappearance—no one else was supposed to be here.

"Excuse me," Maia said, her voice quiet but firm.

The student jumped slightly, turning quickly to face her. The girl had dark hair tied back in a messy bun, with smudges of charcoal on her hands and face. Her eyes widened when she saw Maia, as if she recognized her. There was a nervousness in her gaze that Maia couldn't quite place.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Maia continued, stepping further into the room. "I used to come here a lot... with Camilla."

The girl's expression shifted, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.

"I'm Maia," she added, hoping to ease the tension. "Camilla was my best friend. I didn't expect anyone else to be here."

The girl swallowed hard, then nodded. "I—I'm Tessa," she said softly. "I knew Camilla too... we had a few classes together. I guess I didn't think anyone would mind if I worked in here for a while. I just... missed this place."

Maia watched her closely, something about the girl's demeanor setting off alarm bells in her mind. "Tessa, right?" she asked, her voice steady but probing. "You knew Camilla? You never mentioned that before."