beyond the pages

chapter 6

                      Emily Williams

I stormed out of his study, my feet pounding the pavement as I made my way to the garden. "Dad!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the air.

He snapped his head up, startled, as Eric turned to me with a confused expression. "What's wrong, Emmy?" Dad asked, concern etched on his face.

"What were you doing on your laptop?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing.

Dad's expression shifted from confusion to alarm. "N-nothing," he stammered.

I took a step forward, anger simmering. "I want to know the truth, Dad."

He raised an eyebrow, his voice firm. "There's no truth."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me seething.

My gaze burned with anger as I watched him disappear into the house.

Eric approached me cautiously. "Emily, what's going on?"

But I shook my head, words failing me.

Unanswered questions swirled in my mind:

What was Dad hiding?

Who was Emma?

As I trudged up the stairs, each step felt heavier, my thoughts tangled in a web of confusion. The creaking of the wooden steps beneath my feet echoed through the silence. Emma. Who was she? Why did Dad miss her?

I pushed open my bedroom door, seeking refuge in the familiarity of my sanctuary. Soft sunlight filtering through the curtains cast a warm glow on my bed, inviting me to collapse onto its comfort.

I flopped onto the plush pillows, Love Is Real clutched in my hand. The smooth cover felt reassuring against my skin. I opened the book, revealing blank pages that promised escape.

As I turned the page after the ending of Chapter 3, I gasped, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Who wrote this? I shivered, my skin prickling with goosebumps, as I saw that Chapter 4 was already written, in the same hauntingly beautiful handwriting as Ana's.

My mind swirled with questions, each one tangling into a knot of unease. "The book is cursed," the librarian's voice echoed in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine. Maybe I should believe it? Maybe I should heed the warning and stay away?

But my curiosity refused to be silenced. It clawed at me, demanding answers. What secrets lay hidden in these pages? What truths would they reveal?

I felt my resolve waver, my grip on the book tightening. Fear and fascination wrestled within me, each side pulling me in opposite directions. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, my emotions raw and exposed.

But I'm Emily, I reminded myself, squaring my shoulders. I can face this.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself and opened the book, its pages beckoning like a siren's call. I smiled, anticipation coursing through my veins, and settled into the plush cushions of my bed.

But as I began to read, a shiver danced across my skin. I felt like someone was watching me, their gaze crawling up my spine. I glanced around the room, expecting to see Eric or Dad lingering in the doorway.

No one.

I shook off the feeling, attributing it to my overactive imagination. Focus, Emily.

I immersed myself in the book, the words blurring together as my heart rate slowed. The room receded, and I was transported to a world of love, loss, and longing.