SOON SERIES 1: Whispers In The Shadows

Chapter 6: Echoes of the Past

As the officers searched the property, Sarah sat on the front steps, her eyes darting to the dark tree line beyond the driveway. The police lights cast strange shadows across the yard, making every rustling branch seem like a lurking figure. Beside her, Jason sat quietly, still pale and disoriented from whatever had happened in the bedroom.

One of the officers, the older man with gray hair, approached them, his face serious. "We've checked the perimeter and the interior. Whoever was here is gone. But the car... That wasn't done by any animal. Someone deliberately shattered it."

Sarah nodded, gripping her phone tightly. She didn't want to look at the message again, but her mind kept going back to it: Soon. The word had burned itself into her brain, leaving her with a sense of dread that nothing—not even the officers' presence—could shake.

"Do you have any idea who might want to do this?" the officer asked, his gaze moving between Sarah and Jason.

"No," Sarah replied, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt me."

The officer's eyes softened slightly. "It could be a prank, someone trying to scare you. But with the level of vandalism and the fact that they got into your house... This feels planned. Intentional."

Jason spoke up, his tone angry. "She's been receiving threatening notes. Someone told her she needed to get ready, and tonight, this guy actually said she can't stop what's coming."

The officer's eyes narrowed. "You received threats before this?"

Sarah nodded, swallowing hard. "Two notes. The last one just said... it said soon."

The officer was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. "We'll increase patrols in the area, but with houses this isolated, I suggest you both stay somewhere else for the next few days. Let us do some investigating here, check out the surrounding properties. There's only so much we can do out here in the middle of nowhere."

Sarah glanced at Jason, unsure. This was her home, her safe place. Leaving felt like admitting defeat, like letting whoever was behind this win. But the thought of staying, of spending another night in a house where every shadow felt like a threat... She shuddered.

"I think that's a good idea," Jason said, meeting her gaze. "We can stay at my place, just for a few nights."

Sarah hesitated. She didn't want to leave, but she knew he was right. "Okay. Just for a few nights."

The officer nodded, looking relieved. "Good. We'll keep a close eye on the place. Make sure you stay in touch with us if you remember anything else."

Sarah and Jason gathered a few essentials before following the officers to their car. As they pulled away from the house, Sarah felt an overwhelming sense of loss, as if she were leaving a part of herself behind.

The drive to Jason's apartment was quiet. The town felt strange at this late hour, the streets empty and dark. Every shadow along the roadside seemed to follow them, an unwelcome companion on their journey.

They arrived at Jason's small apartment, a modest but cozy place in the heart of town. He turned on the lights, the warmth of the room a stark contrast to the cold, haunting atmosphere that had lingered around her house. But even here, in the safety of Jason's apartment, Sarah couldn't shake the feeling that she was still being watched.

"Do you want something to drink?" Jason asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," she replied, sinking into the couch. "Something strong."

He nodded, pouring her a glass of whiskey. She took a long sip, feeling the warmth spread through her, grounding her just a bit. Jason sat beside her, his expression worried.

"Do you think they'll find whoever did this?" she asked, more to herself than to Jason.

He hesitated, then placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "They'll try. But Sarah, we need to think about what you're going to do next. I mean, even if they don't find anyone, you can't go back there alone."

"I don't want to live in fear," she whispered, the words almost lost in the silence. "I can't just... uproot my life because of some sick prank."

"Maybe it's more than that," he replied softly. "Maybe there's something you're not remembering. Something that could explain all this."

Sarah frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jason hesitated, looking unsure of himself. "You've always said there were gaps in your memory from when you were a kid, right? I mean... what if this is somehow related to that?"

She hadn't thought about that in years. The memory gaps had always felt like distant shadows, something she couldn't quite touch or understand. Her parents had told her she'd suffered from a high fever as a child, that it had affected her memory for a few years. But there was something deeper she couldn't place, something she'd never fully understood.

"Maybe," she replied, though she wasn't convinced. "But why now? Why would someone bring this up after all these years?"

"I don't know," Jason admitted. "But until we figure it out, you can't go back there alone."

Sarah nodded, leaning back against the couch. She knew he was right. But the idea that this could be tied to her past, to something she couldn't even remember... It was terrifying in a way she couldn't explain.

They stayed up talking, going over every detail, every note, every strange noise she'd heard in the house over the past few weeks. But nothing they discussed brought her any closer to an answer.

TO BE CONTINUED