Ghosts of Willow Creek

Chapter One - Death and Discovery

The venue of the wake was packed with people. A lot of them I had known my whole life and friends that came for support.

I was downing my tenth vodka and Coke when I heard his voice.

"Nadia you need to slow down. Give me your keys and I will call you a taxi," Matt said.

"I'm fine I won't have any more, honest," I slurred.

"Nadia it's time you went home you've been through a lot and you need to get some rest. Alex has everything under control," he told me sternly.

"I can't sleep Matt without seeing what they did to her. I dream about it every night. This is the only way I can get through it."

"What they did was terrible but you have to move past it and drinking yourself into oblivion is not the answer. Come on I'll take you home and stay with you until you fall asleep."

With that he took the empty glass from my hand and placed it on the table that I was sitting up before helping me to my feet.

Maybe I have had too much to drink. I thought as the room started to spin.

Matt's strong arms held me steady while we walked to the elevator.

Once down stairs he led me to the exit and his car. He helped me in and even did my belt up before going around to the other side to get in.

We drive in silence until we reached my house and I handed him the keys so he could unlock the door.

Once we were inside and the doors had been locked Matt led me into my room and grabbed a pair of pyjamas out of my cupboard.

He left the room so I could get dressed which I failed miserably at and ended up crashing to the floor.

"Nadia what's going on?" Matt called through the door.

"Nothing I just fell," I yelled back.

The door opened and Matt poked his head through the hole. I could see the laughter on his face and scowled.

"Oh yes it's so funny. I'm too drunk to put clothes on," I snapped at him.

He walked into the room and helped me up. After sitting me down on the bed he grabbed my clothes off the floor and undid my shoes, pulled my dress over my head and helped me get into my pyjamas.

Matt then pulled back the covers and gestured for me to get in. I obliged even though I knew it was useless going to sleep because I would wake up just minutes later.

I rolled onto my side and Matt lay next to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. Within minutes I was asleep.

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The next morning I awoke to the sound of my alarm. I rolled over to turn it off but found I couldn't move and something hard behind me.

I looked behind me to see Matt in the same place he was when I fell asleep. Trying not to wake him I gently lifted his arm from around my waist and walked around to turn off the alarm.

My head was throbbing from the hangover which was nothing new. For the last week I had been drinking myself into oblivion just to get a little sleep.

I went downstairs and grabbed two nurofen out of the cupboard. I sculled two glasses of water before I put on the coffee machine. Walking to the other side of the kitchen I grabbed the bread out and threw  four pieces into the toaster.

I then grabbed the bacon and eggs out of the fridge and proceeded to cook them.

Once they were cooked I threw everything onto two plates and walked back to my bedroom.

"Matt breakfast," I said gently as I shook him.

"What time is it?" Matt groaned, rubbing his face.

"Eight o'clock. I have to be at the solicitors at nine thirty," I replied, moving out of his way.

Groaning he stood up and we walked to the kitchen.

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It was late by the time I had finished sorting out the bedrooms, kitchen and lounge room.

Boxes were stacked against the wall in the hallway near the front door. Matt and Alexis would be here to help me take them away in the morning.

After placing the last box next to the pile I walked towards the door to the stairs. Upon opening it and pulling a few of the boxes out I found ten file boxes that I had never seen before.

What are these? I thought as I grabbed the first box and took it into the lounge room.

Sitting on the couch I pulled the lid off and tipped the box upside down.

Sifting through the papers I noticed that they were old tax papers of my mum's.

Most of it was junk that would not need to be kept so I threw it all back in the box and moved on to the next.

Finally I was on the last box this was the same as the last but as I was looking through the papers I came across a land title.

Looking over the title it was for a property called Willow Creek. My parents didn't own a property called Willow Creek.

Pulling out my phone I typed, 1523 Binni Road, Canowindra NSW in. When the map loaded there was nothing but green along a tiny road.

Grabbing the title I got up and walked to the door, locking it.  I walked to my car and jumped in. reversing out of the driveway I followed the GPS. Starting the nine-hour journey.

If I drove straight through I would get there at six thirty but that may not be possible. The road through Glen Innis was treacherously windy and full of wildlife. There is some times even cattle walking across or along the middle of the road.