Auréa

Whispers

It's been three days since the incident occurred, Jaxon is still shaken up, and no one has come close to finding any answers as to how it all happened.

Jemma hasn't called back nor has she answered her phone, unbeknownst to Jaxon she has vanished too.

He slowly gets out of bed and heads over to the bathroom. He takes a shower, the first one since it happened, and finally gets into some clean clothes. This somehow lifted Jaxon's spirits to continue the search. He brushed his teeth, then walked into the living room. "Where are my keys?" Jaxon scurried around the apartment trying to find his keys. Finally, he found them under the refrigerator, he was relieved. He grabbed his coat and his phone and headed out for an adventure.

As he walked down the hall, he heard someone behind him, he turned around but no one was there. Once he made it to the elevator, he pushed the button, and he heard it again, more clearly this time.

"Jaxon!" In that moment, the elevator bell dinged and the doors opened. Completely unaffected by the noises, he pressed the button to go down to the garage. The elevator ride was uneventful, as usual, Jaxon got out and raced to his truck. He pressed the unlock button on his key, but it didn't work. He tried again, unsuccessfully. "Ah, Fuck it!" He shoved the key into the keyhole on the door handle and turned it, and surely enough it opened. Jaxon hopped in and started the truck, letting it warm up while he put on his seatbelt and set the navigation to his destination.

Jaxon drove out of the garage and turned left at the stop sign.

"In 1.4 miles, turn right onto the highway." The navigation system directed over the car stereo.

Jaxon followed the voice of direction for about 2 hours and he was getting closer to his trip's terminus.

"In 400 feet, turn left. Then, your destination will be on your right."

"You have arrived at your destination... 212 Rosalind Drive, Blue Ridge, California."

Jaxon parked in the driveway of what looked to be an abandoned condo. He got out of his truck and closed the door quietly as if he didn't want anyone to know he was there. He slowly walked towards the porch and then reached into the fern planted in a pot to his left and pulled out a key. Jaxon used the key to unlock the front door and then put it back. He opened the door and walked inside. As he closed the door he heard the floor creak. He turned around quickly, gasped, then said...

"Grace. Thank God you're here."

"Jaxon? Is that you? Long time no see. What are you doing here?" Grace replied.

"I need your help. She's gone, and you're the only one I know who can solve the mystery."

"I'm not in that business anymore. Haven't been for quite some time."

"Grace..., please. I came all this way. I-"

"You shoulda called. Come on in, got someone who's been dying to see ya."

They walked into Grace's living room, the TV was on playing Tom and Jerry, it was... bright.

"Jace. Look who's here." Grace said to the kid watching TV.

As the boy turned around, you could literally feel his excitement as he saw Jaxon.

"UNCLE JAXON!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE!" Jace sprinted across the room into Jaxon's open arms and gave him a HUGE hug. "Where have you been Uncle Jax? I haven't seen you in years! I've missed you so much. And- Wh- Where's Aunt Auréa? You guys are always together."

Jaxon's face began to turn red. Grace saw and asked Jace to go to his room so that she and Jaxon could talk.

"Jax... Is everything okay?"

Just as Jaxon began to reply the power in the house went out and it was pitch black. They gasped, Jace yelled out, "Grace! It's dark in here!" Grace replied "I know! Just stay where you are!" Jaxon and Grace began to feel around the living room for some source of light. Jaxon began feeling under the couch when he heard "Jaxon! Help ME!" He jumped up and yelled, "Who said that?" The lights came back on Grace was standing by the fireplace about to strike a match, and Jaxon was standing in front of the couch looking like he just saw, well heard, a ghost. Then he said...

"No. Auréa is dead."