Mysteries of the Past

Chapter 7- Clues

          The trio started fix the piece of land that dug to remove any pieces of evidence so that no one would get suspicious of them. Since anyone who would might get involved. The trio then started to pack their things and went inside the house.

"Wait, what did it mean by 'those not used are kept hidden, surrounded by things that are leaden'?" asked Jessie, holding up the paper that contained the text. Mason looked at his sister, getting the paper and scanning its content.

"Maybe it's in the storage room." Mason said "Since it had a lot of stuff that are not really used when I entered and there was a part in the room where heavy things are mostly gathered." He reasoned out. The girls looked at Mason and shrugged.

"Well, it's worth a try." Addison stated, turning her back and started to make her way to the old storage room. Her companions looked at each other and followed her.

As they went over to the door of the storage room. Addison opened the door and made her way in, putting the box that contained the kimono down. Her companions started to scan the things inside with Mason muttering 'shit, shit, shit' over and over again. Jessie started to whisper-yell at Mason "Bro, shut up." As usual, the two started bickering while Addison looked around the room.

As she passed the shelves that had different things on it-cleaning materials, frames, albums that were covered in dust. As she passed a certain area that had vases, she thought she heard a voicesaying'here'. She paused, turning around to see who it was. But nobody was there. Confused, Adison turned around and continued her way. But she heard the voice again so she approached it. Meanwhile, the siblings who kept bickering did not notice any changes in their environment.

"Wait. Where is Addison?" Jessie looked around, finally noticing that their companion was gone.

"Hm... Come on, let's find her." Mason replied. They were walking when Jessie thought she heard the voice of Addison.

"Wait." Jessie said, pausing. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Mason turned around to look at his sister but she shushed him.

"Guys! Guys! I think it's in here!" Addison called out to her cousins.

"Where are you?" Mason called back.

"By the vases!" His cousin answered. Ah! Mason thought I know where it is! He started to make his way toward the vases, with his sister trailing behind her, they saw their cousin crouched down, trying to move a vase out of the way.

"Come on, let me help you." Mason said, crouching down together with his sister to help his cousin.

Around 10 minutes later, they were able to put the vases away from the clue. Another box? Addison thought she opened her mouth to say it but Jessie beat her to it.

"Another box? Huh?" Jessie said, reaching for the box and opened it. They were still clothes, but this time it was of a little kid. It was a little dress fit for a kid around 6 years old. Together with the dress, there were two papers, one containing the clue and another torn paper. Mason grabbed the torn paper and as usual went to put it by his breast pocket. Addison grabbed the paper containing the clue and read it aloud 'Below a tile that was not cemented, on a flat surface behind the house placed.'

"Huh, okay then" Jessie said, thinking together with her cousins. "Aha!" She exclaimed. Her cousins looked at her curiously. "The patio." She continued. "It's on the patio."

"And how would you know that?" Mason asked, dragging out the 'and'.

"When Addison and I went there to see where everyone was at yesterday, I felt a tile move beneath my feet." Jessie explained. Both of her cousins nodded. "Alright, let's go there." Mason told them.

"Jessie, grab the box please." Addison asked her cousin.

On their way out, Addison grabbed the other box that contained the kimono and went over to catch up with her cousins. As they made their way to the patio, they passed by the kitchen where Addison's little brother, Ryder was rummaging through the fridge. They hid the boxes behind their backs, Addison handed the box she was holding to Mason so that she could get Ryder out the way.

"Ryder? Hey, what are you doing here, kid?" Addison asked her little brother. Ryder looked at her, his eyes looking blank and in a low, raspy voice said "Save me! Hurry!" then all of a sudden Addison could hear wailing voices. She closed her eyes and covered her eyes as the sound was hurting her head. Then as sudden as it happened, it stopped.

"Ryder?" Addison looked at him. She watched as his eyes retrieved the light they had in them.

"Addie? What am I doing here?" Ryder asked, confused as took in his surroundings.

"I think you need to go to mom." Still confused, Ryder just complied going to the direction of the living room.

What just happened? Addison wondered. She turned her back to face her cousins, who immediately reached out to her, looking concerned.

"I think we should stop." Mason told them, looking concerned for his cousin.

"No, no" Addison protested, grabbing Jessie's arm for support. "But..." Mason looked at his cousin.

"I'm okay" Addison reassured them. "How about this, we finish this third clue and we'll continue tomorrow."

The siblings looked at each other and sighed. "Alright then" They obeyed.

The trio then continued to make their way towards the patio. Addison scanned the area to see if anyone was there. But as she, thought there was no one there. So they continued to their way to the tile, Jessie leading them. She started to rub her foot against each tile. Addison and Mason looked at each other, seemingly confused of what Jessie was doing.

"Uhh, Sis? What the fuck are you doing? You look ridiculous." Mason asked his sister who had begun touching and trying to move a certain tile.

"No, not this one. It was definitely somewhere here." Jessie muttered to herself.

"Uh, Jessie? Jess!" Addison said, trying to grab her cousin's attention.

"What?" Jessie asked, who now moved to another tile, tapping it and said "Aha! Found it!" She moved the tile away and pulled out the box underneath it.

"That was fast." Mason commented. As he and Addison knelt near the Jessie, letting go of the other boxes that they were holding. Jessie opened the box and was confused when she saw a camera, together with some pictures and papers. The three read the papers one by one, the first one containing something like a trivia, Addison assumed as she read it aloud 'Every memory preserved is needed to revive it.'. Uhh, okay then Addison thought confused. Mason then read aloud the second paper which contained another clue 'Where someone rests, someone whose life has been lost'.

"Huh. Grandma's room?" Mason suggested. His companions agreed with him. "But let's just continue searching tomorrow." He added pocketing the other torn paper.

"Come on." Addison said, standing and picking up the box that she was holding before. Mason and Jessie followed her suit. "Let's take this to our room."

The trio then went up to Jessie and Addison's room and left the boxes by the bed. They had agreed to talk to Mrs. Oak about the clues and the things they found. As they were talking, Mrs. Ryland called them out for lunch. The trio looked at each other and heard Mason's stomach grumble. The girls laughed while Mason glared at them.

"It's not my fault I'm hungry."