The Vanishing Girls Of Willow Creek (Willow Creek, #1)

Chapter Twenty Four

Take a break and give your soul what it needs - Audrey Kitching

Ah, Sunday. The most boring day of the week. Nothing to do, nothing to watch on TV. Everything opens late and closes early.

I had the weirdest dream last night. The same girl as before, Aubrey, was standing in front of me. I could make out her features more clearly this time. She had slightly pointed ears, almond-shaped green eyes, and a beauty mark above the left side of her lip.

Last time she wouldn't speak to me, which I assumed was what would happen again. But I was wrong.

I looked around, partially expecting to see Mr. Haggerty since she seems to have some sort of connection to him.

After a few moments of looking around, I heard, "You won't find him." I whipped around, brows raised. "You're looking for your teacher, correct?" I slowly nodded. "He won't be joining us tonight."

Okay. This just got really creepy, really fast.

"Your name is Aubrey, right? What do you want from me?"

She refused to answer my question. "Don't help him. He is one of them. He will betray you."

"What are you talking about?"

Then I remembered Mary asking me to help Damon.

"Are you talking about Damon?"

"He cannot be trusted," Aubrey repeated with a sense of urgency in her voice. "He was born of them. He will become the same. He cannot be trusted."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said as fear started creeping up my spine.

Aubrey's eyes seemed to pierce through my soul as she continued speaking cryptically about betrayal and danger lurking ahead if I were not careful.

Suddenly, a group of women appeared behind Aubrey—all different ages and ethnicities but sharing the same haunting gaze that sent shivers down my spine.

"What is this? Who are they?" My voice trembled as panic started setting in.

"We are those who have fallen victim to their deceit," one woman said softly, yet with an underlying tone of warning.

As they surrounded me, their presence felt suffocating and ominous, like a dark cloud looming over my head.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my wrist tightly and yanked me back as if trying to prevent an escape from this eerie encounter.

"You must listen, or you will end up like me, like us." Aubrey's voice echoed with a haunting tone as she gestured towards a group of women behind her, all bearing similar ethereal qualities.

"What the? What is this?" My heart raced with fear and confusion as the women stood silently watching our interaction unfold. Their gaze bore into my soul with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

"This is your future if you're not careful." Aubrey's words lingered ominously in the air as she continued holding onto my arm firmly, despite my futile attempts at breaking free from her grasp.

Just when it seemed like there was no escape from this nightmare, a bright light illuminated the scene, causing everyone to shield their eyes in surprise.

As I struggled against Aubrey's hold on me, a bright light appeared and a voice cut through the darkness like a knife: "Let her go!"

Wait, I knew that voice...

"Mary?" My voice trembled as realization dawned upon me.

"I won't say it again." Mary's tone was stern and unwavering as she demanded Aubrey release me.