Chapter 3
Missing

This can't be. That damn mill was long gone when I left Burkwood County and that was years after the previous incident.

My thoughts are interrupted. "Ah I see you got the file." I look up and staring back at me, is a rigidly built, mustached englishman with graying hair on the side. "Er Mr. Crocker, what a surprise!" I stutter. "Not as as surprised as your reaction when you read the last page of that file!"

I stare vacantly at the man, is there something You know, that I don't? "Well don't just stare at me, what do you think? Are you up for the task?" He replies starkly.

"The... task?" I stutter. I haven't been there in years, those eyes, I don't want to see any part of that wretched terrifying town ever again, there's enough nightmare fuel to interrupt my already alarmingly lacking sleep schedule...

"You have till tomorrow to decide." Crocker folds his arms and grins. "Else I'll hand it off to the bureau... and you know what that means, Palmer." Mr. Crocker winks and leaves my office.

Ugh... The Bureau... I don't want anything to do with those creeps, but if I say yes, I'll have to go in it alone... I don't want to go back to Burkwood County, let alone Dornsdale!

I curse the day my Aunt ever made that rough estimate about my gift! Suddenly my phone starts ringing. I look at the screen. Unknown number... no thank you! I silence the phone and put it back in my pocket.

I sit back into my chair and think... There's a knock at the door. I look up, and a pale little girl stares at me with terrifying black eyes. "Mister..." her voice echoes. I sit back in my chair and grab a pen with my shaking hand. "Mister, come, find me." The girl creeps closer. "Stay back!" I yell. "I understand." The girl turns around slowly, her posture sagging with hopelessness."

Suddenly I shoot up from my chair. There's no one there. I run out of my office, the building is quiet, I carefully pace through the small little dimly lit corridor. "Mr Crocker?"... "Mr. Crocker?" I shout, but I feel my voice muffled. No one answers. I slowly open the door to Mr Crocker's office. A small figure lays on it's arms at his table, slowly the figure lifts it's head up. Oh great, it's my aunt. "Robert... I see you have gotten my message." Her voice echoes. "Wha- what do you want Frida?"

"Boy! We are not on a first name basis! It's aunt Frida to you!" She screaches "Aunt Frida, what are you doing here?" I enquire softly "You have the gift Robbie, you can not let it waste away, the girl needs you." "Goodbye Robert, Robert, Robert! Robert!..."

Suddenly a bright glow shines into my face. I feel the floor collapse under my feet, I feel my body plunge into darkness.

"Robert! Wakeup!" A flashlight shines into my face. Oh it's Joe, our security guard. "Robert get up, it's lockup time." Wha-what happened? I feel the carpet under my hands. "You've been here for the past four hours."

What the heck just happened? Who was that girl? "Hey buddy, I'm not asking again, get up, I have to lock this place up."

So was it all just a dream? I stare at Joe, a little girl comes out from behind him. "Do you see that girl Joe?" I ask carefully. "What the heck are you talking about, it's just us two here."

The girl creeps up to me. I feel the hair on my skin rise up as she comes closer. Her voice echoes eerily.

"Save me Mister."


© A G Blake