Chapter 3 The Legend of Black Hollow

Old Man Grady's words echoed in Ellie's mind as she left his cottage. The story of Lila, the girl who had vanished a century ago, was both haunting and compelling. Ellie felt a deep connection to the silver-eyed child, as if their fates were intertwined. She needed to learn more, to piece together the fragments of the past and uncover the truth.

She returned to her home and began to search through her family's attic, where old trunks and forgotten relics were stored. Among the cobwebs and dust, she found a diary belonging to her great-grandmother, who had lived in Black Hollow during Lila's time. The pages were fragile, the ink faded, but one entry stood out: "Lila was my friend. She told me of a hidden path in the woods, a place where the veil between worlds is thin."

Ellie's hands trembled as she read the words. Could this be the key to helping the Mystery Child? She vowed to find the path, to follow in Lila's footsteps and uncover the secrets of the woods. But she knew it wouldn't be easy. The villagers' warnings echoed in her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was stepping into something far bigger than herself.

The next day, Ellie returned to the woods, the diary clutched in her hands. She followed the descriptions carefully, searching for landmarks-a twisted oak, a circle of stones. The deeper she went, the more the forest seemed to change. The air grew colder, and the trees whispered her name, their voices faint but unmistakable.

Finally, she found it: a narrow trail, almost invisible beneath the undergrowth. The hidden path. Her heart raced as she stepped onto it, the hum she had heard before growing louder. The trees seemed to close in around her, their branches forming a natural archway. She felt as though she were walking into another world, a world where time stood still.

At the end of the path, she found the clearing from her dream. The silver-eyed child stood there, waiting. This time, they didn't vanish. Instead, they pointed to a tree with a hollow trunk. Inside, Ellie found a locket, tarnished with age. She opened it, and a faded photograph of Lila stared back.

Ellie's breath caught. She knew then that she was on the right path. The locket held more than a photograph; it held the key to unlocking the mystery of the silver-eyed child. But what secrets did it hold? And what would she find when she followed the clues?