Chapter 1 The Assignment

Eliana Scott sat at her desk in the newsroom, her thoughts drifting away. The sound of keyboards clacking and phones buzzing filled the air, but her mind was preoccupied with the dull political stories she had been covering for months.

She craved something more, something meaningful that would justify her time.

"Hey, Eliana", her editor's voice pulled her back to reality.

Eliana glanced up to see Paul standing in the doorway of his office, waving a folder in his hand. His usual untidy look, loose tie, rolled-up sleeves, and a pen stuck in his hair.

His looks made him resemble a detective more than the editor of a newsroom.

"Hey, Paul."

"Got something for you", he said, tossing the folder on her desk.

Eliana opened the folder, quickly scanning its contents: a black-and-white photograph of a teenage girl, a few handwritten notes, and a newspaper clipping.

"New Raven Town?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nineteen-year-old Lia Jacob went missing two weeks ago. Her family has been asking questions, but the local police are hitting dead ends, and there's still no lead."

"No witnesses?" Eliana asked, surprised.

"No witnesses, no clues, nothing."

Eliana studied the photograph of the missing girl.

"Two weeks and nothing?" Eliana murmured. "What's the story?"

"It's not just about Lia. New Raven Town has a reputation. People go missing there more often than anyone reports. The local police say it's a coincidence, but her family believes she didn't just disappear."

"So then? Are we talking about a serial killing?" Eliana asked, her reporter instincts kicking in.

"Maybe. It could be something stranger than that", Paul replied, his tone turning serious. "The residents of New Raven Town are quite superstitious. There are rumors of curses, ghosts, and dark magic."

"Do you think there might be some truth to this?"

"That's why you're going there."

Eliana chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're not sending me to chase some ghost story, are you?"

"I don't care if its ghosts, aliens, or any other shadowy tale. What matters to me is that there's a story here, and no one seems to be discussing it. Especially one that the authorities are trying to bury. I want to uncover it, so yes, you're going."

She looked again at the photograph in her hand. The notion of a small-town mystery, filled with whispers of strange occurrences, fascinated her more than she wanted to admit. It was a change from the political scandals she was accustomed to. It could even turn into a compelling news.

"So?" Paul asked, raising an eyebrow.

Eliana smiled and closed the folder. "Count me in."

"Settled then. You leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"That's so soon!" Eliana's voice rose in surprise.

"I need you on this as soon as possible."

The next day, Eliana found herself driving down a narrow, winding road that seemed endless. Trees flanked both sides of the highway, their branches arching overhead and blocking out much of the sunlight.

The further she drove, the more isolated she felt. She turned onto a muddy road as her GPS instructed. The sign for New Raven Town was barely visible, setting the tone for what lay ahead.

Eliana slowed down, navigating the bumpy path that led into the town's center. As she arrived, the first thing that struck her was the profound silence. No birds, no breeze, nothing but stillness.

A few locals wandered about, casting quick glances her way before hastily moving on, as if they were afraid to speak or get close to her. She pulled into the town square, where a handful of small businesses stood, stopping next to a gas station that looked like it hadn't seen an update in years.

As she stepped out, she felt the weight of the town's atmosphere settle heavily on her shoulders. New Raven Town was more than just quiet. It felt haunted.

"You're not from around here," an old man nearby rasped. His face and sunken eyes scrutinized her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

Eliana smiled politely. "Just visiting. I'm a journalist."

"Journalist, huh? What have you come here to do?"

"A nineteen-year-old girl went missing two weeks ago." Eliana glared at the man.

"Lia Jacob, right?" He asked.

"Do you know anything about her?"

"Why not ask the local police?"

"They will not want to disclose anything, I think."

The old man chuckled at her, a sound that sounded nearly like laughter. "You are not going to find anything. No one will say anything. They've got secrets in this town, and they don't like prying nosey-outsiders."

"What kind of secrets?"

"One that doesn't concern you."

"What are you all so afraid of?" Eliana asked.

The man gave a slight, powerful lean forward, placing his voice in a low whisper. "This isn't the first time someone has gone missing, and won't be the last either, so you better watch where you dig."

As Eliana opened her mouth to ask more, the man limped away, seemingly warning her with his words. She sighed. It was not the first time she had been warned to leave a story alone, and it would probably not be the last.

She looked up at the trees of New Raven Town in the distance, looming, and felt a strange pull towards it.

That evening, Eliana checked into a local inn-a small, dusty place with worn carpets. The innkeeper was a man in his fifties who eyed her with suspicion as he handed over the key to her room.

"You're the journalist who just arrived?"

"I see words travels fast around there". Eliana nodded.

"You here about the girl. Lia?", the innkeeper asked.

"Yeah, hopefully I will be able to find something", Eliana said.

The innkeeper spoke again, much colder this time, "Lady, i would advise you to leave soon. People around there don't like strangers."

"I'm just here to help. I mean there might be something that the police missed."

The innkeeper didn't respond. He just shook his head and walked away. Eliana went to her room. Whatever was happening in this town she was not quite sure, but the more people wanted her out of it, the more she wanted to know what kind of secret lay behind so many warnings.

Eliana's focus shifted back to the room almost as soon as she got comfortable, her eyes flicking at the window, as she pushed aside the curtain. She watched the people as they moved about their businesses outside.

"I have to find out," she said with determination.