Great story!
There’s this weird dude who keeps stalking me. Maybe you could investigate him? Might make a good story?
Looking forward to your next creepy investigation. Stephen Mallow is on the case!
There are many more, most of which he skims over. Many of them mention Cherry Hollow or The Creature in some way, highlighting that the masses want more of the weird and unexplained mysteries.
You and me both.
He enjoys writing about real things that are important to him, but he also likes writing about deep and eyebrow-raising stories. The ones which make the reader truly think, not only about themselves, but about the world around them and the possibility of the strange and unseen forces that occur every day. Perhaps the story of Cherry Hollow had been a one off; one in a million. It certainly had changed his life and opened his eyes to the depths of the human mind, how farpeople would go to hide the truth from others and themselves. Not only that, but it’s got people talking about mental health in a much more profound way and he’s proud of that.
Stephen takes a deep breath and closes his laptop. It’s time to get up and start the day. He and Rachel share a flat in Cherry Hollow and share the paying of the rent. Rachel has moved out of her parent’s house to live with Stephen, something her parents had been both thrilled and shocked about. They’d met Stephen and had approved. That was all that mattered.
Stephen leaves the comfort of the double bed, rubbing his eyes as a blinding pain shoots through them. He staggers sideways as a severe head rush washes over him. He reaches for the nearest stable object; the bedside table. Rachel stirs again and looks over her shoulder at him. She’s cute in the mornings with her tussled hair and blank expression.
Stephen rights himself once the dizziness has passed. ‘One black coffee, coming up,’ he says, pulling on his trousers over his boxers.
‘Strong,’ says Rachel, burying her face in her pillow. She isn't a morning person, the opposite of Stephen who often rises at five o’clock before the sun comes up. He does his best writing before the world surfaces and becomes too loud and obnoxious to function. His brain chemistry means he struggles with too much noise and confusion. It’s difficult tocompartmentalize his thoughts when there is so much else going on, but he’s learning to adjust, alter his actions where he can, but not always. Sometimes he can’t alter his actions. Besides, why should he have to change to suit the world? Why can’t the world change to help others like him?
Padding barefoot to the kitchen, he flicks on the kettle and prepares the cups. His smart watch beeps with an incoming email. He takes a quick glance, then turns back to the cups. Several seconds pass before his brain catches up with what his eyes have just seen.
It’s an email from an anonymous source.
The last anonymous email he’d received had started a chain of spectacular events, eventually leading to solving the case of Cherry Hollow. The young lad who’d sent that particular email was now in a juvenile holding facility for the next few years. Stephen feels bad about that, but it isn't his fault. The kid came forward of his own accord. He is serving his time, then will be allowed to re-enter society. Not everyone is happy about it, nor do they agree, but that’s beside the point. The kid made the right choice and is paying his dues. Most full-grown adults wouldn’t do the same.
Stephen ignores the email, turning instead to finish making Rachel a cup of coffee, and himself a cup of tea. He places the steaming cup on her bedside table and gently shakes her, knowing full-well that she often falls back to sleep. Normally, it takes several attempts to get her out of bed.
‘Go away,’ she says, her voice muffled against the pillow.
He shakes her again.
‘If you don’t stop, I’m going to break up with you.’
He smirks. Usually, he isn’t good at understanding sarcasm, but Rachel has taught him a lot since they’ve been together. Arguments start because Stephen takes everything she says too literally, whereas most of the time she’s only joking. But he likes to think he’s better at understanding her sense of humour now.
He shakes her once more.
Rachel huffs and turns to look at him. ‘Fine. You win. I’m awake.’ She shuffles further up the bed so she’s propped against the pillows and then picks up her coffee cup. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’
His smart watch pings again. Seriously, another email? He’s a popular guy today. But he ignores it, heading to the bathroom for his morning shower instead.
Afterwards, once he’s dressed and shaved, he searches for his phone, finding it on the bedside table. Rachel pads into the bathroom, her empty cup on the side. Stephen picks up his phone and reads the anonymous email.
Ah, it’s only junk.No threatening message (which he also receives rather frequently thanks to his constant speaking of the truth; people don’t always like hearing the truth) orrandom requests to visit another cursed town. He finds himself mildly disappointed. Every day, he hopes someone will reach out with a mystery weird and creepy enough to tempt him into driving across the country for another adventure. It’s not that he isn’t interested in solving a missing person’s case, but that’s a job for the police. No. He wants to solve something the police can’t, or something they aren’t interested in.
Another email pings into his inbox. This one makes his blood run cold.
After he’s read it, he swipes right, sending the email straight into the recycling bin.
That’s a problemfor another day.
Chapter 3
GRAHAM
The more he stares at the old tree, the faster and harder his heart thumps. His eyesight is far from being twenty-twenty, like in his younger days, but he’s certain he isn’t hallucinating and it’s not a trick of the light. The eerie silhouette of the dark object swinging high among the branches is unmistakable. He’s also sober, so can’t blame his delusion on alcohol.
