In the Shadow Of Memory

Chapter 2

One entry, dated just before his disappearance, caught her eye:

"Mia, if you're reading this, then something went wrong. I need you to know that what's happening is bigger than us. They're coming for me, and I don't know how to stop it. There's a hidden message in the journal. Find the truth. I believe in you."

Her heart raced, thudding loudly in her chest. With trembling hands, she flipped through the pages, desperately searching for any clue that might reveal Mason's whereabouts. The diary, once a simple record of thoughts, had transformed into a cryptic map of his final days. Each entry seemed to unveil fragments of a larger, more sinister narrative.

As Mia sifted through the pages, she began to piece together that Mason's disappearance was no accident. It became clear that he had stumbled upon something dangerous, something that had put him in grave peril. 

Someone was orchestrating this from behind the scenes. It made sense now why the detective assigned to the case hadn't been able to crack it. As Mia's mind raced, a sudden idea struck her. I should call Detective Jonathan! The last time she had spoken to him was at the park, where he was engrossed in another case three years ago. Although he hadn't had much information about Mason back then, he might still be able to offer some assistance. Determined, Mia leaped up and grabbed her phone. 

Mia's fingers fumbled with her phone as she scrolled through her contacts in a frantic blur. Her heart raced as she navigated the list, each swipe more urgent than the last. She muttered under her breath, "Come on, come on," as she finally found Detective Jonathan's name. With a shaky breath, she tapped his number and held the phone to her ear. The dial tone seemed to stretch on forever, each ring echoing her mounting anxiety. Just as she began to worry that he might not answer, the line clicked, and a familiar voice came through, breaking the tension. "Detective Jonathan," he said, his tone professional but warm.

"Detective Jonathan," she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of hope and urgency. "It's Mia. I need your help."

"Mia Johnson?" He sounded surprised, as if he remembered her. "What's going on?"

"Remember the unsolved case of my friend Mason from five years ago?" Mia asked, her voice tight with urgency. "I just came back to town, and while cleaning my room—I'm moving out to live with friends—I found his diary!"

"Mason's diary?" The detective's surprise was evident. "Why didn't anyone mention this before? Why didn't you let me know you had it?"

"I remember him handing it to me just before he disappeared!" Mia explained, her voice trembling with emotion. "He said he had no space in his backpack and asked me to keep it safe. I didn't think much of it at the time. Somehow, it ended up at the back of a box from high school. I don't know why it took me so long to find it."

"You think it might contain clues?" Detective Johnson asked, trying to piece together the new information.

"Well," Mia's heart raced, a sharp pang of unease piercing through her. She frowned, struggling with an unexpected, uncomfortable feeling. Why did she feel hesitant to share this information with him? What was she afraid of? "Yes...." She sighed.

"Alright," Detective Johnson said, his tone firm but encouraging. "You should go through it and then pass it to me. I really want to look into this."

"Okay," Mia nodded, even though Detective Johnson couldn't see her. "I'll let you know!" She ended the call and slid down the wall, sitting on the floor. She felt a wave of regret wash over her. Would Mason have wanted her to share his diary? Did she really want to reveal what she had found? The weight of the decision pressed heavily on her, leaving her in a storm of doubt and confusion.