Forgotten Photography ✔

Always There, Always Watching

When Evergreen went back to the mailbox to get the rose as evidence, she found that the mailbox was filled with nothing but blue roses. She stared in awe at all of the beautiful flowers, and ran to the hallway, bringing down the attic door. She raced up and got one of the beautiful blue and white china vases, walking down the fold out stairs carefully, sauntering to the kitchen to fill the vase with water.

To Evergreen's surprise, her mother was no where to be seen, but in her place was a note on the fridge.

Going to the animal shelter to help Tom, I left some money on the table for you to buy you and your new friend some food. Will be home late tonight, Tom and I are going for a date. Love, Mama.

This didn't surprise Evergreen even a little, since Tom and her mother had been dating for quite a while now. Evergreen even wondered when Tom would pop the question, although all she could do is wait and see. 

While she was thinking, she made her way to the mailbox, gingerly picking up each rose and setting it in the beautiful china. She then set up to her bedroom, setting the vase at the window. The small table she set there made a perfect place for the vase, making it quite a beautiful piece of the room.

Hades barked, startling her, as she spun to see what he was barking at, a trail of petals behind her.

"What? I didn't drop any petals from what I remember..." Evergreen stood still in silence, wracking her brain for a logical explanation. What broke the silence was Hades barking obsessively, sniffing a large petal and his tail standing straight up.

"What is it boy?" Hades barked again, and Evergreen suddenly remembered him sniffing a photograph in the museum, and started running  out the door, following close.

"Wait up boy! I can't run as fast as you!" She was sprinting, something she had not done in a long time. Soon they came up to the forest, and for a moment her promise she made for Tom popped into her head, but she couldn't just stop following Hades.

"Boy! Please slow down!" Hades turned around and sat, waiting for Evergreen to catch up. Evergreen wheezed, leaning against a tree, trying desperately to catch her breath. She looked around, only seeing trees. How far had they ran into the forest?

"Bad boy....you made me break a promise....but good boy for picking up the scent...." Evergreen leaned down, rubbing Hades' head, still wheezing a bit. Suddenly she felt a cold wind, and looked up, seeing a beautiful woman before her, in a wedding dress.

Hello, My dear.

Evergreen gazed at the beautiful woman, completely taken in awe.

Don't act like we haven't met, I can't stay long, but you are doing well to find me. I can tell you one tiny hint. I am alive, as you see before you.

Evergreen blinked, and nodded quietly.

There is more to my story. Piece it together. You won't be disappointed.

Just as quickly as she appeared before Evergreen, she disappeared, leaving a pile of rose petals where she stood. The young photographer stood still, stunned, until Hades barked in alarm. Off in the distance was a man, staring dead at Evergreen. She felt immediately in danger and set off with Hades out of the woods, quickly.

As soon as they surfaced out of the woods, Evergreen and Hades peeled to the museum to visit Edgar and consult him. When she got there, she found Edgar holding a blue rose, hand covering his mouth.

"You too?" Evergreen walked up to his slowly, Hades close behind.

"Huh? The rose? Yeah. Everyone who was involved in the investigation to find my darling Maddison have been finding blue roses, we think it's a sign." Edgar gazed at it, sighing sadly, obviously worried.

"Well if you think that is a sign, then you'll find my findings in the forest intriguing." Evergreen then started to explain what happened to her in the woods, her friends listening closely. Hades stared up at her as if he was understanding what she was saying, Edgar staring at the rose, carefully examining it.

"That's my Maddison alright. But what took her so long to talk to anyone, and how is she suddenly this supernatural being? Why is she still so distant?" Edgar looked uneasy, and still very worried.

"Well, that's not all. I also saw a man in the distance. I couldn't quite make out what he looked like. I couldn't even get a glimpse of his features he was so far back." Evergreen licked her lips, still shaken up. "He didn't make me feel very safe, but Maddison seemed unphased, calm even."

"Huh....Well....you got the most leads out of everyone who ever went into this investigation. Be careful. I feel like you are getting pretty close to the truth. That makes things dangerous." The man played with his tie, and looked out the window. "Before we really let you dig into this....I want to make sure you have the proper protection. Come. I have something to show you." And with that, Edgar disappears up a flight of stairs to the apartment above the museum, with Evergreen not far behind.