THE MOONLIT FURY

AKPORIEN KEHINDE
@akporienkehinde866986
2 months ago

EPISODE 6: WHISPERS OF A VANISHING VILLAGE.


Lucas's journey away from Moonlit Ridge was both bittersweet and cathartic. The road ahead stretched into the unknown, but for the first time in a long while, Lucas felt a sense of peace. The burden of uncovering the town's dark secrets had been lifted, and the echoes of the past no longer clung to him like a shadow.
The sun climbed higher into the sky as he walked, warming his back and casting the world in a golden light. With each step, the town faded further behind him, but Lucas couldn't help glancing back now and then, half-expecting to see something—or someone—emerge from the trees.
The hours passed, and by midday, Lucas found himself approaching a small, sleepy village nestled in a valley. The village was quiet, its streets lined with old stone houses, their roofs thick with moss and age. A lone church bell rang out in the distance, its chime echoing across the hills.
Lucas decided to stop and rest for a while. He found a quaint little inn at the edge of the village and booked a room for the night. The innkeeper, a kindly old woman with a warm smile, welcomed him with a plate of hearty stew and a tankard of ale.
As he ate, Lucas couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation from the other patrons. The village folk spoke of the usual things—weather, crops, the comings and goings of neighbors—but there was an undercurrent of unease, a tension that Lucas recognized all too well.
One man, sitting at the bar, spoke in hushed tones to the innkeeper. "Another one gone missing last night. That's three this month. We need to do something."
The innkeeper frowned, her expression somber. "I know, Harold. But what can we do? It's been happening for years now, and no one knows why."
Lucas's interest was piqued. He approached the bar, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Excuse me," he said, trying to sound casual. "I couldn't help but overhear. People have been going missing?"
The man, Harold, turned to him with a weary nod. "Aye, stranger. Been happening for as long as I can remember. Folks go out at night, and they just... vanish. No trace, no clue. It's like they were never here.
Lucas frowned, his mind already working through the possibilities. "Has anyone tried to investigate?"
The innkeeper shook her head. "We've sent for help before, but no one ever finds anything. Some say the forest is cursed, others think it's something more sinister."
The word "cursed" sent a shiver down Lucas's spine. It reminded him all too much of Moonlit Ridge. Could it be that he had stumbled upon yet another mystery, another town in need of answers?
Harold sighed, taking a long drink from his tankard. "It's the forest, I'm telling you. People say it's haunted, that there are things out there that no man should see. But we have no choice. We have to live our lives, and the forest is part of that."
Lucas nodded slowly, absorbing the information. It seemed that fate had led him here for a reason. His journey might have taken him away from Moonlit Ridge, but it appeared that the road ahead held new challenges—new stories waiting to be uncovered.
After finishing his meal, Lucas retired to his room, but sleep eluded him. His thoughts were consumed by the mystery of the village and the disappearances. The familiar itch of curiosity gnawed at him, urging him to dig deeper, to find the truth.


To be continued....

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