Into the Web

Your heart pounded against your ribs as you stared at Jessy's rapid-free questions. You could feel the weight of their fear and suspicion radiating through the digital words. You took a moment to compose your reply, wanting to be truthful without sounding completely unbelievable.

_____" My name is Zora. I received a text message from Hannah's phone just now. I don't know her, and I don't know how I got this message. It was the only message on the phone."_____

You hesitated, then decided to include the crucial detail:

_____"She said to tell her friends - Jessy, Cleo, Richy, Stella, Thomas - that it wasn't an accident and not to trust Jake."_____

The reply was almost instantaneous again, a flurry of disjointed messages:

_____"What? You got a message now? But her phone hasn't been active..."_____

_____Jake? What does she mean about Jake?"_____

_____Are you the police? Who are you really?"_____

The barrage confirmed the group's desperation and the confusing nature of Hannah's disappearance. You understood their suspicion; a random stranger claiming to have a message from a missing person's phone was hardly a believable scenario.

You typed carefully, trying to sound as genuine as possible:

_____"I'm just a regular person. I have no idea why I received this. I saw your post online about Hannah, and I felt I had to tell you what she said."_____

A pause followed, longer this time, making the silence on your end feel heavy with anticipation.

Finally, Jessy replied:

_____"Screenshot the message. Send it to me. Now."_____

You quickly complied, taking a screenshot of both of Hannah's messages and sent it to Jessy. The small digital action felt significant, a tangible piece of evidence in this bizarre situation.

Another tense silence stretched before Jessy responded.

_____" Those are her messages... The way she types... It's definitely her."_____

A wave of relief washed over you, mixed with a fresh surge of unease. If it was really Hannah, then she was somehow still communicating, even after her disappearance. And her message apple of danger, of someone watching, of something more sinister than a simple accident.

Other members of the group started to chime in.

Cleo: _____" How is this possible? The police said her phone was untraceable."_____

Richy:_____" Jake? Who the hell is Jake? Hannah never mentioned Jake."_____

Stella:_____"Oh God, this is terrifying. What do we do?"_____

The chat became a flurry of questions and panicked speculation. You felt a strange mix of being an outsider and yet somehow Central to this unfolding crisis. They were looking to you for answers you didn't have.

Jessy sent you a direct message:

_____"Listen, Zora. We don't know you, and frankly this is insane. But if you really have Hannah's phone or if she somehow contacted you... you might be our only lead. Can you tell us anything else? Did she say anything more?"_____

You scrolled back through your messages, rereading Hannah's words. 'They found me.... It wasn't an accident... They're watching.... Tell my friends.... Not Jake..'

_____"That's all she said. Just those two messages. They came through about fifteen minutes ago."_____

Jessy's reply was thoughtful this time:

_____" Okay. Okay, everyone, calm down. Zora.... Thank you for telling us. This changes everything. We need to figure out how is this possible and what Hannah meant."_____

You had stepped through the looking glass, drawn into the dark and mysterious world of Duskwood. You were a stranger holding a ghost message, and a group of desperate friends were looking at you for a lifeline. The mystery had begun, and you were now tangled in its web.

What are your initial thoughts and feelings, now that you're directly involved with Hannah's friends?

what questions are foremost in your mind?

...~~~~...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***