Chapter 2
Lily’s POV
The hospital room felt suffocating, heavy with grief and unanswered questions as I sat beside my father’s bed, lost in a whirlwind of emotions. Yet amidst the chaos, a fierce determination began to stir within me—a resolve to uncover the truth behind my father’s tragic accident.
With trembling hands, I wiped away the tears staining my cheeks and rose to my feet, driven by the need for answers. Turning to Nurse Thompson, who stood nearby, I swallowed hard and spoke, my voice quivering with uncertainty.
“Nurse Thompson, can you tell me what happened to my father?” I asked, struggling to maintain my composure.
Her expression softened with sympathy as she met my gaze. “I’m afraid I don’t have all the details, dear,” she replied gently. “But from what I understand, your father was involved in a hit-and-run accident while crossing a deserted road near the forest, on his way to his cabin.”
My heart clenched at her words, anger and frustration bubbling beneath the surface. How could someone be so callous as to leave my father to die alone in the cold, dark night? And why was he crossing a deserted road in the first place?
“Do you know if they’ve caught the person responsible?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and hope.
Nurse Thompson shook her head, her expression grave. “I’m afraid not. The police are still investigating, but so far, they haven’t found any leads. It seems the driver fled the scene, leaving no trace behind.”
Despair washed over me like a tidal wave. My father’s killer was still out there, roaming free while I sat by his bedside, consumed by grief and frustration. It wasn’t fair. He deserved justice, and I would stop at nothing to ensure he got it.
“Is there anything else you can tell me?” I pressed, my voice strained with desperation.
Nurse Thompson hesitated, her brow furrowed in thought. “I’m sorry, dear,” she whispered. “I wish I could give you more information, but that’s all I know for now. The police might provide you with more details.”
With a heavy heart, I thanked her and turned to leave the hospital room, the weight of the world pressing down on my shoulders.
In the hospital lobby, I spotted Officer Reynolds near the entrance, his expression grim as he spoke with a colleague. Summoning all my courage, I approached him, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Officer Reynolds,” I called out, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “Can you tell me what happened to my father?”
He turned to face me, sympathy etched in his features. “I’m sorry for your loss, Miss Mae,” he said solemnly. “A vehicle struck your father while he was crossing the road near the forest. Unfortunately, the driver fled the scene, and we haven’t been able to locate them yet.”
“How could they just leave him there to die?” I demanded, my voice rising with emotion.
“I wish I had an answer for you, Miss Mae,” Officer Reynolds replied. “But unfortunately, we’re dealing with a hit-and-run case in a remote area with no witnesses and no CCTV footage. It’s going to be difficult to track down the culprit.”
“I won’t rest until I find out who did this to my father. They’ll pay for what they’ve done.”
With those words echoing in my mind, I turned away, my heart heavy with grief.
The morning of my father’s funeral dawned gray and somber, the sky laden with clouds threatening rain. As I stood beside his freshly dug grave, surrounded by friends and family who had come to pay their respects, a sense of numbness settled over me, dulling the pain of loss that pulsed beneath the surface.
The ceremony passed in a blur of tears and whispered condolences, grief hanging heavily in the air like a shroud. When the last words were spoken and the final handfuls of earth were scattered over my father’s casket, I felt as if a part of me had been buried alongside him, lost to eternity.
As the mourners began to disperse, I lingered by the graveside, my thoughts a whirlwind of memories and regrets. But amidst the chaos, a sense of duty stirred within me—a determination to carry on in the face of adversity.
With a heavy heart, I departed from my father’s resting place and made my way back to the empty shell of a house that had once been our home. The rooms felt cold and lifeless, devoid of the warmth and laughter that had once filled them. As I wandered through the familiar halls, a thick fog of loneliness settled over me, suffocating in its weight.
I made my way to my father’s private study, where he kept his financial records and belongings. The room was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of old books and leather.
I searched through the desk drawers for the key to the safe. My gaze fell upon a small wooden box tucked away in the corner. Curiosity piqued, I reached out and lifted the lid, revealing a collection of papers and trinkets nestled within.
Among the clutter, a small rolled-up parchment caught my eye, its edges yellowed with age. With trembling hands, I unfurled it and began to read.
At first, the writing seemed like gibberish—nonsensical phrases and cryptic symbols. But as I studied the words more closely, a chill ran down my spine, and my heart raced with a mix of fear and disbelief.
The parchment spoke of ancient legends and forgotten lore, of creatures prowling the depths of the forest, their howls echoing through the night like harbingers of doom. And then, a single word leapt out at me: Werewolf.
Could it be possible that my father had stumbled upon evidence of real werewolves? Had he been researching these mythical creatures in secret?
Questions raced through my mind as I stared at the parchment in disbelief, the words swirling before my eyes like a macabre dance of shadows. As the truth slowly sank in, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my father’s death was connected to his discovery.
With a sinking heart, I rolled up the parchment and tucked it away in my pocket, determined to uncover the truth behind my father’s mysterious research. But as I turned to leave the room, a sense of unease settled over me like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over the fragile peace that had eluded me for so long.
The road ahead would be fraught with danger and uncertainty, but I knew I couldn’t rest until I unraveled the secrets hidden within that ancient parchment. Stepping into the fading light of the evening, the weight of my newfound knowledge pressed heavily upon my shoulders. I vowed to stop at nothing to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.