Shattered reflection

Chapter 10: Through the Eyes of Darkness

The forest seemed to close in around them as Mia and Jake made their way deeper into the trees. The mansion was far behind now, but its presence lingered in their minds like a dark stain. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig sent chills down Mia's spine, but she forced herself to stay focused. They were far from safe, and she couldn't afford to let her guard down.

"We need to find somewhere to regroup," Jake said, his voice low as he scanned the dense woods. "Somewhere no one would think to look for us."

Mia nodded, her thoughts racing. The town records might have information, but they needed a secure place to hide while they pieced together the fragments of the past. They had already found one diary detailing the horrors of Lucien's experiments, and Mia was certain there were more clues hidden in the town's history. She just had to figure out where to start looking.

As they walked, Mia's thoughts kept circling back to the dark rituals Elias had written about. The way he described the shadows, the hunger they seemed to have for life—it reminded her of something she had read in her father's journal. Something about entities that fed on fear, on the very essence of life itself.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as they trekked through the forest. The shadows around them seemed to grow darker, thicker, as if they were watching and waiting. A part of her wanted to believe it was just her imagination, but after everything she had uncovered, she knew better than to dismiss the feeling.

Jake paused suddenly, his hand shooting up to signal Mia to stop. He crouched low, peering ahead through the trees. Mia followed his gaze, her heart racing. In the distance, she could just make out a clearing—a small, dilapidated cabin half-hidden by the overgrown foliage.

"This might be a good spot to lay low for a while," Jake whispered, his eyes narrowing as he studied the cabin.

Mia hesitated. The place looked abandoned, but it gave her an uneasy feeling. Something about it seemed... off. But then again, everything about this situation felt off.

"Let's check it out," she said quietly, following Jake as he moved cautiously toward the cabin.

As they approached, the wind picked up, sending a cold gust through the trees. The wooden structure creaked in response, its weathered boards groaning as if protesting their arrival. Mia could see holes in the roof, vines creeping through the cracks in the walls, and a broken window on one side. It had been abandoned for a long time.

Jake reached the door first, testing the handle. It turned easily, and the door swung open with a loud creak. He stepped inside, motioning for Mia to follow.

The inside of the cabin was just as worn down as the exterior. Dust covered everything—old furniture, a crumbling fireplace, and a table with a few rusty tools scattered on top. It smelled of mildew and decay, but at least it was shelter.

"This'll do for now," Jake said, moving to one of the windows and peering out. "We should be able to stay out of sight here."

Mia nodded, setting her bag down on the table. She pulled out the journal and the diary, placing them side by side. These two books were the keys to understanding everything—her father's cryptic warnings and Elias's account of the past. Somewhere in their pages lay the answers she needed to stop Lucien and the darkness that followed him.

But as she opened her father's journal again, something strange happened. The pages seemed to shift, the words blurring and changing before her eyes. Mia blinked, trying to focus, but the more she looked, the less sense the writing made. It was as if the journal itself was resisting her attempts to read it.

"What the...?" Mia whispered, flipping through the pages in confusion.

Jake glanced over. "What's wrong?"

"The writing—it's changing," Mia said, her voice shaky. "I don't understand. It's like it doesn't want me to read it."

Jake frowned, coming closer to see for himself. He looked down at the journal, his brow furrowing as he watched the words shift and distort on the page.

"That's not normal," he muttered. "What does it mean?"

Mia shook her head. "I don't know. My father... he must have placed some kind of protection on the journal. But why? And why is it only happening now?"

The two of them stared at the journal in silence for a moment, the tension in the air thickening. Mia's mind raced as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Her father had always been careful, meticulous in his work. If he had protected the journal, there had to be a reason—something he didn't want falling into the wrong hands.

But what could be so dangerous that even she wasn't meant to see it?

"Maybe it's tied to Lucien," Jake suggested, his voice thoughtful. "The journal started acting up after we found that diary, right? Maybe whatever Lucien did—the rituals, the shadows—it's affecting the journal too."

Mia considered this. The thought sent a chill down her spine, but it made sense. Lucien's presence had loomed over everything, even across generations. If his influence was strong enough to reach beyond time, it could explain why her father's journal was reacting this way.

She closed the journal carefully, her hands trembling. "We need to figure out what Lucien was after. If we can understand what he was trying to accomplish, we might be able to stop it."

Jake nodded. "Agreed. But we're going to need more than just these two books. If there are other diaries, other records, we need to find them."

Mia took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. "The town archives are our best bet. If Lucien was involved in something this big, there's got to be a paper trail somewhere. We just have to dig deep enough."

Jake's gaze flicked toward the door, his expression serious. "We'll go at first light. Tonight, we stay here, rest, and plan our next move."

Mia nodded, though the thought of resting was laughable. How could she rest when the darkness seemed to be closing in on them? Every minute they spent in this cabin felt like borrowed time, and she knew they couldn't afford to waste any of it.

As the night deepened, Mia sat at the table, staring at the journal and the diary, her mind racing with possibilities. The answers were so close, yet still maddeningly out of reach.

And outside, just beyond the thin walls of the cabin, the shadows continued to watch.