The Letter
Lily stared at her mother.
“You said you know where Emily went.”
Her mother nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
Her mother looked toward the window.
“After Emily left St. Mary’s, she went somewhere no one would think to look.”
“Where?”
“Another town. She stayed with someone she trusted.”
“Who?”
“Her aunt.”
Lily frowned.
“But you said Emily wasn’t your sister.”
“She wasn’t.”
“Then why did you know her aunt?”
Her mother sighed.
“Because Emily’s aunt was my closest friend.”
Lily sat down.
“So Emily was alive after she left St. Mary’s?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Because we were trying to keep you safe.”
Lily shook her head.
“Everyone keeps saying that. Safe from what?”
Her mother reached into an old drawer and removed a sealed envelope.
“This.”
Lily recognized it immediately.
It was the same handwriting from the first photograph.
“Emily wrote it,” her mother said.
“Why didn’t you give it to me before?”
“Because she told me to wait.”
“Wait until when?”
“Until you were old enough to understand.”
Lily took the envelope.
Her name was written across the front.
She carefully opened it.
Inside was a letter.
—
Dear Lily,
If you’re reading this, then you’ve finally started asking questions.
I’m sorry. I wish I could have told you everything myself.
You were only six when everything happened, and you didn’t understand why everyone was frightened.
Neither did I at first.
But I discovered something at St. Mary’s. Something that made me realize you were in danger.
There were records being changed. Names were disappearing. Important information was being hidden.
I tried to tell someone.
That’s when I realized I couldn’t trust everyone around me.
Lily stopped reading.
Her hands were shaking.
She continued.
The night I left, I took you with me because I couldn’t leave you behind.
You were scared, but I promised you that I would come back.
I didn’t keep that promise.
I’m sorry.
Lily’s eyes filled with tears.
She looked at her mother.
“You knew all this?”
Her mother nodded.
“Keep reading.”
Lily returned to the letter.
There is something you need to understand.
The person who caused all of this isn’t the person you think it is.
Don’t trust anyone simply because they say they remember what happened.
Find the blue house near the old railway station.
Someone there knows where I am.
At the bottom of the page was one final sentence.
And Lily, if you ever find me, don’t blame yourself for what happened.
Lily lowered the letter.
“She’s alive.”
Her mother didn’t answer.
“Mom. She’s alive, isn’t she?”
Her mother looked away.
“I believe she is.”
Lily stood.
“Then I’m finding her.”
—
The next morning, Lily and Amara left early.
The blue house was several miles away, near an old railway station.
When they arrived, Lily immediately noticed the faded blue paint on the walls.
“This is it.”
They knocked.
Nobody answered.
They knocked again.
An elderly woman finally opened the door.
She looked at Lily for a long moment.
Then her eyes widened.
“You’re Sarah’s daughter.”
Lily nodded.
“Do you know Emily?”
The woman stepped aside.
“Come in.”
The house smelled of old books and flowers.
The woman sat down.
“My name is Mrs. Grace.”
Lily showed her the letter.
“I found this.”
Mrs. Grace read it.
Her expression changed.
“She finally sent it.”
“Where is Emily?”
Mrs. Grace was silent.
Then she pointed toward a small table.
A second envelope was sitting there.
Lily walked toward it.
Her name was written on the front.
She opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Emily was standing beside a lake.
She looked older.
But she was smiling.
On the back was an address.
Lily’s heart raced.
“She’s alive.”
Mrs. Grace nodded.
“She has been waiting for you to find her.”
“Where is she?”
Mrs. Grace looked at the clock.
“She left this morning.”
“What?”
“She said she needed to make sure it was safe before you met.”
Lily’s excitement faded.
“Safe from who?”
Mrs. Grace looked toward the window.
“From the same person who has been watching you.”
Lily’s phone suddenly vibrated.
Unknown number.
She opened the message.
Stop searching.
Another message followed.
You don’t know what Emily did.
Lily stared at the screen.
Then a final message appeared.
Ask her why she really left you.
Lily’s heart sank.
She looked at the photograph again.
For the first time, she wondered if Emily’s disappearance had another side to it.
Maybe Emily hadn’t only been protecting her.
Maybe Emily had also been hiding something from her.
Lily folded the photograph and put it in her pocket.
She looked at Amara.
“We’re going to find her.”
Amara nodded.
“But when we do,” Lily whispered, “I’m going to ask her everything.”
Outside, a dark car slowly passed the blue house.
Lily watched it disappear down the road.
Someone was still following them.
And whoever it was seemed determined to make sure Lily never reached Emily.
END OF EPISODE 9
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