Image of "Chillers from Albert County: The Phantom of Covered Bridge Lane", provided by the author. Submitted by: Monique Ferguson, Author
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Part 4: The Truth
The library’s discovery weighed heavily on Alex, Addison, and Matheo as they trudged back to the covered bridge that night. The air was colder than before, and the mist seemed thicker, swirling ominously around their flashlights.
“She said we had to find the truth,” Alex murmured, gripping the old article they’d found. “This has to be it.”
“But how do we show her?” Addison asked, her voice trembling. “We can’t just hand her a newspaper.”
Matheo held up his phone. “I downloaded some old records we didn’t get to print. It mentions her father left town a week after her disappearance. People thought he couldn’t bear the shame, but what if he left because of what he did?”
Addison shuddered. “You think he…?”
maferguson.wordpress.com
Part 4: The Truth
The library’s discovery weighed heavily on Alex, Addison, and Matheo as they trudged back to the covered bridge that night. The air was colder than before, and the mist seemed thicker, swirling ominously around their flashlights.
“She said we had to find the truth,” Alex murmured, gripping the old article they’d found. “This has to be it.”
“But how do we show her?” Addison asked, her voice trembling. “We can’t just hand her a newspaper.”
Matheo held up his phone. “I downloaded some old records we didn’t get to print. It mentions her father left town a week after her disappearance. People thought he couldn’t bear the shame, but what if he left because of what he did?”
Addison shuddered. “You think he…?”
Alex shook his head. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We’re here to find answers.”
The covered bridge loomed ahead, its weathered beams creaking in the breeze. As they stepped onto the planks, the familiar hum began again, soft and haunting. The friends moved cautiously toward the center, where they had first encountered Eleanor.
The mist thickened, and the humming grew louder, accompanied by the faint creak of a bicycle wheel. The figure appeared suddenly, as if emerging from the very wood of the bridge. Eleanor stood before them, her white dress glowing softly, her veil shifting in an unseen breeze.
“You have returned,” she said, her voice echoing. “Why?”
Alex held up the article, his hand trembling. “We found this,” he said. “It’s about you. About what happened.”
Eleanor tilted her head, the veil obscuring her face, but the tension in the air was palpable. “The truth… is it here?” she asked, her voice heavy with sorrow.
Addison stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. “Eleanor, your father—he went after you that night. People think he… might have stopped you from meeting your lover.”
The figure wavered, the mist swirling around her as if responding to her emotions. “My father…” she whispered. “He did not approve. He would have stopped me.”
Matheo quickly added, “He left town right after you disappeared. No one ever saw him again.”
For a moment, Eleanor was silent, her figure flickering like a dying flame. Then she spoke, her voice trembling. “It was him. He… he caught me before I reached the bridge. He was angry. So angry. I ran, but… but he…” Her voice broke, and a faint sob escaped her lips.
Addison’s eyes filled with tears. “Eleanor, we’re so sorry. He didn’t have the right to take that from you.”
Eleanor’s figure solidified slightly, her veil lifting just enough to reveal a pale, sorrowful face. “I never reached him,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I never told him I loved him.”
Alex felt a pang in his chest. “Do you know who he was? Your lover?”
Eleanor nodded faintly. “Matthew,” she whispered. “He waited for me here. But I… I never came.”
Matheo raised an eyebrow. “Matthew? Is that in the records?”
Addison nodded. “There was a boy named Matthew in the town registry from that time. He left Albert County the year Eleanor disappeared.”
Alex swallowed. “He probably thought she changed her mind or abandoned him.”
Eleanor’s gaze drifted to the far end of the bridge, her figure trembling. “He is gone… but I remain. Bound to this place. Waiting.”
“No,” Alex said firmly. “You’re not bound here anymore. The truth is out. Your father can’t hold you back anymore.”
Addison stepped closer. “You loved him, Eleanor. And he loved you. It’s time to let go.”
The humming grew louder—rising into a deep, almost melodic vibration that shimmered through the mist. And then, from within the swirling fog, another figure began to take shape. Tall. Gentle. Familiar.
Eleanor gasped.
The boy stepped forward slowly, his hand outstretched. His eyes were soft, full of love that had never faded.
“Matthew,” Eleanor breathed.
A tremble passed through her. Then she took his hand.
The mist began to brighten, glowing faintly around them. As the two figures drew closer, the humming faded into silence.
Eleanor turned back one last time, her voice softer than a whisper. “Thank you,” she said. “For helping me… find him.”
Their forms shimmered, then dissolved together into the light. A warm breeze swept across the bridge, and the icy chill that had gripped the night lifted. Above them, the sky cleared, revealing a canopy of glittering stars.
“She’s gone,” Addison said, her voice thick with emotion.
“Yeah,” Alex whispered. “She’s finally free.”
The three friends stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the night settling over them. As they turned to leave the bridge, a faint sound stopped them in their tracks—a gentle creak, like the wheel of a bicycle.
Addison glanced back, a small smile on her face. “Goodbye, Eleanor.”
They walked home under the stars, the bridge behind them quiet at last. The legend of Eleanor would live on, but her restless spirit had found peace—and so had they.
The covered bridge loomed ahead, its weathered beams creaking in the breeze. As they stepped onto the planks, the familiar hum began again, soft and haunting. The friends moved cautiously toward the center, where they had first encountered Eleanor.
The mist thickened, and the humming grew louder, accompanied by the faint creak of a bicycle wheel. The figure appeared suddenly, as if emerging from the very wood of the bridge. Eleanor stood before them, her white dress glowing softly, her veil shifting in an unseen breeze.
“You have returned,” she said, her voice echoing. “Why?”
Alex held up the article, his hand trembling. “We found this,” he said. “It’s about you. About what happened.”
Eleanor tilted her head, the veil obscuring her face, but the tension in the air was palpable. “The truth… is it here?” she asked, her voice heavy with sorrow.
Addison stepped forward, her voice soft but steady. “Eleanor, your father—he went after you that night. People think he… might have stopped you from meeting your lover.”
The figure wavered, the mist swirling around her as if responding to her emotions. “My father…” she whispered. “He did not approve. He would have stopped me.”
Matheo quickly added, “He left town right after you disappeared. No one ever saw him again.”
For a moment, Eleanor was silent, her figure flickering like a dying flame. Then she spoke, her voice trembling. “It was him. He… he caught me before I reached the bridge. He was angry. So angry. I ran, but… but he…” Her voice broke, and a faint sob escaped her lips.
Addison’s eyes filled with tears. “Eleanor, we’re so sorry. He didn’t have the right to take that from you.”
Eleanor’s figure solidified slightly, her veil lifting just enough to reveal a pale, sorrowful face. “I never reached him,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I never told him I loved him.”
Alex felt a pang in his chest. “Do you know who he was? Your lover?”
Eleanor nodded faintly. “Matthew,” she whispered. “He waited for me here. But I… I never came.”
Matheo raised an eyebrow. “Matthew? Is that in the records?”
Addison nodded. “There was a boy named Matthew in the town registry from that time. He left Albert County the year Eleanor disappeared.”
Alex swallowed. “He probably thought she changed her mind or abandoned him.”
Eleanor’s gaze drifted to the far end of the bridge, her figure trembling. “He is gone… but I remain. Bound to this place. Waiting.”
“No,” Alex said firmly. “You’re not bound here anymore. The truth is out. Your father can’t hold you back anymore.”
Addison stepped closer. “You loved him, Eleanor. And he loved you. It’s time to let go.”
The humming grew louder—rising into a deep, almost melodic vibration that shimmered through the mist. And then, from within the swirling fog, another figure began to take shape. Tall. Gentle. Familiar.
Eleanor gasped.
The boy stepped forward slowly, his hand outstretched. His eyes were soft, full of love that had never faded.
“Matthew,” Eleanor breathed.
A tremble passed through her. Then she took his hand.
The mist began to brighten, glowing faintly around them. As the two figures drew closer, the humming faded into silence.
Eleanor turned back one last time, her voice softer than a whisper. “Thank you,” she said. “For helping me… find him.”
Their forms shimmered, then dissolved together into the light. A warm breeze swept across the bridge, and the icy chill that had gripped the night lifted. Above them, the sky cleared, revealing a canopy of glittering stars.
“She’s gone,” Addison said, her voice thick with emotion.
“Yeah,” Alex whispered. “She’s finally free.”
The three friends stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the night settling over them. As they turned to leave the bridge, a faint sound stopped them in their tracks—a gentle creak, like the wheel of a bicycle.
Addison glanced back, a small smile on her face. “Goodbye, Eleanor.”
They walked home under the stars, the bridge behind them quiet at last. The legend of Eleanor would live on, but her restless spirit had found peace—and so had they.
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