Chapter Eleven: Unveiling the Truth (1/2)

Selene's POV

The next morning, the discovery from last night still weighed heavily on my mind. As I sat at the breakfast table, absentmindedly stirring my coffee, I couldn't shake the eerie feeling that had settled over me. Callista's connection to the house from our dreams—it was too strange, too coincidental.

I reached for my phone and sent her a quick text: *We need to talk more about that house. Meet me at the café at noon?*

As I waited for her response, my mind drifted back to the photograph. The house by the lake, standing silent and abandoned for over a century, and the mysterious disappearance of the family that had once lived there. Callista's family. What could it all mean?

My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. Callista replied: "I'll be there."

A part of me wanted to dive into the mystery right away, to start digging through archives and records, but I knew we needed to be careful. There was something about all this that felt dangerous, like we were awakening something that had been asleep for a long time.

Callista's POV

As I walked to the café, the events of the past few days kept playing over and over in my mind. The dreams, the house, the discovery of my family's connection to it—none of it made sense. Yet, at the same time, it felt like everything was starting to fall into place.

I reached the café a few minutes early, finding a quiet corner table where we wouldn't be disturbed. Selene arrived shortly after, looking just as uneasy as I felt.

We exchanged a quick greeting, but there was no small talk. We both knew why we were here.

"We need to find that house," Selene said, her voice low and serious. "It's the only way to get answers."

"But how?" I asked, leaning forward. "The house in the photograph is over a century old. It could be gone by now, or it could be anywhere."

"We have a lead, though," Selene pointed out, pulling out her laptop. She opened the webpage with the old photograph and began scrolling through the accompanying text. "The article mentions that the house was located near a lake in the northern part of the state. There aren't many lakes up there—if we narrow it down, we might be able to find it."

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination. "Let's do it. We can start by visiting the town where the photo was taken. Maybe someone there knows something."

Selene agreed, and we spent the next hour planning our trip. It would be a long drive, but we both felt that it was worth it. Whatever answers were waiting for us at that house, we needed to find them.

Author's POV

By the time they left the café, Selene and Callista had a plan. The next weekend, they would drive upstate to the town mentioned in the article and start their search for the house by the lake. It was a shot in the dark, but it was the best lead they had.

The drive took them several hours, the scenery shifting from the bustling cityscape to the quiet, rolling hills of the countryside. As they neared their destination, the air grew cooler, and the trees thickened, casting long shadows over the winding road.

When they finally reached the town, it felt like stepping back in time. The streets were narrow and lined with old buildings, many of which looked like they hadn't changed in decades. There was a small-town charm to it, but also a sense of isolation that made Selene uneasy.

They parked near the town square and made their way to the local library, hoping to find more information about the house and its history. The librarian, an elderly woman with a sharp memory, was more than willing to help.

After hearing their story, she led them to a section of the library dedicated to local history. "You might find what you're looking for in these old records," she said, gesturing to a set of dusty ledgers and faded photographs.

For hours, Selene and Callista pored over the documents, searching for any mention of the house. At first, their efforts seemed fruitless—until Callista stumbled upon an old map of the area.

"Look," she said, pointing to a small mark near the edge of the map. "This must be it. The house is right here, by the lake."

Selene leaned in, her heart racing. "It's not far from here. We could find it before sunset if we leave now."

Selene's POV

The thought of finally standing in front of the house, of seeing it with my own eyes, filled me with a strange mix of excitement and dread. What if it wasn't there anymore? Or worse, what if it was—and we found something we weren't prepared for?

But we had come this far, and I wasn't about to turn back now. "Let's go," I said, grabbing my bag. "The sooner we find it, the better."

The drive to the lake was short but felt like an eternity. As we neared the location marked on the map, the road grew narrower and more overgrown. The trees loomed overhead, their branches forming a canopy that blocked out the fading sunlight.

Finally, we saw it—a narrow path leading off the main road, partially hidden by the underbrush. Callista stopped the car, and we both got out, staring down the path that led into the woods.

"This is it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, feeling a shiver run down my spine. "Let's go."

We walked in silence, the only sound of the crunch of leaves under our feet. The air was thick with tension, each step bringing us closer to whatever awaited us at the end of the path.

Then, through the trees, I saw it—the house. It was exactly as it had appeared in our dreams, old and weathered but still standing, as if waiting for us.

My breath caught in my throat as we approached. The door, like in the dream, was slightly ajar, a soft light spilling out from inside. My heart pounded in my chest as I reached for the doorknob.

"What if we're not ready for what's inside?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"We have to be," Callista replied, her hand on mine. "We've come this far together."

Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open, and we stepped inside, our pasts and futures converging in that moment.

Author's POV

As Selene and Callista crossed the threshold of the house, they entered a world where the past and present were intertwined. The answers they sought were within reach, but so too were the secrets that had been hidden away for generations.

What they would find inside would challenge everything they thought they knew, and the bond between them would be tested in ways they could never have imagined. But one thing was certain—there was no turning back now. The truth, in all its complexity, was waiting for them, just beyond the next door.