The City’s Dark Side

Easton was a city of contradictions—shiny, sleek skyscrapers standing side-by-side with crumbling buildings, glitzy restaurants next to forgotten alleyways. It was a city that promised everything but delivered nothing. People rushed through the streets, chasing their next opportunity, their next moment of validation, all while burying their true selves beneath a layer of façades.

Emma had seen it all in her work—people hiding behind perfect Instagram profiles, pretending their lives were flawless while battling inner demons. The digital age had made it all the easier. Everyone posted pictures of their vacations, their meals, their "perfect" relationships, but no one talked about the loneliness that came with it, the emptiness that gnawed at them.

She had once tried to get involved in the social media world, but it never sat right with her. It felt hollow, fake. And when she found Anna Pierce's profile, she immediately saw the same disconnection. Anna's posts were a perfect reflection of the typical Eastonite: clean, curated, glowing with happiness. But there was something more in her feed.

Emma zoomed in on a final, unsettling post from Anna. A photo of the skyline at dusk, a picture of a life seemingly perfect. But the caption read: "If you look too hard, you might find something you can't unsee."

What was Anna trying to say? What had she seen, or found, that had driven her to leave behind everything?

Emma's mind raced. This wasn't just another disappearance. This was something deeper, something darker. The more she thought about it, the more the feeling in her chest tightened. Anna hadn't just vanished—she was running from something.

And that something was exactly what Emma needed to uncover.