chapter_004 : The Third Person

Back in the car, Orion drove it to a nearby parking lot. Then, he turned around and said, "Come on, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation."

Jane stared directly at Orion, her lips quivering. Finally, she said, "To put it simply, just like you and your sister, I also have the power of precognition. What I can foresee are the key words related to that paranormal event. In this way, I can figure out what the danger stems from and then take precautions. This ability... I started to have it not long after my mother died three years ago. This is the same as you two."

Although Orion had long suspected that this woman knew the secret of their precognition ability, he didn't expect her fate to be so similar to that of him and his sister.

"I know you have a lot of questions. It's a long story. Three years ago, I lived in a city far away from here. If that car accident hadn't happened, I think maybe I'd still be living an ordinary life. But one night, after our family of three went on a picnic and were driving back on a high - way, suddenly I saw a strange dark figure outside the car window... It was so dark that I couldn't see the figure clearly. And almost at that moment, my father and I were both shocked to find that my mother was gone! She was sitting in the front - passenger seat just fine, but now she had disappeared without a trace!"

Hearing this, Violet suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She was naturally timid and quickly asked, "Then... what happened to your mother?"

"She actually appeared in the middle of a crossroads right below our current location and was run over and turned into a pulp by a truck on the spot... Later, according to the truck driver, he didn't even notice when my mother showed up in the middle of the cross - roads, and then the tragedy happened..."

"You can imagine what happened next. My father was always deeply immersed in great sorrow, but he never gave in. Because I told him about the dark figure I saw. My father seemed to be possessed and went crazy searching for that figure. He kept investigating and researching at various high - ways and crossroads in the city, even neglecting his work. His appearance at that time really scared me. Moreover, he browsed a lot of paranormal websites and found a lot of relevant materials. Not long after, he left me a notebook and then disappeared."

"The notebook contained a lot of materials that my father had researched during that period. From these materials, I learned that similar paranormal events had been happening all over the world. Although the American government has always denied the existence of those things, in fact, there are indeed things beyond human common sense."

"Yes... I think so too." Orion nodded and said, "Go on."

"The notebook recorded your things, you two siblings. After that car accident, my father gradually developed the power of precognition. So, he was able to foresee, to a certain extent and within a certain range, the paranormal phenomena that would happen in the future. He recorded some of the future events in the notebook, and later, they all came true as he said. The notebook said that I should find you two. Although he only wrote your names, he told me that as long as I came into contact with you, I would definitely know that you were the ones I was looking for. And that's exactly what happened. When I saw that the screenwriter of that California - made horror movie was named Orion James Miller, I had a hunch that it was you..."

"But... Miss Jane, what do you want me to do for you? Find that dark figure and seek revenge for your mother? Or look for your father's whereabouts?"

"I also have the power of premonition, just like you two siblings. It emerged about four or five months after the car accident, but it's not as complete as my father's."

"In short... I hope to cooperate with you. My precognition ability is limited, and so are yours. But together, we can form a relatively complete prophecy. You can provide the names and appearances of the people, your sister can provide the time of the event, and I... can provide the key words."

"Then..." Orion voiced his doubt, "If I agree to your proposal, can you fulfill my wish?"

"Yes... I mentioned to your sister that my life will be taken by those things one day in the future. My father hopes that I can survive, so he is also looking for a way to save me somewhere. In his notebook, he has recorded a way. That way is... to prevent the things in the premonition from happening, that is, to try to break this fate. If we do this... all the premonitions will no longer coincide with reality. Then, I can survive. This is the only way to break this curse. If you cooperate with me, your wish can also be fulfilled."

Orion fell silent.

Actually, had he had an easy time in the past seven years? But fear always lingered in his heart, preventing him from having the courage to face it.

Jane's proposal was not without allure to him.

"Let me... think about it..."

Violet immediately tapped Orion on the head and said, "What else are you thinking about! Two people have already died! I'm warning you, Orion James Miller, if you dare to stand by and do nothing, I'll cut off our sibling relationship!"

Then she looked at Jane and said impatiently, "Miss Jane, it's a deal then! It seems that we three are really fated. Let's cooperate from now on! Maybe we can even find out where your father is. When I have another premonition, I'll call you!"

"Okay... Then I'll take my leave."

"Let me drive you home."

"No, thanks... There's a bus stop nearby. I've felt uncomfortable sitting in a car since my mother died."

"Then at least let me walk you to the bus stop. Violet, wait for me here."

Then, he gave Jane a meaningful look. Jane understood what he meant and replied, "Okay."

The night wind was strong, and the street lights in this area were flickering on and off, making his mind restless. As Orion walked on the street, he told Jane what had been weighing on his mind.

"Violet is too naive. She doesn't know what she's facing."

"You don't want to involve your sister in this?"

"You must promise me that she will only provide the time data and will never get involved. You and I will handle the contact with the other side. Can't you tell? I haven't told her about that thing at all. I'm asking you. Is everything you said true?"

"What do you mean?"

"About... the way to break the curse. Your father also told you in the notebook, right?"

"Yes. You two siblings... just like me, will also be killed by 'that' in the future..."

"Please don't tell Violet! I've shouldered this pain alone for seven years... I can write so many horror novels because I have nightmares every night. At first, not long after our parents died, many names and faces of people appeared in my mind, including mine and my sister's. Then, Violet also told me that she often had strange premonitions. After reading our parents' diaries, we decided to leave the city where we used to live. With the life - insurance money from our parents, we settled in a new city and even cut off contact with all relatives and friends because that's what our parents instructed in the diaries."

He grabbed his head, his expression pained as he continued, "After that, I began to notice that the farther away we were from the city where we originally lived, the closer the time for the people in my premonition to die. Now that we've crossed a state from the original city, from the time I have the premonition to the actual event, it's at most only two or three weeks. My sister and I have moved to three different cities! I also want to believe that those premonitions won't come true, but the names of the people I've foreseen in each city have always ended up in the newspapers, either as bizarre deaths or mysterious disappearances, without exception! So, is there any chance for me and my sister to survive? This is my only... wish."

They had reached the bus stop.

Jane was looking at Orion, but he couldn't see her expression clearly because the light around them was too dim.

"I can't promise you anything for now... But we're all bound by the same fate. Now, we can only rely on each other."

This was how Orion and Violet met Jane... and how this story began.

No one knew where all this started. But everyone was already unable to escape, just waiting for the hands of the clock to turn, ushering in the moment of coldness and death.

The next day, in the public cafeteria of the police department.

Scarlett dropped another sugar cube into her coffee. She squinted her eyes and looked at her boyfriend, Cassius, and pleaded, "Just... just once, okay? Let me go into the victim's house?"

Cassius's expression remained unchanged, and he simply folded his arms and firmly replied, "No way! What on earth do you want, Scarlett? How many times is this? Although I'm a police officer, if I keep letting you enter the crime scene, how can I face my superiors? I'm in charge of Alex's case, but I haven't even seen the body. The higher - ups have repeatedly told me not to disclose any inside information..."

"Don't be like that..." Scarlett said with a smile, "I've said it before... I won't ask you to let me see the body. Of course, it'd be better if you did... But at least let me go into the victim's house to take a look. This case is so mysterious. Digging out just a little clue would be a big news scoop. Whether my boss will give me a bonus depends on whether you're willing to cooperate."

Cassius just felt a headache coming on. Did he owe her in his previous life...

"A reporter came here to investigate this case before and even went to beg the chief, but he was still turned down. Scarlett, I really can't break the rules. Once the news is published, you'll be in the spotlight, but I'll get punished. Didn't I promise you that I'll hold a press conference as soon as there's new progress in the investigation?"

"Please... If that's the case, it won't be an exclusive news then. In this era when online information spreads so fast, being just half a step late can cause great losses... Well, I swear, this is the last time, okay?"

Cassius scratched his forehead, sighed, and said, "I'm afraid of you... Okay, this is the last time..., It's really a headache..."

Fortunately, although the chief had strictly restricted the release of any clues about this case to the public, just allowing a reporter to go to the crime scene for an interview should be okay, right? The body had been taken away, and there was no one living there now because the house was rented. So, they just needed to say hello to the landlord.

The crime scene, which had been strictly sealed off, was now open. There was just a 'No Entry' banner hanging at the door, and no police officers were stationed there. They could get the key from the landlord. When the landlord saw them, he thought they were here to rent the house. Instead, he found out they were a police officer and a reporter. He sighed and gave them the key, saying, "What a pity. Such a good family is gone just like that. And the rent of my house has dropped a lot. No one wants to rent it now..."

Scarlett didn't have the mood to deal with the landlord's complaints. After getting the key, she immediately followed Cassius to the floor where the crime had occurred. They stepped over the banner and opened the door. Inside, it was dim. It seemed that the living - room window was poorly located, and the room faced west, so not much sunlight could get in. Scarlett frowned and first went into the living room where the crime had happened and looked around.

"Hey, Cassius, you can just wait at the door. You don't need to come in with me."

"How can that be? If I don't keep an eye on you, who knows if you'll take something. We've searched this place thoroughly. You won't find any clues here, so give it up."

Scarlett snorted and started checking every corner. First of all, there were obviously no signs of a fight at the scene. The police couldn't have changed the layout of the scene, and there didn't seem to be any blood on the floor. Alas, her boyfriend wouldn't tell her anything, so she could only guess.

Forget it... Take a few photos first and study them carefully when she got back.

Just then, she happened to stand beside a coat hanger on which a suit was hanging. One of the sleeves of the suit just touched her hair. Just as she took out her camera and was about to press the shutter, she found Cassius standing right in front of her, staring at her and saying, "Just... just one photo..."

"Got it!" Scarlett cursed her boyfriend in her heart for being so old - fashioned. Just as she was about to pick up the camera and choose an angle, at that very moment...

She suddenly felt something grab her hair and yank it hard backward. She almost fell to the ground. And there was nothing behind her... Just a coat hanger, and not a single person in sight.

"Who... Who's there?" Her voice was filled with fear as she kept looking around. Cassius asked curiously, "What's wrong? It seems you almost fell just now?"

"Cassius, who was behind me just now?"

"Huh? No one. I locked the door after I came in... What's wrong with you? You're being so paranoid."

Scarlett still tried to stay calm and said, "Did... did you ask someone to play a prank on me? Trying to scare me so that I won't do the interview? I, I'm not, not afraid... Hey, say something. Stop staring at me!"

"What... What do you mean? I don't understand?"

"Just now... Someone grabbed my hair from behind. Really! Someone must have grabbed my hair!"

Cassius ran behind her and looked around carefully. Then, he shook his head and said, "It's impossible... Did your hair get caught on this coat hanger?"

"How could it be... I... I really felt like a hand grabbed my, my..." At this point, her voice began to tremble. Could it be... a ghost?

At this moment, for some reason, that suit actually fell off the hanger and onto the floor. Cassius quickly went to pick it up. By chance, he glanced at the collar...

"Wow!" He immediately threw the suit away and shouted, "What... What's that?"

Just now... He had seen... a pair of eyes deep in the collar!

He summoned up his courage and opened the buttons of the suit, but there was, of course, nothing inside. This was just an ordinary suit, probably belonging to the husband of the family.

"Cassius... Let's... Let's leave..." Scarlett's feet were involuntarily moving towards the door.

"I... I feel the same way..."

At the same time, Orion, who was reading a book in his study at home, suddenly had a picture appear in his mind. In the picture, there was a young man in a police uniform... And at the same time, his name also popped up...

"Cassius? Is he the third person?"