Chapter 3: The Truth in the Fog

Elena's breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice rising. "Mara wouldn't just leave. Not without telling me."

The man's expression softened, but there was no comfort in it. "She didn't have a choice," he said. "There were things happening in this town—things she couldn't escape. She thought leaving was the only way to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Elena's voice cracked, the words tearing at her throat. "Who are you? How do you know all this?"

He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. "My name is Daniel," he said finally. "I was… a friend of Mara's. She trusted me. And before she left, she asked me to give you something."

Elena's eyes widened. "What? What did she give you?"

Daniel reached into his coat and pulled out a small, weathered notebook. The cover was stained and frayed, but Elena recognized it immediately. It was Mara's sketchbook, the one she always carried with her. Elena took it with trembling hands, her fingers tracing the familiar grooves and scratches on the cover.

"She wanted you to have this," Daniel said quietly. "She said it would explain everything."

Elena opened the sketchbook, the pages fluttering in the wind. The first few pages were filled with Mara's drawings—quick, fluid sketches of the cliffs, the lighthouse, the town. But as she flipped through, the drawings changed. They became darker, more chaotic. There were figures in the shadows, faces twisted in fear, and symbols Elena didn't recognize.

And then, on the last page, a single sentence, written in Mara's handwriting:

*"I'm sorry, Elena. I had to go. But I'll come back for you. I promise."*

Elena's vision blurred as tears filled her eyes. She clutched the sketchbook to her chest, the weight of it pressing against her heart. "Where is she?" she whispered. "Where did she go?"

Daniel didn't answer right away. He looked out at the sea again, his expression unreadable. "I don't know," he said finally. "But I think the answers are in this town. And if you're willing to look, I'll help you find them."

Elena wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her resolve hardening. "Then we start now," she said. "No more secrets. No more lies."

Daniel nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Alright," he said. "But be careful, Elena. The truth… it's not always what we want it to be."

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