Chapter 2 - THE VIDEO THAT MADE A FATHER TURN AROUND
David Harper was halfway home when his phone rang.
He almost ignored it.
He had been working twelve hours straight at the construction site.
His hands were covered in dust.
His mind was exhausted.
But something about the number made him answer.
“Hello?”
“Is this Blair’s father?”
David immediately sat up.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“My name is Martha Collins. I work at Rosewood Memorial Cemetery.”
David frowned.
“The cemetery?”
“Yes.”
His voice changed.
“What happened to my daughter?”
There was silence.
Then Martha said:
“I need you to watch something.”
A video arrived.
David opened it.
At first, all he saw was darkness.
Then the camera moved.
The old shed appeared.
Then the crate.
His breathing stopped.
“What is that?”
Martha’s voice came through the phone.
“I found it hidden behind the shed.”
David watched the video again.
His hands started shaking.
Then he heard Blair.
“Claire said I wasn’t supposed to talk about it.”
David stood up so fast his chair fell backward.
“Where is my daughter?”
Martha hesitated.
“She’s still there.”
David grabbed his keys.
“Stay with her.”
“Mr. Harper, you need to understand—”
“No.”
His voice became cold.
“I’m coming.”
He walked out of his office.
His coworker looked at him.
“David? Where are you going?”
David didn’t answer.
He was already running.
The moment he got into his truck, he called Claire.
She answered after three rings.
“David?”
Her voice sounded normal.
Too normal.
“Where is Blair?”
A pause.
“She’s at the cemetery.”
“Why?”
“She wanted to help me.”
David gripped the steering wheel.
“Help you do what?”
Another pause.
“David, what is this about?”
He looked at the video still open on his phone.
The hidden crate.
The terrified voice of his daughter.
Then he said four words.
“Turn the car around. Now.”
“What?”
“Leave wherever you are.”
“David, you’re scaring me.”
“You should be scared.”
He hung up.
The drive to Rosewood Memorial felt longer than ever.
Every red light felt like an hour.
Every second felt dangerous.
When he finally arrived, he saw Martha standing near the shed.
And beside her…
was Blair.
His daughter ran toward him.
“Daddy!”
David dropped to his knees and hugged her.
“Are you okay?”
Blair nodded.
But she wasn’t smiling.
“Daddy…”
“What?”
She pointed behind him.
“Claire wasn’t the only person who knew about the shed.”
David slowly turned.
A man was standing near the cemetery entrance.
Watching them.
May you like
And when David recognized him…
his blood ran cold.
