Featured by @fright for AAPIHM.
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A librarian gets sucked into a web of horror as she investigates a century-old disappearance in the new town she has moved into.
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Yvaine Agan had always led a quiet life and had expected to do the same when sh...
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Yvaine felt desolate.
She sat on the windowsill of her bedroom, with the diary of Paisley Rose laid open upon her thigh. A thoughtful frown had appeared in between her eyes, as she wondered what could be the answer that would solve the mystery of Wilhelmina Andras's disappearance. She sought the final connection desperately.
A good six days had passed since her eventful conversation with Vesna Rose. The three of them had divided the task of finding the final clue, with Yvaine focusing on the riddle they had found in the diary while Oleander had thought of seeking external sources and thus had gone out of the town. He was to return the next day.
Amberly on the other hand had taken the job of researching the archives for any information they might have missed earlier. But all these to no avail. They had not yet found anything productive.
Lost in thoughts, Yvaine's sight drifted to the open diary. She picked it up and read the riddle out loud.
"You who read this must know of the tragedy, And have thus begun your quest to uncover the truth, Take heed to my words, Trust not what says the world, That which seems most unlikely search there o dear reader, For gold is often found in tombs, and carrions in boxes of gold, Look beneath, look underneath and you shall find the truth."
Again, she was stuck. She was unable to unravel what the riddle wanted to say. Groaning in defeat, Yvaine rested her head on her knee and closed her eyes. Perhaps she was too stressed and thus was unable to dissect the riddle. If she rested and gave more time to it, then she would be able to understand it better.
The afternoon of her father's funeral played out in her mind. Yvaine got transported to that bygone day, the day she bid her father goodbye forever. She remembered how hot the day was to the point of boiling down the skin of all those who were there. The cemetery was rather a lonely place with a handful of trees, no grass and scanty graves. Yvaine remembered how nauseated she felt from crying and from that black dress she had worn for the funeral, that they had to delay the event.
However, no one had predicted the rains that followed the heatwave. Midway through the funeral, it had begun to rain furiously, drenching them all wet. At that moment the barren graveyard seemed to glow with life with the trees swirling their heads in tune with the raindrops, the marble headstones glistening in the shower, the way her father's coffin shone as if it was made of gold...
Yvaine sprang up in her position, the diary of Paisley Rose slipping down to the ground. The penultimate line in the riddle buzzed in her head: For gold is often found in tombs and carrions in boxes of gold. Could the final clue be in a graveyard? Jumping down she picked up her phone from the bedside table and dialled Amberly. After a few minutes, the call was answered.
"Hello? Is this Miss Agan?" Amberly's voice floated from the speakers.
"Yes, Miss Wood. Can you help me with something?" Yvaine asked.
