Chapter 3: The Curse Unraveled
Isla returned home, the journal clutched tightly to her chest. She knew she couldn't face this alone, but who in the town would listen? They had lived in silence for so long, and any attempt to change that might be seen as blasphemy.
She decided to confide in her best friend, Liora. Though communication in the town was nonverbal, Isla and Liora had developed a way of understanding each other through their eyes, their smiles, and the occasional written word. When Isla showed her the journal, Liora's eyes widened with a mix of fear and curiosity.
For the next few weeks, the two of them met in secret, poring over the journal's pages, piecing together the events that had led to the town's silence. They learned of a woman named Elira, who had been blamed for the fire. Accused of witchcraft, she had been cast into the river, her cries lost in the night. The townspeople believed her curse was what kept them silent, afraid of her ghostly wrath.
But Isla and Liora weren't convinced. The journal hinted at something else—an ancient pact made with the river itself, a pact that could be broken.
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The River's Echo
Fantasy"The River's Echo" follows Isla as she uncovers a dark secret in her silent town. When voices return, a dangerous creature awakens beneath the river, hungry for sound. Now, Isla must make a life-altering choice to save her people before it's too lat...
