As they stepped out of the room, the cold wind rustled through the trees, making them whistle in low, haunting tones. The sky was a pale, washed-out gray, the kind that made everything feel suspended in time. Serena rubbed her palms together, trying to generate warmth. She hadn't expected Eldermere to be this chilly, not this early in the evening.
Her mind, however, was far from the cold.
How much do you know about the town?
Elsie's question echoed relentlessly in her head.
"I swear, this place feels colder every day," Serena muttered, exhaling softly and watching her breath fog in the air.
Elsie's face lit up as she clapped her hands together, her curls bouncing as though moving in rhythm with the wind itself. "Well, since you asked," she said brightly, adjusting the thick scarf around her neck, "I've only been here for a year and a half, but I do know quite a lot about Eldermere's history."
Serena glanced at her, curious.
"It actually started as a project last year," Elsie continued, her voice steady despite the weight of her words. "One of my classmates Anna went missing around this time of year."
Serena stopped walking.
"That's awful," she said quietly. "I'm so sorry." Her brows knitted together in confusion. "Did the school do anything? I mean, there's nothing online. No missing person report, no news articles—nothing. Did they not report it?"
Elsie slowed her pace, her expression shifting. "That's just it. In Eldermere, nothing is known outside these borders. The town doesn't exist online, and what happens here stays here."
Serena's unease deepened.
"What really made me start digging," Elsie went on, "was that no one could remember Anna. Not teachers. Not classmates. Not even her roommate." She hesitated, then added softly, "Not even me."
Serena's heart skipped. "You forgot her?"
Elsie nodded. "Completely. Like she'd never existed." She exhaled sharply. "Then one day, while going through my notebook, I found a picture. It was Anna, Steven, and me sitting at the diner we're heading to now, sharing milkshakes."
They reached the corner, and the little red diner came into view, its neon sign flickering faintly against the dull sky.
"The moment I saw it," Elsie said, "everything came pouring back. Her laugh. Her voice. The way she always stole fries off my plate." Her fingers tightened around the edge of her scarf. "It was strange. Terrifying."
Serena swallowed. "That's… not normal."
"No," Elsie agreed. "And that's not even the worst part." She pushed open the diner door, warm air and the scent of fried food rushing out to greet them. "I haven't been able to find much else. The town's library only has what the leaders want you to see a perfect little paradise with wealthy, happy people." Her lips twitched bitterly. "But that's not the whole truth."
They slid into a booth by the window, the vinyl seats squeaking softly. Serena leaned forward, her curiosity overpowering her fear.
"There are strange occurrences here," Elsie continued in a lower voice. "Most people dismiss them as town legends, but there's one story that always comes up."
She paused for dramatic effect.
"The legend of the seven wolves."
Serena straightened. "Seven wolves? Like… normal wolves?"
Elsie shook her head. "Nope. People say Eldermere was a magical place centuries ago, ruled by powerful wolf-like creatures." She smirked slightly. "Werewolves."
Serena's brow furrowed. The blurred images from her vision, the glowing eyes, the towering shadows flashed uninvited through her mind. "Werewolves? That can't be real."
"I don't know," Elsie shrugged. "But the town believes it. They say Eldermere thrived during their reign peace, prosperity, fertile lands. They conquered their enemies, protected the town." She scoffed lightly. "Fairytale stuff, right?"
She removed her scarf and glanced around the diner before leaning closer. Serena instinctively mirrored her movement.
"Then something terrible happened," Elsie whispered. "A great betrayal. A curse fell upon the town and its people but the wolves suffered the most. Some believe they still roam among us to this very day."
A chill crept down Serena's spine.
"Do you know what the curse was?" she asked carefully.
Elsie shook her head. "Not yet. That's where everything goes dark. No records. No details." Then her eyes sparkled with renewed excitement. "But maybe now that you're here, we can figure it out together."
Serena smiled, though her chest felt tight. "Yeah… maybe."
On the other side of the diner, Conner wiped down a table before heading toward the counter.
"Hey, Conner," another staff member said, tapping his shoulder. "Table five just got filled. It's Elsie and she brought a friend."
Conner smiled as he glanced over. Elsie was animated as always, hands flying as she spoke to the girl seated across from her.
"Always making new friends," he chuckled.
"Yeah," his coworker said. "But this one's new. Never seen her before."
Conner frowned slightly. "New to Eldermere? That shouldn't be possible. The scholarship program ended months ago."
"I don't know," the staff shrugged. "But she's here and she's nice. Plus," he added with a grin, "she's super pretty."
Conner snorted. "Alright then. Let me go meet this mystery girl."
He grabbed a rag and approached their table. "Elsie," he said with a playful smirk, "do you ever stop talking? What is it this time monsters in the forest?"
"That's none of your business, Conner," Elsie snapped, though the frown vanished almost immediately. "Oh! Serena, this is Conner, my favorite waiter. Conner, this is Serena, my next-door neighbor."
Conner finally looked at her properly and froze.
Her caramel skin glowed warmly under the diner lights, her long black hair framing her face as she laughed softly. There was something disarming about her, it was a rare sight to see someone of her skin tone in Eldermere. His smirk faded.
"Hi," he said, his voice rougher than intended. "I'm Conner."
"Serena," she replied with a gentle smile. "It's nice to meet one of Elsie's friends."
For a moment, the diner felt brighter.
He took their order, stealing glances when he thought she wasn't looking. Even as he walked away, he glanced back one last time, unsettled by how a single look could make a place like Eldermere feel… alive again.