Where the Walls Are Thin

The ride back to Black Orchid Investigations was filled with tense silence. Jessica’s hands were steady on the wheel, but only because squeezing hard enough gave her something to feel.. Leanna stared out the window like she was watching for ghosts, while Olivia scrolled through Daniel’s journal, cross-referencing dates and locations.

"We need to figure out the cycle," Olivia finally said, breaking the silence. "If we can predict when and where the next event will happen, we might have a shot at bringing Daniel back."

Leanna exhaled, rubbing her temples. "Assuming we can interfere without making things worse."

Jessica clenched her jaw. "We don’t have a choice. We saw him. He’s stuck. We owe it to Maria to bring him home."

Back at their office, Olivia spread out Daniel’s journal on the large wooden table. She pulled out a map and began marking the locations he had recorded. "Okay, look at this... the disappearances form a pattern. They happen every thirty-seven days, always in a different place, but all within a defined area. This isn’t coincidence, it is by design"

Jessica leaned in. "Where’s the next one?"

Olivia traced a finger over the map. "If the pattern holds, it’ll be here. An abandoned textile factory on the outskirts of the city. Three nights from now."

Leanna raised an eyebrow. "A factory? That means infrastructure, possible electromagnetic interference. Could be why these anomalies keep happening."

Jessica nodded. "Then that’s where we’ll be. And this time, we won’t just watch. We’ll be ready."

---

Three nights later they found themselves at the abandoned textiles factory. The air inside the factory was thick with dust and the lingering scent of old machinery. The air was filled with the sound of an electric hum that seemed to rise out of the walls themselves. Jessica, Leanna, and Olivia moved carefully through the vast space, flashlights cutting through the darkness.

"This place is massive," Leanna muttered. "If this goes bad, fast won’t be enough."

While Leanna set up the jury-rigged stabilizer, Olivia set up her scanner, watching the readings. "We’re in the right place. The residual energy here is strong—stronger than at the parking lot."

Jessica took a deep breath. "We wait. And when the window opens, we pull him back."

Minutes dragged into hours, the tension thickening with each passing moment. Then— A sharp gust of wind rushed through the factory, kicking up dust. The temperature dropped suddenly, and the air crackled with unseen energy.

"It’s starting!" Olivia shouted, adjusting the scanner. "Get ready!"

A bright shimmer flickered in the center of the room. Jessica’s heart pounded as Daniel Vasquez began to materialize—half here, half somewhere else.

"Daniel!" Jessica called, stepping forward.

His eyes locked onto hers, filled with fear and confusion. "Jessica...You shouldn’t pull me back!"

Leanna moved quickly, pulling out the device they had rigged together—an improvised electromagnetic stabilizer based on their research. "We just need a few more seconds!"

Jessica reached out a hand. "We’re getting you out of there! Just hold on!"

The factory walls trembled as the shimmer intensified. For a split second, Daniel’s body flickered violently—then he collapsed onto the ground.

Silence filled the room. Jessica rushed to his side, pressing her fingers to his neck. A pulse. He was breathing.

"We did it," she whispered. "We actually did it."

Leanna and Olivia exchanged stunned glances before exhaling in relief. But before they could celebrate, Daniel’s eyes fluttered open, panic setting in.

"It’s not over," he rasped. "They know. They’re coming."

Jessica’s stomach turned to ice. "Who’s coming, Daniel?"

He swallowed hard, gripping her wrist. "It wasn’t random. Someone put me there. And they saw everything you just did. And they’re not going to let me go."

The shadows in the factory seemed to grow darker around them.

Jessica stood up, adrenaline surging. "Then we run. And next time, we bring a bigger knife."

Because whatever was coming—they were running out of time.