Whispers in the Dark

Jessica led them back toward the square, pulse still racing from the boy who vanished like smoke. But what met them wasn’t pursuit, it was absence. The eerie silence sent a chill down their spines. Moments ago, the townspeople had been here, sharing their confusion and fragmented memories. Now, the square was abandoned. Not a single sign of life remained.

Jessica felt the weight of paranoia settle in her chest. “Where the hell did everyone go?” she murmured, scanning the empty buildings.

Leanna pressed a hand to her temple, frustration evident in her expression. “This isn’t just people hiding. It’s like they were… erased.”

Olivia gritted her teeth. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

They moved quickly through the deserted streets, their footsteps echoing unnaturally loud against the cobblestone paths. Shadows loomed in the alleyways, stretching and shifting under the flickering streetlights. The fence enclosing the town was still there, a silent barrier trapping them inside with secrets they didn’t understand.

Jessica reached for her radio, speaking in a low voice. “Rodrigo, come in. Are you picking up anything on the satellite feed?”

A burst of static crackled in response before Rodrigo’s voice came through, edged with concern. “You guys okay? I lost visuals on the town for about ten minutes. Cameras went dark.” Rodrigo's voice crackled again. “When the cameras came back... it was like someone hit reset. No movement. No sign of heat signatures either. Just—static ghosts.”

Jessica exchanged a glance with Leanna and Olivia. “We’re heading back to the Jeep. Stay on standby.”

They turned down a side street leading toward the edge of town, but before they could reach the main road, a sudden sound stopped them in their tracks. A whisper—soft, indistinct, carried on the wind. It came from an open doorway ahead.

Jessica tightened her grip on her flashlight. “Did you hear that?”

Leanna and Olivia nodded, their bodies tensing. The whisper came again—more insistent this time, as if beckoning them inside.

Olivia exhaled sharply. “This is how horror movies start.”

Jessica took a cautious step forward. “We have to check it out.”

The door creaked as they entered, revealing a dimly lit interior. It was a small office, bookshelves lining the walls, papers scattered across a desk. The air smelled of dust and something faintly metallic.

Then, movement—a shadow flickered at the edge of Jessica’s vision. She spun, flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. Nothing.

Leanna inhaled sharply. “Jess. Over here.”

Jessica turned to find Leanna kneeling beside the desk, sifting through a pile of yellowed documents. Olivia leaned over her shoulder, eyes widening as she read aloud.

“Project Alabaster… Psychological Reconditioning… Subjects relocated under directive…”

Jessica felt a shiver race down her spine. “This was planned. The town, the fence… everything.”

Leanna murmured, "Alabaster. They’re not erasing memories... they’re overwriting them."

Jessica bitterly added, "Turning whole towns into blank slates."

A new sound broke the silence—a heavy thud from the back of the building. Someone was here.

Jessica snapped her head up, motioning for silence. The three of them exchanged quick nods before moving in sync, weapons at the ready. The hallway stretched ahead, lined with closed doors, the final one slightly ajar.

Jessica pressed her back against the wall, counting down with her fingers. Three… Two… One—

She pushed the door open.

Inside, a man sat slumped in a chair, his head resting on his chest. A trail of blood stained his shirt, pooling onto the floor. His breathing was ragged, barely audible. The lanyard around his neck held a Vanguard ID and access card faded, cracked, and at least twenty years old logo. Old clearance tags. Old ghosts. As Jessica took a cautious step closer, his head lifted weakly, eyes locking onto hers with a desperate plea.

“…help… me…”

Then, before he could say more, his body seized, and he collapsed.

Leanna knelt beside him, checking for a pulse. “He’s barely alive,” she whispered.

Olivia checked the room, grabbing a half-burned notebook from the desk. “This could tell us what happened here.”

Jessica clenched her jaw. “We get him stabilized and find out what he knows. We’re not leaving without answers.”

As she spoke, the lights flickered ominously. Outside, the whispers in the dark grew louder.