Episode 5: The Missing Hours

Nathan, Travis, Paul, and Lily were gathered outside Paul’s house early in the morning. The sun had barely risen, casting a dim light over the street as they stood by the car, waiting for Paul’s sister, Amelia, to come out. The air was thick with anticipation. This was it—the day they would finally head to Petruel and try to unravel the mystery behind Lily’s death.

Travis, always the curious one, filled the silence with questions. “So, how old is your sister?” he asked, bouncing slightly on his heels.

Paul, cleaning the lenses of his glasses, responded matter-of-factly, “Twenty-six.”

Travis nodded, filing the information away. “And where does she work?”

Paul slid his glasses back on. “Freelancer.”

Travis tilted his head. “Freelancer? Where’s that?”

Before Paul could respond to the nonsensical question, the front door of the house swung open, and Amelia emerged. She was tall, with dark hair that cascaded just past her shoulders and the same large, striking gray eyes as Paul. She gave them a short nod in greeting before heading straight for the car, not wasting any time on introductions. Travis fell silent immediately, looking at her with wide eyes.

Paul climbed into the front passenger seat as Travis slipped into the back. Nathan followed, with Lily taking the middle seat, though no one could see her. They were all buzzing with a mix of excitement and nerves as the car pulled away from the curb, beginning their journey to Petruel.

***

For the first hour of the drive, the car was mostly silent. Amelia wasn’t much of a talker. She had only asked if everyone was comfortable and reminded them to speak up if they needed to stop. The empty road stretched out ahead of them, and Nathan stared out of the window, his thoughts swirling with what lay ahead. The sun was higher now, but the unease of their mission hung in the air.

Then, Amelia asked something that shattered the quiet and took the boys by surprise.

“So, is Lily with us too?” she asked, her voice calm and composed.

Nathan and Travis’s eyes widened in shock. They exchanged a glance, unsure how to respond. How did she know about Lily? Should they admit it?

Paul answered without missing a beat. “Yeah, she’s sitting in the back, in the middle.”

Nathan leaned forward, whispering urgently into Paul’s ear. “You told her? You told your sister about Lily?”

Paul glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. “Well, yeah. Was that supposed to be a secret?”

The question hung in the air. Travis, curious as ever, leaned forward. “Uh, Miss Curgan, you… believe in all this?” His voice cracked a little at the end, betraying his anxiety.

Amelia glanced at him in the rearview mirror, her gaze steady. “Yes.”

That simple word carried so much weight. It was the first time someone outside their little group had acknowledged the truth of what they were going through. Nathan, Travis, and Paul had always been isolated in this terrifying adventure. But now, someone else was with them—someone who believed.

For a moment, the car felt safer. There was a strange sense of comfort in the fact that they weren’t alone in this anymore.

***

After a long, quiet drive, the car finally pulled into Petruel. The town had a small, sleepy feel to it, with quaint streets lined by large trees and old-fashioned houses. Amelia found a small hotel near Lily’s house and checked them into two rooms: one for herself and one for the boys. She handed over the room keys, standing at the door to their room with a final set of instructions.

“Rest up tonight. I’m not going to interfere, but if you need any help, just ask. Stay safe,” she said, her tone firm but supportive.

The boys thanked her in unison and wished her a good night before closing the door behind her. Inside the room, Travis immediately flopped onto one of the beds, letting out a dramatic sigh. “Ahh, I’m exhausted!”

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Paul, already halfway out of his shirt, grabbed his towel. “I’m taking the first shower. We need to rest up. Tomorrow’s going to be tough.”

Travis, now lying flat on his back with his eyes closed, mumbled, “It doesn’t even feel real… By the way, where’s Lily?”

Nathan, pacing slightly, answered with a bit of concern in his voice. “She wanted to go for a walk around the neighborhood.”

Travis, now half-asleep, murmured, “Isn’t it dangerous for girls to walk alone at night?”

Paul snorted. “Right now it's dangerous for people to walk alone at night, there's a ghost out there.”

“Oh… right… she’s a ghost…” Travis mumbled as he drifted further into sleep.

Paul rolled his eyes and gave Travis a playful kick. “Don’t fall asleep before you shower. You stink.”

As Travis groaned in protest, Nathan stood near the window, staring out at the dark street. Tomorrow was going to be important, and the weight of what was coming pressed down on him. But he kept reminding himself: everything would be fine. They had a plan. They were prepared.

***

The boys woke early, ready to begin their search. After a quick breakfast, they gathered their things and set out. The first place on their list was Lily’s home. She led the way, moving with quiet determination, while the boys trailed behind, trying to keep their nerves in check.

As they approached the house, it became clear that this wasn’t just any house—it was a mansion. Tall iron gates surrounded the property, and behind them loomed a grand structure that seemed to belong in another era.

“Whoa,” Travis muttered, staring wide-eyed at the mansion. “You live here, Lily? That’s… pretty cool.”

Then, as if remembering her tragic fate, he quickly added, “Well, not cool, I guess, since… you know, you’re not really living here anymore,” he continued, “You’re not living at all though.” Lily rolled her eyes and snatched Travis’s baseball cap off his head. And began swatting him with it, making Travis yelp and shield himself. “Hey! Stop it, stop! Somebody get this vengeful spirit off me!”

Paul, unfazed by the chaos, sighed and walked up to the gate. “Okay, enough messing around. Let’s ring the bell.”

He pressed the intercom button and waited. The seconds stretched on, and the house remained eerily quiet. Paul pressed the button again. More silence.

“No one’s home?” Travis mumbled, shifting nervously.

“Maybe they’re out,” Nathan suggested, checking his watch. “It’s only ten in the morning. Let’s wait a bit.”

The boys agreed, and so they waited. An hour passed. Then two. Three. Four. The sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the mansion’s lawn.

Paul took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. “We’re wasting time. Maybe we should check out the other spots we marked on the map.”

Travis shook his head. “But this is the best place. She’d remember something here, especially her room.”

Nathan sighed. “Let’s give it one more hour.”

The hour passed. The gate remained locked, and the house, silent. The boys were growing frustrated. Travis, tired of the wait, huffed, “Lily, why can’t you just float through walls or something? What kind of useless ghost are you?”

Lily didn’t respond, standing quietly by the gate, her expression unreadable.

Dejected, the boys trudged back to the hotel. Amelia had set a strict curfew—they had to be back before six for safety. As they arrived at the hotel, she was waiting for them in the lobby.

“How did it go?” she asked, her tone neutral but concerned.

Paul shook his head. “No one answered the door. We waited there all day, but no one came.”

Amelia nodded thoughtfully, but didn't say anything.

***

Determined not to waste more time, the boys were back at the mansion bright and early. Travis took it upon himself to ring the intercom repeatedly, pressing the button over and over until he lost count.

Thirty minutes passed with no response, and they were about to give up again when the intercom crackled to life.

“You’re still here?” a girl’s voice asked, clearly irritated.

The boys rushed toward the intercom, startled but relieved. Paul leaned in to speak. “Uh, hi! We’re looking for Mr. and Mrs. Gaunth. Are they home?”

“No. They’re not,” the girl replied, her voice sharp.

Paul hesitated before asking, “Are you Daisy?”

“Yes,” she said cautiously. “Who are you?”

Paul glanced at Nathan and Travis, silently warning them to let him handle it. “I’m Paul. With me are Nathan and Travis. We’re classmates of your sister, Lily.”

“Classmates?” Daisy asked, her voice sharp in disbelief. “Really?”

“Yeah, we went to the same school,” Paul said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Daisy’s voice became cold. “My sister goes to an all-girls school.”

Travis turned to Lily, mouthing, “You didn’t think to tell us that?”

Nathan’s heart sank, and Travis crouched down, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Leave. Or I’ll call the police,” Daisy threatened.

“Wait! Daisy, please! We’re really friends of Lily!” Paul said, desperate to keep the conversation going. As he spoke, Lily moved closer and started mouthing something to him. He squinted, trying to make out her words.

“Shadormen Club?” Paul repeated aloud, not sure if he was saying it right.

There was a pause. Then Daisy’s voice returned, her tone suspicious but curious. “What did you just say?”

Paul swallowed. “Shadormen Club… We’re from the Shadormen Club.”

“How do you know about the club?” Daisy asked sharply. Paul unsure in his words answered, “Lily told us about it.”

Another pause, and then Daisy spoke again. “Wait there. I’m coming to let you in.”

Nathan and Travis looked at Paul, dumbfounded. “Did that really work?” Travis whispered. Paul is in shock himself.

The gate clicked open, and they walked up the stone pathway, entering the mansion grounds. The heavy iron gates creaked behind them, shutting with a finality that sent a shiver down Nathan’s spine.

Daisy appeared at the front door moments later. She looked a lot like Lily—same golden hair, same gray eyes—but there was something colder about her. Her gaze was wary, guarded, as she ushered them inside.

The interior of the house was just as grand as the exterior—ornate furniture, elegant decor, everything in soft, warm tones that made the place feel welcoming despite its size. But there was also an unsettling stillness to it. Nathan could feel Lily’s presence even more here, as if the house itself held pieces of her memory.

Daisy led them into a sitting room and motioned for them to sit on the plush couches. “So, you’re from the Shadormen Club?” she asked, sitting across from them, her gaze flicking between each of the boys.

Travis, not missing a beat, lied through his teeth. “Oh, yeah. We go there every Saturday.”

Daisy let out a soft, skeptical laugh. “The Shadormen Club doesn’t exist. It’s a secret word that only Lily and I know.”

The boys felt their stomachs drop. Were they busted again?

“Girls are so complicated,” they all thought simultaneously.

“I’ll give you this,” Daisy continued, “The fact that you know about the Shadormen Club means Lily trusted you. That word was meant for people who were her closest friends—people who could be trusted with secrets.”

The tension in the room lifted slightly, and the boys let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Thanks,” they said in unison.

Daisy, still watching them carefully, asked, “So why are you here?”

Paul, taking the lead as usual, said, “We want to help find Lily.”

To their surprise, Daisy smiled, a calm, almost unnerving smile. “That’s not necessary.”

The boys exchanged alarmed glances. “What do you mean?” Paul asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

Daisy’s smile widened, her tone cheerful but eerie. “It's a secret, but Lily's safe and sound.”

The boys froze. What? All three instinctively glanced toward Lily, who stood in the corner, shaking her head with an exasperated expression.

“What… what is that supposed to mean?” Paul pressed, struggling to keep his voice steady.

Daisy’s eyes gleamed with a strange certainty. “I know she’s alive. She told me so… in her letter.”

***

To be continued...