Page 51 of When the Woods Go Silent

She sighs and flicks away the camera app, staring out the window at the forest.

“There’s more, though,” she says quietly. “Things I’ve been overlooking, or telling myself are nothing. But everything together? Something weird is going on around here, Ru.”

“What have you been hiding?” I ask, trying to go for a teasing tone, but it hurts a little. As far as I know, we’ve always told each other everything.

“I just... I didn’t want you to think I’m unhappy here. Because I’m so all-in for this. I love the shop, and I love living with you as much as we always knew we would.”

“But?”

“But this town spooks me. The woods spook me. That weekend you were gone, I heard all those noises in the shop, and nothing was there. Ruby, I found glass on the floor and no broken window. I fucking cut my fingers on a solid pane of glass - we both know that’s not possible. Add in the alarms acting up, and how I always feel like I’m being watched. I’m always checking over my shoulder for shadows. Now, with this sleepwalking thing? I don’t know what the hell is going on.”

Her words wash over me in a wave of pattern recognition, and even though I know Rose is bothered by all these things, I’m flooded with hope. I usually keep my obsession to myself, but Rose will understand. She knows what I’ve seen.

“Rosey, you know what all of this could be, right?Magic. Just like when I was a kid - there’s something magical here in Clearwater. I knew it!”

Rose gives me a funny look. “But... I don’t know. It’s probably just my paranoia.”

I lean forward and grab her hand, giving it a squeeze. “I think you should trust your gut more. Does it feel like it’s all in your head?”

She scowls and shakes her head. “It better not be. But magic? Really? There has to be an actual explanation for it.”

I flinch a little at the annoyance that’s crept into her voice, confused by her reaction. Rose doesn’t believe in magic like I do, but she’s never said anything negative to me.

Does she think I’m silly for still clinging to what I saw? Childish?

“But how cool would it be?” I tease lightly, smiling at her, silently begging her to be open to the idea. “If there really is something magical in the woods - or someone?”

Rose gives me a hurt look I don’t understand at all and stomps into her room without looking at me. I follow slowly behind, hearing her turn her shower on, but then she’s standing in the doorway, hands on her hips and glaring at me.

“You know, Ruby, sometimes I just wish you could forget about magic and try to see things from my perspective. This is fucking scary, okay? I was naked in the goddamn woods in the middle of the night. I called the cops when you were gone - that’s how scared I was. I know it’s one of your special interests, but even if magic were real, I wouldn’t want any part of it, if it’s evil and dangerous.”

And with that, she closes the door between us, just short of slamming it.

My stomach is churning with anxiety as I work to unravel why she’s mad, what social cues I’ve missed. We never fight, and I freaking hate it. I shouldn’t have brought up magic, even if it makes sense to me. Rose is scared, and I should be making her feel safer, not bringing up more questions. And I haven’t even mentioned the broken window and mess from the storm yet. I should have-

The bell from the front door echoes up the stairs, faint but audible.Nowwhat?

“Rose, someone’s at the shop door. I’m going down,” I call, in case she can’t hear it over the water. We still haven’t opened yet,and worry picks at my brain as I grab a sweater to toss on over my pajamas.

The worry edges toward real concern when I reach the front room and see a police officer standing on our front porch.

Shit - what if someone saw Rose and complained?

“Good morning,” I call, hurrying to disarm and unlock the door.

“Sorry to disturb you so early,” the older cop says, handing me a piece of paper with two faces printed on it. Footsteps echo behind me, and I turn to see Rose peeking out from the hallway, wrapped in her robe. Her eyes widen when she sees the police officer, and she hurries to join me, looking over my shoulder at the paper I’m holding.

“Good morning to you both. I know your store hasn’t officially opened yet, but the force is out checking with everyone in the area. Have you seen either of these young women?”

I stare down at the two smiling faces on the paper, and my stomach sinks. This can’t be good.

“I don’t recognize them,” Rose says, her voice faint. “Are they missing?”

“Unfortunately, ma’am, they are. Reported two days ago, and the chief has decided to bump it up to missing persons.”

I shake my head. “I haven’t seen them. We haven’t had any customers yet, and we’ve been so busy remodeling that we’ve only gone a few places around here. Just a couple of restaurants.”

“One of you is Rose?” he asks, and she raises her hand in an awkward finger-wave.

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