THE SHADOWS OF ALGONQUIN

Chapter 1

NOT SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

August 13th, 

Audrey's heart hammered like a drumbeat as she anticipated her sixteenth birthday bash. 

Her father, Mr. Hotman had indulged her every whim, inviting both the Hotman and Morgan families along with her closest friends Will and Imogen, to a grand celebration in their Ontario neighborhood. 

It was a rare gathering, a bridge over the chasm that had separated the two families ever since her mother, Emma, vanished without a trace.

As she exhaled a wish into the flickering flames of her birthday candles, a pang of melancholy pierced her joy. 

Thirteen years had passed since Emma's disappearance, a void that had shaped her childhood. Her father, a man of secrets, had offered only cryptic glimpses into the past, leaving her with a nagging suspicion that the truth was far more sinister.

As the room erupted in a chorus of "Happy Birthday," Audrey's gaze lingered on the sixteen candles, each one a silent testament to the years she'd spent yearning for her mother's love.

Just as they were poised to slice into the decadent cake, the doorbell's chime shattered the festive mood. A hush fell over the gathering as Ann Hotman, James's sister, rose to answer the unexpected visitor. A moment later, a blood-curdling thud echoed through the house.

A woman, battered and bloodied, lay sprawled on the threshold. Her disheveled appearance and the crimson cloth binding her wrist painted a picture of terror and desperation. Audrey's breath caught in her throat as she recognized the haunted eyes.

"Audrey," the woman gasped, her voice a mere whisper.

A wave of disbelief washed over Audrey. Could it be? Her mother? The woman who had vanished into thin air, leaving an aching void in her heart.

"Mom?" she managed to stammer, her voice barely audible.

Before Audrey could utter another word, Emma's eyelids fluttered closed, and she collapsed to the floor, unconscious. A piece of paper, a lifeline from the past, slipped from her lifeless grip. Scrawled across it were the ominous words, "FIGURE IT OUT, AUDREY."

As the room buzzed with confusion and alarm, Mr. Hotman's phone rang, shattering the fragile silence. His face, etched with shock, twisted into a mask of despair. "Aunt Lorraine is dead," he muttered his voice barely a breath.

Chapter 2

SOMETHING'S OFF

July 4th,

17 years ago.

Fireworks crackled in the night sky, mirroring the spark that ignited between Emma Morgan and James Hotman. Their love story was a whirlwind romance, a passionate affair that led to a hasty marriage and the birth of their daughter, Audrey. On the surface, their life seemed idyllic, a picture-perfect family unit.

However, beneath the veneer of perfection, a darkness lurked. Emma, a woman of keen intuition, sensed a discordant note in their harmonious symphony. 

A casual conversation, overheard by chance, ignited a spark of suspicion. When she confronted James, he dismissed her concerns with a dismissive wave, leaving her with a nagging doubt that gnawed at her peace.

Intrigued and alarmed, Emma embarked on a clandestine investigation, determined to unravel the mystery that shrouded her husband's enigmatic behavior. 

She delved into his past, scrutinized his finances, and even monitored his phone calls, desperate to uncover the truth.

August 15th, present

Years later, Audrey, now a curious and determined teenager, found herself at the center of a chilling mystery. Her mother's sudden reappearance, shrouded in amnesia, and her aunt's brutal murder had shattered the tranquility of her life.

 The cryptic message, "Figure It Out, Audrey," echoed in her mind, a haunting reminder of the unanswered questions that plagued her.

As she tiptoed into her mother's hospital room, a pang of concern pierced her heart. The sight of her mother, frail and vulnerable, stirred a mix of emotions. The bruises marrying her body were a stark reminder of the ordeal she had endured. "What happened to you, Mom?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

The arrival of the police, their somber faces a stark contrast to the festive atmosphere of her birthday, further deepened the mystery. The news of Aunt Lorraine's tragic demise, a victim of a brutal execution, sent shockwaves through the family. The police, baffled by the lack of evidence, had prematurely closed the case, leaving a trail of unanswered questions.

Audrey thought it weird that the case was closed just like that, so she complained to her dad, “There's nothing we can do about it. The police already confirmed it," James said.

None of this whole thing sat well with Audrey. How can the police call off the case just like that? What happened to her mother? What did that message mean? Why did that message have her name on it? 

Unwilling to accept the official narrative, Audrey, with the unwavering support of her friends, Will and Imogen, decided to take matters into her own hands. Determined to uncover the truth, she embarked on a perilous journey, a quest to unravel the secrets that had haunted her family for years. 

Chapter 3

FIGURING IT OUT

July 23rd, 14 years ago.

2 am.

Emma couldn’t take it anymore. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest as she decided it was time to run away. She couldn’t stay with James and pretend all was well when it was clear as day that it was not. The weight of secrets hung around her like a dark cloud, pressing her down until she felt she might break. As a result, she had to leave. She needed a fresh start, a place where nobody knew her name. 

As she was packing her bags, her eyes caught sight of her 3-year-old Audrey, playing on her own in the corner of the room. Audrey was her shining star, her one spark of light in the darkness, and the thought of leaving without her felt like tearing her heart in two. Just then, her phone rang, snapping her back to reality. Emma picked it up, her hand trembling with anticipation, as a voice on the other end asked, “Do you have it?”

“Yes, I managed to get it,” Emma whispered, her voice barely louder than the rustle of leaves in the wind.

“Where are you? We’re done packing,” she replied, casting a lingering glance at Audrey, who was blissfully unaware of the turmoil around her. “And I'm taking Audrey with me,” she added, her voice catching as she fought back tears.

“Meet me at the school. I'll be waiting for you there in the car,” the voice said, calm but urgent.

“Okay, we’re coming,” Emma responded, her determination solid as stone. She snuck out of the house with Audrey in her arms, moving like a shadow to avoid the watchful eyes of the house workers. She slid into her car and drove off into the night, each mile feeling like a step toward freedom.

Her phone rang again, piercing the stillness. She quickly picked it up, “Hey, I’m in the car now with Audrey. We’re heading your way. We will be…” Her voice trailed off as she glanced into the rearview mirror and felt a chill creep down her spine. A black car loomed behind them, following at a distance like a predator stalking its prey.

“Emma? Emma, what’s happening? Emma?” the voice on the other end called, a mix of panic and urgency in their tone.

11:50 am

August 17th, present.

“What does ‘figure it out’ mean?” Imogen asked, staring at the piece of paper as if it held the answers to the universe.

“I don’t know, but if anything, it has to be a clue to what happened,” Audrey said, gripping the paper as if it were a lifeline.

Audrey flipped the paper over and over in her hands, her mind racing like a river after a storm. Just then, a light bulb flickered on in her mind.

“Will, bring out your lighter,” said Audrey, her eyes narrowing with determination.

Will raised an eyebrow. “Why do you always assume I carry a lighter?” he asked, though he was already reaching into his pocket. He flicked it on, the small flame dancing in the air.

Audrey carefully moved the paper over the flames, holding her breath. Slowly, letters began to materialize, rising from the paper like ghosts in the mist.

It read, “Where the trees stand tall and the spirit roams, there you will find your home.”

“What?” Audrey muttered, frustration crackling in her voice. Just when she thought she was getting answers, she hit with yet another brick wall.

Imogen took the paper from her, her gaze as intense as a hawk’s. She stared at it for about 30 minutes, then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, realization struck her.

“Coordinates!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the room.

“This phrase can be used to figure out the following coordinates,” she explained.

Will and Audrey looked at her, curiosity lighting their eyes as they sipped the drinks they’d set down earlier.

Imogen continued, “To figure out the coordinates, you need to follow these steps:

1. Identify the keywords in the phrase. In this case, the keywords are ‘trees,’ ‘spirits,’ and ‘home.’

2. Look for landmarks or other clues that connect with those keywords. For example, the ‘trees’ could refer to a specific forest, and the ‘spirits’ could hint at a place tied to ancestral roots, like the land of the First Nations people. The ‘home’ might be a hidden sanctuary within the woods.

3. Use these clues to pinpoint a location. For instance, a forest with towering trees is revered for its history and heritage.

Once you have a location in mind, you can use GPS to find its coordinates.”

As she explained, she carefully followed the steps herself, her fingers flying over her phone’s screen. Finally, she looked up, her face lighting up with triumph. “The phrase ‘Where the trees stand tall and the spirits roam, there you will find your home’ leads us to… Algonquin Provincial Park at 46.2928° N, 80.0052° W.”

Audrey and Will exchanged glances, their faces mirroring awe and admiration at Imogen’s brilliance.

After a moment, they gathered their things, setting out to chase down the mystery hidden within the park.

5:26 pm,

Algonquin Provincial Park.

The trio ventured into the heart of the park, the towering trees looming above them like silent sentinels. They walked deeper and deeper, each step stirring up the scent of pine and earth as if they were trespassing on sacred ground.

They moved like explorers searching for buried treasure, the anticipation thick as fog around them. Finally, they arrived at the location, but the clearing was as empty as an untouched canvas. With no other option, they decided to dig.

As they worked, shadows grew longer, and the forest darkened as if the sun itself were hiding secrets. Two hours later, their shovels struck something solid. They unearthed a box, its lock rusted and worn but still intact.

“Try your birthday,” Will suggested.

Audrey punched in her birthdate, and with a satisfying click, the box opened. Inside was a USB flash drive, and a letter with a familiar scrawl:

“Hey Audrey, it’s your Aunt Lorraine. If you’re reading this, then something must have happened to me and your mother…”

Chapter 4

SECRETS UNCOVERED 

"Emma? Emma? What's happening? Emma?" Lorraine's voice crackled through the phone receiver like a torrent of anxious whispers.

But Emma's response was met with an ominous silence. The last inkling Lorraine had of her sister's whereabouts pointed to the enigmatic depths of Algonquin Park. With a heart pounding like a war drum, Lorraine embarked on a desperate search, her mind a swirling maelstrom of dread. Yet, the park's vast expanse seemed to swallow her sister whole, leaving no trace. Frantic calls echoed unanswered, Emma's phone now a silent sanctuary.

Stumbling upon a USB flash drive lying on the roadside, Lorraine's intuition ignited. "This," she muttered under her breath, "must be it." With trembling hands, she clutched the drive and vanished into the twilight shadows. 

Emma had shared her doubts and suspicions with her sister Lorraine. 

They were both determined to get to the bottom of things. They did. They managed to gather evidence but had to flee before exposing it to keep her and Audrey safe. 

But at the last minute, Emma vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a trail of broken promises and shattered hopes.

Lorraine's instincts led her to the doorstep of the enigma that was James, the man who had once claimed Emma's heart. "Hey there, Lorraine," James drawled, a smirk playing across his face like a predatory shadow. "What brings you to our humble abode?"

Her voice, trembling with unspoken accusations, Lorraine demanded to see her sister. The smirk vanished instantly, replaced by a cold indifference. "Emma's gone," he uttered casually. "She ran away last night, taking our precious Audrey with her."

A knot of suspicion tightened in Lorraine's stomach. She knew there was more to this than met the eye. Vowing to uncover the truth, she tenaciously pursued her sister's trail, a flickering beacon of hope in the suffocating darkness.

Her relentless search led her to the chilling revelation that Emma had been abducted that fateful night, dragged into the shadowy depths of an underground bunker concealed within the desolate woods.

August 13th. 

A day etched into Lorraine's memory as the day she defied the odds and liberated her sister from the clutches of unspeakable torment. Together, they had made a perilous trek to Algonquin Park in an attempt to hide the box containing the evidence. 

Inside that box was the USB flash drive, a digital Pandora's Box brimming with James's twisted crimes - child trafficking, money laundering, organ harvesting, and the cold-blooded murder of the detectives who had dared to challenge his empire. It also held precious letters penned by Lorraine, a testament to Audrey's stolen innocence, detailing the horrors her mother had endured over the past 13 years.

Audrey, now a young woman, read the letters and watched the video exposé, a torrent of tears streaming down her face. The father she had once idolized was unmasked as a monster. Rage and sorrow warred within her young heart.

"Now what?" Imogen asked softly, her voice laden with uncertainty. Audrey wiped away her tears and drew herself up, her determination unwavering. She handed the box to her friend. "Call the police. As for me, I'm going home.”

Chapter 5

IT ALL ENDS

9 pm,

August 17th.

Audrey's heart pounded in her chest as she stormed into the house, her mind ablaze with a righteous fury. There, she found her father slumped beside her sleeping mother. He turned to her, putting down his phone in the lampstand.

With trembling hands, Audrey brought out a gun she had found in her father's safe weeks prior.

"Get away from her!" she demanded, her voice, a low growl.

 "I know everything. How could you?"

Hot tears streamed down her face as she confronted her father, her words laced with a pain that cut deeper than any blade. James stood up, his expression grim, devoid of remorse. "Where is it?" he demanded coldly.

"What?" Audrey whispered, her voice barely a breath.

"The evidence," James hissed. "Where is it?"

Fearlessly, Audrey raised the gun at her father. "You killed innocent people," she accused, her voice trembling with emotion. "You almost killed your wife. You're a monster."

"Where is the evidence, Audrey?" James shouted, his voice rising in anger.

Audrey continued, her voice laced with contempt, "You killed Aunt Lorraine too."

"No, dear," a voice purred from behind Audrey. "That was me."

Audrey's blood ran cold as she turned to see her father's sister, Ann, standing in the doorway, a wicked smile spread across her face. Before Audrey could react, Ann disarmed her, the gun falling harmlessly to the floor.

James lunged at Audrey, but the doors burst open and a swarm of police officers flooded into the house, their weapons drawn. Within seconds, James and Ann were surrounded, and their reign of terror brought to an abrupt end.

Audrey looked over to see Imogen standing in the doorway, blood seeping from a wound on her head. Imogen had been attacked by James' goons on her way to the police station but had managed to call and alert them before she was overwhelmed.

The police handcuffed James and Ann and led them away, their faces devoid of any trace of remorse. Audrey watched as her father was taken away, a mix of emotions swirling within her. She was glad that he had finally been brought to justice, but a profound sadness lingered in her heart, a testament to the shattered family that had once been hers.

As she turned to leave, Audrey noticed Imo

gen standing beside her, her hand outstretched in a gesture of support. Audrey took her friend's hand, a glimmer of hope flickering in her eyes. Everything was going to be okay.

Suddenly, a thought struck Audrey. 

"Where's Will?" 

Cowritten by PraiseGod Eghaghara, The Unwavering Pen and Jemima.