The Forest Remembers -C6

 The Forest Remembers

Chapter 6

“Buried Truths”

Annie Spent the next days trying to track down Claire Crooks.

Most of the leads were useless. Old news report, small interviews, dead links. Finally, she found a quotefrom a newspaper in 2023:
“Claire Crooks, now 21, declined to comment on her sister’s disappearance.”
That was it. No address. No job title. Just one line.

Annie sighed and closed the computer. But she couldn’t let it go.

She flipped her notebook again.

- Natalie -Missing in Willwood Forest
- Mrs.Crooks -Don’t ask about the forest”
- Friends scared of tree house
- Claire -Witnessed Something
- Paretns -separated after disappearance

Every time she wrote it down, the story felt heavier. Like the truth was right there,just beaneath the surface.

That afternoon, Annie found Mr.Crooks sitting near the window again. He looked up when she approached, his eyes tired but warm.

“You’ve been busy,” he said.

Annie smiled faintly. “I’ve been thinking about your daughter.”

He nodded slowly. “That’s kind of you.”

“I found a few old articles,” she said. “They mentioned witnesses. Some said Natalie wasn’t even in the forest.” Others said they saw someone else there.”

He looked away. “People see what they want to see.”

“Mrs.Crooks told me to stay away from the foresr,” Annie added carefully.

At that, his hand stilled. His jaw tigthened slightly. “She’s always hated that place,” he said. “Blamed it for everything.”

Annie leaned forward. “But why? What happened there?”

He hesitated. “Sometimes… it’s better not to know.”

Dear Diary,

I’m sure of it now. The crooks are hiding something. 

Mrs.Crooks warned me about the forest. Mr.Crooks avoids every qustions. And Claire, she’s ike a ghost. No one can find her. But if they all stopped talkimg after Natalie went missing, maybe it’s because the truth is too awful to tell.

I don’t know how far I’m willing ot go, but I can’t stop now. Every time I think about giving up, I see Naatalie’s face in that photo.

She was only four. She deserves answers.

And if I find them… maybe I’ll finally forgive myself for my sister.

(End of Diary Entry)


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