Chapter 13: Revealing the Truth

The passage of time became a mix of tiredness and anxiety. I was surviving on adrenaline, my mind filled with numerous thoughts. The understanding of The Watchers, the Blackwoods, and the secrets of Eldridge Falls was beginning to come together. While I was tidying up the attic one evening, I unexpectedly found a loose floorboard. Intrigued by curiosity, I bent down and lifted it. Underneath there was a tiny, concealed section. I felt my heart racing as I reached in and retrieved a dusty, leather-bound book. The book was ancient, its pages tinged yellow from time. I skimmed the pages, my gaze quickly moving over the text. The diary was a book containing secrets and falsehoods. It was owned by my great-grandfather, a man who I had never met. While reading, I came across a surprising revelation. The Watchers were linked to my family. They had engaged in their occult ceremonies, their evil schemes. I experienced a surge of sickness. My forebears had been involved in something wicked. I shut the diary, my thoughts speeding. What was the significance of this? Was it my fate to walk in their path? I chose to face Nathaniel. I had to find out the truth. I discovered him at the nearby bar, drinking by himself. I went up to him, feeling my heart racing in my chest. "Nathaniel," I stuttered, my voice shaky. "I must have a conversation with you." Looking upwards, his eyes were brimming with a cold, calculating animosity. His voice was low and threatening as he inquired, "What are you after?" I breathed in deeply. "I am aware of your family," I stated calmly. I am aware of the Watchers. Surprise widened his eyes. "How?" he inquired, fear evident in his voice. I chose not to respond. I glared at him, a blend of rage reflected in my eyes. "I whispered, "You are part of that group," my voice barely audible. "You are an observer." He attempted to refute it, but the truth was evident in his eyes to me. He belonged to the same group, similar to my forefathers. "I apologize," he stated, his voice tinged with remorse. "I have never desired this." I moved my head from side to side. "I said coldly that apologies are pointless now." "You have committed dreadful actions." His gaze averted, his expression betraying embarrassment. "I am aware," he whispered. "My apologies." I turned around and left, feeling a weight in my chest. Nathaniel suffered the same fate as I did. However, this did not alter the reality that he had participated in something malicious. While walking home, I couldn't get rid of the sensation that someone was observing me. I glanced behind me but saw nothing. Right when I was thinking of losing hope, I heard a noise. A soft murmur could be heard behind me. I looked back, feeling my heart thumping in my ribcage. A figure was present in the shadows. A woman stood shrouded in shadows. Although her face was hidden under a hood, I was able to make out her eyes. They were shining with an eerie, artificial glow. Emerging from the darkness, she spoke with a chilling tone. She told Emma that she had gone too far. "You pose a danger to all our core values." I was gripped by fear. I was aware of her identity. She was a member of the Watchers. "I am not scared of you," I stated, my voice shaking. I will halt you. Her laughter was so cold that it made me shiver. "She called you a fool," she said. "Do you believe you can resist us?" I chose not to reply. I gazed at her, my eyes brimming with resolve. Moving nearer, she extended her hand towards her pocket. After that, I witnessed it. She had a dagger in her hand. I realized I needed to react quickly. I made a sudden forward movement towards her, causing the dagger to fall out of her hand. We struggled briefly, with our bodies contorting and rotating. I successfully escaped, and I sprinted, feeling my heart racing in my chest. Her steps closely followed as she ran after me. I raced down the streets, feeling my legs ache intensely. I could sense her approaching, her voice seething with anger. I reached the edges of the town, surrounded by darkness from all sides. I looked back, expecting I would see her, but she was nowhere to be found. She had departed.