Chapter 2

Chapter Two

" T ime is relative," Jacob told him as they strolled into the Coffee Corner just past five in the morning.

Winter had yet to fully settle in the south, but it was cold enough that he had on his heavy jacket to ward off the early morning mist. The fog was so thick, it had taken him an extra ten minutes to get to work. Which is why he was getting the lecture from his boss.

"Well, relative or not, when the fog is too thick to even see your hand in front of your face, it's gonna take a little longer to get into work," Dante said as he held the door open for his boss to walk past him.

Jacob chuckled. "You know, you could always head in early?"

"The fog wasn't this thick up the hill," he pointed out. "Besides, breakfast with my boss isn't a requirement for me to keep the job."

Jacob slapped him on the back, hard. "True, but it helps next time you want a day off."

Dante nodded and then waited until Jacob ordered his coffee and food before putting in his standard order.

For the past five years or so, Dante had been working under Jacob. He'd worked under Jacob's old man briefly before he'd retired and Jacob had taken over. He'd known Jacob all his life. The same as he'd known pretty much everyone in his small hometown of Hidden Creek, Georgia.

Fresh out of high school, he and Jacob had started police training and had slipped into their uniforms to serve and protect the town of roughly ten thousand. Many of those residents had been added in the past few years, thanks to all the publicity the town had recently gained.

The police job had allowed him to purchase his cabin home on top of one of the hills overlooking the town. Hidden Creek was nestled in the valley and straddled the actual creek, which ran directly through it like the veins in a heart. Hidden Creek was more than home, it was probably the best place on earth. Or so Dante believed.

Sure, he'd spent most of his hard earned money fixing the place up. Within the first six months, he'd had to replace the metal roof, gut the bathroom and kitchen, and add a new sump pump. Now, however, every time he walked into his home, it was like walking into a dream world. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so… right.

Except for that one night at prom during his senior year. For a few short hours, he'd felt the same way. Everything had been as it should be.

While he and Jacob waited for their food, they went over a few details from yesterday's reports. After the food arrived, the topic changed to town gossip.

They were halfway through their breakfast when Jacob mentioned that Amy Reed was back in town. He tried to hide his interest in hearing more, but something told him that Jacob already knew about the lifelong crush that he'd had on her. It was obvious in the way the man talked to him and watched him as he spoke.

"Lay off," he grumbled to Jacob, who chuckled in response.

"Dude, you never laid off me when I was toiling with Jess," Jacob pointed out.

"Toiling?" Dante teased. "You mean avoiding her like the plague."

Jacob laughed, a burst of it echoing in the coffee shop. He glanced over and winked at the woman behind the counter. "She was worth the wait."

Dante glanced over to Jessica St. Clair and agreed with a quick nod of his head.

"Enough about your perfect life," he said, and took a bite of his breakfast muffin.

"Dude, you could have what I have. Just sayin'." Jacob took a sip of his coffee and glanced out the windows. "Speaking of…" He grinned and nodded.

Just outside the large windows, with the mist swirling around her, Amy climbed out of her car and headed towards the door of the coffee shop.

Damn. She looked even better than he remembered. How long had it been since he'd seen her? A year? Two?

Her long sandy blonde hair was past her shoulders and was tied up in a thick braid over her left shoulder. The sweatshirt and sexy black leggings she was wearing had his heart rate spiking.

"You're a goner," Jacob whispered as Amy walked into the door and glanced around.

If she noticed him, she didn't react and instead strolled to the counter and waited to place her order.

"You could grow a pair and go over there and ask her out. Finally," Jacob added with a nudge.

Thankfully, just then both of their walkie-talkies squawked to life.

Dante silently thanked the universe for the timely interruption as he grabbed his radio and placed his breakfast muffin down. Jacob's amused grin didn't go unnoticed as he reached for his own radio, the static filling the air between them.

"All units, we've got a situation near the old mill. Possible break-in. Responding officers needed."

Dante cleared his throat, slipping into professional mode. "Unit 7 responding," he said, keeping his voice steady, though his pulse quickened. Jacob echoed the call and downed the rest of his coffee.

"Saved by the squawk," Jacob teased, already moving towards the door.

Dante shot him a glare, though his heart still raced, not just from the call but from the fact that Amy was only a few feet away, oblivious to the internal storm she was causing him. He didn't have the time or courage to talk to her now. Duty called, and it was far easier to face potential danger than to confront the feelings for Amy that he'd been dodging for years.

As they moved outside into the mist, the early morning chill felt sharper and more invigorating.

The old mill was a couple of miles away on the edge of town, but Hidden Creek wasn't exactly known for major crimes, so this had his curiosity piqued.

"You think it's just kids messing around?" Dante asked as they hopped into the patrol car, the fog making the road ahead look eerie in the early morning light.

"Probably," Jacob said, shrugging. "But you never know these days. The town's changing. Used to be, you could leave your front door open and not worry about a thing. Now we get calls like this every other week."

The engine rumbled to life, and soon they were speeding towards the outskirts of town. Dante couldn't help but glance in the rearview mirror, catching sight of the lit coffee shop sign shrinking in the distance behind them. Amy was still there, and he'd be lying if he said part of him didn't want to turn the car around, walk up to her, and say something—anything.

But that wasn't him. Not now, maybe not ever.

"Hey, you okay?" Jacob asked, his tone slightly less teasing than before. "You were pretty quiet back there."

Dante nodded, gripping the wheel a little tighter. "Yeah, just... thinking about the job."

Jacob snorted. "Right. And by ‘job,' you mean Amy Reed."

He shot him a look, but Jacob's grin only widened. "Listen, man. We're not kids anymore. If you want something, you gotta go after it. She's not just gonna wait around forever."

Before Dante could respond, they pulled up to the old mill, the abandoned building looming in the fog. The radio squawked again, filling the silence.

"Unit 7, confirm you're on site."

"Confirmed," Dante replied, stepping out of the car. The air was thick. Maybe it was just the fog or the eerie quiet of the old mill, but something felt... off.

Jacob, ever the optimist, slapped him on the back again. "Come on, let's check it out. Could be nothing."

But as they approached the old wooden door, Dante couldn't shake the feeling that today, "nothing" was exactly what it wouldn't be.

The door to the mill creaked ominously as Dante pushed it open, the rusty hinges groaning in protest. Inside, the darkness swallowed them whole, only the faint beams of their flashlights cutting through the thick gloom. The air was damp and musty, filled with the scent of decay and old wood. Dante's breath felt heavier in his chest, but he chalked it up to the atmosphere—mills like these always had a way of making you feel uneasy.

Jacob stepped in beside him, his flashlight sweeping across the vast, open space. Dust motes floated lazily in the air, disturbed by their entry. The only sounds were the distant creak of wood settling and the muted drip of water somewhere deep within the building.

"This place gives me the creeps," Jacob muttered, his voice echoing softly in the cavernous room. "Reminds me of that horror movie where?—"

"Don't start," Dante interrupted, keeping his eyes sharp on their surroundings. His pulse was already thrumming in his ears, and the last thing he needed was Jacob's usual banter to ramp up his nerves. There was something off about this place, something that set his instincts on edge.

As they moved deeper into the old building, the fog from outside crept in through the broken windows and cracks in the walls, giving everything an ethereal, almost haunted quality. Their footsteps echoed against the worn stone floor, each step making the silence feel heavier, more oppressive.

Jacob went left while Dante turned to the stalls on the right. Dante moved towards a large metal structure in the corner, remnants of the mill's machinery. As he approached, his flashlight caught something unusual—a trail of dark stains leading towards the back of the building.

Dante's gut clenched. "What the hell is that?" he whispered as he knelt, shining his light closer. The stain was dark and sticky, like dried blood. "Could be an animal, I guess. Or..." His voice trailed off, and he didn't finish the sentence.

Suddenly, a loud clatter broke the stillness. Dante's heart leaped into his throat as something rushed past them in the darkness. Whatever it was, it was larger than he'd expected. Bigger than he was by double. His first thought was a bear, but the lack of fur threw him off.

The air stirred violently, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps pounding against the floor.

"Shit!" Dante swore, jumping back, his flashlight swinging wildly.

"What?" Jacob said from across the space.

Dante's own light flickered as he caught a glimpse of something large and fast darting into the shadows of the trees a few yards outside the open doors. For a split second, his mind tried to process what he'd just seen—a flash of skin, the glint of sharp eyes—but it was gone before he could make sense of it. His heart was racing now, the adrenaline surging through his veins.

"What the hell was that?" Jacob asked, his voice tight as his light zeroed in on the door, which was now swinging due to the creature who had pushed through it.

"An animal," Dante muttered, but his voice lacked conviction. His pulse thundered in his ears as he scanned the darkness around him for any sign of movement. The thing had moved too fast, too erratically. "Could've been a dog or... maybe a coyote." He tried to convince himself. It for sure wasn't a bear. Not the way it had moved.

Jacob exhaled sharply, regaining his composure. "Yeah. Coyote, probably. They're getting bolder, coming closer to town."

Dante wasn't so sure, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he motioned for them to keep moving, his gut still twisted with unease.

They followed the trail of blood deeper into the mill, where the darkness seemed to thicken around them. The beams of their flashlights trembled as they swept over old machinery, stacks of rotting crates, and broken beams. The place felt like a tomb, and Dante couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was watching them.

Then they found it.

The flashlight beams fell on the figure of a goat lying in a twisted heap near the far wall. Its body was mutilated, the fur matted with blood and deep gashes carved into its sides. The sight was grotesque, and the smell hit them seconds later, pungent and coppery.

Jacob grimaced, stepping closer to inspect the body. "Jesus…"

Dante swallowed hard, fighting the wave of nausea that rose in his throat. "Coyotes did this?"

Jacob nodded, but there was doubt in his eyes. "Yeah. I mean... what else could it be?" He poked at the ground near the carcass with the toe of his boot. "It's messy, but coyotes will tear into livestock like this. Especially if they're desperate for food."

Dante stared at the goat, the jagged wounds. The eerie silence had settled over the mill again. Something wasn't sitting right with him. He'd seen coyote attacks before—hell, he'd dealt with a few himself—but this… this was different. The gashes were too deep, too precise. And there was something about the way the animal had been left there like it had been placed on display.

He felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"Let's get this reported," Jacob said, turning to head back towards the entrance. "We'll call animal control, let them handle the carcass."

Dante nodded, his mind still lingering on the strange attack. As they walked back towards the car, he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder towards the outcropping of trees the creature had disappeared into.

He had a strange feeling that whatever had been in there... wasn't finished.