The Last Message

Chapter 4

Daniel The photo was taken at sunset. Lina leaned against a guy with messy dark hair, his arm casually resting on her shoulders. They were both laughing, squinting in the warm glow, with the ocean blurred in the background. Mira had spent hours studying the picture, tracing its edges and searching for clues in the curve of Lina's smile and how her fingers clutched the man's sleeve. Daniel. That name was written on the back of the photo in Lina's graceful handwriting. Now, standing outside his cabin, Mira wondered if coming here was a mistake. The Cabin in the Pines The place was simple, tucked away among a group of black pines on the edge of town. Smoke curled from the chimney, and the scent of turpentine and oil paint filled the air. Mira knocked. No answer. She knocked again, this time harder. A loud crash came from inside, followed by footsteps. The door opened, revealing the man from the photo, paint splattered on his forearms, his dark hair longer and tied back in a messy bun. He was taller than she expected, his broad shoulders filling out a faded flannel shirt. His storm-gray eyes locked onto hers. For a brief moment, they both stood in silence.

You are Mira," he said, his voice rough around the edges. Mira felt a lump form in her throat. "You know who I am?" Daniel let out a sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly, as if he had been waiting for this moment for quite some time. "I was wondering when you would show up." The cabin's interior was chaotic—canvases leaned against every wall, showcasing incomplete seascapes, cliffs, and a lighthouse. Daniel did not offer her tea or engage in small talk. Instead, he settled into a chair by the woodstove and rubbed his face with his hand. "You found the box," he remarked. Mira stood still, her fingers clutching the photograph in her pocket. "You knew her." A brief silence ensued, followed by a humorless laugh from him. "Yes, I knew her." "How did you know her?" Daniel raised his gaze, his eyes intense. "She came here looking for answers. Just like you." "Answers about what?" He hesitated, then stood up and walked to a drawer, pulling out a folded map. As he spread it on the table, Mira recognized the same red X from the box—located near the northern cliffs. "Your sister believed there was something in the water," he said quietly. "Something the townspeople would go to great lengths to hide." Mira studied his face—the tension in his jaw and the restless tapping of his fingers on the table. "You had feelings for her," she observed. Daniel froze. Then, in a soft voice, he replied, "Yes, I did." The weight of the revelation hung heavily between them. Mira swallowed hard. "What happened to her?" Daniel's expression turned grave. "She got too close to the truth." "And what is that truth?" He locked eyes with her. "Do you really want to know?" Outside, the wind howled through the pines. Mira held his gaze. "Yes." I upload all chapters of the story there. Don't forget to subscribe to my profile for updates.

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