Whispers of the Vanished Town

In New Jersey, there was a private detective named Martin Wealthy, known for his sharp mind and ability to solve even the most mysterious cases. A man of few words, Martin had spent years building a reputation for getting to the heart of any mystery. One evening, after a long day of solving cases, he returned to his office to work through some paperwork and case files. He usually ended up falling asleep at his desk, the workload too heavy for him to handle during regular hours.

The next day, as he was sifting through old case files at home, a parcel arrived at his doorstep. There was a letter inside, from a company he had never heard of before. The letter praised his work and asked him to investigate a particular location. The letter also mentioned that his advance payment was included in the parcel. Intrigued and slightly suspicious, Martin opened the parcel and was shocked to find $250,000 in cash.

He thought to himself, “Could this be a scam?” But after Googling the company’s name, he found no information. He wondered if it was one of those secretive companies that operate under the radar. The letter only had the company name, with no other details, meaning the company had personally delivered it.

The letter instructed him to travel to a remote location, 400 kilometers away, and investigate whatever was happening there. The letter also mentioned that they would collect the case file from him on June 15th. Martin checked the date: it was May 28th, 2017. After much contemplation, he decided to take the case. It had been two years since he’d gone on a vacation, and this might be a good chance to escape for a while.

Three days later, after packing his things, Martin set off. As he neared the location, about 5 kilometers away, he noticed something odd. The atmosphere felt heavy, as though sadness lingered in the air. Dark clouds hovered above, and the road became engulfed in shadow, with trees lining both sides, casting an eerie gloom.

When he arrived, the location appeared to be a small, abandoned town. As he entered, he saw that the supermarket was open, but there wasn’t a soul in sight. The town felt completely deserted, with no sign of life. “Is this some kind of ghost town?” Martin thought, feeling an uneasy chill.

As night fell, he figured the town must have been abandoned a long time ago. He slept in his car, but when he woke up the next afternoon, nothing had changed. The town was still completely empty. “Where did everyone go?” he wondered, starting to feel uneasy.

That night, as the sun set again, he decided to drive around the town to find a place to rest. Suddenly, his car stalled. He tried to start it again, but it wouldn’t turn over. Frustrated, he grabbed a flashlight and examined the engine. Nothing seemed wrong, but the car wouldn’t start. He started walking around the town, shining his flashlight into the darkened streets.

As he walked through the quiet town, he began to feel as though someone was following him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He turned quickly, but there was no one in sight. He continued walking, and as he moved past some trees, he felt a strange rustling sound in the bushes. A foul smell filled the air, and he heard a blood-curdling scream.

Martin froze, his heart pounding. He assumed it was just an animal, but then he heard something even more terrifying—a low, guttural growl that didn’t sound like any animal he had ever heard. Fear gripped him, and he turned to run back to his car. As he was running, the flashlight slipped from his hand. He quickly grabbed it again, but when he looked up, his blood ran cold.

There, in the distance, were 200 to 300 people, all standing and staring upwards. Martin was paralyzed with fear. “Where did all these people come from?” he thought, unable to make sense of it. He took a slow step back, trying not to make any noise. But suddenly, a twig snapped under his foot, and the crowd shifted, turning to face him.

The strange, silent group of people began moving toward him. Martin’ heart raced as he realized they weren’t just ordinary people. He noticed something in the distance—something dark moving among them, something with glowing yellow eyes, watching him closely. His breath caught in his throat, and he immediately knew why the company had paid him so much for this case. This was no ordinary investigation.

Panicking, he rushed back to his car, locking the doors and rolling up the windows. Just as he thought he was safe, he felt the weight of something climbing onto his car. Martin quickly tried to start the engine, but it wouldn’t budge. He looked through the rearview mirror and froze.

A terrifying, dark creature with large, yellow eyes peered through the rear window, its eyes glowing with malice. The creature circled his car, and then it moved back into the bushes. His heart pounded in his chest. “What the hell is happening here?” Martin thought, his mind racing with fear.

He uttered a prayer to God, trying to calm his nerves, and finally, the car started. In a desperate rush, he slammed the car into reverse and drove full speed, not looking back until he was miles away from the town.

Martin didn’t stop until he reached his city. He was shaken, his hands trembling as he arrived at his home and collapsed onto his bed, trying to process everything that had just happened.

Three days later, he prepared the case file and resumed his work. The deadline was approaching. On the given date, he placed the file into the company’s letterbox, but to his surprise, two days later, another letter arrived from the same company. Inside the parcel was another payment—this time, $500,000.

As he counted the money, his phone rang. The voice on the other end was deep and threatening. “You came back too soon, Martin. The case isn’t over yet. But don’t worry, this is your final payment.” The call abruptly ended, and Martin was left speechless.

He read the letter, which explained that they had another location for him to investigate. The letter included an email address for contact. As he looked at the email address, he realized it was from the same company. But after everything that had happened, Martin made a decision. “No more. I’m done,” he said to himself.

He packed his things, left the case behind, and moved to the UK to be with his parents. He knew he’d never be the same again.