CRYPTIC CLUES

1. Ghostly Gossip
2. Mysterious Murmurs
3. Cryptic Clues
4. Enigmatic Echoes
5. Wicked Whispers

A haunting melody filled the air, transporting me to a centuries-old English manor in an instant.  My heart raced with the promise of secrets waiting to be discovered as I stared up at the worn stones, shrouded by vines and mist.  

The cool, damp air penetrated the caplet I wore that I’d bought specially for the occasion.  I wondered what I’d find inside the dusty halls of the old manor.  What hidden truths lurked behind those black windows?

“Carly!” a voice called in the distance.  

It shattered my experience.  The haunting facade of the manor house melted away faster than ice cream on a hot summer day.  

“Carly!” My grandmother called from downstairs, probably wondering why I wasn’t ready yet.

“Coming!” I called before I shoved both hoodies I’d been trying to decide between into my duffel bag and zipped it shut.  

I scurried around my bed and closed the music box on my nightstand, letting my fingers linger on it for a moment.  I’d soon know its story, too, but not quite yet.

First, I had to hear the tale about an English manor, hence my daydream.