Finally, the festival week had commenced in Chevron Plains, and it was graced by people of different cultures. Although everyone was having fun, I couldn't be part of any of that. I took a leave four days before the event to gain enough info for my research. I had a terrible feeling that something was about to happen in the town, and I couldn't just know why. I took a trip to the hilly slope plains that lie just on the outskirts as that is where most of the town's past is engraved.
It was a nice view to absorb, but I didn't have time for any of that; I had a job to do. I hiked up the hills for a while before finding a very portable Cabin inn I could rest. It was pretty big, and its inside was nicely kept and tidy even for such an old structure. As I dropped my bags at a wooden chair nearby, a mysterious door that led to the attic popped open. Once again, I felt that calling sensation as when I did for the book. Hurriedly, I carefully made my way into mind that there was no light source in that area. Unfortunately, I missed a step and came crashing down the remaining flights of stairs painfully. I was sure I had broken or dislocated my legs which would now serve no purpose of movement to me, and at that point, I became weak. Just then, a light started to shine from a strange object covered under a sheet, and it was fascinating. Almost immediately, I was surrounded by a very familiar mist. It felt warm and comforting and was a little level-headed by the effect on my mind.
By the time I realized what happened, I had passed out. I soon woke up in a garden and could distinctively hear the voices of playing children. Where am I? I wondered and decided to walk around to check it out. Miraculously, my feet were perfect and had no pains or evidence of injury, and with that, I soon made my way into a small clearing where I saw the children. There were twenty in number, and I was really in a moment of thought over what so many of them were doing here and if I was nearer to civilization. They looked so cheerful with their clothes making them look like little gods and goddesses. It was such a beautiful sight, and I had never seen or heard of any time with such gorgeous adornments.
Not long and a few of them started to take notice of my presence. The children looked rather pleased than shocked, and some came with flower crowns to put on me. 'Hello darlings, can you kind children please point me back to the town.' They looked really lost at the mention of that thought. 'Why, Mary. Aren't you done with your work' a child replied, looking somewhat disappointed? I was really baffled and needed to know how these kids knew my name. 'How do you know my name?' I asked, hoping to get an immediate reply. 'Because you brought us here,' one of the children said with a satisfactory smile spread across his face. 'We've been waiting for you to come back and play. You and Sykros.' Now I was really lost and couldn't even decode a bit of what they were saying. They must have seen my questioning expression, of then one of them approached me and beckoned me to bend. With that, she placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, and I fell to the ground instantly. It became so hazy, and I felt sick to the stomach. Just as I was on the verge of collapsing, a small figure hovered on top of me. And in a hush but affirmative tone, it said, 'Don't worry, you'll soon remember everything. Then you'll play with us.' I could see a tear drop down their faces, and then in a final whisper, I heard a faint voice, 'Please remember Sykros.'
I woke up on the desk in my office, and that's when I realized that I did not just dream. Who was Sykros, and why did I put those children there? I had to investigate this and quickly. I took the opportunity of the festival to prow deeper into the vision or event that occurred. I began connecting all the dots in everything that had been happening. The silent murder, the eye pains, weird dreams, the coma, and now the children. None of it made sense, but I knew I could find it if I only had a missing piece to the events. I decided to lay it all down on a table and re-evaluate it over and over. I barely left my house, and my co-workers started to worry about me. They will often bring me food and help me get any materials I required. They were like my family.
Reflecting upon this, I decided to check my history. I know I was an orphan from a foreign nation, but I needed to go deeper into it, especially now. I decided to visit my old orphanage and investigate further. They were really pleased to see me, and after much pleasantries, I requested to see my records. They always had records of the children there, where they were found, and what locality they came from. I went through mine and soon discovered that I was found by a mysterious couple that came from China. They had supposedly found me on their way to the airport and decide to take me to the orphanage at their next stop. After their story was confirmed, I was registered in Chevron Plains as an immigrant under the couple's name. That explains my surname; I needed to contact them. I quickly researched, but I couldn't find any couples under the Liang name that matched the orphanage home's description. Just as I was losing hope, my eyes fell on the part of the book I hadn't discovered a while back. It stated that the spirit behind the killings had been put to bay by Chinese monks in collaboration with other spiritualists. They had used their traditional methods of heart binding, and it had proven more effective than any different process. Despite that, the spirit became more provoked and devoured almost all of them. I was the remaining monk who consulted the entity and asked what it required, which led to the sacrifice. They resided in Hengyang valley, which after some evaluation, I discovered was the same place where the path to the airport that my Samaritans found me. It had apparently been closed down twenty-three years ago after a spiritual mishap that led to the death of all the spiritualists. Now I was really shocked as that was during the period that I was found.
Things were finally coming together; I felt more and more confident in the nearness of the truth. But one thing that I had to accept was that I had more to do with this than I could imagine. I wish I was given a clearer picture of what was happening. I hated not being able to do anything about it. I needed to get out of my workspace, so I went for a walk. As I went around, I felt the need to pay my respects to the sacrificed children. In the town's park, there was a stone that depicted the name of all the used children. I often passed there but never really took the highest interest in it. I dropped some flowers and was about to head off, but as I stood from the designated area, I noticed that I had been moved out of where I was. Then I immediately recognized those same children from earlier. A few of them reached for my hand and put the flower I had dropped on the memorial stone. Then it hit me, could these kids be the same ones that were sacrificed to the spirit! Before I could confirm my suspicions, I was back at the stone, and the flower was in my hand. I suddenly felt a glint of hope for my quest. And with that, I headed home.