Dark Whispers

Jamie suddenly woke up with a start, the air around her still thick with dampness and a lingering, hazy warmth. Her heart raced, and a thin layer of sweat had soaked through her back. She sat on the bed, breathing heavily, her gaze unfocused as she looked around, still not fully detached from the dream.

In the dream, she had seen a girl. The girl was covered in blood, her eyes filled with fear and pleading. She repeatedly said one word: "Save me, save me... She wants to kill me..." Then, suddenly, a terrifying white light spread across the girl's face, gradually fading into the darkness.

Jamie rubbed her eyes, trying to recall the details of the dream. A chill ran down her spine as she remembered something unsettling about the girl's face—it seemed familiar. Where had she seen her before?

Not daring to think too much, she quickly dressed and walked to the window. Outside, the sky was still overcast, rain tapping softly against the glass. It was the kind of weather that made staying indoors seem like the better choice, but Jamie couldn't shake the heaviness in her heart.

She instinctively grabbed her phone and dialed Sandra's number.

After a few rings, Sandra answered, "Jamie? What's wrong?"

"I had a dream," Jamie said softly, her voice trembling. "I dreamed about a girl, and she was asking for help. She said she died in a car accident three years ago and asked if I could save her."

"Wait a second," Sandra's voice suddenly grew serious. "Did you say three years ago? Are you talking about Liu Xin?"

Jamie froze. "You know her?"

"I do," Sandra replied in a low tone. "Liu Xin died in a car accident three years ago on the outskirts. The case was never solved. The police concluded she died of sudden cardiac arrest, but there were no witnesses. Her death has always been filled with questions."

Jamie's heart raced, and the scene before her blurred. She stood at the window, holding the phone tightly. "Are you saying there's something wrong with Liu Xin's death?"

"Yes," Sandra's voice was filled with a sense of restraint. "I was planning to investigate this case, but now that you've had this dream, maybe we should go take a look."

"Where do we go?" Jamie's voice became urgent. "Does she really need our help?"

"I don't think it's just an ordinary car accident. There's probably some secret behind Liu Xin's death," Sandra replied. "I've been looking up information. Wait for me."

Jamie ended the call, taking a deep breath as the scene before her became clearer. The girl in her dream—she was Liu Xin. Her death wasn't a simple accident.

A little while later, Sandra called again. "I found out that Liu Xin's family lives in the suburbs. Let's go there now."

Jamie nodded, quickly packing her things and preparing to head out to the countryside. She knew that there was more to this dream than met the eye.

A few hours later, Jamie and Sandra arrived at Liu Xin's home. It was located in a remote suburban area, surrounded by quiet and desolate land with only a few dilapidated houses.

Liu Xin's parents weren't home. The house was empty, with only some old furniture left behind. Sandra looked around and noticed a few disorganized photo albums in the corner. She casually flipped open one, revealing a photo of Liu Xin smiling, looking young and cheerful.

"She looks so happy," Sandra murmured. "But fate played a cruel joke on her."

Jamie walked to the window and her eyes were suddenly drawn to a scene outside. There was a small path winding through the distant forest. It felt like she was back in the dream, where the girl she had seen was waiting for her on that very path.

"What are you looking at?" Sandra walked over and saw Jamie's gaze fixed on the window, her expression a bit dazed.

"That path," Jamie pointed outside. "I've seen it in my dream. The girl in my dream seemed to be nearby."

Sandra furrowed her brow. "That path? Let's go check it out."

The two decided to leave Liu Xin's house and walk along the path. The air grew colder, as if they had entered another world. The trees around them seemed forever deprived of sunlight, their roots deeply embedded in the earth, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

Not long after, they arrived at an open area. It seemed to be the scene of the car accident. There were some broken stones scattered across the ground, and even remnants of indifferent police investigation markers could still be seen.

"This is where Liu Xin died," Sandra said quietly. "Maybe we can find some clues here."

Jamie knelt down next to a stone slab, touching the rock. "She died in a strange way. There were no external injuries. It's as if she just suddenly died."

"Maybe she encountered something before her death," Sandra pondered. "The girl in the dream said she was murdered."

Just then, a faint sound echoed from the distance, like footsteps. Both of them turned around simultaneously and saw a girl in a white dress slowly walking toward them.

"She's here…" Jamie's voice trembled, her gaze fixed.

The girl approached, her face pale, eyes filled with fear and pain. "Save me…" she whispered, her voice tinged with pleading.

"Liu Xin?" Sandra blurted out.

The girl nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's her… She killed me…"

The rest of her words were lost in the wind, as if she had already drifted away from this world.