MISSING GIRL
968 Words
Chapter 11
Morning came with a thin layer of mist resting over the village. The mountains in the distance looked pale and quiet, their peaks barely visible through the drifting fog. It was the kind of morning where everything felt slower, softer, as if the world itself had not fully woken yet.
Inside the small house, Lin Yue sat at the wooden table, watching the old man carefully fold a piece of paper.
On it, written in steady ink, were two simple words.
Lin Yue.
Her name.
Even now, seeing it written down made something stir faintly inside her chest. It did not bring back memories, but it felt… right. Like a door had opened slightly, revealing only a narrow glimpse of the room beyond.
The old woman placed a bowl of porridge in front of her.
“You should eat,” she said kindly. “You’ll need strength.”
Lin Yue nodded softly and picked up the spoon, though her thoughts were far away.
Across the table, the old man slipped the folded paper into his jacket pocket.
“I’ll head into town today,” he said. “The police station there might be able to check records. If anyone reported a missing person named Lin Yue, they should know.”
The old woman agreed. “I’ll also ask around the market again. Someone might recognize the name.”
Lin Yue lowered her gaze.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
Both of them looked at her in surprise.
“For what?” the old woman asked gently.
“For causing trouble,” Lin Yue replied. “You’ve both done so much… and I still can’t remember anything.”
The old woman’s expression softened immediately. She reached across the table and patted Lin Yue’s hand.
“Child, you didn’t choose this,” she said warmly. “Sometimes life throws people into difficult places. Helping you isn’t trouble.”
The old man chuckled lightly.
“Besides, now we at least have a name. That’s progress.”
Lin Yue managed a faint smile.
Progress.
The word felt small, but comforting.
After breakfast, the old couple prepared to leave for town. Before stepping outside, the old woman turned back toward Lin Yue.
“If you feel the pain again, lie down and rest,” she said. “Don’t push yourself.”
“I will,” Lin Yue promised.
Soon the house fell quiet again.
Lin Yue stood in the doorway for a long moment after they left, watching the narrow road that led out of the village.
Her name echoed softly in her thoughts.
Lin Yue.
She tried saying it aloud.
“Lin Yue…”
The sound felt natural, yet distant — like speaking about someone she had once known rather than herself.
She walked slowly into the courtyard, letting the cool morning air brush against her face. The small tree near the fence rustled softly in the breeze.
Everything looked peaceful.
But inside her mind, something restless stirred.
She closed her eyes briefly.
“Lin Yue…”
Another faint flicker passed through her thoughts — so quick she almost missed it.
A memory.
Or perhaps just a feeling.
Cold wind.
Tall stone walls.
Someone standing far away, watching her.
Her eyes snapped open.
The courtyard returned instantly, calm and quiet as before.
Her heart beat faster for a moment before gradually settling.
The flashes were still unclear. They came without warning and vanished just as quickly, leaving only questions behind.
Lin Yue exhaled slowly.
At least she had a name now.
Maybe that would help the old couple find answers.
—
Later that afternoon, the old man arrived in town.
The police station was small, tucked beside a narrow road lined with old shops. Inside, a ceiling fan turned lazily above a cluttered desk.
The officer behind the desk looked up as the old man approached.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes,” the old man said politely. “I’m looking for information about someone who may be missing.”
The officer leaned forward slightly.
“Name?”
The old man unfolded the paper and slid it across the desk.
“Lin Yue.”
The officer studied the name for a moment before turning to his computer.
The room filled with the quiet tapping of keys.
After a few minutes, he frowned slightly.
“There are many people named Lin Yue,” he said. “It’s not uncommon.”
The old man nodded. He had expected that.
“But none reported missing recently in this region,” the officer continued.
The old man’s shoulders sank slightly.
“I see…”
“Do you have a photo?” the officer asked.
“Yes,” the old man replied quickly, pulling out his phone.
He showed the officer a picture he had quietly taken of Lin Yue earlier that morning while she sat by the courtyard tree.
The officer studied it carefully.
Something about the girl’s face made him pause.
“Where did you say you found her?” he asked.
“Near the mountain path outside our village,” the old man answered.
The officer leaned back slightly, thoughtful.
“Leave your contact information,” he said. “If we find anything, we’ll call you.”
The old man nodded gratefully.
As he stepped outside the station, he looked once more at the name written on the paper.
Lin Yue.
Somewhere, someone must know this girl.
He was certain of it.
What he did not know… was that far beyond the quiet town and the peaceful mountains, the name Lin Yue had already begun to stir attention in places far more dangerous than this small village.
And the moment her identity began to surface…
The quiet life she had just started to build would no longer remain untouched.
- Writer
