THE LAST LETTER✉️

The Last Letter ✉️ The salty scent of the sea mingled with the night breeze. Anabia stood by the window, watching the faint glow of the lighthouse far away, its beam slicing through the fog every few seconds before disappearing again. With a cup of tea in hand, she tried to convince herself that this small coastal town would give her a few weeks of peace. But that night, peace didn’t even reach her doorstep. Thump! Something was slid under the door. Startled, Anabia stepped forward. On the floor lay a thick white envelope, with only one sentence written on it: "If you want to find your brother… come to the old villa’s gate at midnight tomorrow. Alone." She tried to steady her heartbeat, but her eyes stayed glued to the words. From behind, her mother’s voice called out: "Anabia! Your tea is getting cold." "Yes… coming," she replied quickly, slipping the envelope into her pocket and shutting the door. Taking a sip of tea, she sank deep into thought. Six months had passed since Rafi disappeared. The police said there was no trace… and now, this letter? Her phone rang. The name “Inspector Haider” flashed on the screen. She answered, "Haider Sahib, any news?" His voice was serious. "Maybe. But you have to promise me you’ll do exactly as I say." "And if I don’t?" she asked with a faint smile. "Then you’ll become part of this story… and maybe there’ll be no way back." The call ended. Outside the window, the lighthouse’s beam flashed again… and in that instant, Anabia felt as if someone, hidden beyond the fog, was watching her. --- Chapter Two – The Villa Gate Midnight. The moon hid behind clouds. The roar of the waves carried through the deserted streets. Anabia pulled her coat tight around her, her footsteps echoing faintly on the misty road. The old villa stood at the edge of town — tall, rusted gates, crumbling walls, and wild vines gripping the stones. She stopped. Silence. Then… a faint creak from behind the gate. "Who’s there?" she called softly. No reply. Then a deep, rough voice came from within: "Did you come alone…?" "Yes… Who are you? Did you send the letter?" The voice drew nearer, a vague shadow forming in the mist. "Ask fewer questions… time is short. Take this—" A small iron box slid out from under the gate. She picked it up and opened it… inside was an old black-and-white photograph. Three people stood in it — two men and a woman. Her heart skipped a beat. One of the faces… was Rafi’s. She looked up quickly, but there was no one behind the gate anymore. Footsteps sounded behind her. She turned — a tall man stood in the darkness, only his eyes catching the faint light. "I told you, you shouldn’t have come alone…", he said slowly. "Did Inspector Haider send you?" she asked nervously. He smiled faintly. "Haider? I’ve been looking for you since the day you returned to town…" Before she could ask anything more, a sharp scream echoed from inside the villa. Her heart leapt to her throat. --- Chapter Three – Inside the Villa The man grabbed her wrist. "We have to go inside," he said firmly. "If we waste time, everything will be over." "Who are you?" she demanded, pulling her hand away. "Not important right now," he said, pointing toward the door. "Before that scream comes again, we move." He forced the rusted lock open with a shove. The villa’s yard was overgrown, grass reaching her knees, the air thick with the stale, salty smell of the sea. The front door hung half open, as if abandoned in haste. The moment they stepped inside, a cold draft swept through. The old portraits on the walls seemed to stare at her. "Where did that scream come from?" she whispered. "Upstairs," he replied. "Where… no one should go." The wooden steps groaned under their feet. At the end of a long hallway, a door stood ajar. They pushed it open — the room was empty. A chair lay overturned on the floor, and beside it sat a small recorder. The man pressed play — the same terrifying scream rang out again, exactly as before. Anabia’s eyes widened. "It… it was recorded?" He nodded. "Someone lured us here." "Why?" she asked, slipping the photograph into her pocket. "Maybe… to bring you closer to a secret even bigger than your brother’s disappearance." Just then, heavy footsteps echoed from downstairs — someone had entered the villa. --- Chapter Four – The Stranger’s Shadow The footsteps grew louder. The man with her motioned for silence and switched off the light. The moonlight filtering through the window was their only glow. The steps reached the hallway. A tall figure appeared in the doorway — the brim of his hat shadowing his face. "Come out," he commanded, his voice sharp and sure. The man beside Anabia stepped forward. "How did you get here?" "That’s my question for you," the stranger replied with a faint laugh. He tossed a crumpled piece of paper toward Anabia. "This is your brother’s last message." Her hands shook as she opened it. The words read: "Don’t trust them." "Who is this about?" she asked in alarm. The stranger pointed straight at the man beside her. "Him." Her breath caught. The man who had been helping her all this time… was staring back at her, eyes glinting strangely. "Decide, Anabia," the stranger’s voice hardened. "Come with me and learn the truth… or stay with the one deceiving you." Outside, waves crashed against the rocks, and cold wind whistled through the villa’s walls. Two paths lay before her — both dangerous. --- Chapter Five – The Choice Her throat went dry. She glanced between them. "He’s here to mislead you," the man beside her said sternly. "If you go with him… you might never return." Memories of her brother’s laughter, his sudden disappearance, and now the cryptic paper — all swirled in her mind. Finally, she made her choice. "I… will go with him." For a moment, something flickered in the other man’s eyes, but he quickly masked it. "Fine. But remember… I warned you." The stranger gestured for her to follow. They descended the stairs and slipped out through the villa’s back door. They hurried through the mist toward an old lighthouse perched on a cliff. "Why here?" she asked. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the heavy wooden door. Inside, a spiral staircase wound upward. "This is where your brother was last seen… and where something is hidden that will change everything." At the top, he opened a rusty cabinet. Inside was a wooden box labeled: "For Anabia Only." She opened it — inside was a diary. The first page made her breath catch. "Everything I did was to protect both myself and Anabia… — Rafi" --- Chapter Six – The Diary’s Secret The lighthouse’s dim glow lit the yellowed pages. "If you’re reading this, Anabia, I’m not where you think I am. I never told you everything… because I knew knowing the truth would put you in danger." She flipped the page. "Six months ago, I started a case… linked to a death from 25 years ago. But that death… was a lie. The man is still alive. And he’s connected to you." Her voice trembled. "Who is he?" "Keep reading," the stranger said. "After you were born, our grandmother’s family never wanted to accept you. They hid a secret for years… and that secret was held by the man everyone thought dead. I went to find him… and met people you’d never suspect." Her heart pounded. Just then, a loud bang shook the lighthouse door. The stranger’s face tensed. "They’re here… if we don’t leave now, this diary will never see daylight." --- Chapter Seven – The Hidden Passage He pressed a hidden panel — a section of floor slid open, revealing a narrow tunnel. "It leads to a hidden spot on the shore," he explained. They descended into the darkness, the air damp and salty. Her foot hit something metallic — a locket. She opened it. Inside was… her mother’s photograph. "This means… your mother was part of this too," the stranger murmured. Before she could reply, footsteps echoed from behind — someone was following them. The tunnel split into two paths. "The right is safe… the left means never coming back," he said. Anabia frowned. "But there are fresh footprints on the right… someone just went that way." TO BE CONTINUE !