"Sometimes the past doesn't stay as past.

Old forgotten memories awake and replay a moment in time like an old recording in a vintage gramophone...

Like a never-ending story on loop unable to find closure.

Some people exist to pick up the broken pieces and write the final chapter, in hopes of a happy ending.

People who can perceive the inexplicable.

I am one of them."

A white van pulled up at the entrance with a huge rusty gate that looked like a setting from a horror movie. And it probably would feel like being in one if the weather wasn't so pleasantly warm and sunny. No ominous crows circling above either but some sparrows chirping happily on the tree branches nearby.

"Very anti-climatic to be honest... I'm not complaining though. Shall we?"

The driver peeked at the woman next to him and they both opened the door simultaneously. Ina stepped out gracefully and chuckled.

"What, did you expect a thunderstorm? That happens only in movies."

Her melodic voice matched her young appearance.

"Right, isn't your job kinda like stepping into a movie?"

"Well, if you put it that way..."

They approached the gate and looked through the bars at what lied beyond. Bastian whistled in amazement while Kathy put her hands behind her back and smiled.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

There was an alley full of yellow flowers on both sides of the paved path. A bit further was a cathedral with two slender towers in the front and a pretty rose window at the top. It stood there like an unstoppable wall connected to a high brick fence on each side. Behind it should be the rest of the monastery complex with living quarters, refectory, library and so on. In the daylight it looked peaceful and solemn.

"So this is your new workplace, huh? Where a bunch of soldiers disappeared without a trace... how long ago? 60 years or so?"

Bastian sounded worried. Ina hummed in agreement with a slight nod. He continued.

"You sure it was a good idea to accept? I mean, those were people trained in combat. Whoever obliterated them must've been hella strong or agile."

"I don't know... but when I looked through the files, I had a weird feeling... And now that I'm here I can feel it clearly. It's like this place was crying out to me. Like I'm the only one who can help solve this mystery."

She looked up to the top of the cathedral, spacing out. There was a pause before Bastian stopped staring at her and sighed, turning around on his heels.

"Well then, I'll put up the tent."

"Bastian?"

"Yes?"

"You worry too much."

She looked at him and smiled. He couldn't help but avert his look and blush.

"I just can't get used to it, that's all. I feel useless just waiting around."

"The fact you're putting up with it and come along means a lot to me."

She hugged him from behind. His mood improved immediately.

"Well that's what boyfriends do, hon!"

"I'll go and have a look if you don't mind?"

"Okay."

She leaned over and pecked him on the cheek before fishing the keys out of her bag in the car and opened the gate.

The gate creaked open and the sweet fragrance of yellow flowers tickled her nostrils. The air inside the front yard was slightly cooler than on the outside. Ina stepped lightly through the old worn paved alley with grass growing between the cracks. She stopped right at the wide stairs to the cathedral's main entrance. The monumental building loomed before her quietly with an ominous air.

What kind of tragic secret was hidden inside?

She heard about the incident the other day, during the meeting with her employer. He handed her the detailed files and described the situation briefly, summing it up as peculiar and sinister.

Roughly 60 years ago during the war, a platoon of soldiers was forced to retreat somewhere safe. With all escape routes cut off, they hid in an abandoned monastery to wait for reinforcements, but once the help arrived nobody was there. Literally, no bodies to be found whether dead or alive despite signs of violence around the complex. The rations and damaged equipment were piled up in the back of a military truck that crashed in the woods nearby.

The only lead was a cryptic message sent from them before the contact was cut off. A report stating that people went missing one after another and that there might be a murderer among them. The culprit - as expected - was never found.

The case remained unsolved and the place earned a reputation as haunted due to unfortunate accidents after the war.

"And so here I am." She thought while looking far up at the rose window reflecting the evening sun. "Please, let me help solve this mystery and show me what happened."

Ina closed her eyes and adjusted her breathing while focusing deep. Slowly the sounds around her - the rustling of leaves, the breeze, the chirping - all of that started to fade until the world went completely mute. A moment later the silence was broken by a loud male voice right behind her.

"Attention lads! You better listen carefully!"

When Ina opened her eyes and turned around, she could see soldiers in old war uniforms lined up in front of a lieutenant. The colors of the world were slightly saturated with a tint of sepia, like in old movies.

That was her power. The power to see the past with her own eyes, except that she couldn't interact with it and the people in her vision couldn't see her. Like Bastian described it before, it was as if "stepping into a movie".

The lieutenant carried on with his speech, but she didn't pay any attention to it. She decided to circle around them to examine their faces closer. Most of them looked young, serious and quite worn out.

Ina passed by the lieutenant's back, taking her time when she noticed that one of the soldiers seemed to follow her with his gaze. Their eye contact lasted a couple of seconds before the blond man was nudged to focus on the speaker. She turned around to see what might've caught his attention, but there wasn't anything in particular. It struck her as odd, it was in no way possible he looked specifically at her. She had no influence on what happened in the past, so she shrugged it off and ended the session.

The world around her returned back to normal.

"I look forward to working with you."

Ina smiled and looked briefly at the space where the soldiers stood in her vision just a moment ago. She then passed the stairs and looked for the key to the main entrance.

Inside the cathedral was dim and stuffy with a faint scent of incense. Ina shook from a shiver, it was definitely colder than outside. The decor was still there; the walls decorated with big paintings, stained glass windows painting the inside in rainbow colors, dusty benches and everything else a posh church had to offer. Her steps echoed through the nave to the back of ambulatory.

She had to stop in her path as a big chandelier that must've fallen long ago blocked her way. The crystal parts scattered on the floor crunched under her feet. She turned right to the aisle; through the benches and past the pillars to the high door leading her through a vestibule and finally outside, to the square.

From there she decided to briefly check out the refectory. Two long heavy wooden tables stood at each side in the large room, further ahead the adjacent rooms had a spacious kitchen, empty pantry, storage. Downstairs led to a wine cellar.

Up ahead the cloister was the chapter house, library and day room with furniture hidden under white cloth. Ina thought that the objects looked like ghosts having a gathering.

Finally, she arrived at the dormitory.

She checked out the rooms without haste. All were small and simple, with walls yellowed over time and with either one bed or bunk beds. Cobwebs hanged low like heavy curtains, and dust gathered around like a blanket. Ina sighed relieved seeing the communal shower room in fairly good shape. The thought of taking a steamy shower at the end of the day made her happy. However, the water wasn't running and there was no electricity, so she needed to ask Bastian to take care of it first.

It was already evening when they both descended the stairs to the basement with a lantern in hand.

"Ok the power switch should be somewhere around... here... And the valves..."

Bastian mumbled examining the dark hallway with directions from the caretaker displayed in his smartphone, Ina following him close by.

"Aaaaand... fingers crossed that it doesn't blow up-...!"

He pulled the lever with one swift motion. It creaked from the force and sparks crackled through the wires. The light turned on one after another, the generator buzzed.

"So... do you think they still have some bottles around in the wine cellar?"

He turned the lantern off and smirked.

"Maybe. But can we have a look at the rooms here first? I feel better with you by my side."

She didn't have to ask twice, Bastian puffed his chest and patted it proudly.

"You can count on me, babe!"

They went deeper into the corridor. He seemed very happy that there'd be something for him to benefit from by staying in a spooky place like that. He snooped around with excitement, making Ina chuckle and compare him to a curious dog. A moment later her eyes fell on the massive door at the other end of the hall. Her step became faster until she almost ran to it. Bastian caught up with her and gasped.

"Woooow..."

It was more of a gate than door - double, 10 feet tall and reinforced. The ornaments depicted symmetrical wyverns on each side among some flora, their long necks and tails curled. The two keyholes were turned upside down for some reason. Standing in front of that felt ominous even in the bright light of the corridor. If it was made to ward off intruders, then it was doing a good job.

"I think that's the entrance to the catacombs beneath."

Ina spoke and Bastian frowned in a grimace.

"Ew, nasty. You better charge that employer extra if we'll have to deal with zombies..."

"Even if I wanted to have a peek, we won't be able to enter. I don't have the keys."

She could hear her boyfriend sigh in relief.

"Well, can't be helped. So... about that wine cellar...?"

She chuckled and turned around.

"Yes, yes, of course. Follow me."