The haunted town

Rudi adjusted his delivery cap, feeling the weight of the parcels in the back of his rusty van. "Just another day," he muttered to himself, pulling onto the road toward the dreaded Elder moor. The town had earned its reputation long ago, whispered fears echoing through the nearby villages.

As he drove deeper into the mist, memories of ghost stories danced in his mind. He remembered his father warning him: “Don’t ever go there. They say the spirits won’t let anyone leave.” But Rudi had a job to do.

Upon arriving, a shiver ran down his spine. Elder moor was a place suspended in time, with buildings shrouded in shadows, their façade peeling like an old photograph. The only sound was the rustle of leaves, and for a moment, he was tempted to turn back. Yet, the thought of disappointing his boss propelled him forward.

He parked in front of a dilapidated storefront, the sign barely hanging on. “Old Man Larkin’s Curiosities,” it read—thought the “Curiosities” seemed to be more cobwebs than wares. Stepping out, Rudi felt the temperature drop, his breath forming a mist that danced around him.

He approached the entrance cautiously, the wooden door creaking as he pushed it open. Dust motes swirled in the dim light, and he could almost hear whispers mingling with the silence. “Delivery for Larkin,” he called into the stillness.

An ancient voice replied, rough as gravel, “In here, boy.” Rudi followed the sound, stepping past shelves cluttered with strange artifacts and faded photographs. Each one seemed to watch him, and the hairs on his neck stood up.

Old Man Larkin was hunched over a counter, peering at a collection of jars filled with murky liquids. “You’ve brought my order?” he asked, a glint in his eye that made Rudi uneasy.

“Yes, sir,” Rudi replied, handing over the packages. Larkin’s gnarled fingers tore into the wrapping, revealing crystals and powders. “Good, good,” the old man muttered, as though he were channeling something far beyond this world.

“Uh, is it safe here?” Rudi asked, struggling not to sound weak. “People say strange things happen in Elder moor.”

Larkin chuckled, an unsettling sound. “Only if you listen to them. This town holds echoes of the past—stories and memories trapped like these old curios.” His gaze turned penetrating. “What about you, boy? Do you carry echoes?”

Rudi hesitated, thoughts swirling. He had always tucked away feelings of loneliness, dreams abandoned, haunted by choices. “I guess we all carry something,” he admitted.

“Then you belong,” Larkin said, lifting a jar from the counter. “Take this—an echo of your own. You’ll find what you seek.”

With trembling hands, Rudi accepted the jar, the glass cool against his fingers. Instantly, a wave of whispers filled his mind, unveiling forgotten dreams. As he stepped back into the chill of Elder moor, he no longer felt alone.

The van door slammed shut behind him, and for the first time, he felt a connection to the haunted town; it was a reminder of everything he had lost—and everything he could still find. Elder moor wasn’t just a stop on his route; it had awakened something within him. Rudi drove away, heart racing, knowing he would return.

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