The White Mask

Chapter 7: Fiona

After investigating the Outer Banks History Center... Daniel, Aislynn, and Cory headed to the Hilton Garden Inn around Kitty Hawk, they checked in their room after paying the hotel bishop. They placed their stuff and the evidence around the hotel room, and they began to examine the evidence.

"Hey, I gotta go get some food. Do you guys want pizza tonight?" asked Cory. "Yep," said Daniel. "Of course," said Aislynn. "OK, I'll be right back," said Cory before he leaves to go get pizza. "Gosh, can you believe that we found the evidence from the history center?" said Aislynn. "Yeah," said Daniel. "I can't lie, this hotel is so nice," said Aislynn. "Yeah, I'm glad we picked the right one," said Daniel. "Yeah," said Aislynn, giggling. "So, Aislynn... After spring break, do you... wanna go to the prom with me soon?" said Daniel. "Of course, I would love to. I never had a boy ask me out to the prom before until now. I would love to go to the prom with you," said Aislynn, accepting Daniel who asked her for prom.

Aislynn slithered her hand to touch Daniel's hand, causing him to look at her with a blushed, happy face. It was nighttime and the trio ate their pizza for dinner. Aislynn already called her parents to let her know that she's having a travel time with her friends, so she goes to take a shower. Cory and Daniel are researching the evidence and even research on his laptop. Daniel also texted his mother that he's traveling with Aislynn and Cory for spring break, his mother Alana responded back as well, accepting it.

During the night, Daniel wakes up to drink his cup of water while Cory's asleep but couldn't find Aislynn until he sees her outside sitting at the pool with her feet in the pool water. Daniel goes outside before putting on his jacket, he walks toward Aislynn to join her sitting at the pool. He took off his shoes before putting his feet in the water.

"Are you OK, Aislynn?" said Daniel. "Yeah, I'm OK. It's just that I'm thinking while relieving myself," said Aislynn. "Oh... What are you thinking about?" said Daniel. "I'm just thinking about my grandmother. I remember when she told me that there are some mysteries around the world that are meant to solve after the unsolved mysteries. Some cases are closed, but most of them are still open to this day. And then years after the unsolved, the suspects were found and then cases closed. My grandmother used to tell me that there is a future in hands, the ancestors are protecting us, and there are some mysteries that need to be revealed in the open," said Aislynn. "Really?" asked Daniel. "Yeah, I miss my grandma. She's already with my ancestors in Heaven: A part of the Nigerians, Native Americans, and a part of the Irish. Watching over my family," said Aislynn. "Hey... It's gonna be alright, I'm really sorry for your loss," said Daniel. Daniel holds Aislynn's hand, Aislynn looks at him with a beautiful grin on her face.

The next morning... The sunlight shines on Aislynn's face, causing her to wake up first. Daniel is sleeping next to her, spooning her on the bed. Cory wakes up on the first hotel bed, while Daniel and Aislynn wake up on the second hotel bed.

"Good morning, Daniel. Good morning, Cory" said Aislynn. "Good morning," said Cory. "Morning, Aislynn," said Daniel. "Oooh, Daniel, I see you cuddling Aislynn in bed. Did y'all hook up while I was asleep?" said Cory. "No," said Daniel, laughing. "No, we didn't," said Aislynn, laughing as well. "Who's ready for breakfast?" asked Cory. "Well, both of us are," said Aislynn. "OK, let's go get dressed and head to get some breakfast," said Cory as he headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

Aislynn and Daniel smiled at each other, laughing. After they got dressed after washing up and ate their breakfast, the trio checked out of the hotel to head out, taking their stuff and the evidence with them. They headed to the Nags Head Woods Preserve area to explore for more clues there. As they got to Nags Head Wood Preserve, they got out of the vehicles: Cory's car and Daniel's motorcycle. They began to explore the woods.

"Man, the omelet from the hotel was so delicious back there," said Cory. "Can't say I couldn't agree with you more," said Daniel. "Yeah, I ate the fruits as a side dish after the omelet, they made this so much better along with the beautiful, delicious fruits on the side," said Aislynn. "All three of us had a great breakfast there," said Daniel. "Mm, hmm," said Cory.

Aislynn sees something shiny in the ground, the small shiny object is covered by the dried leaves underneath. "Guys, I see something under the leaves," said Aislynn. Aislynn and Daniel uncovers the object by moving the leaves away, while Cory watches. They found a locket necklace on the ground. "It's a necklace," said Daniel. "It's someone else's locket, there's a picture inside," said Aislynn. Aislynn opened the locket, revealing there is a 1980's picture of the little girl with blonde hair and green eyes. "It's a girl in the picture, I think someone buried it in the leaves last fall," said Daniel. "Are you sure about it?" asked Cory. "Yeah, we have to find out what it belongs to," said Daniel. Daniel, Aislynn, and Cory headed to the dock of the Nags Head Woods Preserve, they saw water there. The water was left with some of the green texture of moss and swamp.

"The moss is in the water," said Daniel. "Yeah, I see that the water is clearing up soon. I'm starting to love this preserved place," said Aislynn. "Me, too," said Daniel. "I wonder if there's fish in the water, so that me and my father could go fishing there in the Nags Head Woods," said Cory.

The trio continued walking through the dock and then went to the right path of the Nags Head Woods, but then they heard footsteps coming. "Shh," said Aislynn, hearing the sound. "Hide!" whispered Daniel. "Come on, let's hide," said Cory. The trio hide behind the trees. There was a familiar woman around 30's holding a bouquet of white roses heading to the grave that was buried next to the tree. The woman is wearing a white hooded cape.

"Hi, mother, it's been a long time since you've been gone. The family and I were trying to find some clues to find the killer who poisoned you. I really hope they find the killer and arrest the masked killer for good. We all miss you, mom. I wish you were here right now. I know you're watching over us in Heaven. I love you, mom," said the woman, talking to the grave of her mother next to the tree. The woman placed the white roses above the grave.

"Hey, isn't that Mrs. Greyson, the math teacher from our high school?" whispered Cory. "It sounded like her," whispered Daniel. The woman leaves the woods after placing the roses to her mother's grave. After the woman left, the trio walked up to see who's grave. They discovered that the grave was Bethany Wendell's, the elementary school teacher of Daniel.

"Oh no, not Mrs. Wendell, too," said Daniel. "Isn't that your old teacher from elementary school?" asked Cory. "Yes. She was such an amazing teacher, why would the killer murdered her?" said Daniel. "I don't know," said Cory. "Danny... I'm so sorry," said Aislynn as she comforts Daniel with a warm, romantic hug. Daniel hugs back, wiping a tear off his eye.

"What's going on here?" asked the same woman who came back, surprising the trio. "Mrs. Greyson?" said Cory. "What are you kids doing out here in the Nags Head Woods Preserve?" asked the woman, now revealed to be Mrs. Greyson. "We're just investigating who is the killer behind the white masquerade mask," said Daniel. "Yeah, we're on an investigation quest," said Cory. Aislynn nodded. "Mrs. Greyson, we have a question to ask. Do you know whose locket it belongs to? It was buried in the leaves," said Daniel as he showed the locket with the picture of the blonde little girl in it. Mrs. Greyson looked at the locket and the portrait of the girl. "That's my old friend from 8th grade, her name was Hannah Tristan," said Mrs. Greyson. "Fiona?" said Aislynn. "Yes," said Mrs. Greyson.

Mrs. Greyson guides Daniel, Aislynn, and Cory to her cottage home, where she lives with her daughter and her two sons. They went inside the home, Daniel and his friends looked around to view the wonderful indoors of her cottage: the pictures of her friends, herself and her family, the antiques, and the incense burning.

"Miss, your cottage is so beautiful," said Aislynn. "Thanks, my late husband Jerald moved us here when we were married and started the family there," Said Mrs. Greyson. Daniel looks at the vase, he examines the vase and finds the name "Fiona" written in it. "Mrs. Greyson, is that your vase?" said Daniel. "Yes, one of my friends gave me this when I was 19," said Mrs. Greyson. "There's a name Fiona written on the vase," said Daniel. "Actually, my real name is Fiona. Fiona Greyson," said Mrs. Greyson.