Page 48 of In Her Grasp
Jenna followed her mother into the dimly lit hallway. The door to the room the girls had once shared creaked open, revealing a sanctuary untouched by time, dust motes dancing in the shafts of light that pierced the half-drawn curtains. Jenna had avoided venturing here since her sister had vanished.
Her mother moved with an uncharacteristic reverence as she approached the bookshelf nestled in the corner, its shelves sagging under the weight of years and memories. As Mom reached for a tattered spine, Jenna remembered the book, its cover worn from the countless times small hands had flipped through its pages. It was the bird-watching guide, its presence alone conjuring up a silent ache that filled the room.
As Jenna took the book from her mother’s hands, her fingers brushed against the textured paper, feeling the echo of Piper’s touch in the grooves where she had traced the sandpiper’s image. Opening to the page, the illustration of the slender bird seemed to leap out at them, its details sharp against the yellowing background. Both women flinched, struck by the immediacy of the loss that the image evoked.
“Here,” Jenna’s voice was steadier than she felt as she pointed to the text beside the illustration, “is a list of places where sandpipers can be found. Even mentions spots right here in Missouri.”
Her mother leaned in, eyes scanning the page before nodding slowly. “Piper would’ve loved to see them in the wild,” she murmured.
Jenna nodded, absorbing the information but feeling the tug of something deeper. The vision of the woman holding the sandpiper surged to the forefront of her mind, vivid and demanding attention. Who was this spectral visitor, and why lead her to this moment?
“Mom...” Jenna hesitated, chewing on her lip as she grappled with the significance of what lay before her. Was it merely a coincidence, or was there intent behind the vision’s guidance?
“Is everything alright, Jenna?” Her mother’s gaze was sharpened by concern, picking up on her daughter’s internal struggle.
“Fine, just thinking.” Jenna closed the book gently, the sound final in the quiet room. This clue, if it was one, opened more questions than answers. What did it mean for Piper? And was her twin, whose existence was a constant hum in the back of Jenna’s consciousness, trying to reach out to her after all these years?
With the guide cradled in her arms, Jenna allowed herself a sliver of hope. Maybe this would help unravel the mystery that had haunted her since they were sixteen— whether her twin was alive or dead. And if alive, then where?
Was she already holding in her hands the information she needed? Or would she still need to find answers veiled in the shadowy realm of her otherworldly dreams?
