Quick Tales

In the heart of downtown Seattle, nestled between a bustling coffee shop and an antiquarian bookstore, Dr. Samuel Hartley maintained his psychiatric practice. His office was a sanctuary of sorts, filled with warm hues, comfortable furniture, and the soft hum of a classical music station. For years, he had been the steadfast guide through the labyrinthine minds of his patients, always there to listen, to interpret, and to heal.

Among his clients was Evelyn Thompson, a thirty-something marketing executive who had sought his help after a series of panic attacks left her feeling increasingly isolated and anxious. Their sessions were scheduled for Tuesday evenings, and over the past six months, Evelyn had grown fond of the familiar routine—the comforting scent of sandalwood incense that Dr. Hartley burned before each session, the gentle ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner, and the soothing cadence of his voice as he guided her through her fears.

One Tuesday evening, Evelyn arrived at Dr. Hartley's office a few minutes early. She sat in the waiting room, flipping through an old copy of National Geographic while trying to calm her nerves. The previous night had been particularly difficult; she had woken up in a cold sweat, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. As Dr. Hartley's assistant ushered her into his office, Evelyn took a deep breath and tried to focus on the positive changes she had made since starting therapy.

"How are you feeling today, Evelyn?" Dr. Hartley asked as he settled into his chair, his eyes kind behind wire-framed glasses.

Evelyn hesitated before speaking, her gaze flickering over the diplomas and certificates that adorned the wall behind him. "I had another panic attack last night," she admitted. "It was... intense."

Dr. Hartley nodded sympathetically. "Let's talk about it," he said. "What triggered the episode?"

Evelyn recounted the details of her nightmare—a dark, twisting alleyway and the ominous figure that had been pursuing her. As she spoke, she noticed something unusual: a small, framed photograph on Dr. Hartley's desk that she hadn't seen before. It depicted a young man with curly black hair and striking blue eyes, standing beside an older couple who bore a striking resemblance to the therapist.

"Who is this?" Evelyn asked, pointing at the photograph.

Dr. Hartley followed her gaze and smiled softly. "That's my son," he said. "His name was Alexander."

Evelyn felt a pang of sadness as she studied the photo. "What happened to him?"

The therapist's expression darkened, and for a moment, Evelyn thought he might not answer. Then, he sighed and said, "He passed away several years ago. It was... sudden."

Evelyn offered her condolences, and they returned to the topic at hand. But as the session progressed, she found herself increasingly distracted by the photograph. There was something about Alexander's eyes—they seemed to hold a depth of knowledge that belied his youthful appearance. And there was something else, too—a faint sense of familiarity that Evelyn couldn't quite shake off.

Over the next few days, Evelyn found herself thinking more and more about Dr. Hartley's son. She even went so far as to Google his name, hoping to find an obituary or some other mention of him online. But her search yielded no results, which only served to deepen the mystery surrounding Alexander's identity.

As she sat at her desk one afternoon, staring blankly at her computer screen, Evelyn realized that she needed to know more. She picked up her phone and dialed Dr. Hartley's number, hoping that he would be willing to share more details about his son's life—and death.

The therapist answered on the third ring, his voice warm and welcoming. "Evelyn," he said. "It's good to hear from you."

"I hope I'm not bothering you," she replied, her heart pounding in her chest. "But I was wondering if we could talk about Alexander."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Dr. Hartley spoke again. "I'm sorry, Evelyn," he said. "But I think it would be best if we discussed this during our next session."

Evelyn hesitated, her mind racing with questions and doubts. But she knew better than to push the issue over the phone. "Alright," she said finally. "See you on Tuesday."

As she hung up the phone, Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. She had always trusted Dr. Hartley implicitly, but now, she found herself questioning his motives and his past. And as she delved deeper into the mystery surrounding Alexander's identity, she began to uncover a web of deceit and betrayal that would change her life forever.

That Tuesday evening, Evelyn arrived at Dr. Hartley's office with a sense of trepidation. She knew that she needed answers—not just for her own peace of mind, but also for the sake of their therapeutic relationship. As she took her seat across from him, she couldn't help but feel like she was looking at a stranger.

"You wanted to talk about Alexander," Dr. Hartley said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Evelyn nodded, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Yes," she said. "I need to know more about him."

The therapist hesitated for a moment before continuing. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Evelyn replied. "How he died, where he's buried... everything."

Dr. Hartley's expression darkened, and he leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond the window. "It's not a pleasant story," he warned her.

"I can handle it," Evelyn said firmly.

The therapist took a deep breath before beginning. "Alexander was... troubled," he said. "He had always been an intelligent child, but as he grew older, he became increasingly withdrawn and paranoid. He believed that the world was out to get him—that there were forces conspiring against him at every turn."

Evelyn listened intently, her mind racing with questions. But she knew better than to interrupt Dr. Hartley's narrative.

"He started seeing things," the therapist continued. "Hallucinations, he called them. And they were... disturbing. He would talk about shadowy figures following him, whispering threats in his ear. It was as if he had stepped into some kind of nightmare, and he couldn't find his way out."

Evelyn shuddered, remembering her own dreams—the dark alleyway, the ominous figure pursuing her. Could it be that she and Alexander shared some kind of connection? Some shared delusion?

"What happened to him?" she asked softly.

Dr. Hartley's expression grew even more somber as he spoke. "One night, he went missing," he said. "We searched for days—weeks—but there was no sign of him anywhere. It was as if he had vanished into thin air."

Evelyn felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to the therapist's words. She knew that something wasn't right—that there was more to this story than Dr. Hartley was letting on. But she also knew that she needed to tread carefully, lest she jeopardize their relationship completely.

"And then?" she prompted gently.

The therapist sighed deeply before continuing. "Eventually, we received a phone call," he said. "A man claiming to be Alexander's friend told us that he had seen him—that he was alive and well, but that he couldn't come home yet."

Evelyn felt her heart pounding in her chest as she listened to the therapist's words. She knew that something wasn't right—that there was more to this story than Dr. Hartley was letting on. But she also knew that she needed to tread carefully, lest she jeopardize their relationship completely.

"Did you believe him?" she asked softly.

Dr. Hartley hesitated before answering. "I wanted to," he said finally. "But there were... inconsistencies in his story. Details that didn't add up."

Evelyn nodded, her mind racing with questions and doubts. She knew that she needed more information—that she couldn't rest until she had uncovered the truth about Alexander's fate. But she also knew that she needed to proceed cautiously, lest she put herself in harm's way.

As their session drew to a close, Evelyn thanked Dr. Hartley for sharing his story with her and made an appointment to see him again the following week. But as she left his office, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong—that there were secrets lurking just beneath the surface of their seemingly perfect therapeutic relationship.

That night, Evelyn found herself unable to sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed, her mind racing with thoughts of Alexander and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his disappearance. She knew that she needed to do something—that she couldn't simply sit back and wait for answers to come to her.

As she lay there in the darkness, she suddenly remembered the photograph on Dr. Hartley's desk—the one depicting him with his son and wife. She had noticed something peculiar about it during their last session—something that she couldn't quite put her finger on at the time. But now, as she stared up at the ceiling, she realized what it was: the background of the photo was completely blank, as if it had been taken in front of a green screen or some other artificial backdrop.

Intrigued, Evelyn grabbed her phone and opened up a reverse image search engine. She uploaded a photo of the frame itself—not the contents, but rather the gilded edges and intricate filigree that surrounded it. To her surprise, she received several hits almost immediately.

As she scrolled through the results, Evelyn realized that she had been right to trust her instincts. The photograph in Dr. Hartley's office was not a personal keepsake—it was a stock image, available for purchase on numerous websites and print-on-demand services. And as she delved deeper into the search results, she uncovered another shocking revelation: the man posing as Alexander was actually an actor named Lucas Kane, who had starred in several low-budget horror films before disappearing from the public eye several years ago.

Evelyn's heart pounded in her chest as she processed this new information. She knew that something wasn't right—that there were secrets lurking just beneath the surface of their seemingly perfect therapeutic relationship. And now, she was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.

Over the next few days, Evelyn spent every spare moment researching Dr. Hartley and his mysterious past. She scoured the internet for any mention of him—any hint that might shed light on his true identity or intentions. And as she dug deeper into the web of deceit surrounding her therapist, she began to uncover a chilling pattern: numerous patients had gone missing over the years, their disappearances attributed to everything from mental illness to foul play.

But Evelyn knew better than to accept these explanations at face value. She was convinced that Dr. Hartley was involved in some way—that he was using his position of trust and authority to lure vulnerable individuals into a twisted game of cat and mouse, from which there was no escape.

As she sat at her desk one evening, poring over the mountains of information she had amassed, Evelyn realized that she needed to act quickly—that time was running out for both herself and the other victims caught in Dr. Hartley's web. She knew that she couldn't simply confront him directly—not without putting herself in grave danger. But she also knew that she couldn't stand idly by while innocent lives were destroyed.

It was then that she remembered the phone call from Alexander's supposed friend—the one who had claimed to have seen him alive and well, but unable to come home yet. She realized that this could be her best chance at uncovering the truth about Dr. Hartley's past and bringing him to justice once and for all.

Evelyn picked up her phone and dialed the number listed on the reverse image search results for Lucas Kane. To her surprise, a man answered on the third ring—a man with a deep, gravelly voice that sent shivers down her spine.

"Who is this?" he demanded, his tone sharp and suspicious.

Evelyn took a deep breath before speaking. "My name is Evelyn Thompson," she said. "I'm a patient of Dr. Samuel Hartley's—or at least, I thought I was."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before the man spoke again. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Evelyn hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I think he's been lying to me," she said. "To all of us."

The man let out a low groan, as if the weight of Evelyn's words was too much for him to bear. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he said finally. "Just leave it alone, okay? Before it's too late."

But Evelyn knew that she couldn't back down—not now, not ever. She had come too far to turn back, and she was determined to see this through to the end.

"Please," she begged, her voice trembling with emotion. "I need your help. I can't do this alone."

There was another pause on the other end of the line before the man sighed heavily and said, "Alright. Meet me at the diner on 3rd Avenue—the one with the neon sign out front. Be there in an hour."

Evelyn agreed, her heart pounding in her chest as she hung up the phone. She knew that she was taking a huge risk—that she could be walking straight into a trap. But she also knew that she had no other choice. She had to find out the truth about Dr. Hartley and his twisted games once and for all, even if it meant putting her own life on the line.

As Evelyn sat in the diner an hour later, sipping coffee from a chipped mug and trying not to let her nerves get the better of her, she couldn't help but wonder what awaited her outside those doors. Would she find answers there—or only more questions? And would she make it out alive?

Just as she was about to take another sip of her coffee, the bell above the door jingled softly, and a man stepped into the diner. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with shaggy dark hair and eyes that seemed to hold a world of pain and regret. Evelyn recognized him immediately from the photographs she had seen online—he was Lucas Kane, the actor who had posed as Dr. Hartley's son in that stock image photograph.

As he approached her table, Evelyn felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She knew that this man held the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding her therapist—but she also knew that his involvement in the case could put both of them in grave danger.

"You're Evelyn," he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he slid into the booth across from her. "I'm Lucas."

Evelyn nodded, her eyes scanning the diner warily for any sign of Dr. Hartley or his accomplices. She knew that they could be watching her right now—that they might even be listening in on their conversation. But she also knew that she couldn't let fear hold her back from doing what was right.

"What can you tell me about Alexander?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "About his disappearance?"

Lucas hesitated for a moment before speaking, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the window. "He was my best friend," he said finally. "We grew up together—went to school together, got into all kinds of trouble together."

Evelyn listened intently as Lucas recounted the story of their friendship and the tragic events that had led to Alexander's disappearance. She learned about the dark secrets that had haunted both men since childhood—secrets that would ultimately tear them apart and send them spiraling down a path of destruction and despair.

"I never should have let him go," Lucas said, his voice choked with emotion as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an old photograph. "This was taken the day before... before everything changed."

Evelyn took the photograph from him, her heart aching as she studied the image of two young men smiling and laughing together, their arms slung casually around each other's shoulders. It was clear that they had been the best of friends—that they would have done anything for one another, no matter what challenges life threw their way.

"What happened to him?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas sighed deeply before continuing. "He found something," he said. "Something dangerous and powerful—something that could change the course of history forever."

Evelyn felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to Lucas's words. She knew that she was on the verge of uncovering a truth that would shake the very foundations of her world—a truth that could potentially save countless lives, or plunge them all into darkness and despair.

"What did he find?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas hesitated for a moment before speaking, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the window. "I can't tell you that," he said finally. "But I can show you."

As they left the diner and stepped out into the cool night air, Evelyn felt a sense of dread wash over her. She knew that she was walking straight into danger—that there would be no turning back once she crossed that threshold. But she also knew that she had come too far to back down now—that she couldn't rest until she had uncovered the truth about Dr. Hartley and his twisted games once and for all.

Together, they made their way through the darkened streets of Seattle, their footsteps echoing off the cobblestones as they ventured deeper into the heart of the city. As they walked, Lucas recounted more details of Alexander's story—details that painted a picture of a brilliant and troubled young man who had been driven to the brink of madness by his own genius and the weight of his discoveries.

"He was obsessed with the occult," Lucas explained as they turned down a narrow alleyway lined with towering brick buildings. "He spent hours poring over ancient texts and manuscripts, searching for clues to some hidden truth that he believed would change everything."

Evelyn listened intently, her mind racing with questions and doubts. She knew that she was on the verge of uncovering something extraordinary—something that could potentially alter the course of human history forever. But she also knew that she needed to be careful, lest she fall prey to the same dark forces that had consumed Alexander's life.

As they reached the end of the alleyway, Lucas paused and turned to face her. "This is where it all started," he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he gestured toward a nondescript door set into the side of one of the buildings. "Are you ready?"

Evelyn took a deep breath and nodded, knowing that there was no turning back now. Together, they stepped through the doorway and descended into the darkness, their hearts pounding in their chests as they ventured deeper into the unknown.

What awaited them on the other side of that door would change everything—not just for Evelyn and Lucas, but for the entire world. And as they delved deeper into the mystery surrounding Alexander's disappearance, they would come to realize that some truths are better left hidden, buried beneath the shadows of the mind's eye.

But it was too late to turn back now—they had already crossed the threshold, and there could be no escape from what lay ahead. For better or for worse, their fates were sealed, bound together by the dark secrets that haunted both men since childhood and the twisted games of a madman who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

And so, with bated breath and hearts full of fear, they stepped forward into the darkness, ready to face whatever horrors awaited them on the other side.