Chapter 7: The Investigation Deepens
Dr. Emma Taylor sat at her desk, pouring over the notes she had taken from the book on the Echo Chamber. She was determined to uncover the secrets of the mysterious phenomenon, and she knew that she had to start by investigating Sarah's past.
Emma picked up the phone and dialed the number of Sarah's parents. She had spoken to them briefly before, but she knew that she needed to ask them more questions.
"Hello?" a woman's voice answered.
"Hi, Mrs. Jenkins. This is Dr. Emma Taylor. I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"No, not at all, Dr. Taylor. What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if I could come over and ask you some more questions about Sarah's past," Emma said. "I'm trying to understand what might be causing her whispers, and I think that you and your husband might be able to help me."
"Of course, Dr. Taylor. We'll do anything to help Sarah. When would you like to come over?"
Emma checked her schedule and agreed to meet with the Jenkins at 2 PM that afternoon.
As she hung up the phone, Emma felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to get to the bottom of the mystery, no matter what it took.
At 2 PM, Emma arrived at the Jenkins' house, a small, cozy home on the outskirts of town. Mrs. Jenkins answered the door, and Emma was greeted by the warm smell of baking cookies.
"Come on in, Dr. Taylor," Mrs. Jenkins said, leading Emma into the living room. "My husband, John, is here too. We're happy to help in any way we can."
Emma smiled and nodded, taking a seat on the couch. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins. I appreciate your willingness to help. I'm going to ask you some questions about Sarah's past, and I want you to be as honest as possible. Can you tell me about Sarah's childhood? Was there anything unusual or traumatic that happened to her?"
Mrs. Jenkins hesitated, looking at her husband before answering. "Well, Dr. Taylor, Sarah did have a bit of a rough childhood. Her father and I got divorced when she was young, and she had to deal with a lot of upheaval. But we always tried to be there for her, to support her and give her a stable home life."
Emma nodded, taking notes. "I see. And did Sarah ever exhibit any unusual behaviors or symptoms as a child? Anything that might be related to the whispers she's experiencing now?"
Mr. Jenkins spoke up, his voice low and thoughtful. "Now that you mention it, Dr. Taylor, Sarah did used to talk about hearing voices when she was a kid. We thought it was just her imagination, but maybe it was something more."
Emma's eyes widened, her mind racing with possibilities. "Did she ever say what the voices were saying?" she asked.
Mrs. Jenkins shook her head. "No, she never would say. She just said that they were mean and scary, and that she didn't like them."
Emma nodded, her heart going out to the young Sarah. She had been through so much, and now she was facing this mysterious phenomenon. Emma was more determined than ever to help her uncover the truth.
As she left the Jenkins' house, Emma felt a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in a long time. She was getting closer to the truth, and she knew that she would stop at nothing to uncover it.
But as she walked back to her car, Emma couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She looked around, but there was no one there.
Or was there?