The Vanishing Place An Anthology of Horror

By Monica Meza

Lylah is a young woman with a Youtube channel devoted to the supernatural that is losing views to the Spirit Brothers...Needing an angle to boost her view count, she decides to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl that occurred over thirty years ago. She ventures into an old abandoned military base and narrates as she retraces what she believes to be the girl's final steps. Wondering through the ghost town, she returns to her vehicle only to find that her car won't start and her cell phone is no longer working...She then finds out first hand what the girl experienced that fateful night over thirty years ago...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trellis Publishing
• Release date: Jun 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201158934

Book preview

THE VANISHING PLACE

MONICA MEZA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE VANISHING PLACE

WEREWOLF

Hello guys and girls! Welcome to Lylah Alive! Lylah cocked her dark head to the side and winked an emerald eye playfully at the phone’s camera, her white teeth flashing prettily.

I know we’ve been dealing with the paranormal and unexplained but today, we’re going to venture into a whole new area, she continued, nodding. Today, we’re going to investigate the disappearance of Elenore Minsky from Lakebath, Illinois.

She paused for effect and leaned in to narrow her eyes conspiratorially.

Now most of you weren’t alive when Ellie went missing. It happened thirty years ago this month in a place that no longer exists, at least not as it was. There were many strange details about this case that make it worth investigating. It wasn’t just the fact that Elenore was a young woman on an Army base without any real purpose. It wasn’t just that she seemed to have vanished into thin air. It’s a combination of all these facts that make it so worthy of looking into. In this episode of Lylah Alive, we’ll venture—

LYLAH!

The young woman’s smile faded and she groaned aloud, reaching to stop the recording with a long finger.

Mom, I’m recording! she yelled back. I told you not to disturb me!

Sorry! her mother replied from the base of the stairs. I forgot.

What is it, Mom? Lylah asked, smothering her annoyance. She knew that her mother was easily distracted, even confused at times. She had long since learned to accept it as one of Desiree’s endearing flaws.

Supper’s ready, hon! Desiree replied brightly. It’s Taco Tuesday.

A smile touched Lylah’s lips as she set the phone down on her desk and made her way toward the hallway. The recording would keep. She wasn’t leaving to start her investigation until the morning anyway.

I can’t say no to Taco Tuesday, she thought, heading down the stairs where her mother waited for her in the kitchen.

Where’s Cal? she asked, inhaling the spicy scent of seasoned ground beef. Her mouth watered slightly as she realized she was starving.

He’s at Mark’s. He called and said they’re studying. Desiree made air quotations with her hands.

Yeah right, Lylah laughed and Desiree grinned.

You were a teenager not that long ago, the older Milhouse teased. I guess the studying excuse never goes out of style.

The smile lingered on Lylah’s face even though a strange feeling of déjà vu crept through her veins.

Have we had this discussion before?

It wouldn’t be surprising if they had. Desiree was known for talking in circles too.

What are you working on today? Desiree asked her older child, handing Lylah a plate. Something spooky?

Aw Mom, Lylah groaned piling her dish with a soft taco shells as she went to work loading them with salsa, sour cream, and cheese.

What? Desiree demanded. What did I say?

You make it sound so cheesy when you say it like that, Lylah grumbled. "Something spooky?"

Well forgive me, Desiree laughed, rolling her eyes as she joined the line to fix her own dinner. When I was growing up, we didn’t have YouTube or Insta.

Or Facebook or the internet, Lylah joked. Or electricity or cars! You rode around on dinosaurs, didn’t you?

The women chuckled at each other and and took a seat at the kitchen table.

Well? Desiree pressed. What are you looking into? Nessie? Yeti?

Lylah giggled again and took a bite of her taco.

I’m looking into the disappearance of Elenore Minsky. Do you remember her, Mom? she asked after swallowing her first bite.

Desiree’s head jerked up, her eyes becoming slits.

The girl who went missing in Lakebath? she asked quickly. Sure. I remember. Awful thing, a teenager disappearing like that at an Army base. Weird circumstances if I recall.

Desiree paused, a pensive look crossing over her face. She fixed her gaze on her daughter.

But that’s ancient history, Ly and doesn’t really have anything to do with your channel, does it?

Lylah shrugged and nodded.

We deal with anything mysterious, she reminded her mother.