Ridge of Forgotten Frequencies

By Evelyn Darkwood

In the fog-shrouded town of Echo Ridge, shrouded in mystery and hemmed by ancient mountains, a long-dormant radio tower suddenly bursts to life. Its broadcasts, filled with spectral static, whisper secrets and fears directly into the hearts of the townsfolk. Among them, a group of teenagers, each grappling with their own personal ghosts, are inexplicably drawn to the tower's mysteries. Jasper, a tech-savvy yet skeptical youth, sees a potential link to his father's disappearance. Mia, with her camera that captures more than what meets the eye, Eli, obsessed with the town's hidden truths, and Zoe, the outsider, determined to uncover Echo Ridge's secrets, form an unlikely alliance. Their quest leads them to The Guardian, a cryptic entity communicating through the static. Initially perceived as a menace, The Guardian is revealed to be the town's protector against a far greater evil lurking beneath its surface. As they delve deeper, the teenagers confront supernatural horrors, the town's dark history, and their own inner demons. Echo Ridge, built upon secrets, teeters on the edge of darkness. The battle for its soul forces the teens to navigate treacherous waters, choosing sides in a conflict as ancient as the town itself. "Ridge of Forgotten Frequencies" weaves a tale of suspense, supernatural intrigue, and personal growth, where the line between ally and enemy is as thin as the veil between worlds, and where the true frequency of fear resonates not in the eerie broadcasts of a forgotten tower but in the hearts of those who dare to listen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Goldenleaf Press
• Release date: Apr 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224564644

Book preview

Ridge of Forgotten Frequencies

Whispers Beneath the Static

Evelyn Darkwood

Copyright © 2024 by Evelyn Darkwood

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

Contents

1.The Silent Broadcast

2.Echoes of the Past

3.Frequencies of Fear

4.The Gathering Storm

5.Into the Abyss

6.Shadows and Light

7.The Breaking Point

8.The Heart of Darkness

9.The Final Frequency

10.Dawn of Echoes

Chapter one

The Silent Broadcast

Tendrils of mist curled through the narrow streets of Echo Ridge, caressing weathered storefronts and Victorian homes that huddled beneath the shadow of Black Oak Mountain. The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves hung heavy in the air, intermingling with the faint aroma of wood smoke wafting from distant chimneys. An eerie stillness enveloped the town, broken only by the mournful cry of a train whistle drifting from the fog-shrouded railway station at the edge of town.

Jasper Holt trudged down Main Street, his footsteps reverberating off the cracked and uneven pavement. He hunched his shoulders against a sudden gust of chilly mountain wind, the cold seeping through his faded denim jacket and raising goosebumps on his skin. The distant rumble of thunder rolled across the valley, a whispered warning of the impending storm.

As he passed the somber brick facade of the Echo Ridge Library, a flicker of movement caught his eye. He turned his head just in time to glimpse a slim, shadowy figure darting between the towering oak trees that ringed the library’s overgrown lawn. For a fleeting moment, he could’ve sworn the figure paused and looked directly at him, its gaze piercing into him with an intensity that made his heart skip a beat. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the figure melted back into the misty twilight, leaving Jasper with an unsettling sense of being watched.

Shaking off the eerie sensation, Jasper hastened down the sidewalk, rounding the corner onto Sycamore Lane. The tidy white bungalow he shared with his mother, Cassandra, glowed with warm yellow light spilling from the windows, a beacon of comfort in the gathering gloom. As he hopped up the creaking front steps, the door swung open, revealing his mother’s smiling face.

There you are, Jas, Cassandra said, her voice warm but tinged with concern. I was starting to worry. Did you get caught up in one of your projects again?

Jasper stepped into the entryway, the aroma of simmering tomato sauce and garlic bread enveloping him like a comforting embrace. Sorry, Mom. I was just... working on something. Lost track of time.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow, her keen eyes searching his face. Did something happen today? You look a little shaken up.

Jasper hesitated, the half-truth sticking in his throat. He hated lying to his mom, but he couldn’t bring himself to burden her with the strange things he’d seen—the shadowy figure, the eerie static crackling from abandoned radios, the whispers of something stirring on Shadow Hill. Not when she was still grieving the disappearance of his father two years earlier.

Nah, I’m just tired, he said, forcing a smile. Nothing a good meal and some sleep won’t fix.

Cassandra studied him a moment longer, then nodded, her expression softening. Well, dinner’s almost ready. Go wash up, and we’ll eat.

Jasper climbed the stairs to his room, his mind churning with unanswered questions. As he splashed water on his face, trying to clear his head, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, his heart leaping as he saw Mia’s name.

*Did you hear it? The broadcast?* her message read.

Jasper frowned, his fingers hovering over the keypad. *No. What broadcast?*

*Turn on 91.3 FM. Now,* came Mia’s reply a moment later.

Intrigued, Jasper rummaged through the cluttered drawer of his desk until he found his old transistor radio. He extended the antenna, the metal cold against his fingers, and tuned the dial to the specified frequency. At first, there was nothing but a soft, sibilant hiss of static. Then, gradually, a voice began to emerge from the white noise, distant and distorted, as if transmitted from the depths of the ocean.

Echo Ridge, hear me. The forgotten have awakened. The shadow gathers. Prepare...

The voice cut off abruptly, swallowed by a burst of grating static. Jasper fiddled with the tuner, trying to recapture the signal, but the radio fell silent, leaving only an unsettling void of sound.

Heart pounding, he grabbed his phone and called Mia. She picked up on the first ring, her voice tight with a mix of excitement and fear.

Did you hear it? she asked breathlessly.

Yeah. What the hell was that, Mia?

I don’t know, but it’s not the first time. I’ve been picking up weird transmissions all week. It’s like someone... or something is trying to communicate with us.

Jasper paced the room, his mind racing. Mia, listen. I think this might have something to do with my dad’s disappearance. I found some of his old notes in the attic, and they’re filled with references to strange frequencies and energy spikes around Echo Ridge.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, then Mia spoke, her voice low and urgent. Jasper, there’s something else. That roll of film I found in my dad’s old camera? I developed it, and there’s a photo you need to see. Can you meet me at the playground in fifteen minutes?

I’ll be there, Jasper said, already reaching for his jacket.

He hung up, his heart hammering against his ribs. If Mia was right, if the strange occurrences in Echo Ridge were somehow connected to his father’s disappearance, then maybe, just maybe, he was one step closer to uncovering the truth.

The mist swirled around Jasper as he crossed the empty street and entered the small park where he’d spent countless hours playing as a child. The merry-go-round creaked forlornly in the breeze, its peeling paint and rusted chains a testament to the passage of time. The swings swayed gently, their chains rattling like brittle bones.

Mia