Chapter 4 - The Echo in the Hall
Ethan stared down at the small toy resting on the dusty floorboards of the abandoned foyer. His breath caught in his throat. He reached out a trembling hand, hesitating an inch away from the fabric. It looked identical to the one Lily held across the water, down to the worn velvet ear and the crooked stitching on the paw. But how could a toy left in a rotting ruin for nearly two decades look brand new?
Ethan? Clara’s voice drifted faintly across the water from the far bank.
He didn't answer immediately. He picked up the toy, the fabric feeling unnaturally cold against his skin, like it had been stored in a deep freezer. He slipped it into the deep pocket of his dark green sweater, his heart hammering against his ribs. He turned toward the stairs, compelled by an unseen weight, and took his first step upward. The wood groaned in protest, a sharp sound that echoed through the empty house.
Ethan, get back here! Clara shouted louder this time, her voice laced with sudden panic. Lily is crying. She says the bunny is calling her name.
I'm coming, Ethan yelled back, though his feet continued to move upward. The second-floor landing was shrouded in deep shadows. The wallpaper hung in damp, curling ribbons, revealing dark patches of mold beneath. He swept his flashlight beam along the narrow hallway. Doorways stood half-open like dark, jagged teeth.
At the very end of the hall, a single door was shut tight. A thin sliver of pale, unnatural light leaked from beneath the crack, despite there being no electricity connected to the property for twenty years. Ethan walked toward it, his boots making no sound now on the water-damaged carpet. He raised his hand, his fingers hovering over the brass doorknob, which was tarnished green with age.
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As his skin made contact with the metal, a surge of freezing air rushed down the hallway, extinguishing his flashlight instantly. In the absolute pitch blackness, a small voice whispered directly into his ear, asking why he left her behind.
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