Narrator

On the second floor, my flashlight illuminated several small rooms, empty except for scattered debris and dusty sheets draped over broken furniture. In one room, burn marks formed strange spiraling patterns on the walls, stark and deliberate.

On the second floor, my flashlight illuminated several small rooms, empty except for scattered debris and dusty sheets draped over broken furniture. In one room, burn marks formed strange spiraling patterns on the walls, stark and deliberate.

i moved on quickly suppressing the discomfort growing in my gut in the hallway peeling wallpaper caught my attention beneath the faded paper deep carvings marred the wooden planks etched crudely in circular designs and overlapping spirals the gouges looked frantic almost obsessive Nearby, the largest bedroom had walls darkened with charcoal scribblings. Repeated phrases scrawled hastily.

i moved on quickly suppressing the discomfort growing in my gut in the hallway peeling wallpaper caught my attention beneath the faded paper deep carvings marred the wooden planks etched crudely in circular designs and overlapping spirals the gouges looked frantic almost obsessive Nearby, the largest bedroom had walls darkened with charcoal scribblings. Repeated phrases scrawled hastily.

They are in the attic. He watches at night. My pulse quickened, and my throat tightened. The cryptic phrases amplified the unease I'd tried to suppress. I moved backward into the hall, glancing upward instinctively. That's when I noticed the attic hatch in the ceiling, slightly ajar. A narrow gap of darkness yawned open, and I felt certain it had been shut when I fled the previous afternoon.

They are in the attic. He watches at night. My pulse quickened, and my throat tightened. The cryptic phrases amplified the unease I'd tried to suppress. I moved backward into the hall, glancing upward instinctively. That's when I noticed the attic hatch in the ceiling, slightly ajar. A narrow gap of darkness yawned open, and I felt certain it had been shut when I fled the previous afternoon.

As I stood staring, paralyzed by dread and uncertainty, I heard it again, the low, dragging scuffle directly above me. A heartbeat later, another heavy, deliberate thud shook the ceiling boards, sending dust drifting slowly down into the beam of my flashlight. Panic surged. I spun toward the staircase, determined to escape before whatever was up there decided to come down.

As I stood staring, paralyzed by dread and uncertainty, I heard it again, the low, dragging scuffle directly above me. A heartbeat later, another heavy, deliberate thud shook the ceiling boards, sending dust drifting slowly down into the beam of my flashlight. Panic surged. I spun toward the staircase, determined to escape before whatever was up there decided to come down.

But as I reached the stairs, my feet froze. The wooden steps, previously thick with undisturbed dust, were now covered in fresh tracks. Bare footprints, smeared in mud, descended step by step toward the lower floor. The prints were too large to belong to a child, the soles broad and flat, each one perfectly formed.

But as I reached the stairs, my feet froze. The wooden steps, previously thick with undisturbed dust, were now covered in fresh tracks. Bare footprints, smeared in mud, descended step by step toward the lower floor. The prints were too large to belong to a child, the soles broad and flat, each one perfectly formed.

They ended abruptly at the base of the stairs, as if whoever had left them simply vanished or stood waiting, unseen. Heart hammering in my chest, I edged forward, fighting the impulse to sprint wildly and risk falling. Each step down the staircase felt like a lifetime, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I scanned the room below.

They ended abruptly at the base of the stairs, as if whoever had left them simply vanished or stood waiting, unseen. Heart hammering in my chest, I edged forward, fighting the impulse to sprint wildly and risk falling. Each step down the staircase felt like a lifetime, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I scanned the room below.

Empty, silent, yet charged with an oppressive sense of watchfulness. Stepping onto the ground floor, I bolted for the door, stumbling out onto the bluff. My eyes rose involuntarily to the attic window, drawn by an unshakable feeling of being observed. Behind the dirty glass, for a brief, terrible moment, I glimpsed movement, a shadow shifting just out of sight.

Empty, silent, yet charged with an oppressive sense of watchfulness. Stepping onto the ground floor, I bolted for the door, stumbling out onto the bluff. My eyes rose involuntarily to the attic window, drawn by an unshakable feeling of being observed. Behind the dirty glass, for a brief, terrible moment, I glimpsed movement, a shadow shifting just out of sight.

Turning away sharply, I ran back toward the vehicle without hesitation, refusing to glance back again, no longer caring about repairs or solutions. My only thought now was to get as far away as possible from whatever lived unseen in the dark spaces of that farmhouse. The storm returned in earnest, fierce gusts pelting the Defender with rain and salt spray from the nearby ocean.

Turning away sharply, I ran back toward the vehicle without hesitation, refusing to glance back again, no longer caring about repairs or solutions. My only thought now was to get as far away as possible from whatever lived unseen in the dark spaces of that farmhouse. The storm returned in earnest, fierce gusts pelting the Defender with rain and salt spray from the nearby ocean.

For hours I sat huddled in the cold, periodically turning the key, hoping the engine might finally sputter to life. It never did. Darkness closed around me, the oppressive blackness broken only by the feeble glow of my flashlight.

For hours I sat huddled in the cold, periodically turning the key, hoping the engine might finally sputter to life. It never did. Darkness closed around me, the oppressive blackness broken only by the feeble glow of my flashlight.

as temperatures dropped reality set in i was trapped exposed and rapidly losing options despite every fiber of my being urging me not to i knew the farmhouse was my best chance for shelter gathering a few essentials flashlight extra batteries water I forced myself out into the wind-whipped night and began the agonizing trek back to the house.

as temperatures dropped reality set in i was trapped exposed and rapidly losing options despite every fiber of my being urging me not to i knew the farmhouse was my best chance for shelter gathering a few essentials flashlight extra batteries water I forced myself out into the wind-whipped night and began the agonizing trek back to the house.