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Chapter 2 - Basement

Chapter 2:

Aubrey's eyes flew open, her heart pounding in her chest. Sweat clung to her skin, her sheets damp beneath her. The sun was barely rising, its pale light seeping through the curtains. It was that same nightmare again—the one that had been chasing her for as long as she could remember. She could never quite remember it fully, but the feeling it left behind was impossible to shake. She swallowed hard, wiping her brow as she sat up in bed, taking a moment to collect herself.

The room felt stuffy, the air almost too thick to breathe. She needed to clear her head, to shake off the last remnants of that strange dream. Throwing the covers aside, Aubrey made her way to the bathroom for a shower.

The water felt cool as it rushed over her skin, but even that couldn’t quite wash away the unsettling feeling that clung to her. Aubrey stared blankly at the tiled wall as the water streamed down her face, trying to push the nightmare out of her mind. Just a dream, she told herself, though the tightness in her chest disagreed.

After a while, she stepped out of the shower, wrapping herself in a towel before heading back to her room. She tugged on her usual clothes—a pair of faded jeans and a loose T-shirt—then pulled her damp hair into her usual messy ponytail. It was time to face the day, even if she felt like a fog was hanging over her.

Downstairs, the house still felt foreign. It was too empty, too quiet. Even with the boxes scattered around, half-opened and waiting to be unpacked, the place didn’t feel like home yet. Aubrey had spent the morning helping her parents put things away, her airpods firmly in place, drowning out everything around her with music. She moved through the motions of unpacking without really thinking about it, her mind somewhere else entirely.

It wasn’t until she felt a tap on her shoulder that Aubrey jumped, startled. She yanked her airpods out, her pulse quickening as she turned around to see her mom standing behind her.

"Where's Melody?" her mom asked, raising an eyebrow.

Aubrey blinked. "Uh, I don’t know. I thought she was with you."

Her mom sighed, already halfway out of the room. "Can you go look for her? We’re about to have lunch."

Aubrey nodded, pulling her airpods out completely and tucking them into her pocket. She wandered through the house, calling for Melody, her voice echoing through the empty rooms. "Mel?" she called. "Lunch!"

No response. She headed upstairs and passed her sister’s room, the door open and the bed made, but no sign of Melody. She frowned, glancing into the other rooms as she walked by, but they were just as empty. It wasn’t like Melody to disappear without saying anything.

As Aubrey made her way back toward the stairs, something caught her eye. There, tucked under the staircase, was a door she hadn’t noticed before. She stared for a second before striding over. She hesitated, her hand hovering over the handle for a moment before she slowly pulled it open.

A narrow staircase descended into darkness. Aubrey squinted, trying to make out what was below, but it was too dark to see. She called Melody’s name again, her voice shaky. Still no answer.

For a moment, she stood there, staring down into the basement, her stomach twisting with a sense of unease. The silence from below was thick, almost suffocating. Aubrey swallowed hard, stepping back and quickly shutting the door.

Just then, she heard a Melody’s playfull voice from outside, snapping her out of the moment. She turned, hurrying to the front door, her heart still racing.

Aubrey stepped outside, the sun warming her face as she looked around for Melody. She was about to call out when she spotted her sister near the front yard, talking to a couple from across the street. They were the same couple Aubrey had noticed staring at them the day before when the family arrived. Melody seemed fully absorbed in the conversation, giggling and chatting with her usual excitement.