Ianthe loved the feeling of adventure. Every weekend, she would travel around the state, finding new places to explore. The more dangerous, the better. Nothing was better than the adrenaline through her veins while exploring abandoned buildings. She never felt scared or in danger. She believed that nothing could harm her, no matter the place. As she approached the next building to explore, the atmosphere seemed to change. A sense of foreboding hung in the air, sending a shiver down her spine. The building looked old, almost rotting. It was a small house, but she knew it could still hold treasures just as any other building she had encountered.
With a deep breath, she pushed open the creaking door and entered. The inside of the house was dark and smelled of must and decay. A large crack ran across one of the walls, and mould grew in the corners. A small layer of dust covered everything, evidence that nobody had touched anything in the place for years.
Ianthe walked through the rooms, her heart pounding in her chest. The sense of danger only seemed to grow stronger the further she ventured into the house. Every step was taken with caution, her eyes darting around, searching for any sign of life. Just as she was about to leave, a draft of frigid air blew through the house. It was a strange cold air, one that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Curious, she searched for the source of the cold air and found a small trapdoor in the floor.
Her curiosity piqued, and she decided to investigate further. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. As she knelt to lift the trapdoor, a sense of dread washed over her. It was as if the very air was filled with evil and fear. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. With trembling hands, she lifted the trapdoor, revealing a dark tunnel with no apparent end. The cold air grew stronger, sending a chill down her spine.
As she peered into the inky darkness, her stomach twisted. Every instinct told her to turn back, to leave the house and forget all about it. But her curiosity was too strong, and she was determined to keep going.
Taking a deep breath, she began descending into the tunnel. The darkness was absolute, and every step echoed loudly in the small corridor. She couldn't help but feel like she was being watched, that someone or something was waiting in the dark for her. She continued walking, her heart racing and her hands shaking. The tunnel seemed to stretch on forever, and the air was becoming colder and colder. Every shadow seemed to move in the corner of her eye, and every creak in the tunnel echoed like footsteps right behind her. She was about to turn back, the feeling of dread overpowering any sense of curiosity, when suddenly, a small trickle of light appeared in the distance. It was faint, but it was enough to give her hope that this tunnel would lead somewhere other than an empty void.
Ianthe stepped out of the tunnel into a dark, thick forest. The trees seemed ancient, their trunks twisted and gnarled in the dim light. Noises came from all around, rustling through the bushes and breaking branches. The air was even colder here, almost freezing. She pulled her hoodie tighter, trying to protect herself from the cold. Every shadow seemed to move and sway with the rustling of the wind, and her mind began to race with all the things that could be lurking in the shadows.
She paused...as she saw a large manor house at the edge of the forest. It stood tall, its dark silhouette looming in the dim light. The windows were boarded up, and the walls seemed almost black in the darkness. She approached the manor house tentatively, her heart racing. The manor looked more like a castle than anything else, with tall brick walls and a grand entrance. The closer she got, the more she noticed how old the manor was. Moss climbed the walls, and ivy curled around the gates. The manor was silent, eerily so. Nothing moved or made a sound. Ianthe couldn't help but wonder about the stories this old house could tell. With a final deep breath, she started towards the rusty iron gates. As she stepped through the gates, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. The manor seemed almost hostile, warning her to keep away. The front door was made of heavy oak and was firmly shut. There was no sign of life within the manor.
Curiosity won over her fear, and she made her way to the door. She tried to open it, but it was firmly locked. The front windows were boarded up, and the only thing she could see was the dusty, broken furniture through the boards. She knocked on the big oak doors. She was surprised as the heavy door opened slowly. The large iron hinges creaked as the door swung inwards, revealing a grand entrance hall. Dust covered the floors and furniture, and cobwebs hung from the corners. She stepped into the manor, her footsteps loudly echoing in the entrance hall. The walls of the hall were panelled with dark wood, and a grand staircase curved upwards to the second floor.
All of a sudden, steps came from upstairs. Ianthe froze, her heart racing at the sound. Someone or something was upstairs. She slowly moved forward, her eyes searching for any movement.
Ianthe cautiously ascended the staircase, her heart pounding in her chest. Every step echoed loudly through the hall, and she held her breath, straining to hear any more sounds upstairs. As she reached the top of the stairs, she found herself in a long hallway. Several doors led to various rooms, and a soft light flickered under the last door on the left. She approached the door, her steps quiet across the floor. The light under the door grew brighter as she neared, and she could make out the sound of someone moving around inside.
Alright, here's the last sentence.
She reached for the handle and slowly turned it, the metal cold against her fingers. The door opened quietly, and her breath caught in her throat as she saw the darkened figure in the middle of the room....
