Prologue

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            The oldest residents of an abandoned manor were spiders. Many generations had laced the walls with cobwebs of intricate beauty, yet even they lay in dusty rags now. Through the rain, looms this dwelling, casting a shadow against the tree line. It shuddered on top a hill in Crimson Peak, wishing the morning light would come all the sooner to warm its weary walls. It felt so alone, so empty. Soon even that will be swallowed by the blackness.

          How long had it been since it felt the coolness of fresh paint? It had been two decades to be exact since a footstep had echoed within those walls since the dust had been disturbed so awakened a malevolent spirit. One known as Black Rose of Ravenwood Manor.

          Ethan Jacobson, a thirty-nine-year-old, CEO of an IT company, lay alone in a dark bedroom of Ravenwood Manor. Nightfall was quickly approaching as he began to hear what sounded like the stirring of small critters within the walls next to his bed. The manor was dank from years of neglect and exposure to the elements. Yet he felt right at home in his new place.

       "Hey, Jennifer?!" he calls out softly. "Are you still in the shower?" There was no response, but he could hear the water from the shower still running. He tries to remember what had transpired over the last few hours. They had arrived that morning and haven't left since. It would be something Ethan said over dinner that would change the course of both he and his wife's evening. She would stop speaking to him and opt to sleep in another room. "Jennifer, are you going to belong? We should really talk," Still, there's complete silence. Instead of going to knock on the bathroom door, he decides to continue to wait. He's used to her silent treatment. Tired, he closes his eyes and eventually drifts off into a deep sleep.

       About an hour later, Ethan hears the sound of a door slamming, he awakes with a start. Strangely, he has this feeling of a presence. The room is massive, it always seems that way. At least to him, anyway. His eyes scan the area, seeking out details, but he saw no one. He dismisses his thought and calls out to Jennifer once more.

       "Hello?" He calls out, not expecting an answer. "Is anyone there?" Cold night air fills the room, causing his body to shiver. He starts rationalizing it all. The air had to be coming from a nearby window. He may have left it open earlier. He couldn't remember. When he reaches over to the other side of the bed, he touches the window. To his surprise, it remains closed. Confusion washes over him. Ethan turns back to Jennifer's side of the bed, she hadn't made it up to bed, he still lay alone. Sitting up, he notices the door was slightly ajar.

       Barefoot, Ethan walks slowly to the door and cautiously peers out. The sound of the television downstairs was loud enough for him to hear it playing some infomercial, but he still sees no one. He stands there for a moment, just listening to that familiar sound.

       "Jennifer, are you coming to bed?!" He exclaims, looking down the pitch-black hallway. Just as he was about to step out, he hears a light swishing sound as a tall shadowy figure quickly passing the doorway. It seems to carry a biting chill with it. Its massiveness startles him, causing him to stumble backward. Ethan slams the door shut and sort of scurries across the room. He climbs back into bed and cowers against the headboard of the lumpy bed. This is something he has never experienced before.

       "What was that?" he says to himself. His mind went wild with insane thoughts. Everything was deathly silent now. It frightens him to the very core of his soul. A strange black mist appears out of nowhere just a few feet away. For a second, he sat quite still, watching a shapeless figure slowly glide its way through the dense darkness. Its towering size surprisingly moves gracefully. Okay, just remain calm, Ethan tells himself as he clutches his fists. He hears a groan and instinctively he clutches them a bit tighter. Whatever was in this room with him ㅡ He didn't want to show he feared it.

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