Where the Dead Keep Watch

Previously

…As the heavy oak door creaked open, revealing an interior cloaked in shadow and dust, a profound silence descended. It was a silence that spoke of centuries of neglect, of untold stories held captive within the decaying walls. A cold draft, inexplicable in the windless foyer, snuffed out Arthur’s newly lit lantern, plunging them into near darkness. From the depths of the manor, a faint, almost imperceptible whisper seemed to emanate from the very walls, a chilling welcome that confirmed Clara’s worst fears and planted the first seed of dread in Eleanor’s curious heart. Blackwood Manor had opened its doors, and its secrets were beginning to stir.