Prologue: The Omen

In the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains, a secluded town holds a dark secret. The prologue introduces a chilling event from decades past—a tragic accident in the town’s abandoned coal mines. A group of miners, trapped deep within the earth, vanish without a trace, leaving behind only echoes of terror. Their disappearance is dismissed as an unfortunate accident, but rumors of something far more sinister spread through the town, whispered in hushed tones.

Chapter 1: An Uneasy Homecoming

 Ethan Marsh tightened his grip on the steering wheel as their car wound through the narrow, tree-lined road. The dense forest seemed to close in around them, the canopy overhead blocking out the midday sun. He glanced at his wife, Sarah, seated beside him, her gaze distant as she stared out the window. In the backseat, their daughter Lily was uncharacteristically quiet, her small fingers tracing patterns on the fogged-up glass.

The town of Hollow Creek had changed little since Ethan had left it behind two decades ago. Time had passed, but the place remained frozen in a past he had tried to forget. The familiar yet unsettling sight of the old gas station, the weathered diner with its faded sign, and the dusty storefronts brought back memories he had long buried. This town had a way of holding on to its secrets, clinging to its residents like a shadow that never fully left.

“It’s just as I remember,” Ethan murmured, more to himself than to Sarah. The words hung in the air, thick with the weight of unspoken history.

Sarah turned to him, her eyes soft but tinged with concern. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Ethan forced a smile. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I? It’s just a house. We’ll get it sorted out and head back home.”

But deep down, he knew it wasn’t just a house. It was the place where his father had spent his final years, isolated and obsessed with the mine that had claimed so many lives, including those of his closest friends. Ethan had always thought his father’s death had brought closure to that chapter of his life, but as they approached the old Victorian house at the end of the lane, he felt the past begin to creep back in.

The house loomed before them, its once-grand façade now weathered and worn. The windows were dark, the paint peeling from the shutters, and the front porch sagged under the weight of years of neglect. It was as if the house itself had absorbed the despair that had consumed his father.

Lily shivered as she stepped out of the car, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of her new surroundings. “It feels…cold,” she whispered, hugging her arms around herself despite the summer heat.

Sarah frowned and knelt down beside her daughter. “It’s just a little different from what we’re used to, sweetie. It’ll feel better once we’re inside.”

But as they crossed the threshold into the house, Ethan felt a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature. The air was thick with a musty odor, and the floorboards creaked ominously beneath their feet. The furniture was draped in white sheets, like forgotten ghosts waiting to be unveiled. Dust motes danced in the beams of light that struggled to penetrate the heavy curtains.

Ethan’s gaze drifted to the old grandfather clock in the corner of the foyer. It had stopped at 3:15, the time of his father’s death. He felt a shiver run down his spine, but he shook it off, telling himself it was just a coincidence. Just an old clock in an old house.

“I’ll start unpacking,” Sarah said, her voice a forced cheerfulness. She was always the one to try to lighten the mood, to make the best of a difficult situation. Ethan admired her for that, but he could see the strain in her eyes. This place unnerved her as much as it did him, though she would never admit it.

Lily wandered off, her small footsteps barely making a sound on the thick carpet. Ethan watched her disappear down the hallway, her figure swallowed by the darkness at the end. He opened his mouth to call after her, but something held him back. She had always been an unusual child, sensitive to things others couldn’t see or feel. He had brushed it off as a child’s imagination, but now, standing in the house where his father had lived—and died—he wasn’t so sure.

As Ethan made his way to the living room, he was struck by a wave of nostalgia, followed swiftly by a deep unease. The room was almost exactly as he remembered it, down to the old leather armchair where his father used to sit, reading by the dim light of the lamp. A stack of books still sat on the side table, untouched, as if waiting for their owner to return.

Ethan reached for one of the books, his fingers brushing against the worn cover. The title was barely legible, but the weight of it in his hands was heavy with memories. His

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: David Moore
Cover: Canva
Satz: Bookrix
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 20.08.2024
ISBN: 978-3-7554-7992-5

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Widmung:
To those who face their darkest fears with unwavering courage, and to the families who find strength in one another amidst the shadows. May you always find the light within.