Riley walked as though in a daze. His feet carried him forward, his legs and body moving on auto pilot but his mind was in such a fog that it never even registered to him when he began to ascend the staircase, taking him to the second floor. His heart pounded in sync with the muffled echo of his foot steps. He needed to find Noah. He had needed to talk to him, to help him through the devastation of discovering Lilian’s lies.

Riley couldn’t begin to understand what Noah was going through. He’d had years to get used to the idea of being raised by strangers, of not having a real family. Years to come to terms with his parent’s death but Noah, he’d spent his years living in ignorance, believing the lie that Lilian had so carefully spun around him. Now, to have the truth revealed and the lie come crashing down around him must have been mind blowing and without the time needed to really come to terms with it, just have it thrust upon him like that, well, Riley wouldn’t be surprised if the blow had further shattered his already fragile mental state.

Riley could have kicked himself for bringing all of this down on Noah’s head. The guilt he felt weighed heavily on his mind and while he did believe that Noah would have wanted to know the truth eventually, Riley couldn’t help but think that there could have been a better way to go about it. It would have been far too easy to have put the blame solely on Lilian but Riley couldn’t do that. In part, he was to blame as well. Without his overwhelming desire to get to the truth, none of this would have happened. Maybe Noah was right. Maybe Riley was becoming obsessed. He just hoped it wasn’t too late to fix this and salvage what was left of Noah’s sanity.

Every creak and moan of the old steps felt like the mansion itself warning Riley, urging him to turn back. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and his heartbeat quickened. Every instinct he had was telling him to stop as the weight of everything he’d discovered up until this point was threatening to crush him. His resolve was strong though and so he pressed on, ignoring the shouts of warning that echoed through his mind.

Something definitely felt off. The mansion was unnervingly quiet, the kind of quiet that seemed to press in on him from all sides, making it hard to breathe. He hesitated midway up, his hand resting on the worn banister, it’s wood polished smooth by years of use. The darkness above felt oppressive, as if it were alive, waiting for him to step into it so it could swallow him whole. The dread he felt, staring up at the darkness settled heavily in his chest, growing tighter with every breath he took. It was an unfamiliar kind of fear, one that clawed at his insides and sent icy tendrils of panic crawling up his spine.

His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts–should he go back, or should he press on? The nagging sense of danger was overwhelming him, urging him to flee while he still had the chance. He thought of his unborn child, nestled safely inside him, oblivious to the danger of the world beyond. If Riley continued on this path, would he be putting not only himself at risk but the baby as well? Then came the thought of Noah. He was up there, alone, hurting. He needed Riley. He needed comforting. Riley could feel it, and he knew that he couldn’t abandon Noah. Besides, what was he really afraid of anyway? The dark? He wasn’t a child anymore and he wasn’t one to give in to foolish imaginings.

He swallowed hard, steeling himself against the fear that gnawed at him. He reminded himself that Eleanor Reaney was a friend, of sorts. She would never harm him. Still, he was having a hard time convincing himself that his theory was true. Something had happened, and El was pissed. Her emotions radiated throughout the house as though it were an extension of her and for the first time since encountering the spirit, Riley was really and truly afraid.

Despite his growing concerns, he pushed himself to continue. He had to reach Noah, but each step that he took became more difficult than the last as his legs began to feel heavy, like they were made of lead. He forced himself to move forward and as he did, the shadows around him seemed to grow thicker and darker, as if they were closing in on him, whispering threats of what lay ahead. With each step, the air grew colder.

A fine layer of sweat coated his skin, despite the chill. His pulse quickened and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. The fear he felt was almost suffocating and each creek of the steps sent a jolt of anxiety through his body. His heart pounded, every beat sounded like thunder in his ears, as an old memory from his childhood began to resurface. He’d almost forgotten, it had been so long ago, a life time ago, when monsters were real and his worst enemy was his own imagination.

There had been a couple he’d stayed with when he was very young, barely out of diapers. The couple was older and had no children at home. Their own children were grown and had moved out to start their own families long ago. The couple owned an old farm house though grey and weathered, it had a welcoming feel, from the front porch to the wide hallway. The walls were lined with photographs of children, so obviously loved and cherished. Riley felt at home in that old house and the couple had been kind to him. Everything about the old house had evoked fond memories of a happy childhood, well, almost everything.

How had he forgotten the door, that damn basement door? It had been an ancient, heavy thing, chipped and worn with age, and every time Riley ventured into the kitchen alone, his eyes would be immediately drawn to that old door like a magnet. The sight of it sent his imagination spiraling into dark, terrifying places. He could still remember the adrenaline that would flood his system, his heart racing as he pictured all manner of horrors lurking behind that door–ghosts, monsters, and creatures that existed only in his most darkest of nightmares.

He’d stand frozen, staring at it, waiting for the moment it would creak open on it’s own, and then he would run. He’d run faster than he’d ever run in his life, his tiny legs barely able to carry him as he fled to the safety of his bedroom, shaking and close to tears. He’d hated that basement door but most of all, he hated the way it made him feel, small, weak, and alone. That was a feeling he’d become all too familiar with in the years to come though at the time he couldn’t have known that. Aside from the feeling of fear he got when near the basement door, he felt safe and loved living in that house. After a year of living there he was moved to another home and never felt the same sense of love and belonging as he had in the old farm house.

Thinking back, he realized that what he felt now, the fear he was feeling was different than before. It evoked the same sense of panic in him but what he felt now wasn’t born of childish imaginings of monsters lurking in the shadows. This was real, tangible, and it chilled him to his core. He was no longer a frightened child running from shadows; he was a man, and the danger he sensed was something more terrifying than anything his young and impressionable mind could have dreamed up. The darkness around him seemed to almost come alive, and it seemed to almost be aware of him, as if watching him.

He continued up the stairs, each step bringing him closer to the unknown, to whatever was lurking in the darkness above. His muscles tensed and he sucked in a deep breath, willing himself to move forward. The need to protect Noah, to be there for him in his moment of pain was stronger than his fear, but only just. As he reached the final few steps, the oppressive sense of dread intensified, making it even harder for him to move, or think. His hands were clammy, his skin prickling with the cold sweat of terror. Evey instinct screamed at him to turn around and run. Run and hide as he had done as a child, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t a child anymore and the stakes were too high.

Then, once again came the thought of his unborn child. He had a responsibility to that child as much as he did to Noah, maybe more so. His instincts were also telling him to protect his child. It would have been so much easier to know what to do if he knew exactly what the danger was that he was walking into. He wouldn’t run into a burning building or cross a busy highway to rescue a wild animal. Those things were obvious dangers, unnecessary risks. But, how does one justify running away from uncertainty? Everything he’d been told or taught contradicted what he now knew. Ghosts were real, hauntings were real, and both could be dangerous but, who would even believe him? Noah didn’t believe him, and Lilian certainly didn’t. She already thought he was nuts.

That was the biggest problem with situations like this. With so many people telling him that what he believed to be real was just his imagination, he began to doubt himself. His conflicting feelings were at war with one another as he began to question his own sanity. Were the things he had seen and witnessed real, or was he truly losing his mind? Riley imagined that anyone faced with something so unbelievable would have the same doubts, the same questions. Maybe even the same fears. After all, it’s not like you encounter haunted houses every day and there were more skeptics out there than believers.

As his feet landed on the top step, he paused, his breath catching in his throat. The hallway stretched out before him, a gaping chasm of darkness that seemed to pulse with a life all it’s own. His hands trembled slightly, and he clenched them into fists, willing the fear to subside and allow him to move forward. Just as Riley ventured forward, hesitantly, a chilling scream pierced the air, cutting through the darkness. It was so raw, and so full of terror that the very sound of it made Riley’s blood run cold. His body stiffened, every muscle poised to flee, but something stronger pulled him forward. He recognized that voice–it was Cassie. Without thinking, Riley rushed toward the Rose Room and toward the source of the screaming.

“Noah, help!” He called out, but his voice was swallowed up by another scream, this one more desperate, more tortured. The door to the Rose Room was slightly ajar, allowing a thin sliver of light to spill out of the room and into the hallway. Riley called out again for Noah to help and a moment later, Noah emerged from their shared bedroom, his face ashen and his eyes wide with alarm. He looked at Riley and their eyes locked, both frozen for a moment as the terrifying sounds emanating from the room filled the once silent corridor.

“What the hell is going on in there?” Noah asked, his voice sounding hoarse and mixed with confusion and dread.

“I don’t know. I heard Cassie scream–she’s in there.” Riley’s words tumbled out in a rush, his pulse drumming in his ears. “Noah, we have to help her.”

Before Noah could respond, the door to the Rose Room swung open wider, revealing a scene that neither of them could ever have been prepared for. The room was alive. The furniture had been upended, chairs, lamps, and other objects were being hurled through the air by an unseen force. The drapes whipped violently as though caught in a storm, and the chandelier above swayed precariously, casting long shadows across the walls.

In the far corner of the room, Cassie was huddled on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest, her hands covering her ears as she screamed and her eyes squeezed shut against the chaos around her. Riley gasped as a heavy dresser slid across the floor, aiming for the frightened girl. Riley braced himself, expecting to hear her cries of pain as the dresser collided with her but Noah, fast on his feet, had rushed into the room and lunged forward, despite Riley’s desperate pleas to hold him back, and threw himself in the path of the dresser, blocking it from hitting Cassie.

Riley held his breath, tears filling his eyes but the dresser skidded to halt before it could hit Noah. “Thank God.” Riley whispered, placing a shaky hand against his heart. “Thank God.” He moved to follow Noah into the room and had just crossed the threshold when Noah suddenly yelled out. “No! Stay back, Riley!” He shouted over the deafening noise. “I don’t want you or the baby to get hurt.”

Riley nodded, his heart aching to see Noah rushing into the room alone but he understood his fear. The room had become a war zone. Riley watched in horror as Noah dodged flying objects, narrowly avoiding a mirror that shattered to pieces against the wall. Riley’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the door frame, helpless to do anything but watch on, terrified for Noah, and Cassie, as the room continued it’s assault.

Noah had finally reached Cassie, and when she saw him, she flung herself into his arms, her screams muffled against his chest.

“It’s okay, Cass. I’ve got you.” Noah murmured, his voice trembling with fear. He tried to comfort her, to assure her that she would be fine but his efforts only seemed to make the room angrier. Disembodied wails of anguish and rage filled the air. A painting flew off the wall, smashing into a dresser with a thunderous crash. The doors opened, then slammed shut. Drawers and cupboards banged and shook. The windows rattled so hard that Riley was certain they were about to shatter at any moment.

The room was in complete discord. More furniture flew through the air, a nightstand crashed against the wall with violent force. The very air around them was thick with an icy chill that seemed to freeze the very marrow in Noah’s bones. Cassie’s body trembled with fear as Noah held her tightly against him, shielding her from the onslaught of the enraged spirit. The house itself seemed possessed. The walls pulsed with malevolent energy and the very foundation of the mansion groaned miserably under the weight of Eleanor Reaney’s fury.

Riley was certain that the attack was El’s doing but he didn’t understand why, or what had provoked her. She’d never been violent before and the attack on Cassie just seemed so random. Noah was even more shocked and confused. Having never encountered El’s spirit before and not really even believing that Riley had, despite Noah’s claim of seeing a ghost when he was a child, Noah had no idea what to think. All he could focus on at the moment was getting himself and Cassie to safety.

“We’re going to make it out of here.” Noah whispered though whether he was trying to convince Cassie or himself, he wasn’t sure. For the first time in his life, he lacked control of his surroundings. The mansion was no longer the safe haven it had once been, it was no longer his sanctuary. The one place he had where he could seek refuge and safety had turned on him and he had no idea how to deal with that. It was like being trapped in a cage with a blood thirsty beast and having no hope of escape.

Noah tried to stay calm, to not show his fear but that seemed an impossible feat. He could feel the hostility in the room intensify. His words of reassurance had only served to further enrage the spirit, her anger now a palpable force that filled the room with violent intent. Cassie whimpered, clutching at Noah as the assault became more brutal. The air around them began to crackle with negative energy. Invisible hands tugged at Cassie, gripping her hair and jerking her head back so forcefully that she let out a shrill scream of pain. Her hands shot up, slapping at nothing as she desperately tried to free herself from something she couldn’t see or touch.

Noah’s grip tightened, but he could feel her being pulled away from him, as though the spirit were trying to rip her from his grasp. Cassie groaned painfully, and Noah watched in horror as red, angry, welts appeared on her arms in the shape of hand prints. She screamed and pleaded with her assailant to stop the attack. She sounded so desperate, so scared but refusing to give up.

“Please stop!” She wailed, tears staining her face. “Please, I’ll leave! I’ll go and never come back, I swear! Just let me go!” Her words tumbled out in a frantic plea, her voice rising in pitch as her unseen attacker yanked at her again, dragging her toward the center of the room. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me!”

Cassie’s cries of repentance sent a wave of confusion through Noah. What was she apologizing for, and to whom? He glanced over his shoulder at Riley who remained frozen in the doorway, his eyes wide with horror. Slowly, a look of recognition washed across his soft features. The pieces began to fall into place in Riley’s mind and he finally understood–this wasn’t some random attack. El’s spirit was targeting Cassie specifically. He had to warn Noah. Noah had to get out of that room, get them both out, before it was too late.

“She’s after Cassie!” Riley shouted. His frantic voice cut through the din like a hot knife through butter. “Noah, you have to get her out of that room!”

Noah didn’t need to be told twice. He wrapped his arms around Cassie and lifted her off the floor and made a beeline straight for the open doorway where Riley stood waiting, holding his breath, praying for Noah’s safety. Cassie held tight to Noah, her expression a mask of pain and fear. Seeing the look on her face, Riley felt a twinge of pity for her. Sure, she was a bitch, and Riley knew, had the roles been reversed, Cassie wouldn’t extend the same feelings toward him, but he still didn’t think she deserved to be tormented this way, no matter what she had done.

Noah and Cassie had almost reached Riley when the air surrounding them seemed to solidify. Noah tried to push through but it was like trying to force his way through a solid wall of brick. He couldn’t move, he almost couldn’t breathe then, suddenly, Cassie’s hair was once again yanked back so hard that it caused both her and Noah to stumble backwards, falling to the floor. Noah felt the breath being knocked out of him, momentarily stunning him. Before he could react, Cassie let out with a blood-curdling scream that rocked the very foundation of the house.

Noah watched in utter disbelief and horror as long, deep scratches began to appear on Cassie’s face and arms. He couldn’t explain what he was seeing and wouldn’t have believed it had he not witnessed it with his own eyes. He could see it happening. He watched her skin break open as invisible claws raked across her skin. Blood welled up in thin lines, and Cassie writhed in agony, her screams echoing throughout the room and off the walls. She fought against the specter as Noah struggled to free her from it’s unnaturally strong grasp.

Gritting his teeth, Noah fought harder, using every ounce of strength he could muster, trying his hardest to pull Cassie free from the supernatural force that had her in its grasp. It felt as though a hundred hands were holding her back with a strength that was impossible to resist. Noah dug his heels into the floor, using all his might, he tried to pull Cassie toward the door but the spirit was relentless, its grip unyielding as it pulled back, nearly dragging Noah along with it.

Cassie screamed as she dug her nails painfully into Noah’s arms. She clung to him with everything she had. Her eyes grew wide with terror and she whimpered and cried, begged and pleaded, but nothing she did or said helped. Her feet dragged along the floor as the spirit yanked her back, trying to rip her away from Noah in a sick and terrifying game of tug-o-war. Panic surged through Noah as he realized that he was losing the battle. The cold, oppressive force of the entity was too strong, too determined not to let go of its prey.

“Help me!” Cassie cried out, her voice breaking as she felt herself being pulled back, inch by inch, and away from any hope of freedom. The spirit was unforgiving in its desire to punish Cassie for whatever crime she had committed against it. Cassie’s body twisted in pain as the air around her became darker, more suffocating and an energy, pulsing with negative emotions began to engulf her, seeping into her very bones. She could feel it. The pain, the hate, the feeling of utter hopelessness. The spirit, whoever or whatever it was, was filled with such a sense of longing and despair that Cassie could almost feel her own heart breaking.