The sound of the door opening echoed through Blackwood House.

Slowly.

Painfully.

Like something ancient was waking from a sleep that had lasted for centuries.

Amelia stood in the hallway.

She couldn’t move.

The voice was still inside her head.

DAUGHTER.

The word repeated again and again.

Her body became cold.

Her black mark burned.

Daniel grabbed her hand.

“Amelia.”

She looked at him.

“What?”

“We have to leave.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere.”

“We can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because Isabella said the truth is behind that door.”

Daniel shook his head.

“That’s exactly why we shouldn’t go.”

Amelia looked toward the basement.

The hidden staircase.

The underground room.

The door beneath the house.

Everything was connected.

Her grandmother.

Her mother.

Isabella.

Daniel.

The Blackwood family.

And the thing that lived beneath the house.

Amelia whispered:

“I need to know who my father is.”

Daniel stared at her.

“Are you sure?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“Because I’ve spent my whole life believing lies.”

Amelia looked toward the basement.

“I need the truth.”

Daniel sighed.

“Then we’ll find it.”

They began walking.

The house was silent.

Too silent.

Every room they passed was empty.

But Amelia could feel eyes watching them.

She looked toward the portraits.

Every painting had changed.

The faces were gone.

Only black, empty spaces remained.

Except for one.

Isabella.

Her portrait was still there.

Amelia stopped.

Isabella’s painted eyes were bleeding.

A single line had appeared beneath her name.

SHE WAS NEVER THE FIRST.

Amelia stared.

“Daniel.”

He looked.

“What does that mean?”

Before he could answer—

the portrait whispered.

“Amelia.”

She stepped backward.

“Isabella?”

The painted woman’s lips moved.

“Don’t trust the dead.”

Amelia looked at Daniel.

“Why?”

The portrait suddenly cracked.

The voice screamed:

“BECAUSE THEY CAN LIE.”

The glass shattered.

Amelia jumped.

Daniel grabbed her.

“We need to go.”

They ran toward the basement.

The door was open.

The staircase below was covered in blood.

Fresh blood.

Amelia stared.

“Where did this come from?”

Daniel shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

They began descending.

The deeper they went, the colder it became.

Amelia could hear whispers.

Hundreds of them.

Some were crying.

Some were laughing.

Others were calling her name.

Amelia.

Amelia.

Amelia.

She covered her ears.

“Make them stop.”

Daniel looked at her.

“Who?”

“The voices.”

“I can’t hear anything.”

Amelia stopped.

“You can’t?”

Daniel shook his head.

“No.”

She stared at him.

“Then they’re only talking to me.”

Daniel looked terrified.

“Maybe.”

They reached the underground corridor.

The seven doors were still there.

But now six were open.

Only one remained closed.

The door marked:

ISABELLA.

Amelia approached it.

Daniel grabbed her arm.

“Don’t.”

“I have to.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s the only one who can tell me the truth.”

“She already lied to you.”

Amelia looked at him.

“Maybe.”

The door slowly opened.

Inside was a small room.

There was a chair.

A table.

And a woman sitting on the floor.

Amelia stopped.

“Mother?”

The woman slowly looked up.

It was Clara.

But this time—

she looked human.

Her face was bruised.

Her hands were covered in blood.

“Amelia.”

Amelia stepped inside.

“Where is Isabella?”

Clara looked at her.

“Dead.”

Amelia froze.

“What?”

“She died twenty-five years ago.”

“Then who have I been seeing?”

Clara began crying.

“Her revenge.”

Amelia stared.

“What does that mean?”

“Isabella’s spirit was never alone.”

“Then who is with her?”

Clara whispered:

“The thing beneath the house.”

Amelia stepped backward.

“You’re saying the ghost isn’t Isabella?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

Clara looked toward the floor.

“Something that feeds on pain.”

Amelia remembered the black-eyed spirit.

The creature wearing Isabella’s face.

“Why does it want revenge?”

“It doesn’t.”

Clara shook her head.

“It wants you.”

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“Why?”

“Because you are the last Blackwood.”

Amelia frowned.

“I’m a Rose.”

Clara looked at her.

“That’s what your grandmother wanted you to believe.”

Amelia stared.

“Am I a Blackwood?”

“Your father was.”

“Who?”

Clara didn’t answer.

“Tell me!”

Clara began crying.

“Jonathan.”

Amelia froze.

“Jonathan was my father?”

Clara nodded.

“But he died.”

“No.”

“Then where is he?”

Clara pointed down.

“Below us.”

Amelia looked at the floor.

“He’s alive?”

“No.”

“Then what is he?”

Clara whispered:

“The first sacrifice.”

A loud bang shook the room.

Clara screamed.

Amelia jumped.

Daniel stepped forward.

“What’s happening?”

Clara looked at him.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

Daniel frowned.

“Why?”

“Because you’re not dead.”

Daniel froze.

“What?”

Clara stood.

“You were never killed.”

Amelia stared.

“Then what happened to him?”

Clara looked at Daniel.

“He was chosen.”

“Chosen for what?”

“The house.”

Daniel stepped backward.

“No.”

Clara nodded.

“Seventeen years ago, your family brought you here.”

Daniel shook his head.

“I don’t remember.”

“Of course you don’t.”

Clara smiled sadly.

“They erased your memories.”

Amelia looked at Daniel.

“Why?”

Clara whispered:

“Because Daniel was the first person who escaped.”

Silence.

Daniel stared.

“Escaped from what?”

“The ritual.”

Amelia’s heart raced.

“What ritual?”

Clara looked at her.

“The Seven.”

Amelia remembered the seven names.

“The seven sacrifices.”

Clara nodded.

“Every twenty-five years, the house chooses seven people.”

“Why?”

“To keep the thing beneath asleep.”

Amelia looked toward the corridor.

“And Isabella?”

“She tried to stop the ritual.”

“Then why did she kill the others?”

Clara’s face became dark.

“Because she failed.”

“What?”

“Isabella couldn’t stop the ritual.”

“Why?”

“Because she was already dead.”

Amelia shook her head.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Clara looked at her.

“It will.”

She walked toward the wall.

There was an old photograph.

She removed it.

Behind it was a hidden compartment.

Inside was a small wooden box.

Clara handed it to Amelia.

“This belongs to you.”

Amelia opened it.

Inside was a necklace.

A small silver pendant.

She recognized it.

Her grandmother had given it to her when she was a child.

Amelia opened the pendant.

Inside was a tiny photograph.

A man.

Jonathan.

Her father.

Amelia stared.

“Why did she give this to me?”

Clara whispered:

“Because she knew you would eventually return.”

Amelia looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because the house called you.”

A deep voice echoed through the corridor.

“AMELIA.”

Everyone froze.

The floor shook.

Clara’s face turned white.

“No.”

“What?”

“It’s awake.”

“What is?”

Clara grabbed Amelia.

“We have to go.”

The wall behind them cracked.

A black liquid began leaking through.

Daniel looked at it.

“What is that?”

Clara whispered:

“Blood.”

The black liquid spread across the floor.

Amelia looked toward the corridor.

The six open doors slammed shut.

The final door—

the one marked ISABELLA—

opened completely.

A woman stepped out.

Isabella.

But her body was different.

Her skin was burned.

Her eyes were black.

Her mouth was filled with sharp teeth.

Amelia stepped backward.

“You’re not Isabella.”

The creature smiled.

“Finally.”

Clara screamed:

“Run!”

The creature moved.

Too fast.

It grabbed Clara.

Amelia screamed.

“Mom!”

The creature lifted Clara into the air.

Clara struggled.

“Amelia!”

“Let her go!”

The creature looked at Amelia.

“She betrayed you.”

“She’s my mother.”

“She sold you.”

Amelia froze.

“What?”

The creature smiled.

“Ask her.”

Clara began crying.

“Amelia, don’t listen.”

“You promised my soul.”

“I was trying to save you.”

“You gave me to the house.”

“I had no choice!”

The creature laughed.

“Everyone has a choice.”

Clara screamed.

The creature threw her against the wall.

Amelia ran toward her.

“Mom!”

Clara was dying.

Blood came from her mouth.

She grabbed Amelia’s hand.

“Listen to me.”

Amelia knelt beside her.

“What?”

“The house isn’t your father.”

Amelia froze.

“What?”

“Jonathan isn’t your father.”

Amelia stared.

“Then who is?”

Clara looked toward the creature.

“Your father…”

She coughed blood.

“…is the thing beneath the house.”

The creature smiled.

Amelia’s heart stopped.

Clara continued:

“Your blood is not human.”

Amelia stepped backward.

“No.”

“Your father was never a man.”

“No.”

“Your mother was human.”

“Stop.”

“But your father…”

Clara’s eyes filled with tears.

“…was something else.”

The creature moved closer.

“Tell her.”

Clara screamed:

“NO!”

The creature raised its hand.

Clara’s body lifted.

Amelia screamed.

“Mom!”

The creature crushed her.

Amelia watched her mother die.

Again.

The body fell.

Silence.

Amelia stood frozen.

The creature looked at her.

“Now you know.”

Amelia began crying.

“You killed her.”

“She deserved it.”

“Why?”

“She lied.”

“So did you.”

The creature smiled.

“Yes.”

Amelia looked at Daniel.

He was staring at the creature.

“Daniel?”

He didn’t move.

“Daniel?”

His eyes had turned black.

Amelia stepped backward.

“No.”

Daniel smiled.

The creature stood behind him.

“He was mine long before you met him.”

Amelia shook her head.

“Daniel?”

He looked at her.

“Amelia.”

“Are you okay?”

He smiled.

“Perfectly.”

“You’re not Daniel.”

The creature laughed.

Daniel’s body began changing.

His skin became pale.

His eyes turned black.

Amelia screamed.

The thing wearing Daniel’s body stepped forward.

“You are learning.”

Amelia ran.

The creature chased her.

She reached the stairs.

The black mark on her arm burned.

The house shook.

The creature grabbed her.

Amelia screamed.

Then—

something exploded.

The creature flew backward.

Isabella appeared.

The real Isabella.

Her ghostly form was surrounded by white light.

She stood between Amelia and the creature.

“Run!”

Amelia stared.

“Isabella?”

“RUN!”

The creature screamed.

“TRAITOR!”

Isabella turned.

“She is not yours.”

The creature laughed.

“She belongs to me.”

“No.”

“She has your blood.”

“She has my soul.”

The creature attacked.

Isabella screamed.

The two spirits collided.

The underground room exploded with supernatural energy.

Amelia ran.

She climbed the stairs.

Behind her, she heard Isabella screaming.

Then the creature.

Then silence.

Amelia reached the hallway.

She collapsed.

The house was quiet.

For several seconds.

Then—

a door opened.

Amelia looked up.

Her grandmother’s bedroom.

She slowly stood.

Something was waiting inside.

Amelia entered.

The room was empty.

Except for the mirror.

The mirror was no longer broken.

It showed Amelia.

But her reflection was different.

Her eyes were black.

She touched the glass.

The reflection smiled.

Amelia stepped backward.

“No.”

The reflection spoke.

“You are the seventh.”

Amelia shook her head.

“You’re not real.”

The reflection smiled.

“Ask yourself why the house never killed you.”

Amelia froze.

The reflection moved closer.

“Ask yourself why the ghosts protect you.”

Amelia stared.

“Ask yourself why the thing beneath the house calls you daughter.”

Amelia covered her ears.

“Stop!”

The reflection laughed.

Then—

the mirror cracked.

A message appeared.

MIDNIGHT.

Amelia looked at the clock.

11:59 PM.

The clock began ticking.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

12:00.

The house shook.

The front door opened.

Outside—

seven people were standing in the rain.

Thomas.

Margaret.

Edward.

Lucas.

Rose.

Eleanor.

And Isabella.

All dead.

All staring at Amelia.

Then Isabella raised her hand.

She pointed toward the forest.

Amelia stepped closer to the window.

Between the trees was a grave.

A fresh grave.

Amelia’s name was carved into the stone.

AMELIA ROSE BLACKWOOD

BORN: OCTOBER 14, 2001

DIED: TONIGHT

Amelia’s blood ran cold.

Then she heard footsteps behind her.

She turned.

Daniel was standing there.

His eyes were normal again.

He looked terrified.

“Amelia.”

She stared.

“Are you really Daniel?”

He nodded.

“I think so.”

“Are you alive?”

Daniel looked down.

“I don’t know.”

“Where is Isabella?”

Daniel looked toward the window.

“She’s coming.”

“Why?”

He whispered:

“To kill you.”

Amelia froze.

“Why?”

Daniel looked at the grave.

“Because she finally found out the truth.”

“What truth?”

Daniel’s voice trembled.

“You’re not the seventh victim.”

Amelia stared.

“Then what am I?”

Daniel looked directly at her.

“You’re the seventh sacrifice.”

The front door slammed shut.

The dead family members disappeared.

The house began to scream.

And from the basement—

Isabella’s voice echoed:

“Amelia…”

“It’s time.”

Amelia looked at Daniel.

“What happens now?”

Daniel whispered:

“We go to the grave.”

“Because your body is already buried there.”

Amelia froze.

Then—

the clock stopped.

3:13 AM.

And the entire house went dark.

TO BE CONTINUED…