The door slammed shut behind Mara Voss and Caleb Rook.

BANG!

The sound echoed through Blackthorn Manor.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then silence.

Mara slowly turned.

The door was still there.

But it no longer had a handle.

She grabbed it.

Pulled.

Nothing.

“Caleb.”

“I see it.”

“Open it.”

“I’m trying.”

Caleb pulled harder.

The door didn’t move.

Mara stepped back.

“Use your shoulder.”

“I already did.”

“Again.”

Caleb hit the door.

THUD!

Nothing.

Again.

THUD!

Nothing.

Mara stared at him.

“Maybe you should eat more.”

Caleb looked at her.

“Now is not the time.”

“I was trying to help.”

“By insulting my strength?”

“By suggesting you need exercise.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

A deep breath echoed through the hallway.

Hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh…

Both of them froze.

Mara whispered:

“Did you hear that?”

Caleb nodded.

“Yes.”

The house breathed again.

Hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh…

The walls moved.

Very slowly.

Mara watched in horror.

The wallpaper expanded.

Then contracted.

Like lungs.

Caleb raised his flashlight.

“We need to move.”

Mara nodded.

“Where?”

Caleb pointed toward the hallway.

“Forward.”

Mara looked at the endless corridor.

It stretched into darkness.

“How do you know that’s the way?”

“I don’t.”

“Excellent.”

Caleb looked at her.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Mara took a deep breath.

“Let’s go.”

They began walking.

---

The hallway seemed normal at first.

Old paintings covered the walls.

Broken furniture stood beneath dusty sheets.

A chandelier hung from the ceiling.

But after walking for several minutes…

Mara noticed something.

“Caleb.”

He stopped.

“What?”

“Look at the painting.”

Mara pointed.

A large portrait showed an old family standing in front of Blackthorn Manor.

There were six people.

A man.

A woman.

Two children.

An old woman.

And a priest.

Mara stepped closer.

“That’s Father Elias.”

Caleb nodded.

“Yes.”

“But this painting is old.”

“Very old.”

Mara looked at the priest in the painting.

He looked exactly like Elias.

Same face.

Same eyes.

Same clothes.

She stepped backward.

“How is that possible?”

Caleb didn’t answer.

Mara looked at him.

“Caleb?”

He was staring at another person in the painting.

The little boy.

Mara followed his gaze.

The boy was holding something.

A golden key.

Mara’s heart stopped.

“Leo.”

Caleb nodded.

“Yes.”

Mara looked at the painting.

“Why is he here?”

“I don’t know.”

She stepped closer.

The boy’s eyes seemed to be looking directly at her.

Mara whispered:

“Caleb.”

“What?”

“His eyes.”

Caleb looked.

The boy was smiling.

Mara stepped backward.

The boy’s eyes moved.

Following them.

Caleb raised his gun.

“Don’t.”

Mara grabbed his arm.

“Don’t shoot a painting.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a painting.”

“That hasn’t stopped anything else tonight.”

Suddenly…

The boy in the painting whispered:

“Help me.”

Mara screamed.

Caleb pulled her away.

The painting shook.

The boy’s mouth opened.

“HELP ME!”

The entire hallway echoed.

Then…

The boy’s face changed.

His skin became black.

His eyes disappeared.

His mouth stretched impossibly wide.

And he screamed:

“HE’S COMING.”

Mara covered her ears.

The painting exploded.

BOOOOM!

Glass flew everywhere.

The hallway went dark.

Caleb grabbed Mara.

“RUN!”

They ran.

Behind them…

Something crawled out of the broken painting.

---

They ran deeper into the house.

Mara’s heart was beating wildly.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know!”

“You said this house was abandoned!”

“It is!”

“Then why are things crawling out of paintings?”

“I don’t know!”

“You should know!”

“I WAS A POLICE OFFICER!”

“THAT DOESN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION!”

Behind them…

Something hit the floor.

THUD.

Mara looked back.

A long shadow moved across the wall.

It was following them.

“Faster!”

Caleb ran.

The hallway seemed to stretch.

The door ahead became farther away.

Mara stared.

“Why isn’t the door getting closer?”

Caleb stopped.

“What?”

“We’ve been running for five minutes.”

Caleb looked ahead.

The door was still far away.

He turned around.

The hallway behind them had disappeared.

Mara’s face went pale.

“We’re trapped.”

Caleb raised his flashlight.

The beam flickered.

Then…

A voice whispered:

“Caleb.”

He froze.

Mara looked at him.

“What?”

The voice came again.

“Caleb Rook.”

Caleb’s face changed.

“Don’t answer.”

“Why?”

“Because it knows my name.”

The voice whispered:

“Caleb…”

Mara stepped closer.

“Who is that?”

Caleb shook his head.

“Keep walking.”

The voice became louder.

“Caleb…”

Then…

It said something else.

Something that made Caleb stop.

“Officer Rook.”

Mara looked at him.

Caleb was shaking.

“What?”

He whispered:

“That voice.”

“Who is it?”

“My partner.”

Mara stared.

“Your partner?”

Caleb nodded.

“He died.”

The voice came again.

“Caleb…”

A figure appeared at the end of the hallway.

A man.

Wearing a police uniform.

Caleb took a step forward.

“James?”

The figure smiled.

Mara grabbed Caleb.

“Don’t!”

Caleb pulled away.

“That’s my partner.”

“He’s dead!”

“I know!”

The figure raised one hand.

“Caleb…”

Caleb started walking toward him.

Mara grabbed his jacket.

“Stop!”

The figure’s face suddenly changed.

His eyes became black.

His mouth opened.

And his jaw dropped to his chest.

Mara screamed.

Caleb finally stopped.

The creature rushed toward them.

Caleb fired.

BANG!

The hallway exploded with sound.

The creature disappeared.

Smoke filled the air.

Mara stared at Caleb.

“You shot it.”

Caleb lowered the gun.

“I know.”

“Did it work?”

“I don’t know.”

A long silence.

Then…

The creature laughed.

From somewhere behind them.

Mara slowly turned.

The creature was standing there.

Completely unharmed.

Caleb whispered:

“Run.”

---

They ran through a door.

And suddenly…

They were in a kitchen.

Mara slammed the door.

Caleb pushed a heavy table against it.

The creature hit the other side.

BOOM!

The table moved.

Mara looked around.

The kitchen was enormous.

Old cabinets.

Rusty knives.

Broken plates.

A giant fireplace.

And…

A long dining table.

Four chairs were placed around it.

Mara stared.

“Why are there four chairs?”

Caleb looked at her.

“Because there are four people.”

Mara’s heart sank.

“Four?”

Caleb nodded.

“Us.”

Mara pointed toward the fireplace.

“No.”

Someone was sitting in the fourth chair.

A man.

His back was toward them.

Mara froze.

“Caleb.”

“I see him.”

The man slowly turned his head.

Mara stepped backward.

It was Ethan.

His face was pale.

His eyes were open.

But he wasn’t breathing.

“Ethan?”

The man smiled.

“Hello, Mara.”

Mara stepped forward.

Caleb grabbed her.

“Don’t.”

Ethan looked at him.

“Caleb.”

Caleb raised his gun.

“Stay where you are.”

Ethan laughed.

“Still giving orders?”

Caleb’s face changed.

Mara looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

Ethan smiled.

“Ask him.”

Caleb shouted:

“Shut up!”

Mara stared.

“Caleb?”

Ethan stood.

He looked completely normal.

Except…

His feet weren’t touching the floor.

Mara’s blood ran cold.

“Ethan…”

Ethan smiled.

“You came for me.”

Mara nodded.

“Yes.”

Ethan stepped closer.

“Then you should have brought the priest.”

Mara froze.

“Where is Father Elias?”

Ethan pointed toward the ceiling.

“He’s upstairs.”

Caleb asked:

“Where?”

Ethan smiled.

“Where he has always been.”

Suddenly…

The kitchen door exploded.

BOOM!

Ethan disappeared.

Mara screamed.

The creature entered.

Caleb fired.

The bullets passed through it.

The creature opened its mouth.

A deep black hole appeared inside.

Mara grabbed Caleb.

“RUN!”

They escaped through another door.

---

The door led to a staircase.

Mara ran upward.

One floor.

Two floors.

Three.

Then…

The staircase continued.

Mara stopped.

“How many floors does this house have?”

Caleb looked up.

“I don’t know.”

“Blackthorn Manor has three floors.”

Caleb stared at the stairs.

“Not anymore.”

They continued.

The stairs became narrower.

The air became colder.

Whispers surrounded them.

Mara heard voices.

Hundreds.

“Help me.”

“Please.”

“Don’t leave me.”

“Run.”

“Hide.”

“He’s coming.”

Mara covered her ears.

“Make them stop!”

Caleb looked at her.

“Who?”

“The voices!”

Caleb stared.

“I don’t hear anything.”

Mara stopped.

“What?”

Caleb looked confused.

“I don’t hear anything.”

Mara slowly lowered her hands.

The voices were gone.

She looked around.

“Caleb…”

“What?”

“Maybe the house is showing me things.”

Caleb nodded.

“Maybe.”

“Why?”

He looked at her.

“Because it wants you afraid.”

Mara frowned.

“Then why isn’t it doing it to you?”

Caleb became silent.

Mara stared.

“Caleb?”

He looked away.

“Because I’ve already seen worse.”

---

They reached a door.

A small wooden door.

It had a number written on it.

47

Mara stared.

“Forty-seven.”

Caleb nodded.

“The number of missing people.”

Mara reached for the handle.

Caleb stopped her.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Listen.”

They heard breathing.

From inside.

Hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh…

Mara’s face went pale.

“The house.”

Caleb shook his head.

“No.”

The breathing came again.

This time…

It sounded like hundreds of people breathing together.

Hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh…

Mara opened the door.

Inside…

Was a room filled with people.

Dozens.

Men.

Women.

Children.

All standing silently.

All facing the wall.

Mara covered her mouth.

“Oh my God.”

Caleb stepped inside.

“Stay behind me.”

They moved forward.

Mara recognized some faces.

Photographs from Father Elias’s book.

The missing people.

They were alive.

But something was wrong.

They weren’t moving.

Mara approached a woman.

“Hello?”

The woman didn’t respond.

Mara touched her shoulder.

The woman slowly turned.

Her eyes were empty.

Her mouth opened.

“Don’t wake him.”

Mara stepped backward.

“Who?”

The woman pointed toward the floor.

“The one beneath us.”

Suddenly…

Every person in the room turned.

They all looked at Mara.

And said together:

“HE’S AWAKE.”

The floor shook.

BOOM!

Mara screamed.

Caleb grabbed her.

“GET OUT!”

They ran.

Behind them…

The people began screaming.

The room shook.

The walls cracked.

Something hit the floor.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Mara and Caleb escaped.

The door slammed shut.

Then…

Silence.

Mara leaned against the wall.

“What was that?”

Caleb was breathing heavily.

“The missing people.”

“They’re alive.”

“Yes.”

“Then we can save them.”

Caleb shook his head.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re not prisoners.”

Mara stared.

“Then what are they?”

Caleb looked toward the door.

“Guards.”

---

A sound came from above.

DING.

Mara looked up.

A bell.

Again.

DING.

Caleb raised his flashlight.

The ceiling was covered in writing.

Thousands of names.

Mara looked carefully.

Then froze.

“Caleb.”

“What?”

She pointed.

There were four names.

Freshly written.

MARA VOSS.

CALEB ROOK.

ETHAN GRAVES.

ELIAS CROWE.

Mara’s heart stopped.

“Father Elias.”

Caleb stared.

“He’s been marked.”

A fifth name appeared.

Slowly.

Letter by letter.

LEO.

Mara stepped backward.

“Who is Leo?”

Caleb shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

A voice answered from the darkness.

“I do.”

Mara turned.

A little boy stood at the end of the corridor.

He was holding a golden key.

Mara stared.

“Who are you?”

The boy smiled.

“My name is Leo.”

Caleb raised his gun.

“Stay back.”

Leo laughed.

“That won’t help you.”

Mara stepped forward.

“Where is Ethan?”

Leo pointed upward.

“Waiting.”

“Where?”

Leo pointed toward the ceiling.

“The top floor.”

Mara looked up.

“There is no top floor.”

Leo smiled.

“Not yet.”

Suddenly…

The entire house shook.

The walls moved.

The ceiling rose.

The staircase stretched upward.

A new floor appeared above them.

Mara stared.

A fourth floor.

Then a fifth.

Then a sixth.

The house was growing.

Caleb whispered:

“That’s impossible.”

Leo smiled.

“Blackthorn Manor has as many floors as it needs.”

Mara looked at him.

“Why are you helping us?”

Leo’s smile disappeared.

“I’m not.”

He pointed toward the staircase.

“I’m warning you.”

Mara asked:

“About what?”

Leo whispered:

“Don’t let the house hear you scream.”

Mara stared.

“Why?”

Leo looked terrified.

“Because once it hears your fear…”

The lights went out.

Leo disappeared.

A deep breath echoed through the darkness.

Hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh…

Then a voice whispered directly beside Mara’s ear:

“IT KNOWS YOU’RE HERE.”

Mara screamed.

The entire house screamed with her.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

The walls began moving.

The staircase twisted.

Doors appeared everywhere.

Caleb grabbed Mara.

“RUN!”

They ran upward.

One floor.

Two.

Three.

The house continued growing.

Behind them…

Something enormous crawled through the darkness.

Mara looked back.

She saw only two things.

Two enormous eyes.

And a mouth.

A mouth so large…

It covered the entire hallway.

Caleb shouted:

“KEEP RUNNING!”

Mara ran faster.

Then…

They reached the top.

A single door stood before them.

It was covered in blood.

Written across it were four words:

THE PRIEST IS WAITING.

Mara reached for the handle.

Caleb grabbed her.

“Don’t.”

Mara looked at him.

“Ethan is inside.”

Caleb shook his head.

“Maybe.”

“Father Elias is inside.”

“Maybe.”

Mara stared.

“Then who are we supposed to trust?”

Caleb looked behind them.

The creature was coming.

Slowly.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Caleb raised his gun.

“Nobody.”

Mara opened the door.

Inside…

Father Elias was sitting in a chair.

His hands were tied.

Ethan was standing behind him.

But Ethan’s eyes were completely black.

Father Elias looked at Mara.

“Don’t trust Ethan.”

Ethan smiled.

“Don’t trust the priest.”

Mara froze.

Caleb pointed his gun at both of them.

“Which one of you is real?”

Father Elias whispered:

“Me.”

Ethan laughed.

“Me.”

Mara looked between them.

Then…

A third voice spoke.

From beneath the floor.

“Neither.”

The floor cracked.

A giant black hand reached through.

Father Elias screamed.

Ethan screamed.

Caleb fired.

Mara grabbed the priest.

The hand pulled Ethan into the darkness.

His scream echoed through the house.

“Ethan!”

Mara ran toward the hole.

Caleb stopped her.

“He’s gone!”

Mara stared into the darkness.

Then…

Ethan’s voice came from below.

“Mara…”

She froze.

“Help me.”

Mara stepped toward the hole.

Caleb shouted:

“NO!”

The voice changed.

It became a child’s voice.

Then a woman’s.

Then a man’s.

Then dozens.

All whispering together:

“COME DOWN.”

Mara stepped backward.

The hole slowly closed.

The room became silent.

Father Elias looked at Mara.

His face was filled with terror.

Mara whispered:

“What is beneath this house?”

The priest stared at the floor.

“The reason everyone disappeared.”

Caleb asked:

“What?”

Father Elias looked at them.

“The Hollow isn’t trapped beneath Blackthorn Manor.”

Mara frowned.

“Then where is it?”

Father Elias whispered:

“Blackthorn Manor is trapped…”

He pointed beneath them.

“…on top of it.”

The house suddenly breathed.

Hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhhh…

And from somewhere beneath the floor…

Ethan screamed one final time.

“IT’S COMING UP.”

The entire house began to shake.

And somewhere deep below…

Something enormous began climbing toward them.

TO BE CONTINUED…