Mara could not move.

She stood in the center of the hallway, staring at the little girl in front of her.

Iris.

Her sister.

The girl she had spent forty-two years trying to forget.

But Iris was looking at her like a stranger.

“Who are you?”

The question broke something inside Mara.

Mara stepped forward.

“Iris.”

The little girl moved backward.

“How do you know my name?”

Mara’s eyes filled with tears.

“Because I’m your sister.”

Iris shook her head.

“I don’t have a sister.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No.”

Mara looked behind her.

Evelyn stood in the darkness.

Nora stood beside her.

Both were watching.

Mara pointed at them.

“They did this to you.”

Iris looked confused.

“Who?”

Mara turned.

Evelyn was gone.

Nora was gone.

Only darkness remained.

Mara looked around.

“No.”

She ran toward the place where they had been standing.

Nothing.

The hallway stretched endlessly.

Doors appeared on both sides.

One.

Two.

Three.

Then ten.

Then twenty.

Mara turned around.

Iris was gone.

“Iris?”

No answer.

Mara ran.

“Iris!”

The house answered.

Her own voice echoed back.

“Iris…”

“Iris…”

“Iris…”

Then another voice joined the echo.

A voice that sounded exactly like Mara.

“She’s gone.”

Mara stopped.

She knew that voice.

Nora.

“Show yourself!”

A little girl appeared at the end of the hallway.

Nora.

She was wearing a white dress.

Her hair hung around her face.

Her eyes were black.

Mara walked toward her.

“Where is Iris?”

Nora smiled.

“You’re worried about her.”

“Where is she?”

“Why?”

“Because she’s my sister.”

Nora tilted her head.

“She doesn’t remember you.”

“I’ll make her remember.”

“You can’t.”

“I will.”

Nora smiled.

“Then you will have to find her.”

Mara looked around.

“Where?”

Nora pointed toward the doors.

“Choose.”

Mara stared.

“Which door?”

Nora’s smile grew.

“That’s the game.”

“What game?”

“The house likes games.”

Mara felt something move beneath her feet.

The floorboards rose and fell.

Like breathing.

In.

Out.

In.

Out.

Mara looked down.

The floor was moving.

The house was breathing.

Nora whispered:

“Choose the wrong door and you will lose someone.”

Mara looked at her.

“Who?”

Nora disappeared.

Mara was alone.

A loud knock came from the first door.

Mara approached.

Three knocks.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

“Iris?”

A voice answered.

“Mara.”

Mara grabbed the handle.

She opened the door.

Darkness.

Then a hand reached out.

Mara screamed and slammed it shut.

She stepped backward.

Another door opened by itself.

Inside was a bedroom.

Mara saw herself.

A little girl.

Nine years old.

She was sitting on the bed.

Crying.

Mara stepped inside.

The door closed behind her.

The little Mara looked up.

“Why did you leave me?”

Mara froze.

“I didn’t.”

“You did.”

“I was a child.”

“You promised.”

Mara’s heart hurt.

“What did I promise?”

The little girl stood.

“You promised you would come back for Iris.”

Mara couldn’t answer.

The little girl pointed toward the corner.

Iris was sitting there.

Nine years old.

Crying.

Mara stepped toward her.

“Iris.”

The girl looked up.

“Take me with you.”

Mara reached for her.

Their fingers touched.

The room changed.

Mara was suddenly standing outside the house.

The sun was shining.

She was nine years old.

Iris was beside her.

They were running.

Mara remembered.

She had forgotten this.

They had escaped once.

For a few minutes.

They had reached the road.

They were free.

Then Mara looked back.

Iris was gone.

Mara screamed.

“Iris!”

The house stood in the distance.

Iris was standing at the front door.

Evelyn was behind her.

Mara tried to run back.

But her grandmother grabbed her.

“Don’t look back!”

Mara screamed.

“She’s there!”

Eleanor held her tightly.

“She’s gone.”

“NO!”

“Forget her.”

“NO!”

Eleanor pressed something against Mara’s forehead.

A sharp pain.

Then darkness.

Mara returned to the present.

She was on the floor.

The bedroom was gone.

The little girl was gone.

Mara touched her forehead.

She remembered.

The memory was real.

She had tried to save Iris.

She had failed.

A voice whispered:

“You left me.”

Mara turned.

Iris stood in the doorway.

But she wasn’t the little girl anymore.

She was older.

Her face was pale.

Her eyes were empty.

Mara stood.

“Iris.”

Iris looked at her.

“You promised.”

Mara stepped closer.

“I’m sorry.”

“You left me.”

“I didn’t want to.”

“You forgot me.”

“I was made to forget.”

“You forgot anyway.”

Mara began crying.

“I remembered.”

“Too late.”

Iris stepped closer.

Mara reached for her.

“I’ll never leave you again.”

Iris smiled.

Then her face changed.

Her mouth opened.

Black liquid poured from it.

Mara screamed.

The thing wearing Iris’s face lunged at her.

Mara ran.

She slammed through the door.

The hallway was gone.

She fell down a staircase.

She hit the floor.

Pain spread through her body.

Mara looked up.

She was in the basement.

The same basement.

But now it was different.

Hundreds of candles burned along the walls.

The photographs were gone.

In their place were doors.

Hundreds of doors.

Every door was locked.

Every door had a name.

Mara stood slowly.

She walked toward the first.

ELIZA.

She opened it.

A girl screamed.

Mara slammed it shut.

The next.

MARGARET.

She opened it.

A woman whispered:

“Help me.”

Mara closed it.

The next.

ANNA.

A child’s voice cried:

“Please.”

Mara stepped back.

She understood.

The names carved into the staircase.

The girls in the photographs.

They were all here.

The house had not killed them.

It had kept them.

Mara looked at the hundreds of doors.

“Why?”

A voice answered behind her.

“Because the house is hungry.”

Mara turned.

Evelyn stood there.

Mara backed away.

“Where is Iris?”

Evelyn smiled.

“Still trying to save her?”

“Where is she?”

“Behind one of these doors.”

“Which one?”

Evelyn pointed.

Mara followed her finger.

A door stood at the far end.

It was different.

Black.

Covered with deep scratches.

There was no name.

Mara walked toward it.

Evelyn followed.

“Don’t.”

Mara stopped.

“Why?”

“Because you don’t want to know what’s inside.”

“I want Iris.”

“You won’t find her.”

Mara turned.

“Then why show me the door?”

Evelyn smiled.

“Because it isn’t for Iris.”

Mara looked at the door.

“Then who is inside?”

Evelyn whispered:

“Your mother.”

Mara froze.

“My mother?”

Evelyn nodded.

Mara’s heart stopped.

“My mother is dead.”

“Is she?”

Mara stepped closer.

“No.”

“You were told she died.”

“She did.”

“Did you see her body?”

Mara couldn’t answer.

Evelyn smiled.

“Your grandmother lied.”

Mara grabbed the door.

“Open it.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“No.”

“Open it!”

“Why should I?”

“Because you know what’s inside.”

Evelyn leaned closer.

“Your mother.”

Mara pulled the door.

Locked.

She looked at Evelyn.

“Give me the key.”

Evelyn laughed.

“Ask nicely.”

Mara stared.

“Give me the key.”

“Please.”

“Please.”

Evelyn smiled.

Then she reached into her dress.

She pulled out a small silver key.

Mara grabbed it.

Evelyn didn’t stop her.

Mara put it into the lock.

Click.

The door opened.

A cold wind came from inside.

Mara stepped through.

The door closed behind her.

She was in a hospital.

Mara stopped.

A hospital corridor stretched before her.

White walls.

Bright lights.

The smell of medicine.

Mara knew this place.

She had been here before.

She remembered being a child.

Sitting in a hospital room.

Her mother lying in a bed.

Her grandmother standing beside her.

Mara walked forward.

A nurse passed her.

Mara turned.

“Excuse me?”

The nurse didn’t respond.

Mara followed.

The corridor seemed endless.

Then she saw a room.

317.

Mara stopped.

She knew that number.

Her mother’s room.

Mara opened the door.

A woman lay on the bed.

Mara’s heart broke.

“Mom?”

The woman turned.

It was her.

Older.

Pale.

But alive.

Mara ran toward her.

“Mom!”

Her mother looked at her.

Tears filled her eyes.

“Mara.”

Mara grabbed her hand.

“You’re alive.”

Her mother cried.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Where have you been?”

“The house.”

Mara froze.

“What?”

Her mother looked toward the window.

“Your grandmother brought me there.”

“Why?”

“Because I tried to stop her.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop her from giving you to the house.”

Mara’s heart raced.

“Why didn’t you?”

Her mother looked at her.

“Because I was too late.”

Mara sat beside her.

“Tell me everything.”

Her mother shook her head.

“No.”

“Mom.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand.”

Her mother looked terrified.

“The house isn’t haunted.”

Mara stared.

“What?”

“The ghosts aren’t the problem.”

“Then what is?”

Her mother whispered:

“The house is a door.”

Mara remembered Nora.

The black door.

The heart.

“What does it open?”

Her mother looked at the ceiling.

“Something underneath.”

Mara felt cold.

“What?”

Her mother began crying.

“Something that was buried before the house was built.”

Mara stood.

“Who buried it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then how do you know?”

“Because I saw it.”

“What?”

Her mother grabbed Mara’s hand.

“Your grandmother took me beneath the house.”

Mara remembered the basement.

“What did you see?”

Her mother whispered:

“A room.”

“What was inside?”

Her mother’s eyes filled with terror.

“A woman.”

Mara froze.

“Evelyn?”

“No.”

Mara’s blood turned cold.

“Then who?”

Her mother looked at the door.

“She called herself the First Mother.”

Mara stepped backward.

“Who is she?”

Her mother whispered:

“The woman who created the house.”

Mara stared.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It does.”

“How?”

“The house was never built to keep the dead inside.”

Mara remembered the hundreds of doors.

“The doors…”

Her mother nodded.

“They are not prisons.”

“Then what are they?”

“Locks.”

Mara’s heart stopped.

“Locks for what?”

Her mother looked directly into her eyes.

“Each door holds a piece of her.”

Mara felt dizzy.

“Who?”

“The First Mother.”

Suddenly, the lights went out.

Mara screamed.

“Mom?”

No answer.

“Mom!”

The bed was empty.

Mara turned.

The room had changed.

The hospital was gone.

She was standing inside the basement again.

But her mother was gone.

Mara ran toward the door.

It wouldn’t open.

She pulled.

Nothing.

Then the lights came on.

Mara looked around.

All the doors were open.

Every single one.

And the girls were standing outside.

Hundreds of them.

Mara backed away.

They all looked at her.

Some were children.

Some were teenagers.

Some were women.

All dead.

All trapped.

One girl stepped forward.

“You’re the last.”

Mara shook her head.

“No.”

Another girl stepped forward.

“You’re the key.”

“No.”

Another.

“Open the door.”

Mara covered her ears.

“Stop!”

They all began speaking together.

“Open the door.”

“Open the door.”

“Open the door.”

Mara screamed.

“Which door?”

The girls pointed behind her.

Mara turned.

A huge black door stood in the center of the basement.

It had not been there before.

Mara slowly approached.

There was something written on it.

THE FIRST MOTHER.

Mara stepped backward.

“No.”

The girls began whispering.

“Open.”

Mara shook her head.

“No.”

“Open.”

“No!”

The door began knocking from the inside.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Mara screamed.

“Who’s there?”

A woman’s voice answered.

“Your mother.”

Mara froze.

“No.”

The voice laughed.

“Your real mother.”

Mara’s blood turned cold.

The door opened slightly.

A hand appeared.

Old.

Pale.

Covered in black veins.

Mara stepped backward.

The hand reached through.

Then a face appeared.

An old woman.

Her eyes were black.

Her mouth was stitched shut.

Mara recognized her.

The woman from the drawing.

The woman standing behind Evelyn.

Evelyn’s mother.

The First Mother.

Mara couldn’t breathe.

The woman looked at her.

And smiled.

The stitches on her mouth began tearing apart.

Blood ran down her face.

She whispered:

“My daughter.”

Mara shook her head.

“I’m not your daughter.”

The woman laughed.

The sound shook the entire basement.

“You are.”

“No.”

“You carry my blood.”

“No!”

“Your grandmother carried it.”

Mara stared.

“Your mother carried it.”

Mara stepped backward.

“And now…”

The woman’s eyes became blacker.

“…you carry it.”

Mara turned and ran.

The First Mother screamed.

The basement shook.

The girls began attacking the walls.

Mara ran toward the staircase.

Something grabbed her hair.

She fell.

She screamed.

The First Mother stood above her.

Mara kicked her.

The woman fell backward.

Mara ran.

She reached the stairs.

A hand grabbed her ankle.

Mara looked down.

Iris.

Her sister.

“Iris!”

Mara reached for her.

Iris was crying.

“Don’t leave me.”

“I won’t.”

“Take me with you.”

Mara grabbed her hand.

“Come on!”

Iris pulled.

Mara pulled harder.

But Iris didn’t move.

Something was holding her.

Mara looked down.

Black hands were wrapped around Iris’s legs.

Mara screamed.

“Let her go!”

The First Mother appeared behind Mara.

She grabbed Mara’s shoulder.

Mara turned.

The old woman whispered:

“Choose.”

Mara froze.

“Choose what?”

“Your sister.”

Mara looked at Iris.

“Or yourself.”

Mara shook her head.

“No.”

“You cannot save both.”

“I can.”

The First Mother smiled.

“Then prove it.”

Mara grabbed Iris.

She pulled.

The black hands tightened.

Iris screamed.

Mara screamed back.

“LET HER GO!”

The First Mother laughed.

Mara remembered the book.

The house.

The heart.

The doors.

The locks.

Suddenly she understood.

The First Mother wasn’t the prisoner.

The First Mother was the key.

She had been using the house to keep herself alive.

Every girl.

Every soul.

Every death.

They had fed her.

Mara looked at the First Mother.

“You need us.”

The woman stopped laughing.

Mara stood.

“You need the girls.”

The First Mother stared.

“You need the house.”

Mara stepped closer.

“And you need me.”

The woman’s expression changed.

Mara smiled.

For the first time, the First Mother looked afraid.

Mara whispered:

“Then I’ll make a deal.”

The First Mother tilted her head.

“What do you want?”

“Let Iris go.”

“No.”

“Then I will never open the final door.”

The First Mother became still.

Mara understood.

There was another door.

The final door.

The door that would free the First Mother.

Mara had the power to open it.

The First Mother needed her.

Mara continued:

“You let Iris go.”

“And what do I get?”

“I open the final door.”

The First Mother smiled.

“Yes.”

Mara nodded.

“But there’s one condition.”

“What?”

“I go with you.”

The First Mother laughed.

“You want to enter willingly?”

Mara looked at Iris.

“I do.”

The First Mother released Mara’s shoulder.

“Then you have my word.”

The black hands released Iris.

Iris fell.

Mara caught her.

“Iris!”

Iris looked at her.

“No.”

Mara hugged her.

“I’m sorry.”

“You can’t do this.”

“I have to.”

“Why?”

“Because someone has to end it.”

Iris shook her head.

“No.”

Mara kissed her forehead.

“Run.”

“I won’t.”

“Please.”

“I won’t leave you again.”

Mara smiled.

“You already saved me.”

Iris cried.

Mara pushed her toward the stairs.

“Go!”

Iris shook her head.

“Mara!”

“GO!”

Iris ran.

Mara watched her disappear.

Then she turned.

The First Mother was waiting.

“Now.”

Mara walked toward her.

“Take me to the final door.”

The First Mother smiled.

“Of course.”

They walked through the basement.

Past the hundreds of doors.

Past the dead girls.

Past the black heart.

They reached a narrow corridor.

At the end was a door.

It was white.

Unlike every other door.

It had no scratches.

No symbols.

No name.

The First Mother stopped.

“Open it.”

Mara looked at her.

“Why can’t you?”

The First Mother smiled.

“Because I need your blood.”

Mara stared.

The woman held out a knife.

Mara stepped backward.

“No.”

“You made a deal.”

“Not like this.”

The First Mother grabbed Mara.

Mara struggled.

The knife cut her palm.

Blood fell onto the door.

The entire house screamed.

Mara screamed.

The white door turned black.

The First Mother laughed.

“It’s done.”

The door opened.

Mara stared into darkness.

Something moved inside.

Something enormous.

Something that had been waiting for centuries.

Mara heard a voice.

Not a woman’s.

Not a child’s.

Something older.

Something deeper.

Something that had no human shape.

It whispered:

“Finally.”

Mara stepped backward.

The First Mother smiled.

“Welcome.”

The darkness moved toward Mara.

Mara suddenly realized the truth.

She had been tricked.

The First Mother had never wanted to free herself.

She wanted to free something else.

Mara turned to run.

The First Mother grabbed her.

“Too late.”

Mara screamed.

“YOU LIED!”

The First Mother laughed.

“Of course.”

The darkness rushed toward them.

Mara closed her eyes.

Then—

A scream.

Not hers.

The First Mother’s.

Mara opened her eyes.

Iris stood behind them.

Holding the black heart.

Mara stared.

“Iris?”

Iris looked at her.

“I’m not leaving you.”

The First Mother screamed.

“NO!”

Iris threw the heart into the darkness.

The darkness exploded.

The house shook violently.

The First Mother released Mara.

Mara ran toward Iris.

“Iris!”

They grabbed each other’s hands.

The walls began collapsing.

The First Mother screamed.

The girls began screaming.

The doors slammed shut.

One after another.

The entire house was dying.

Mara pulled Iris.

“RUN!”

They raced toward the stairs.

Behind them, the First Mother screamed:

“You cannot destroy me!”

Mara looked back.

The old woman stood in the darkness.

Her body was changing.

Her skin cracked.

Black roots grew from her back.

Her mouth opened impossibly wide.

“I am the house!”

Mara stopped.

Iris grabbed her.

“Don’t look!”

Mara ran.

They reached the surface.

The front door exploded open.

They ran outside.

The house behind them collapsed.

Silence.

Mara fell to the ground.

Iris fell beside her.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Then Mara looked at her.

“Are you real?”

Iris smiled.

“I think so.”

Mara hugged her.

This time, she could feel her.

Warm.

Alive.

Real.

Mara began crying.

“I thought I lost you.”

“You did.”

Mara looked at her.

“Then how are you here?”

Iris looked toward the ruins.

“I don’t know.”

Mara stood.

The house was gone.

Only a pile of black stones remained.

For the first time, the sky was clear.

The sun was rising.

Mara took Iris’s hand.

“We’re free.”

Iris didn’t answer.

Mara looked at her.

“Iris?”

Iris was staring at the ruins.

“What?”

“What’s wrong?”

Iris pointed.

Mara turned.

Something was moving beneath the rubble.

Mara stepped backward.

“No.”

A hand emerged.

Then another.

Then a head.

Mara couldn’t breathe.

The First Mother climbed from the ruins.

She was badly burned.

Her body was broken.

But she was alive.

Mara pulled Iris behind her.

The First Mother smiled.

“You opened the door.”

Mara shook her head.

“No.”

“You released me.”

“No.”

The woman looked toward the sky.

“Thank you.”

Mara’s blood turned cold.

“Thank you for what?”

The First Mother looked at her.

“For giving me a body.”

Mara didn’t understand.

Then she heard footsteps.

Behind her.

Mara slowly turned.

Nora stood there.

But she wasn’t alone.

Someone was standing behind her.

Mara’s mother.

Alive.

Mara stared.

“Mom?”

Her mother smiled.

But something was wrong.

Her eyes were black.

Mara stepped backward.

“No.”

Her mother walked toward her.

“I’m sorry, Mara.”

Mara shook her head.

“What did you do?”

Her mother began crying.

“I had no choice.”

The First Mother laughed.

Mara looked between them.

“What is happening?”

Nora stepped forward.

“The house is gone.”

Mara stared.

“Then why are you here?”

Nora smiled.

“Because the house was never the real prison.”

Mara felt cold.

“Then what was?”

Nora pointed toward Mara.

Mara’s heart stopped.

“Me.”

Nora nodded.

“You.”

Mara looked at her hands.

Black veins were spreading across her skin.

She screamed.

Iris grabbed her.

“Mara!”

Mara fell to her knees.

The black veins moved up her arms.

The First Mother smiled.

“You opened the door.”

Mara looked at her.

“What door?”

The First Mother pointed toward Mara’s chest.

“The door inside you.”

Mara screamed.

The ground beneath them cracked.

A deep heartbeat echoed.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Mara’s eyes widened.

“No.”

Nora stepped closer.

“Yes.”

Mara looked at Iris.

“Run.”

Iris shook her head.

“No.”

“Run!”

“I won’t!”

The ground exploded.

A black shadow rose behind Mara.

It took the shape of a woman.

Tall.

Thin.

Faceless.

Mara couldn’t breathe.

The First Mother bowed.

Nora smiled.

Mara’s mother began crying.

And the shadow whispered:

“Finally.”

Mara looked at Iris.

“Who is that?”

Iris whispered:

“The real owner.”

Mara stared.

“Owner of what?”

Iris’s face became pale.

“The world.”

The shadow opened its arms.

The sky turned black.

Birds fell from the air.

The trees died.

The sun disappeared.

Mara screamed.

The shadow entered her body.

Mara collapsed.

Iris screamed her name.

“MARA!”

Mara opened her eyes.

She was standing somewhere else.

A city.

A normal city.

People were walking.

Cars were moving.

Children were playing.

Mara looked around.

Nobody could see her.

Then she saw something terrifying.

Every person in the city suddenly stopped.

They all turned toward her.

Thousands of faces.

Thousands of eyes.

All black.

And together, they whispered:

“Welcome home.”

Mara screamed.

The city disappeared.

She was back inside the locked room.

The door was closed.

Someone knocked.

Three times.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Mara stood in front of it.

She knew what was waiting outside.

She knew she should not open it.

But a voice whispered:

“Mara.”

She closed her eyes.

“Iris?”

The voice answered.

“Yes.”

Mara opened the door.

Iris stood there.

But behind her was a world covered in darkness.

The First Mother smiled.

Nora smiled.

Mara’s mother smiled.

And the shadow stood above them all.

Iris reached for Mara’s hand.

“Come.”

Mara stared at her.

“Where?”

Iris whispered:

“Home.”

The door opened wider.

Darkness entered the room.

Mara tried to step backward.

But the floor disappeared.

She fell.

And as she fell into the darkness, she heard Nora whisper:

“Chapter five is where the real story begins.”

Mara screamed.

Then the door slammed shut.

And somewhere in the darkness—

The house began breathing again.