The screams continued.

They came from every room in Blackwood House.

From the bedrooms.

From the kitchen.

From the walls.

From beneath the floor.

Amelia stood in the center of the hallway, unable to move.

Daniel was gone.

The dead version of Isabella was gone.

And the woman who had claimed to be Isabella’s younger self had disappeared into the darkness below.

Amelia’s mind was filled with questions.

Her mother was dead.

Isabella was not her mother.

Isabella was supposedly her sister.

Her grandmother had lied about everything.

And somehow—

Amelia had betrayed Isabella when she was only eight years old.

She couldn’t remember any of it.

A cold wind moved through the hallway.

Then the lights turned on.

Amelia looked around.

The house had changed.

The walls were covered with blood.

Family portraits had been turned upside down.

The grandfather clock had stopped.

3:13 AM.

Amelia stared at it.

The same time.

Every night.

She remembered the first night.

The woman in the road.

The footsteps.

The whispers.

The basement.

The dead.

Everything had begun at 3:13.

Then she heard a voice.

“Amelia.”

She turned.

Daniel stood at the end of the hallway.

His face was pale.

His shirt was still covered in blood.

But his eyes looked different.

He looked human again.

“Daniel?”

He nodded.

Amelia ran toward him.

But he raised his hand.

“Don’t.”

She stopped.

“Why?”

“You need to listen to me.”

“Are you really dead?”

Daniel looked down.

“I don’t know.”

“You’re bleeding.”

“I know.”

“Then you’re alive.”

“No.”

Daniel looked at his hands.

“I can feel nothing.”

Amelia stared at him.

“How can you be here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Isabella brought you back?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Daniel looked toward the basement.

“She needs me.”

“For what?”

Daniel’s expression changed.

“To complete the seven.”

Amelia froze.

“Seven victims?”

Daniel nodded.

“She already has six.”

“Who?”

“Your family.”

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“My grandmother.”

“One.”

“Who else?”

“Thomas.”

“Margaret.”

“Edward.”

“Lucas.”

“Rose.”

Amelia remembered the names carved into the basement wall.

“Six.”

Daniel nodded.

“And the seventh?”

He looked directly at Amelia.

“You.”

Amelia shook her head.

“No.”

Daniel stepped closer.

“That’s why she brought you here.”

“She wants to kill me?”

“Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

Daniel whispered:

“She wants you to kill her.”

Amelia stared.

“Why?”

“Because she can’t enter the next world.”

“She is already dead.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Daniel looked terrified.

“Isabella’s spirit is trapped between life and death.”

“Why?”

“Because of the pact.”

Amelia remembered the creature.

The thing beneath the house.

“The house.”

Daniel nodded.

“It owns her.”

Amelia looked toward the basement.

“Then why is she killing people?”

“Because every death makes her stronger.”

“Stronger enough to escape?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

Daniel’s voice became quiet.

“Strong enough to kill the thing that owns her.”

Amelia stared.

“She wants revenge against the house?”

“Yes.”

“Then why does she need me?”

“Because you’re the only person who can destroy it.”

Amelia shook her head.

“Why me?”

Daniel didn’t answer.

“Daniel.”

He looked at her.

“Because you were born inside this house.”

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“No.”

“Your mother gave birth to you here.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Your grandmother told everyone you were born in the hospital.”

“Why would she lie?”

“Because of the pact.”

Amelia stepped backward.

“Tell me everything.”

Daniel looked toward the stairs.

“Not here.”

“Where?”

“Your grandmother’s room.”

Amelia frowned.

“Why?”

“Because that’s where she kept the truth.”

They walked upstairs.

The house seemed to watch them.

Every time Amelia looked toward a window, she saw a shadow standing outside.

Every time she looked away—

it disappeared.

They reached her grandmother’s bedroom.

Daniel opened the door.

The room was exactly as Amelia had left it.

Except for one thing.

The mirror was covered with black cloth.

Amelia stared.

“Why is that covered?”

Daniel didn’t answer.

She walked toward it.

“Don’t touch it.”

“Why?”

“Because Isabella uses mirrors.”

Amelia stopped.

“What do you mean?”

“That’s how she watches people.”

Amelia looked at the covered mirror.

“Isabella?”

Daniel nodded.

“Her spirit lives inside them.”

Amelia stepped backward.

“Then how did she appear in the basement?”

“She can appear anywhere.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s not a ghost anymore.”

Amelia frowned.

“What is she?”

Daniel whispered:

“Something much worse.”

Suddenly—

the cloth fell from the mirror.

Amelia screamed.

Isabella’s face appeared in the glass.

Her black eyes stared directly at her.

Daniel stepped backward.

“Don’t look at her.”

Amelia couldn’t move.

Isabella smiled.

“Amelia.”

The mirror began to crack.

“You don’t know the truth.”

Amelia shook her head.

“Tell me.”

Isabella’s reflection moved closer.

“Your grandmother didn’t kill me.”

Amelia froze.

“What?”

“She helped.”

“Who killed you?”

Isabella’s expression changed.

Fear appeared in her eyes.

“Your mother.”

Silence.

Amelia’s blood turned cold.

“My mother?”

Isabella nodded.

“Her name was Clara.”

Amelia had heard that name before.

Her grandmother had forbidden her from asking about her mother.

“Where is she?”

Isabella looked behind Amelia.

“She’s here.”

Amelia turned.

No one.

She looked back at the mirror.

Isabella was gone.

Then—

a woman’s voice came from the corner.

“Amelia.”

A figure appeared.

An old woman.

Her body was twisted.

Her neck was broken.

Her face was covered in blood.

Amelia screamed.

The ghost smiled.

“Hello, daughter.”

Amelia froze.

“Mom?”

The ghost nodded.

Clara.

Her mother.

Amelia had not seen her since she was twelve.

She remembered her mother’s funeral.

The coffin.

The flowers.

The tears.

But now—

her mother was standing in front of her.

Dead.

Terrifying.

But still her mother.

Amelia started crying.

“Mom.”

Clara stepped closer.

“Come to me.”

Amelia moved forward.

Daniel grabbed her.

“No.”

“She’s my mother.”

“That’s not your mother.”

Clara’s head suddenly twisted.

Her neck cracked.

Daniel pulled Amelia backward.

Clara screamed.

“How dare you?”

Daniel stared at her.

“You can’t have her.”

Clara’s eyes turned black.

“She belongs to us.”

Amelia stared.

“Us?”

The ghost smiled.

“The family.”

“What family?”

“Blackwood.”

Amelia shook her head.

“You’re dead.”

“Yes.”

“Then how are you here?”

Clara smiled.

“Because I never left.”

The bedroom door slammed shut.

The windows shattered.

Amelia screamed.

Clara moved toward her.

“Your grandmother lied.”

“About what?”

“Everything.”

“Tell me the truth.”

Clara stopped.

“Isabella was never your sister.”

Amelia froze.

Daniel looked at Clara.

“You’re lying.”

Clara laughed.

“Ask your friend.”

Amelia turned toward Daniel.

“Is it true?”

Daniel looked away.

“Daniel?”

He said nothing.

“Tell me.”

Clara smiled.

“He’s lying too.”

Amelia stepped backward.

“Who am I?”

Clara whispered:

“You are the seventh.”

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“The seventh what?”

“The seventh sacrifice.”

The room became silent.

Then Clara disappeared.

Amelia fell to her knees.

Daniel helped her stand.

“Amelia.”

She pushed him away.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Listen.”

“You knew.”

“I didn’t.”

“You knew something.”

“Not everything.”

“What do you know?”

Daniel looked at the mirror.

“Your mother was part of the pact.”

“What pact?”

“The original pact.”

Amelia stared.

“Who made it?”

“The Blackwood family.”

“Why?”

“Money.”

Amelia frowned.

“Money?”

Daniel nodded.

“Your great-grandfather was dying.”

“Of what?”

“An illness.”

“So he made a deal with the thing beneath the house?”

“Yes.”

“To save himself?”

“Yes.”

Amelia’s voice became bitter.

“And what did it want?”

“Seven souls.”

“Seven family members?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then?”

“Seven people born from Blackwood blood.”

Amelia froze.

“Children.”

Daniel nodded.

“Seven children.”

Amelia suddenly remembered the photographs.

The names.

The dates.

The children.

She understood.

“That’s why Isabella was killed.”

Daniel nodded.

“She tried to stop the sacrifice.”

“She had children?”

“One.”

Amelia whispered:

“Me.”

Daniel shook his head.

“No.”

Amelia stared.

“Then who?”

Daniel looked terrified.

“Isabella’s daughter.”

“Who is she?”

Daniel pointed toward the mirror.

Amelia slowly turned.

A little girl was standing inside it.

Eight years old.

Amelia.

The girl smiled.

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“No.”

The child lifted her hand.

A message appeared on the glass.

I AM STILL HERE.

Amelia stepped closer.

The child whispered:

“Remember.”

Suddenly—

Amelia’s memory returned.

She was eight years old.

Standing in the basement.

Isabella was tied to a chair.

Her grandmother was there.

Clara was there.

And a man.

Jonathan.

Amelia remembered everything.

Her grandmother was holding a knife.

Clara was crying.

Jonathan was chanting.

Isabella was screaming.

“Don’t do this!”

Amelia was standing beside her grandmother.

Her grandmother looked down at her.

“Tell us where the door is.”

Little Amelia pointed.

“Behind the painting.”

Isabella looked at her.

“Amelia!”

The little girl stared.

“Forgive me.”

Her grandmother smiled.

Then she stabbed Isabella.

Amelia screamed.

The memory disappeared.

Amelia collapsed.

“No.”

Daniel caught her.

“You remember.”

Amelia began crying.

“I betrayed her.”

“You were a child.”

“I told them where she was.”

“You didn’t know.”

“I knew.”

“You were eight.”

“I knew!”

Amelia screamed.

The house shook.

The mirror shattered.

Clara appeared behind them.

Her face was filled with rage.

“You remember now.”

Amelia turned.

“Mom.”

Clara smiled.

“You were always the seventh.”

“Why?”

“Because your blood is different.”

“What does that mean?”

“You were born with the mark.”

Amelia looked at her arm.

The black symbol was spreading.

Clara stepped closer.

“The thing beneath the house chose you before you were born.”

“Why?”

“Because you can kill it.”

Amelia froze.

“Then why does it want me dead?”

“It doesn’t.”

Clara smiled.

“It wants you alive.”

Daniel stepped forward.

“Amelia, don’t listen.”

Clara looked at him.

“Daniel.”

Daniel froze.

“You should not be here.”

“Why?”

“Because you were never part of the pact.”

Amelia looked at him.

“What does that mean?”

Clara smiled.

“Daniel was killed because he discovered the truth.”

“When?”

“Seventeen years ago.”

Amelia’s heart stopped.

“Then how do I remember meeting him?”

“You didn’t.”

Clara’s smile widened.

“He has been dead since you were eight.”

Daniel looked at Amelia.

His eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry.”

Amelia stepped backward.

“Daniel…”

“I tried to warn you.”

“You were dead.”

“Yes.”

“All this time?”

“Yes.”

Amelia began crying.

Clara stepped closer.

“Your family killed Isabella.”

“Why?”

“Because she refused to sacrifice you.”

Amelia stared.

“Then why did she kill them?”

“Revenge.”

“Why seven victims?”

Clara smiled.

“Because she needs seven deaths to open the door.”

“What door?”

“The door beneath the house.”

Amelia looked toward the floor.

Clara whispered:

“Once it opens, the thing beneath the house will be free.”

Amelia froze.

“And Isabella?”

“She will be free too.”

Daniel shook his head.

“That’s what she wants.”

Amelia looked at him.

“What happens if the door opens?”

Daniel whispered:

“Everyone dies.”

Clara smiled.

“Not everyone.”

Amelia looked at her.

“Who survives?”

Clara pointed at Amelia.

“You.”

Amelia’s blood turned cold.

“Why?”

“Because you are the one who will open it.”

“No.”

Clara laughed.

“You already did.”

The floor beneath Amelia cracked.

A deep roar came from below.

The house shook violently.

Daniel grabbed Amelia.

“Run!”

They rushed toward the door.

But Clara blocked their path.

Her body changed.

Her skin became black.

Her eyes became empty.

She was no longer Amelia’s mother.

Something else was wearing her face.

Daniel screamed:

“Amelia, don’t look at her!”

The creature smiled.

“Too late.”

It raised its hand.

Daniel was thrown across the room.

He hit the wall.

Amelia screamed.

“Daniel!”

She ran toward him.

But Clara grabbed Amelia’s arm.

The black mark on Amelia’s skin burned.

Amelia screamed.

Clara whispered:

“Your blood belongs to the house.”

Suddenly—

the bedroom door exploded open.

Isabella appeared.

Her ghostly form was surrounded by flames.

She attacked Clara.

The two spirits collided.

The room filled with screams.

Amelia crawled toward Daniel.

“Wake up!”

Daniel opened his eyes.

“Amelia.”

“Come on.”

“We have to leave.”

They ran.

Behind them, Isabella screamed:

“AMELIA!”

Amelia stopped.

She turned.

Isabella was standing in the doorway.

Her face was covered in blood.

“Don’t open the door.”

“What door?”

Isabella pointed toward the basement.

“The final door.”

Amelia stared.

“Why?”

Isabella whispered:

“Because behind it is the truth.”

“What truth?”

Isabella looked at Daniel.

Then back at Amelia.

“Your real father is alive.”

Amelia froze.

“Who?”

Isabella’s eyes filled with fear.

She whispered:

“The thing beneath the house.”

The floor cracked again.

A deep voice rose from beneath them.

“DAUGHTER.”

Amelia felt the black mark on her arm burn.

She screamed.

The house lights went out.

And from somewhere beneath Blackwood House—

a door began to open.

TO BE CONTINUED…