The antique wallpaper in the hallway of the newly purchased Victorian house felt cold to Elias’s touch as he ran his fingers along it. A faint draft whispered against his skin. He’d noticed a slight bulge in the wall near the end of the hallway, a detail he'd dismissed as settling. Now, however, curiosity, or perhaps something else, compelled him to investigate. He pushed against the wall, and a section of the ornate paneling groaned inward, revealing a dark, musty space. He hesitated, his heart thudding a rapid tattoo against his ribs.
He fumbled for his phone, the screen illuminating his face in an eerie glow. The air in the hidden room was heavy, stagnant, smelling of dust and decay. He swallowed hard, trying to quell the rising tide of… something. He stepped inside, the paneling clicking shut behind him. His breath hitched in his throat.
The room was small, barely larger than a closet. A single, cobweb-draped window offered a sliver of moonlight, barely enough to cut through the gloom. A rocking chair sat in the center, seemingly waiting. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He wanted to go. Right now. But he couldn't move. He had to know. What was in here? What was it waiting for?