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“ S hit,” Ava whispered.

“What is that?” The panic in Eleanor’s voice rose.

It was unmoving. Staring. Watching.

“I’ve seen it before. The other night…”

Luna backed away and growled louder, breaking them from their trance. Ava grabbed Eleanor’s hand and pulled her toward the back door, glancing over her shoulder. It was gone. She faced the backyard again, backing away as she tried to locate the threat, Luna snarling next to them.

“Where is it?” she asked.

Eleanor’s voice quivered. “I don’t know.”

There.

Standing in the middle of the flower field. Even the flowers were frozen, no breeze flowing through them. As if the creature would cut them down should they reveal themselves.

“Run,” Eleanor said.

They sprinted to the backdoor, Luna at their heels. Ava slammed it shut, turning the deadbolt, then ran around the house checking all the windows and doors to make sure they were locked, Eleanor helping. Luna was pacing but not growling anymore. Hopefully, that was a good sign.

The dream-not-dream she had the other night. The one that had felt real. It was the same creature, she was sure of it. Confirming it hadn’t been a dream after all.

Brave enough to check outside once more, they went to the front of the house and peered through the windows. The blustery breeze had resumed and a whip-poor-will called in the woods as if there wasn’t a sinister shadow lurking among the trees.

It was gone, and Luna was calm as further proof of its disappearance.

“What the fuck was that?” Eleanor asked as they walked back to the living room.

“I have no idea,” said Ava. “But I don’t think you should drive home right now.”

“I agree.” They took their places on the couch, when Eleanor turned to her. “You said you saw it before…”

“Yeah.” Ava took a deep breath, trying to slow her still racing heart. “I had a dream—well, I don’t think it was actually a dream. I don’t know. But I followed it outside, to the edge of the woods. It seemed like it wanted me to go…”

“Wanted you to go where?”

“The forest I guess… Remember those screams we heard before?” Ava asked. Eleanor nodded. “I’m pretty sure that’s what made them…”

“How do you know that?”

“Because it screamed in my dream or whatever and sounded exactly the same,” explained Ava. “I don’t know what’s going on,” she whispered as she fidgeted with the throw blanket she had pulled into her lap.

Eleanor leaned forward and gave her an intense look. “We’ll figure it out, okay? I’ll help you.”

“Okay,” Ava replied as she attempted a smile .

“Hey, where’s your bathroom?”

Ava gave her directions and settled back on the couch, still tense from the encounter. Was she safe in this house? What if that creature came back? Could it get inside?

The toilet flushed and the sink turned on then off again. A door shut and Eleanor began to walk back to the living room, but the sound of her footsteps stopped.

“Umm… Ava?” she called out.

Getting up, she met her friend in the hallway. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Looking down at the floor, Eleanor pressed one of the wooden planks with the ball of her foot. “Has this always been loose?”

Ava knelt. “I don’t know. This whole house is creaky and old.”

Eleanor crouched down beside her. “This seems like more than just a random loose board.”

“Really?” Ava responded as they tried to remove it.

“Yeah, it sounds more hollow than the rest of the floor.”

They couldn’t get their hands under it, so Ava went to the kitchen and retrieved a screwdriver, handing it to Eleanor. “Try this.”

Kneeling together, Eleanor pried up the board with the tool, while Ava slid her fingers under the gap and pulled. The wood ripped free with a loud snap and Ava set it aside, the women peering into the hole.

“What is that?” asked Eleanor.

Ava reached in, hoping there were no spiders hiding in the dark, and pulled out something wrapped in fabric. “I don’t know.”

She unwrapped the worn cloth, revealing a key.

Holding it to the light, she turned it in her hand, examining the detail.

It was old. Ancient. It was heavy in her hand and made of brass.

The head of the key was adorned with scrollwork woven together to form a tree.

Something about the design felt familiar, though she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“This key… have you seen anything in the house with a matching lock?” asked Eleanor. “Any old doors?”

Ava shook her head. “No.”

Before the women could get a closer look, Luna waltzed over, took the key out of Ava’s hand and ran upstairs.

“Luna!” Ava shouted. “You little shit! Give that back.”

They chased her upstairs, but she was too fast. Darting into one of the bedrooms, Luna stopped in front of the closet and scratched as she looked at the women, waiting for them to open the door.

Looking at Eleanor, Ava shrugged and opened the closet.

Key still in her mouth, Luna walked to the back of the closet and pawed at the wall.

The closet was large enough for both women to enter, so they strode to the back and looked at the wall where Luna was scratching.

“I don’t see anything,” said Ava. “It looks like a normal wall.” She ran her hands along it and almost gave up when her fingers snagged on something. “It’s a seam. There must be a door here to the attic or something. Hand me that screwdriver.”

Eleanor handed the tool to Ava and she started scraping away the paint along the newfound seam.

After ten minutes of work, they could see the outline of the door.

A door that had been painted shut, probably for good reason.

Ava hesitated, unsure if they should pursue this any further but Luna was insistent, growling and scratching at the space as if urging the women to break through.

“I’m going to grab a crowbar,” Ava said as she ran downstairs, returning moments later with the new tool and a couple of flashlights.

The door was difficult to move, but after a few minutes of prying, it gave way.

They froze as it creaked open, revealing the dark dusty attic .

They had to duck to enter as the door was only about four feet high. Ava led the way, shining the flashlight to light their path. Once inside, they stood and evaluated the room, letting their eyes adjust to the dim light. Luna stayed in the closet, seemingly reluctant to enter the dark space.

If her grandfather was hiding information, surely it would be here.

“Look around to see if there’s anything that looks important,” said Ava.

“Okay.”

Ava made her way across the floor, wooden planks creaking with each step.

Dust covered every surface, and the smell of mildew permeated the air.

An old piano covered in cobwebs occupied one corner, next to a stack of worn music sheets.

Boxes were stacked along the walls, dotted with knickknacks in varying states of disintegration.

Vintage lamps with broken shades, picture frames with cracked glass, moth eaten rugs rolled up and stacked together took up ample space in the attic.

“Anything?” Eleanor asked from the other side of the room.

“Nothing…” Ava replied. “You?”

“No. Not even sure what we’re looking for.”

“Uhh… witchcraft stuff?” Ava said, eliciting a soft laugh from her friend.

Ava walked by an old stack of records sitting on top of a box. As she passed, she thought she heard something. Pausing, she turned back, approached it and knelt.

Noticing her change of direction, Eleanor walked over. “What is it?”

She looked at her friend. “I thought I heard…” Ava shook her head. “Never mind,” she added as she began to rise.

Before she had a chance to stand, she heard it again. A whisper. “ Ava .”

She whipped her head toward Eleanor, still standing behind her. “Did you hear that? ”

“Hear what?”

“My name. I heard someone whispering my name…” Ava tensed, hearing it again. “ Ava…” She looked back toward the box, heart racing as she reached for it.

“You don’t hear that?” she asked again as her trembling hands grabbed some records and worked to uncover the container.

Kneeling beside her, Eleanor helped, moving more records off to the side. “I don’t hear anything…” she said.

“Something’s in that box,” said Ava as they cleared it.

She ripped the tape off the top, opened the flaps and peered inside. “Ava!” the voice called again, louder this time, causing her to flinch. As Ava shined her flashlight on the contents of the vessel, she gasped at what was inside.

“It’s a chest. With an old lock…” she exclaimed, turning to Eleanor.

Eleanor’s eyes widened. “Oh!”

Ava picked up the chest. It was heavier than it looked and made of rusted metal. “Let’s open it downstairs where we can see better.”

“Good idea,” Eleanor replied. “It’s creepy up here.”

Hurrying, the women exited the attic and walked downstairs, Ava carrying the chest and Eleanor the key.

She set it on the dining room table with a thud and turned on the overhead lights, Luna taking her place near Ava’s feet.

Eleanor stood across from her as she leaned forward and traced her fingers over the symbols.

The chest was rusted, the symbols adorning it indiscernible, but they didn’t look familiar from what she could tell.

“What is this?” Ava whispered before reaching her hand out. “Hand me the key.”

“I don’t know… I have a bad feeling. I don’t think we should mess with it.” Eleanor’s voice was strained.

Ava looked at her, biting her lip. “I need to know. ”

Sighing, Eleanor handed it over. “Be careful.”

Ava’s trembling hand inched forward as she fit the key into the keyhole. “Ready?”

“Ready,” Eleanor responded, voice barely audible.

Ava turned it and a click sounded as the latch was released inside. “Here goes nothing…” she whispered as she let go and lifted the lid.

Ava’s shoulders sagged as nothing happened, though Luna appeared restless, pacing between her legs. She chirped at Ava, encouraging her to look inside.

Both women inched forward, peering into the chest.

“What is it?” Eleanor asked.

“A book.”

They stared at each other in shock, remembering Henry’s words about spell books.

“Open it,” Eleanor urged, fear replaced by excitement.

Reaching inside, Ava lifted the tome from its hiding place. The moment her hands closed around its bindings, she felt a wave of nausea come over her and a sudden sense of falling, like she was being pulled down. The voice sounded again, louder than before. “Ava!”

Gasping, she dropped it onto the table and leaned forward, placing her hands on her knees. “Oh god,” she said.

Eleanor rushed to her side, placing a gentle hand on Ava’s back. “What? What is it? Are you okay?”

Ava took several deep breaths, allowing the nausea to ease before she stood straight again.

“Yeah. I’m fine. I just… got a weird sensation.

” She continued to steady her breathing.

“Like I was falling… and I heard that voice again.” She looked at her friend.

“I just realized I’ve heard it before. In my dreams.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah.” She turned back to the table. “Should we open it?”

“Should you really touch it again?”

“We’ve come this far… ”

They looked at the book. It looked old. Black leather bound a large volume together with a gnarled tree embossed on the front cover.

“Eleanor…” Ava whispered as she realized what she was seeing. “The dreams I’ve been having… there’s a tree in them. It looks like that,” she finished as she pointed to the symbol.

It was the same tree that was on the key.

Eleanor was speechless.

Steeling herself, Ava reached toward it. Her fingers grazed the leather as she lifted the cover, the temperature in the room plummeting the moment it opened. Shivering, the women looked at each other. They could see their breaths in the frigid kitchen.

A chill went down Ava’s spine as she looked at Eleanor, voice shaking. “What the fuck?”

Luna didn’t seem upset, but jumped onto the table and sat down, staring at the book. As if saying ‘well… read it.’

Unsure what to do, they remained still for a few moments, the temperature of the room rising back to normal. After the icy air had seemed to disappear, Eleanor inched closer to Ava and whispered, “I think your house is haunted.”

“Ghosts aren’t real,” Ava responded unconvincingly, giving her a wan smile.

As they sat down at the table, she flipped through the pages but nothing else unusual happened.

No chilled air, no strange sensations. Relieved for that part to be over, Ava’s heart calmed down as she tried to read but the text was in an unfamiliar language.

It was like nothing she had ever seen before.

Flipping through more of the book, the pages revealed drawings.

Archways with symbols on them with swirling black voids in the center.

“We can’t read it,” she said. “It’s in some foreign language.”

“What are those pictures?” Eleanor pointed to the archways.

Tracing her finger along the drawings, Ava said, “I don’t know. Maybe I should start to explore the property more and see if there’s any more clues.”

Eleanor nodded, glancing at the time on the microwave. It was past midnight. “Oh god, I didn’t realize what time it was. I really should go.”

“You’re right,” Ava said. “I need to get to sleep too.”

After bidding her friend goodbye, Ava poured herself another glass of wine and sat down at the table. She knew she should go to bed, but she had to look through this book more thoroughly and didn’t want to wait.

She spent almost two hours attempting to decipher each page while Luna slept at her feet but had little luck understanding the information in the tome. The language was unrecognizable.

She tried focusing on the pictures of those strange archways. She couldn’t help but trace each one she came across and every time her fingers grazed the symbols lining the void, she felt that tug.

The book was another piece to the puzzle. The puzzle that still meant nothing to her. She would have to keep looking.