The house of Darkness

By Anna Russo

I enter the entrance of the villa. The wood creaked under its weight, as if the house itself were taking a breather. Inside, the air was stale, thick with a smell of dust and mold.
Here is the first track. A red rose, barely moved, resting on one of the chairs in the living room.
A missing woman. Julia Hastings, a name the town knew, yet no one had seen or heard of her for weeks. No one, except his parents, who had asked for help from the only man capable of solving cases like this.
Sebastian looked at the rose, feeling a strange energy flowing through the air. His mind began to work, every detail that didn't seem to coincide began to make its way. What was that sign? A message? A warning? Sebastian's heart raced for a moment, as if he was about to discover something that would change everything.
But it was only an illusion, a momentary sensation. Then, the sound of someone's footsteps behind him made him turn around.
"Did you come for her?" the voice was low, velvety, yet charged with a deeper question. Sebastian didn't answer right away, his gaze shifted to the figure that had just materialized in the shadows. A woman, tall and articulated, with fair skin and long hair, black as coal, cascading down her back. His eyes, however, were what attracted attention. Two eyes as green as emeralds, but lifeless, as if all the color had been drained by endless pain.
"Who are you?" asked Sebastian, as his heart began to beat faster, driven by a force he could not understand.
"A ghost," she replied with a smile that seemed sad. "A lost love."
It was a play on words, yet Sebastian wasn't sure. He stepped forward, scanning the woman's face with eyes that showed no fear, only curiosity and indifference.
"Why are you here?" he asked again, in a tone that masked a subtle threat. His gaze lowered on the red rose. "What are you telling me?"
She looked at him for a long moment, as if she was trying to decide whether to reveal the truth to him. Then, his voice spoke, a whisper that echoed in the empty villa: "There is a love hidden behind every shadow of this house. And not everyone who loves can escape the curse."
The words settled on Sebastian like a cold blanket. His instincts alerted him, but his mind refused to accept it.
Then, the woman took a step back, as if vanishing into the shadows. He did not move. No more.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FHV8PWRZ
• ISBN13: 9798292721512
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.0"