Shadows of the Past

Book excerpt: The moon's eerie glow barely penetrates the thick curtains, casting long, sinister shadows across the abandoned mansion's grand foyer. Dust dances in the faint light, and the air is heavy with an ominous silence. Emma, a curious paranormal investigator in her late twenties, enters cautiously, her flashlight piercing the darkness. She's accompanied by her skeptical colleague, Jack. Emma whispered to Jack, “This place gives me the creeps.” Jack sarcastically said, “Yeah, because haunted mansions are a real thing.” Suddenly, a distant, chilling laughter echoes through the halls, sending shivers down their spines. “Did you hear that?” asked Emma. “Probably just the wind,” answered Jack. They press forward, their footsteps echoing as they explore the eerie mansion's corridors. The walls seem to whisper secrets of a tragic past. The duo enters a dilapidated library, books scattered haphazardly on the floor. A faded painting catches Emma's eye—a family portrait with eyes that seem to follow their every move. Emma was startled, “That's... unsettling.” Jack mockingly says, “Ghosts in a painting now?”