Emilia's hands trembled as she packed her suitcase, the silver key clutched tightly in her fist. She had accepted the invitation to Ashwood Manor, and now she was committed to spending the entire summer within its crumbling walls.
As she zipped her suitcase shut, Emilia felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. What was she getting herself into? The rumors about Ashwood Manor's dark past swirled in her mind like a maelstrom, each one more terrifying than the last.
With a deep breath, Emilia pushed aside her doubts and grabbed her suitcase. She made her way to the train station, the silver key clutched tightly in her pocket.
The train ride was uneventful, the rolling hills and verdant forests blurring together outside her window. Emilia spent the time lost in thought, her mind consumed by visions of Ashwood Manor's grandeur and decay.
As the train pulled into the station, Emilia gathered her belongings and stepped onto the platform. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, a morbid perfume that seemed to cling to her skin like a damp shroud.
A sleek black car waited for her, the driver's eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses. Emilia felt a shiver run down her spine as he loaded her suitcase into the trunk.
"Ashwood Manor, miss?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.
Emilia nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. The driver's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he nodded and slid behind the wheel.
As the car glided through the winding roads, Emilia caught glimpses of the manor's turrets and spires rising above the trees. The building seemed to loom over her, its presence suffocating.
The car pulled up to the manor's entrance, a grandiose facade with crumbling stone and overgrown gardens. Emilia felt a sense of trepidation as she stepped out of the car, the driver's eyes watching her every move.
"Welcome to Ashwood Manor, miss," he said, his voice dripping with an unsettling deference.
Emilia's gaze drifted up to the manor's facade, the windows seeming to stare back at her like empty eyes. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized that she was completely alone, surrounded by the oppressive silence of the manor.
With a deep breath, Emilia steeled herself and stepped forward, the silver key clutched tightly in her fist. She was ready to face whatever secrets Ashwood Manor held, no matter how dark or terrifying they might be.