Prologue
As Ophelia strolled through the woods, she couldn’t help but notice that the sky was engulfed in thick, pitch-black clouds, which concealed any trace of the moon, if it were even present. It was so dark that she could barely see her hand in front of her face. Lost in her thoughts, her mind started to drift, and she couldn’t help but ponder what her family might be up to at that very moment. Suddenly, she spotted an old building looming ahead, about a hundred yards away. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was an abandoned paper mill. The place was practically a historic landmark, having been around for over a century and once serving as an important hub for the town’s paper production industry. It was rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of factory workers who had died in accidents there. Ophelia couldn’t resist her curiosity and decided to explore the old paper mill, disregarding the eerie feeling that gripped her as she entered its gates.
The rustling of the leaves and the creaking of the old wooden boards under her feet added to the unsettling atmosphere of the place. As Ophelia walked deeper into the mill, she noticed sheets of paper scattered on the floor, remnants of a once-thriving industry that had now faded away. Ophelia took a closer look at the papers and noticed that they were old invoices and receipts, dating back to the early 1900s. She could see the names of people long gone, the prices of goods that were now considered antiques, and the amounts paid in cash or checks that were no longer accepted.
It was eerie to think that this abandoned mill was once a bustling place where people traded goods, worked hard for their living, and built a community. Ophelia wondered what had happened to cause it to shut down, and why no one had bothered to clean up the mess left behind.
As Ophelia got ready to exit the rundown paper factory, a sudden loud bang echoed through the empty halls. Her hand instinctively reached for the pistol tucked in her pocket, but she hesitated before pulling the trigger. “There’s nobody supposed to be here,” Ophelia muttered under her breath, scanning the darkness for any signs of movement.
