Chapter 1: The Return to Willow Grove
The heavy, oak door of Willow Grove creaked open as Brian and Gabrielle stood in the doorway, their hands clasped tightly together. The air inside the house felt thick and suffocating, like the house was alive and waiting for them. After escaping its clutches once before, they had promised each other they would never return, but something had drawn them back—something they couldn’t ignore.
The pets, too, sensed the change in the atmosphere. Isabelle, the golden retriever, whimpered, while Rocky, the gruff bulldog, stayed close to Gabrielle’s side. The cats—Crybaby, Elijah, Freya, Amara, and Isis—moved cautiously, their fur standing on end, their eyes wide and alert.
“I hate this place,” Gabrielle whispered, her voice shaking slightly. “It feels... wrong.”
Brian nodded, his jaw clenched. “I know. But we have to figure out what it wants. We can’t keep running.”
They stepped inside, the door slamming shut behind them with a thunderous bang. There was no turning back now. Willow Grove had them in its grip once again, and this time, it wasn’t going to let them go so easily.
