"The shadow we chase"

Prologue The old mansion stood in silence, surrounded by fog. The only sound was the ticking of a clock somewhere deep inside. But Ivy could feel she wasn’t alone. Someone, or something, was watching.... It all started on a cold, rainy evening. Ivy Harper was driving down a lonely road when her car broke down. She had no choice but to walk. The rain was heavy, and the fog was so thick she could barely see a few steps ahead. After walking for a while, she saw a huge gate. It was old and rusty, and it creaked as the wind blew. The gate was slightly open. She stopped. "Should I go in?" she thought. But there was no other way. She pushed the gate open, her hand shaking. The metal made a loud screeching sound. Ivy glanced behind her...the fog was everywhere. She took a deep breath and walked through the gate. Ahead of her was a massive house, dark and broken. Its windows looked like angry eyes staring at her. Lightning flashed, and for a moment, the whole house lit up. It looked even scarier now. She climbed the stairs to the front door, water dripping from her clothes. Her heart was beating so fast she could feel it in her chest. Knock. Knock. Knock. She knocked on the big wooden door. The sound echoed into the night. No one answered. She knocked again, harder this time. Still nothing. The rain was getting heavier. Ivy decided to try the door. She turned the handle, and to her surprise, it opened. Inside was a giant hall, dark and cold. A broken chandelier hung from the ceiling. The air smelled strange, like wet wood and something rotten. "Hello?" Ivy called out. Her voice was soft, almost scared. No reply. She walked inside, her boots making wet sounds on the marble floor. To her left, there was a big staircase leading up. To her right, an open doorway led to another room. She chose the room on the right. It was a sitting room, filled with old chairs and a dusty fireplace. On the shelf were books that looked like no one had touched them in years. Then, something caught her eye. A picture on the mantel. She walked closer and wiped the dust off it. It was a family photo...a man, a woman, and two kids. But their faces were scratched out, as if someone didn’t want anyone to see them. Ivy stepped back, her heart pounding. Suddenly, she felt something behind her. She turned around quickly. No one was there. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She backed out of the room and returned to the hall. "I just need to find a phone," she whispered to herself. "Call for help. Then leave." As she stood near the stairs, she heard a sound. Thump. Thump. Thump. It was coming from upstairs. Her body froze, but she forced herself to move. Slowly, she climbed the staircase. Her hand touched the railing...it felt warm, like it was alive. At the top of the stairs, the sound stopped. She whispered, "Hello? Is someone there?" Then she saw it. A shadow moved quickly down the hallway. Ivy gasped and stepped back. But before she could react, the floor under her feet cracked. It broke. And Ivy fell.