After a LONG writer's block, here you have it...chapter 3. Enjoy!

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Chapter 3: A Face in the Dark

My hands started getting sweaty as I turned the doorknob to enter the sewing room. And as I entered and silently closed the door behind me, I started reconsidering the idea of ever coming in there.

As soon as I was in, my eyes, unaccustomed to the lack of light, couldn't see very well around the dim room. Only a round window behind a bed provided me some moonlight, and if it weren't for it, I would have to resign myself to stay in the dark.

I looked around the room, wondering what could be so mysterious there, for my mother to be so adamant in not letting me know. The room looked pretty normal to me, the bed was neatly made, the pillow almost new, and the sheets very clean. Even the air smelled differently. The room was even cleaner than a clinic room. This point didn't seem odd to me yet, knowing perfectly about Mother's compulsive cleaning habits.

But still...who slept in that bed? Or better yet, who occupied that room? It couldn't have been Martin's, because he's always had the same room all his life, or so I've known from the pictures I've seen, and what Martin and Dad told me. It couldn't have been Dad's either, because he only did his paperwork at office. Mom has never had any overnight guests, so I scratched that off as another reason. So...who else was left? Whose room could've this been?

I kept walking around, carefully enough for my steps not to be heard downstairs, and I found a few boxes on the floor, besides the bed, with the words "DO NOT TOUCH" in bold, black marker. Now that was odd. And besides them, there was a hint of what I'd find out was my missing slipper. But when I kneeled down to pick it up, I noticed something else under the bed that caught my interest.

There was a bunch of papers, neatly arranged in what seemed to be a binder. I took it, and as I did, I heard a very strange noise, strange, because it wasn't typical of the house.

My feet almost jumped out of my shoes, as a very low giggle could be heard all over the room. I looked around, but I found no one. Then a cold breeze came out of nowhere, and my body started to shiver as the coldness filled me, claiming me, involving me in its frozen embrace.

And, again, I heard a soft giggle. I looked around, hoping to find somebody, but the room seemed as empty as it had always been. But something, deep within it, made me think I might not be as alone as I had thought.

A cold breeze hit my face as the giggles continued, and I sat down on the floor, with my hands over my ears.

"Leave me alone...please...stop" I cried, as fear overwhelmed me, cutting through me like a thousand knives, freezing me as I had been thrown in a pool full of ice.

I was so scared of being stuck there, because if something happened to me, nobody would know, or even check this abandoned room! It wasn't like that one time I broke my arm falling from a swing when I was 7 years old. Mother and Father were there to help me back then, but, right now, I was all alone...and the fear returned, with more tears flowing from my eyes.

But then, I saw it.

A pale white body, sitting on the bed, with a ghostly touch to it that it could be easily noticed. It seemed like I could see right through it, it was almost traslucent. My heart skipped a beat, as I slowly walked towards the ghostly being.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice cracking at every word.

As I stepped closer, I saw it was a boy, dressed in white, looking at me with blue eyes so identical to mine. He looked at me and smiled, as he stood up and started to walk towards me.

Even now, when I think of that moment, I can still feel the fear that ran like frozen blood through my veins, as I forced my legs to move, to run away. Somehow, I managed to run, after stumbling down twice. I wiped off my hands, and ran to the door, closing it afterwards.

Outside, my eyes hurt a little bit, unaccustomed to such a bright light after being in such a dark place. I ran back to my bedroom, and sat down on my bed. Then, I realized that besides me, I had a notebook.

And it was no normal notebook, mind you. It was a large, blue binder that looked like a book, which seemed almost new, if you consider for how long it was kept in that sewing room. Whose book could this be? Who would it belong to? Unfortunately, it had nothing that could help me identify the owner. I first assumed it was Martin's, but I quickly remembered I had never seen him with that at all.

I couldn't help my hands from shaking as I opened the notebook. After being abandoned for so long, I expected to see dust coming from inside or the sheets stuck to each other. But none of that happened. The sheets were neatly organized, and the childish paintings still retained their bright colors.

I yawned as I closed the book, since it was 9:30 p.m. I hid it under my pillow, so I could take a further look tomorrow. And, as I laid down and closed my eyes, I let my tired body rest for the night. Or so I thought.

Some time later, maybe an hour or two, I was awakened by a cold breeze. My body stiffened, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a figure...the same one I had seen in the sewing room!

The boy was standing besides my bed, smiling at me, not moving at all. Which made him seem more frightening. He reached out his hand, and before I could do anything, he stroke my cheek, and I felt a cold sensation over my face.

Then, a stream of tranquility washed over me, as I closed my eyes again. But when I opened them, I saw no one but me on the room. Who was this boy? Why did he come for me? What was this all about?

I shivered again at my thoughts. As I laid my head on the pillow, I tried to convince myself it was all a dream. That maybe...maybe it was an illusion, after all.

Little did I know that sooner than later, I would be proven wrong.

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FOR NEXT CHAPTER...

Adrian starts reading the notebook he found after his intrusions to the closed room. As he reads, he will find clues and memories of its former owner, secrets he had not expected to know, and that will change his vision and memories of the Swinton family...

Coming soon: "Book of Memories"