🌑 A Cold Whisper in the Hall...

Spoiler alert: Mystery in progress. To start from the beginning of the mystery, visit the archives HERE

Detectives,

As the guests gathered in the dimly lit parlor, it became clear that none of them truly understood the real reason for their presence. Each had received a mysterious invitation, tied to an inheritance that none of them knew they were entitled to.

Eleanor Vaughn, the first to step inside, was the only one with a known connection to Hollowbrook Manor—her family’s legacy, a house filled with dark secrets. But why were the others summoned?

Maggie Cartwright clutched her invitation, her eyes narrowing as she reread the cryptic lines: “By blood or fate, you belong to Hollowbrook. Come and claim what’s yours.” The same message had been delivered to each of the guests. But what was there to claim? And why now? The silence in the room was thick, broken only by the distant creak of the manor’s ancient bones.

The night deepened, and the temperature inside the manor dropped. Dr. Green pulled his coat tighter around himself, his breath visible in the sudden chill. Shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally in the corners of the room, moving with a will of their own. “Just drafts and bad insulation,” he muttered, but his words sounded hollow, lost in the manor's vast emptiness. Yet the more he tried to shake off the feeling, the more the house seemed to breathe around him, its presence undeniable.

Meanwhile, Eleanor Vaughn wandered into one of the side rooms, her steps hesitant but guided by an invisible pull. Her family had abandoned the manor decades ago, yet something beckoned her back—as if the house itself had summoned her, whispering through the ages. She felt it in the air—this was not just an inheritance of stone and timber but something much darker.

As she brushed dust from the fireplace mantle, her fingers grazed something odd. There, tucked behind a forgotten vase, was a small, yellowed note. It was brittle, yet the ink looked unnervingly fresh.

📝 The handwriting was familiar, like something from a distant memory:

"The walls hide many secrets. Beware what you seek, for the house watches."

Eleanor’s heart raced, her breath catching in her throat. What did her ancestors leave behind in this house? What were they trying to protect—or conceal? Her hand trembled as she held the paper up to the dim light. The ink—it looked too recent for something that should have been hidden away for decades. Could this be a message from the past, or something… more? 👀🖋️

🕵️ Clue: The note is written in a trembling hand, but something is off about the ink. It looks too fresh to belong to the past. Could the manor itself be trying to communicate, or is there another force at play within these walls? Keep your eyes open, Detective. The house may be watching you, too.

We’ll unlock chapter 3 tomorrow.

Yours in mystery,
The Mystery Society 🔍

P.S. The secrets of Hollowbrook Manor are just beginning to reveal themselves. Be careful of what the house may show you. Some things should remain hidden… 🕯️