Ravenscroft Whispers: The Phantom Maze.

7. Deciet or delusion?

Fiona found herself immobilized on the castle's floor, a chilling shock coursing through her veins. This time, she was utterly certain she wasn't in the throes of hallucination. There was an unsettling, unexplainable aura shrouding the castle, defying all scientific understanding. She let out a heavy sigh and began a hesitant journey toward the stairwell. A feeling of unseen scrutiny bore down upon her, as if an invisible, malevolent presence were watching her every move.

The walls seemed to come to life, pulsating and breathing, transforming the once calm atmosphere into an oppressive, suffocating heaviness. Fiona's sense of dread deepened with every step. Her only instinct was to flee. With a rush of adrenaline, she bolted back to her room, racing up the stairs, and swiftly secured her door with a resounding latch. She believed herself safe within this fortified sanctuary; no one could breach her room if it remained locked.

However, little did she realize that the enigma she grappled with transcended the boundaries of reason and science. She sealed the window as well, hoping to block out whatever sinister force lurked outside. She settled on her bed, clutching her knees tightly to her chest. Her senses were now on high alert, amplified to an excruciating degree. Every creak, every whisper of sound sent her heart racing, each one a potential source of terror.

Desperate to drown out the overwhelming unease, she inserted her earbuds and turned on some music. Even her favorite song failed to provide solace. Her mind remained plagued by anxiety, causing beads of cold sweat to trickle down her forehead. Fiona struggled in vain to calm her racing breath, but her efforts were in vain, and her fear held her in an iron grip.

She remained perched on her bed, her music silenced, when a chilling sound reached her ears - the unmistakable sound of teeth grinding. Her already anxious heart leaped in fear, and a sense of dread washed over her. Straining to locate the source, she soon realized that the eerie noise was emanating from beneath her bed. With trembling resolve, she closed her eyes tightly, opting not to peer beneath the bed this time. The sound grew louder, seemingly closing in on her, until she could feel the warm breath of whatever was producing it brushing against her right ear.

In sheer panic, she bolted towards the bedroom door, not daring to look back. Slamming it shut, she fumbled to lock it from the outside and let out a shaky sigh of relief. Her relief was short-lived, as the lights in the corridor began to flicker ominously.

"Damn it! Why on earth did I ever agree to take this job?" She muttered, her eyes fixed on the eerie shadows cast by the flickering lights that danced along the corridor. Just then, a hauntingly beautiful yet mournful sound reached her ears - a woman's voice, singing with a painful, sorrowful beauty that sent shivers down her spine. It was as if the singer was pouring her heart out in agony.

Fiona swallowed hard, trying to moisten her parched throat. She scanned her surroundings, but there was no one else in the mansion. Slowly, she inched her way towards the corridor's window, which overlooked the serene outside scene, frozen in time. Her eyes were drawn to the lake, and there, emerging from the dark waters, was a female figure draped in a long, white gown. Her hair and dress were drenched in a sinister, black, viscous substance, obscuring her face. With a disconcerting, deliberate pace, she made her way towards the mansion's entrance.

The hair-raising scene before her left Fiona trembling, trapped in a waking nightmare that she couldn't escape.

She dashed toward the entrance of the grand mansion, driven by a nagging unease. Her heart pounded as she urgently checked if the door was securely locked, and to her immense relief, it was. Fiona couldn't shake off the lingering feeling of being watched, especially by that peculiar woman in white she'd glimpsed through the window.