Echoes of innocence

With fear in her heart Lily reached the top of the stairs, which stretched out into a long corridor. The walls from the corridor had faded wallpaper on them, which in certain area's started to peel off. The peeling wallpaper added to the sense of neglect and decay that filled the mansion, serving as a strong reminder of its haunting past. She squinted her eyes to see what was ahead of her. She could make out one door on the left, two on the right and one at the end. One of the two on the right was fairly close to her, this would be where she'd go next. 

As Lily pushed open the door, she was met with a sight that filled her heart with a mixture of sadness and nostalgia it was a baby room, a nursery frozen in time. The room was bathed in a soft, diffused light filtering in through lace curtains, casting a warm glow over the space. The walls were adorned with pastel-coloured wallpaper adorned with whimsical patterns of animals and toys, while shelves lined with storybooks and plush toys adorned the room. In the centre of the nursery stood a crib, its white-painted frame draped with a delicate canopy and adorned with soft blankets and pillows. A rocking chair sat nearby, its cushions worn with age but still inviting, as if waiting for someone to come and rock a child to sleep. Lily's heart ached as she took in the scene before her, the memories of her own childhood flooding back with bittersweet intensity. She could almost hear the sound of laughter and the gentle lullabies that had once filled this room, a testament to the love and joy that had once resided within its walls. With a heavy heart, Lily stepped further into the nursery, her senses on high alert for any sign of danger. She knew that she had to tread carefully in this forsaken place. As she reached the crib she looked over to the rocking chair. She wanted to sit on it, experience what it was like to be a mother rocking her child to sleep. She longed for it, as she couldn't resist the urges any longer she sat down on the rocking chair. Took one of the soft blankets from the crib and started to rock.

Rocking back and forth, Lily closed her eyes and let herself be transported to a world where she was not alone—a world where she could experience the simple joy of motherhood, if only for a fleeting moment. In her mind's eye, she could see her mother, her gentle hands cradling her baby sister Emily as she rocked her to sleep, humming a soothing lullaby that echoed through the nursery. The memory filled Lily with a sense of warmth and longing, as she yearned for the love and comfort that had once been a constant presence in her life. As she rocked back and forth, Lily hummed softly to herself, the melody a gentle reminder of the bond she shared with her sister—a bond that transcended time and space, connecting them even in the darkest of moments. But as the tears began to flow freely down her cheeks, Lily felt a sense of release wash over her—a release of pent-up emotions and unspoken grief. For in this moment, surrounded by the faded memories of the nursery and the echoes of her sister's laughter, Lily found solace in the simple act of rocking back and forth, as if she could somehow recapture the innocence and purity of a time long past. 

Of course she couldn't hold on to this moment for long, the bell tolled once, filling the room with dread. When the bell stopped she heard a voice saying "mommy?" Lily froze, her heart skipping a beat as she turned towards the sound. There, standing before her, was a spectral figure—a child-like apparition, bathed in a soft, ethereal glow. Tears welled up in Lily's eyes as she beheld the ghostly form before her, her mind racing with a torrent of emotions. It was as if time had stood still, as if the veil between the living and the dead had been momentarily lifted, allowing her to glimpse the spirit of her sister once more.

With trembling hands, Lily reached out towards the apparition, her voice choked with emotion. "Emily? Is that you?" The spectral figure nodded, a sad smile tugging at the corners of her translucent lips. "Mommy, I miss you," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the whispering breeze. Tears streamed down Lily's cheeks as she reached out to embrace her sister, but her arms passed right through the ghostly form, leaving her grasping at empty air.

"I miss you too, Emily," Lily choked out, her heart breaking with the weight of her grief. "I'm so sorry for what happened. I wish I could go back and change things."

But Emily shook her head, her expression filled with a sense of peace. "It's okay, mommy. I forgive you, even if you can't forgive yourself." Lily's heart swelled with love and gratitude as she listened to her sister's words, a sense of warmth spreading through her despite the chill of the room. 

The bell tolled again and the ghost spectre of her sister disappeared as she whispered "Stay strong". 

Turning slowly, Lily's eyes widened in horror as she beheld the creature that emerged from the darkness—a twisted amalgamation of innocence and malevolence, its form warped and grotesque. The creature resembled a grotesque form of a child, its small frame twisted and contorted in unnatural angles. Its eyes gleamed with a sinister light, devoid of any trace of humanity, as it snarled menacingly at Lily. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Lily realized that she was face to face with a manifestation of the darkness that lurked within the mansion—a creature born from the darkest depths of the nursery's abandoned past.

Realising she left her knife downstairs she quickly scanned the room for anything she could use as a weapon, but she couldn't find anything of use. The creature was stood between her and the door, she had to take it head on.

With a steadying breath, Lily focused her thoughts, channelling her fear and uncertainty into a single, decisive action. With a sudden burst of energy, she lunged towards the crib, grabbing hold of one of the soft blankets that lay within. As the creature lunged forward, its claws outstretched and its eyes filled with malice, Lily acted quickly, wrapping the blanket tightly around its twisted form, immobilizing it in a makeshift cocoon. She quickly ran out the door, slammed it shut behind her and hoped he creature wouldn't break free. "How could I be so stupid to forget the knife?" she said to herself. The bell tolled again, as it stopped echoing through the corridor she saw the nursery door disappear in front of her own eyes. "I guess that's the last I'll see of that creature" she said as she sat down for a brief moment to rest, looking at the door besides her, knowing this wasn't over yet. She took a moment to recover herself, to think about Emily's words, "was it truly her and did she really forgive me?" she thought to herself. In this mansion she couldn't be sure what was real and what wasn't, the only thing she could rely on was her own instincts. "If it was real then is her soul trapped in here?" The thought of her sisters soul being trapped here, tortured for years upset her, she started to cry again. The exhaustion set in but she forced herself to get up and face whatever was ahead. She would be free of this place.