The morning air felt strange.
Not because of the cold, but because of the silence—an eerie stillness, as if the world itself was reluctant to awaken the secret that had been whispered into the night.
Amelia stirred, her head heavy, her chest tight—like waking from a nightmare that refused to loosen its grip. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the curtains, but it felt dimmed, dulled by the gray clouds sagging low in the sky.
She sat up slowly. The floor beneath her feet was cold, biting.
Last night... did that really happen?
Her eyes scanned the room. No shattered glass. No trail of blood. No corpse of a monstrous being. Even the window—once flung open—was now sealed shut, locked perfectly.
As if… nothing had ever happened.
A hurried sound of footsteps outside her room made her rise. She opened the door and rushed downstairs.
There in the living room, her mother was arranging a vase of fresh flowers. Her expression was calm, serene, as if last night had passed without incident. Her father sat on the sofa, engrossed in the newspaper, and looked up with a smile.
"Good morning, darling," Margaret greeted her gently.
Amelia stood still. Her throat felt dry.
They... don't remember?
"Are you two... are you okay after last night?"
Her parents exchanged a glance. Margaret's smile turned a shade puzzled.
"We're fine, Amelia. Why do you ask?"
"No... it's nothing," she said quickly, trying to quiet the storm rising in her chest.
What happened? Why don't they remember anything?
"Do you want something, dear?"
Amelia shook her head. Everything felt surreal—like a dream bleeding into daylight, leaving behind questions she couldn't yet answer.
Griffon.
The name echoed in her mind. The stranger who had saved her. Who had killed without hesitation... yet spared her. He knew something—something important about what was happening.
And... vampires.
Amelia bit her lower lip.
She wasn't the kind of girl who easily believed in spooky stories. But those eyes... the sharp teeth... the blood... the chilling touch on her skin—it had all been too real to be just a nightmare.
She returned to her room and closed the door behind her.
Opening the window, the morning breeze brushed against her face.
But then—there, hidden in the shrubs below the backyard—she saw something.
A trail.
Footprints. But not human. Longer, sharper... clawed.
She swallowed hard.
The world she knew was shifting. And it all began with this quiet little town that harbored secrets. A place where silence meant more than solitude. Where night didn't just bring darkness. And Griffon... who was he, truly?
The old castle. Griffon's mysterious existence. The vampires.
She needed answers.
Amelia descended the stairs once more and found her mother preparing breakfast in the kitchen. As if nothing had ever happened, neither of them mentioned the horrors of the night before.
"Would you like something to eat, Amelia?"
"No... I just wanted to ask. When you woke up this morning, where were you?"
"In our room, of course. Why do you ask something like that?" her mother replied with a hint of confusion.
Their room?
How? Amelia had seen them lying unconscious by the door. Who moved them? And what happened to the gun her father had brought?
"Mom, didn't you feel something strange?" she asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
"Strange? What do you mean, Amelia?" Margaret paused, her gaze soft but uncertain.
"Something odd. Like a nightmare. Didn't you and Dad feel it too?"
"I'm not sure... I suppose there was something unsettling," her mother admitted. "But maybe it's just this place. It is a little eerie. Don't worry, we'll be leaving soon."
"That's not what I meant, Mom." Amelia pulled out a chair and sat down, lost in thought.
Ever since her grandmother's death… ever since she had sneaked into the old castle… everything had changed.
What secrets were buried in this town?
"Mom, is there a library in this town?"
Maybe she could find something—something to help her uncover the truth.
"Ask your father. He knows more about this place than I do."
"Okay, Mom."
The chair scraped softly as she stood. Amelia went to find her father, who was still reading the newspaper in the living room.
Whatever he was reading, it wasn't good news. His expression was grim.
"Damn it... looks like we're having a blackout tonight," he muttered under his breath, clearly uneasy.
"A blackout? How?"
"A large tree fell near the main substation. They'll have to shut down the power to remove it."
"Oh no." Amelia's face paled.
What if that vampire from the forest returned tonight?
"For tonight, we'll all sleep together. Stay close, and don't go anywhere alone," Philip warned, flipping the page. "Another body was found. A couple, actually."
That vampire from last night—it was real. Even if her parents had forgotten, the signs were repeating. And it was getting worse.
"What's going on in this town, Dad? Why does it feel cursed?"
"Watch your mouth!" he snapped. "If anyone hears you talking like that, they'll run us out. And with the road in and out of town destroyed, we'll have nowhere to go but the forest. You don't want that, Amelia. That's where people disappear."
"I'm sorry. It's just… all of this is so confusing."
Amelia hugged her knees. Was this place truly cursed?
"Dad... is there a library in this town?"
"Why do you ask?" Philip looked at her, concern flashing in his eyes.
"I'm just bored. I thought I could borrow a book or two for tonight."
"There's an old library in the center of town. If you want to go, take your mother. But don't go after dark."
"Alright. I'll take Mom and go now—before the power goes out."
She didn't want to delay.
She had to uncover what the townspeople were hiding. She needed to know what had really happened here—and why no one was allowed near the old castle.
Griffon. The vampires. The darkness that clung to this place.
She had to find the truth.