The House of Hidden Meanings

Elena Caldwell felt as though she were being choked by the dense, almost tangible darkness in her room. Shrouded in shadow, her bed was a refuge she sorely needed, but this evening, she was caught up in a disturbing nightmare.

In her dream, Elena was standing in a large, dilapidated hallway illuminated by an odd blue light. Every breath she took felt heavy with the weight of ages because the air was thick with dust.

The wallpaper, which was peeling and cracked, gave the walls the appearance of whispering ancient secrets. Her eyes strayed to a woman at the end of the hallway. The woman wore a white gown that was tattered and stained with blood. Her once vivid green eyes had become angry and immersed hopeless.

The dream cracked apart as the woman raised her hand to speak, her mouth moving in silent agony. With the woman's voice lost in the overwhelming darkness, the ethereal scene broke apart like glass.

Elena awoke abruptly, just as the spectral figure appeared to be about to divulge a vital secret.

She was almost thrown out of bed by the frantic drumbeat of her beating heart. Breathing heavily and attempting to get rid of the residual fear that accompanied her from the dream, she broke out in a cold sweat.

Her dreams seemed to be followed by emptiness, which was accentuated by the long shadows created by the streetlamp's dim light outside.

A sharp, insistent buzz interrupted the silence. Elena's phone, resting on the nightstand, vibrated violently. She reached for it, fingers trembling as she looked at the screen. "Unknown Caller" appeared in stark contrast to the darkness of her room. She sighed in frustration as she answered the phone.

"Hello?" Her voice was hoarse from sleep, and she braced herself for the unavoidable prank or incorrect number.

A crackling pause followed, and a low, urgent voice emerged from the static.

"Ms. Caldwell?" "Elena Caldwell?"

"Yes, speaking. "Who is this?"