Chapter 401
Chapter 401:
Brenden was completely puzzled. “How could that be possible? Gabriela is p>
Before he could finish explaining, the light fixture above Fiona flickered erratically, went out, then surged back to life several seconds later.
The sudden electrical disturbance sent Fiona’s nerves into panic. She looked up and saw Gabriela standing close by, looking at her with clear displeasure.
“Ms. Dewitt? What are you doing here? Where did Brenden go p>
Gabriela’s dark hair fell over her shoulders. Her complexion was ghostly pale, and she wore a pristine white dress with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, exposing arms so drained of color they looked almost translucent.
Several seconds passed before Fiona could even react. Her eyes widened in raw terror.
She dropped her phone and collapsed backward onto the sofa. The massive flat-screen television across from her suddenly switched on by itself. On the screen, a ghostly pale woman in flowing white robes emerged from a wardrobe, her vacant, lifeless eyes holding a sinister glint.
At that exact moment, the landline phone in the living room started ringing insistently.
Fiona let out a sharp scream, then immediately slapped a hand over her mouth, shaking in panic.
Gabriela glanced at her with confusion, but decided not to bother with whatever was wrong with her. She moved to answer the phone.
𝘙𝗲𝗮𝖽 t𝗁𝖾 𝘭а𝘁𝗲𝗌𝘁 𝘵reո𝘥𝗌 𝗼n
She had forgotten to put on shoes, and after being thrown from the car earlier, her knee was slightly injured, giving her steps an uneven, limping quality.
The room settled into an eerie atmosphere, broken only by the steady ticking of the oversized wall clock and the chilling soundtrack of screams and distorted dialogue coming from the horror movie playing on the TV.
Fiona’s hair felt like it was standing on end. She honestly feared her heart might stop.
Gabriela lifted the receiver to her ear.
Brenden’s voice came through the line, explaining Fiona’s unexpected arrival and the ongoing electrical problems in the house.
Gabriela answered simply, “Understood p>
She set the receiver down and walked toward Fiona, who was still clutching the book and scarf tightly against her chest. Gabriela held out her hand.
“Return my belongings to me p>
Without warning, the room was swallowed by darkness.
When the lights flickered back on a few seconds later, the television exploded with horrifying music at maximum volume, flooding the room with a suffocating, menacing atmosphere.
Fiona finally broke.
She threw the book and scarf aside and bolted toward the staircase in a blind panic. Halfway up, she lost her footing and fell, tumbling hard back down the steps.
Gabriela picked up the book and scarf from the floor, her expression darkening with displeasure. She moved toward Fiona, intending to help her.
But Fiona had already descended into full hysteria. She screamed, wild and desperate, “Stay away from me! Don’t come any closer p>
Right then, the lights went out again.
Unfamiliar with the layout of the house, Gabriela stumbled over something in the dark and crashed to the floor.
When the lights returned, Fiona saw Gabriela slowly pushing herself up from the hardwood, her long hair hanging forward in a tangled mess that completely obscured her face.
The sight mirrored the horror scene on the television. On the massive screen, that same pale woman in white was crawling forward with stiff, unnatural movements.
That was the last straw for Fiona.
She screamed with everything she had. “Oh God, please save me p>
Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed, completely unconscious.
Still trying to steady herself, Gabriela looked at Fiona’s motionless body stretched out on the floor and could only stare in confusion. Had Fiona completely lost her mind? Otherwise, why had she been screaming like that?
With a tired sigh, Gabriela reached for the landline and dialed the emergency number.