chapter 113

Emily's Nightmare

Emily tossed and turned in her bed, the sheets tangled around her legs as she struggled to find peace. Sleep had become a rare refuge, constantly interrupted by the weight of grief and guilt that had been her constant companions since Austin’s death. Tonight was no different.

She finally drifted off, her breathing slowing as her body surrendered to exhaustion. But instead of the darkness of sleep, Emily found herself standing in a familiar place—the old park near her childhood home. The swings creaked in the distance, the rusty chains swaying back and forth in the breeze. The air was thick with a fog that clung to her skin, cold and damp.

Emily felt a shiver run down her spine. Something was wrong. She had been here before, but this place, once filled with the laughter and joy of her brothers and her, now felt twisted and ominous. The colors were all muted, washed out like a faded photograph, and the shadows seemed to stretch out unnaturally long.

She turned in plac