The dome atop the manor only added to its ominous aura.
Ana silently scolded herself—her friends' suspicions had been right all along. A five-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a backyard simply couldn't be that scandalously cheap.
She had been polite with the real estate agent; the house was undeniably spacious and comfortable. But now, stepping inside alone for the first time, she began to wonder why she needed five bedrooms and two bathrooms if she'd be living there by herself.
Perhaps the unrelenting stress of the past two years in her tiny downtown apartment had triggered a short circuit in her brain, pushing her to escape it all. She was sick of enduring her upstairs neighbor's loud parties, the barking and whining from the lady next door, and the endless wailing of the newborn across the hall. The discomfort had taken a toll on her work, editing texts for a publishing house.
She craved subtle solitude.
But renting a house in the city center was wildly out of reach for her modest salary. Maybe in a few years, if she climbed the corporate ladder, she'd earn enough to afford such luxuries. But she didn't have years left in her to endure that life. She decided to cut the problem at its root. By a twist of fate, a notification had buzzed on her phone—a real estate agency offering discounted rent on homes further from downtown.
Two days later, she stood at the location pinned on her screen, deeply hopeful to find a peaceful nest. She wasn't too concerned about the distance. For months now, she had been working almost entirely from home, with only the occasional trip to the office.
Rarely did she leave her apartment, really. Her lifestyle had never leaned into social outings. Her only desired interactions were with Sofía and Lara, her two closest friends—and Evangelina, her cat.
The house visits had been utterly disheartening. Though many places were cozy and beautiful, they were clearly beyond her budget.
Lost in thought, she couldn't help but recall her last conversation with her friends.
- You should've stayed with Javier- Sofía said before sipping her tea- He could've paid for any of those mansions.
That afternoon tea had been the perfect excuse to catch up.
- The only thing worse than those neighbors would be putting up with a man I don't love just so he pays my rent. Honestly, just dealing with a man would be punishment enough.
- So dramatic.
- I get it. I think I'd do the same -Lara added mid-bite of pie- If noisy neighbors already bother you, imagine someone living with you. Although...
- No 'although'. That's not up for discussion.
- So, are you not moving then?
- No. -Sofía answered for her- You just heard she can't afford it yet.
- Well... actually... -Ana had left out the last part of her agency visits- There's this big house a bit outside the city. It's priced reasonably...
Both friends widened their eyes in pleasant surprise.
- Great! So, you're going to move there?
- Yes. I already signed the papers—the move is in a couple of days. But don't worry, we'll still see each other every week. You can even visit me. The house has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garden...
Lara swallowed so abruptly she started coughing. When she recovered, she exclaimed:
- What!? And it's affordable!? The places you mentioned before had fewer rooms and none were under a thousand. How much is this one?
Ana mumbled a number, knowing that saying it out loud would prompt a barrage of questions she didn't want to answer. But Sofía only grew more curious.
- What? -she pressed.
Ana mumbled again.
- We really can't understand you.
- Five hundred dollars a month! -she finally blurted.
- Five hundred for a mansion!? -Lara yelled- That's the biggest scam I've heard all week, or all month. And I'm a lawyer.
- Hey, it's a reputable agency... -Ana tried to explain.
- Yeah, 'reputably' fraudulent. Show me the contract right now. -demanded Lara, putting on her glasses.
Ana handed her the paperwork she'd signed the day before and waited quietly as Lara reviewed every clause. She and Sofía exchanged a few words but neither dared disturb the silence Lara required to concentrate. After five minutes, her friend lowered the pages.
- Well, everything seems in order... Did you check that this address matches the one you visited?
- Yes. Just like you told me to.
- Wait, we have the address? -Sofía asked.
- Of course... -Lara replied, as if it were obvious.
- Then what are we waiting for? Let's look it up! -Sofía said excitedly.
Ana and Lara shrugged but said nothing. Lara, too, was curious to see the infamous manor. Ana, however, had hoped to avoid this moment because—
- Is this it? -Sofía asked, a hint of disgust in her voice.
She turned the laptop to Ana, who wasn't sure how to admit that the two-story house with dead oak trees, ankle-high grass, and some windows boarded up with planks was her new home.
- Yes... It doesn't look great in photos...
- No kidding. Maybe with Photoshop... -Lara said.
- More like with a miracle. -Sofía concluded.
- Oh, come on! It's what I could afford. -Ana said, offended.
- No. It's what you chose to pay. For that price, there are nice apartments downtown. Maybe not that much space, but surely no ghosts like this place.
- Don't be rude. -Lara chided- Ana's right, her job requires quiet she can't find here, and this is what she could manage financially. Maybe the price is just about the location.
- What's wrong with the location? -Ana asked- I know it's a bit far, but is it really that bad?
- It's in Villa Azul. -Sofía said, almost incredulous.
- And...?
- Wait, you seriously don't know what's up with Villa Azul? -Lara asked- I didn't mention it because I thought you knew.
- No, what is it? Don't scare me. Is it dangerous? Are there a lot of break-ins? The agency swore that never happens there.
- No. Not even thieves want to go there... -Sofía muttered, closing her browser tabs.
- Okay, now you're scaring me.
- People stopped building in Villa Azul after endless complaints from residents. You really didn't know? -Lara's concerned tone intensified. Ana's silence invited her to go on- Construction crews would inspect the mansions day and night. Locals reported strange noises, shadows, and weirdly cold rooms. Nothing was ever found. So developers simply stopped. No one wanted to buy.
A heavy silence fell. Sofía used her teacup as an excuse to delay speaking. She didn't want Ana to think she was just being critical. In truth, she still had nightmares about the stream in Villa Azul but was too embarrassed to admit it.
Lara wanted to close her eyes and mourn her friend's poor, or ignorant, choice. Her strong-willed nature resented Ana making such a big decision without consulting her. But none of that was necessary:
- Ha, ha, ha! -Ana burst out laughing- Are you serious? You can't be.
- What's so funny? -Sofía asked flatly.
- Villa Azul is just where those silly childhood stories came from. You're not telling me you actually believe them?
Another silence lingered. Sofía wanted to believe Ana's words, though she knew she wouldn't spend a night there even if someone paid her. Lara tried to sound encouraging—her friend seemed unfazed, after all. They'd just have to hope nothing strange happened. Still, her analytical mind couldn't let it go.
- I just think it's odd that so many people avoid buying or renting there. I mean, if nothing were going on, prices wouldn't be that low.
- Obviously people don't want to invest in places they think will be hard to resell because of rumors. But that's all they are rumors. Come on, you don't seriously think I'll be haunted.
- I think this conversation's getting a bit uncomfortable -Sofía interjected- Can we change the subject? -Her voice sounded desperate enough that they immediately obliged.
They barely spoke of it again. The conversation trudged forward, but Ana was already trapped in the nagging sense that maybe her friends had a point. They said goodbye, wishing her the best in this new phase. Ana was a little irritated.
"I'm moving an hour away, not to another country."
The day of the move arrived. She chose a taxi—she didn't want to stress her companion.
Evangelina, her elegant black cat and loyal partner, would be the only soul to share this new chapter. Ana trusted she'd love their new home. No more pacing three square meters or meowing at pigeons from the balcony. Now she could try to hunt them—at least Ana hoped so.
Outside the taxi window, the city gradually disappeared. First fewer buildings, more houses. Then fewer houses, more trees. Eventually, fewer trees, more hills and low mountains.
Villa Azul was nestled in the hills, among weeping willows and a winding stream threading through towering homes. The scenery was striking but exuded nothing but melancholy. It felt like time moved slower there.
She lowered the window. The scent was intoxicating—a mix of grass and wet earth, without the toxic fumes of city traffic. Closing her eyes felt like embracing a meditative escape. But this wasn't a retreat. This was her new home.
She stepped out of the taxi and faced the same scene from before: a towering, eerie manor that felt oppressive—even for someone as skeptical as her.
The driver barely said goodbye, disappearing quickly into the suburban maze. The engine's fading hum was the only sound between distant birdsong and rustling leaves.
Evangelina meowed and licked her paw, as calm as if they'd never left the apartment. Ana tried to mimic that calm—but failed.
She crossed the front gate timidly, sticking to the stone path. The grass was so neglected some shrubs reached half a meter.
There were neighbors, but the mansions were so vast they stood forty meters apart. Some prettier than others, but all added to the gloom shrouding the area.
She reached the front door, nearly frozen before the heavy oak barrier to her new life. The faint chill seeping through felt like her imagination.
She dug through her bag—deep down hoping not to find the key and return home. But there it was, gleaming atop her belongings. As if wanting to be found first. She swallowed hard, still believing she'd made the perfect deal.
Maybe it was best to wait for the moving truck. After all, there was no point going in with nowhere to sit. That's what she told herself, anyway—to avoid admitting she was scared to enter alone.
The real estate agent called. The truck would be delayed.
- All right, enough being scared. It's just a house... -she told Evangelina.
The cat looked up from the path, waiting for her to open the doors of their new mansion.
- I know it seems intimidating, but it's just an old house. -Ana continued, though she needed to hear it more than her cat did.
The key turned smoothly, and the knob gave way easily under her touch.
The door creaked open just enough for Ana to peek into the living room. Evangelina walked in calmly but confidently. Ana tried to pick her up—she needed her near—but the cat was already out of sight.
The smell of old house hit her like a wave—not unpleasant, just damp wood and aged books. The door slowly opened wider until it was fully ajar.
The house seemed ten times bigger than she remembered. In front, large glass doors led to an untamed backyard. To the right, a kitchen and dining area; to the left, elegant wooden stairs with marble accents ascended to the bedrooms.
At the center of the room sat an old but lovely armchair facing a fireplace and a grandfather clock that looked as antique as it was expensive.
Evangelina had already claimed the chair, as if waiting for Ana to light the fire. But something caught Ana's eye.
She squinted, approaching the glass doors—she thought she saw a strange figure.
The creaking of the parquet floor startled even Evangelina. Ana was so entranced by the humanoid shape she thought she saw by the pool that she forgot the chill from the open front door.
She got closer to the glass, but there was nothing. The figure had vanished. Still uneasy, she reached for the handle, determined to make sure it had all been in her mind.
Before she could touch it, a blaring sound made her jump and stifle a scream. Birds fled from the willows. Evangelina leapt from the chair, fur bristled, and in a flash was perched atop the grandfather clock.
A truck horn.
The movers had arrived.
END OF CHAPTER ONE