Chapter 5: Pact of Shadows

Lily listened attentively as the oldest resident of Crestmont, Mrs. Jenkins, shared her recollections. Her frail voice trembled as she spoke of a time long ago, when the curse took hold and the town was consumed by fear. "There was a family," Mrs. Jenkins began, her voice filled with a mix of reverence and unease. "The Harrisons. They were powerful, influential, but they harbored a secret. A secret that would unleash a curse upon Crestmont that would haunt us for centuries."

Lily leaned closer, her eyes wide with curiosity. "What secret, Mrs. Jenkins? What could have caused such devastation?"

Mrs. Jenkins paused, her gaze distant as she delved into memories buried deep within. "The Harrisons, you see, made a pact with a malevolent entity. An entity that promised them wealth and power beyond imagination. But in return, they had to sacrifice their own flesh and blood, their firstborn child."

A chill ran down Lily's spine as she absorbed the weight of Mrs. Jenkins' words. The sacrifice of a child—a truly heinous act that defied all notions of humanity. The curse that befell Crestmont was born from this unspeakable pact, a curse that would forever haunt the Harrison bloodline.