VD-1

Sela's world came to a sudden halt when the lawyer uttered the magical words of inheritance. The news of her newfound wealth was as unexpected as a lightning strike on a clear summer day. She had never met her grandmother, and her existence was nothing more than a whispered memory from her mother's tales.

Life had not been easy in a cramped and chaotic apartment where Sela used to live in. She was also struggling to make ends meet while navigating the challenges of university life. So the sudden news of her inheritance was a blessing that could not have come at a more opportune time. She would've never imagined that destiny had a surprise waiting for her in the form of a lavish Victorian house that now belonged to her.

The house was a labyrinth of rooms and corridors, each one filled with an air of mystery and intrigue. But despite its age, the house was still magnificent.

There were actually whispers among the townsfolk that the house was haunted. Some also warned her that the house was too expensive to maintain and that she would be better off selling it. But Sela couldn't bring herself to do so. She was drawn to the house, as if it held a magnetism that she couldn't resist.

As night fell, Sela settled into her new bedroom. The walls were painted a rich shade of purple that seemed to glow in the moonlight. She still couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, as if the house were alive and watching her every move. But even as her imagination ran wild, she wasn't scared at all. Because all that matters to her now was that she now had a house she can call her own.

Feeling the softness of the plush duvet wrap around her, Sela curled up in her bed. She looked around her bedroom again, taking in the details of the ornate furniture and the intricate patterns of the wallpaper. The room showcased the beauty and opulence of the Victorian era, and Sela was really grateful for the chance to experience it firsthand.

As she drifted off to sleep, a sense of calm washed over her.

But as the night progressed, a restlessness began to gnaw at her subconscious. Sela's brows furrowed, and her breathing became labored as she tossed and turned in her sleep.

All of a sudden, her eyes opened. But they were vacant, unseeing, as if she was possessed by some unseen force.

Sela's body lifted itself from the bed as though with a mind of its own and began to move with purpose. She walked in a trance, leaving her room and heading towards the underground chambers of the house. 

The chill of the night air crept in from the underground, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end, but Sela was oblivious to it all. She continued her slow march towards the unknown as her fingers traced the contours of the walls.

An old secret door, hidden in the shadows, beckoned to her like a siren's call. Without hesitation, she walked towards it, until she finally reached it.

Her hand found the latch, and soon it clicked open with an audible groan. Sela stepped through, and she was immediately engulfed in the inky blackness that surrounded her.

The stairs descended deeper and deeper underground. She had no light to guide her way, and yet she moved with the surety of one who knew the path by heart.

As she continued descending, the darkness pressed down on her. But Sela continued on, undeterred. It was as if a force beyond her control was drawing her towards some hidden truth, something that had been buried deep within the bowels of the house for centuries, waiting for her to uncover.

Finally, Sela's descent into the underground passage had led her to a dead end, to a small room that was shrouded in darkness. 

Again, without hesitation, she opened the door of the room and entered. 

In the center of the room, a large, mysterious object stood out over everything else. It was rectangular in shape, with ornate carvings adorning its surface.

A coffin.

Sela reached out her hand, but before she could make contact, she was suddenly jolted awake. Her opened eyes no longer had the unseeing expression, and shock took its place.

A deep sense of fear immediately consumed her as she realized where she was. She couldn't see anything. The silence that surrounded her was deafening, and she felt as if she were trapped in a world without light or sound.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The air was thick with an ominous energy, and Sela could feel her mind beginning to unravel due to the darkness.

She attempted to move, but it felt as though something heavy was pressing down on her limbs.

As Sela's fear threatened to overwhelm her, her hand fumbled around her neck until she found her small pendant necklace. 

With trembling fingers, she pressed the button, and soft, warm light bathed the room. The light gave her a sense of relief, and she felt her fear begin to dissipate a little. She was aware of her sleepwalking tendencies, as she had discovered herself waking up outside their house multiple times when she was a child and even when she was already eighteen. That's why she wasn't even freaking out anymore. And that was also the reason she was always wearing this little flashlight pendant.

This was still a shock for her, though, as it's been years since she last sleepwalked!

As she scanned the room with the aid of her tiny flashlight, her eyes fell upon something unexpected. A candelabra lay on the ground, its candles waiting to be lit. There was even a box of matches next to it. For a moment, Sela hesitated, unsure if she should light them or not. But then, the memory of the suffocating darkness that surrounded her made her decision for her. She wanted all the light she could get! But were these matches still working?

Sela curiously looked at it, and thankfully, though they're indeed antique matches, she somehow managed to ignite one after several tries.

With steady hands, she then lit each candle, one by one, until the room was awash in a soft, flickering glow. The shadows retreated to the corners of the room, and the space finally felt a little warmer. She felt like she could finally breathe normally again.

Sela had always been someone who loved reading mysteries and horror stories. She was fascinated by the unknown and the supernatural, and she had always dreamed of being in the middle of her own mystery. Now, as she stood in the middle of a dark, dusty room, she felt as if her dream had come true.

A thrill of excitement coursed through her veins as she looked around. The cobwebs covering the corners and the thick, musty scent of dust and age that filled the air made the room look like it had been untouched for centuries.

But there was something else in the room, something that made her skin prickle with unease.

Her brows creased at the sight of a large object in the center. She drew closer. Her heart began to race harder. Then she halted, her eyes stretching so wide with shock.

A coffin!

The fear and shock that rocked her from the inside out were so crazy that it took her a few moments to recover. Goosebumps were all over her skin now. And yet, running away wasn't in her mind at all!

Her eyes began to gleam with curiosity as she inspected the coffin. The casket was old and weathered. It was a masterpiece of intricate craftsmanship, ornately decorated with delicate carvings and adorned with jewels and gold. 

Sela stood before it, feeling a sense of wonder and trepidation wash over her. But the longer she stared, the coffin seemed to emanate something that made Sela feel a violent chill run down her spine.

And before she knew it, she was bravely touching the casket, ready to open it. She was surprised by her own calmness. She ought to be screaming and running out of the room by now! But instead, here she was, actually trying to open the mysterious coffin. Gosh, she had no idea she was actually this fearless!

Swallowing, she held her breath.

And the moment Sela pushed the lid of the casket open, her breath caught in her throat. Her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment.

Inside the coffin lay a man of striking beauty, his features sharp and chiseled, his hair a silvery white that seemed to shimmer in the flickering light of the candles. He looked like an ethereal male sleeping beauty, waiting for someone to wake him from his slumber.

Sela couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was as if she had stumbled upon a fairytale come to life, a surreal prince in his eternal rest. She was expecting a skeleton or a mummy, not an ethereal being!

For a few moments, she stood there, paralyzed. She didn't know what to do or how to react. She felt as if she were suddenly living in a dream, though she couldn't tell if it was a nightmare or a fairytale.

But as she stood there, just gazing upon his breath-taking face, something strange coursed through her veins. It was as if she knew him, on some deep and fundamental level, which was absolutely ridiculous.

Heart thudding hard, Sela reached out to touch him.

But then, she halted. Her hand was left hanging in midair. After a few more deep breaths, Sela reached out again, and this time, she didn't hesitate.

Gently, she brushed her fingers against his cheek. She snatched her hand back as if scalded. His skin was so cold to the touch, as though he were made of ice. There was one thought in her head—that the man was definitely a corpse—definitely the most beautiful corpse that ever existed.

Her heartbeat drummed in her ear, and she finally began to feel serious fear. However, her feet remained rooted to the ground. And her guts were now defying logic, telling her that the man looked alive in some otherworldly sense.

And as though lured by a magnetic force, Sela leaned in closer to see if the man was truly a corpse. As she stared at him, all the world around her seemed to suddenly fade into oblivion, leaving only the enigma of the beautiful man before her. She felt herself falling deeper into some hypnotic depths. But just as she was about to surrender herself completely to the spellbinding trance…

The man's eyes flickered open.