Chapter 3 - Dragged AwayBefore Lily could lift the mallet for a third strike, heavy, frantic footsteps rushed across the stone floor of the greenhouse. Her mother, Sarah, sprinted over with a pale, twisted expression of pure panic, grabbing Lily violently by the shoulders and jerking her backward away from the hatch with uncharacteristic, aggressive force.
"What do you think you're doing?! Let go of that right now, Lily, leave it alone!" Sarah screamed, her voice trembling with an edge of absolute hysteria that far exceeded the boundaries of a normal parent's reaction to playing with garden tools. Sarah dragged Lily several feet backward across the floor, her wide eyes darting nervously toward the locked cellar doors as if a dangerous, rabid beast were about to break free from the depths below. Lily stumbled, her small hands scraping against the floor, completely bewildered by the sudden outburst. Her mother’s chest heaved up and down, and cold sweat was visible on her forehead, revealing a level of terror that convinced Lily more than ever that something vital and terrifying was concealed beneath those wooden panels.
May you like
Related Stories
