Rain battered the old manor. Footsteps echoed in empty hallways. A clock chimed, startling the silence. Gloved hands gripped a silver candlestick. Lightning revealed shadows on wallpaper. A window creaked open, unseen. Blood pooled beneath the velvet drapes. Footprints tracked crimson down the corridor. A scream shattered the brittle hush. Someone whispered, "It’s too late."