Thunder rumbled through empty halls as midnight’s clock struck swiftly. A solitary candle flickered, casting twisted shadows across dusty portraits. Footsteps echoed ominously behind closed doors, betraying unseen presence lurking. Bloodstains glistened upon the velvet curtains by the cold window. Detective Marlowe arrived silently, assessing chaos with calculating, steady gaze. A chilling scream shattered the midnight stillness, promising secrets revealed.