A biting chill swept in from the night, sending shivers down her spine as the cold air grazed her skin like icy fingers. Zeynep hesitated for a moment on the threshold, sensing the oppressive weight of the shadowy night enveloping her, before finally stepping out into the unknown.
But then, a sharp CREEEEEAK echoed from the aging floorboard beneath her feet, shattering the stillness and giving away her presence.
She froze in place, her heart thundering in her chest, hardly daring to let air escape her lungs. Straining her ears, she listened intently for any hint of movement behind her. Only an unsettling silence remained. No footsteps approaching, no heavy breaths echoing in the night—just that unnerving stillness hanging thick in the air.
