Simon entered the mansion again.
His breath fogged in the icy air.
He climbed the stairs quietly.
His flashlight wouldn't turn on.
Then he heard it —
a humming voice from the balcony room.
He moved toward it.
From outside the doorway, he saw someone sitting at the clean table — reading.
A dim, warm glow filled the room.
A small, flickering lamp lit her face.
Her fragrance floated through the air — soft and sweet.
He didn't even realise when he walked up to the door.
He tapped twice.
The humming stopped.
She turned.
"Who are you?"
Simon had never seen such a breathtaking woman —
her pale skin, deep eyes, long dark hair, soft glow —
like an angel.
"What happened? Why don't you speak?" she asked softly.
"N-no… I thought maybe a thief broke in…" he stammered.
"Oh no, no thief would come here. Please… step inside."
Simon entered.
He sat on the edge of the bed.
She sat back in her chair.
"You live here? But I've never seen you," Simon asked.
Calmly she replied,
"I never go outside. I stay only in this room."
On the table lay an open diary — musical notes.
"You sing?"
"Yes… I sing to pass the time. I'm alone."
She began humming…
"Ave Maria…"
Her angelic voice filled the room.
But slowly, the tone grew strange…
colder…
darker…
as if something ancient and haunting lived inside the melody.
Her face changed.
Her eyes froze.
Her smile twisted unnaturally.
Simon's hands trembled.
She stopped singing.
"How was my song?" she asked.
Simon's breath caught —
because she was no longer a beautiful woman.
Her skin was melting.
Half her face was burned.
One eye missing.
No lips.
No nose.
A horrifying charred figure.
Her voice thundered:
"I burn every night…
I burn because of you people…
I lost everything…"
Her tone turned tragic:
"What was my sin?
I only loved someone…"
Her voice cracked with sorrow.
"They beat him to death…
He begged…
No one listened…
His parents killed themselves…
As I burned…
Tonight YOU will burn.
Everyone who enters… will burn."
Her laughter shook the whole mansion.
The glass lantern fell and shattered.
Flames spread rapidly.
It was 3:00 AM.
The boys outside had already fled in terror.