Sarah watched as James made his way to the back of the store. She had a bad feeling about him, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow connected to the strange occurrences in the town.
As the day wore on, the strange energy in the bookstore grew stronger. Sarah felt like she was suffocating, and she couldn't wait to leave.
When she finally got back to her room, she collapsed onto the bed and tried to calm her racing thoughts. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
That night, she had a nightmare. She dreamt that she was walking down the street, and every person she passed had a blank stare and a gaping wound on their chest. When she woke up, she was covered in sweat, and her heart was pounding.
She decided to take a walk to clear her head. As she walked, she saw something that made her blood run cold. In the distance, she saw a large, abandoned mansion.
It was a sprawling old building, with ivy growing up the sides and broken windows. It looked like it had been abandoned for years.
As she approached the mansion, she heard strange noises coming from inside. It sounded like footsteps and whispers, but there was no one around.
Sarah hesitated for a moment, then decided to investigate. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The interior of the mansion was even more eerie than the exterior. The walls were covered in peeling wallpaper, and there were cobwebs in every corner.
As she made her way through the mansion, she heard strange whispers and saw shadows moving in the corners of her eye. She tried to tell herself it was just her imagination, but the feeling of being watched was too strong.
Finally, she came to a room at the end of the hall. The door was slightly ajar, and she could hear someone breathing inside.
Sarah pushed open the door and gasped in horror. Inside, she saw a figure lying on a bed, covered in blood. The walls were splattered with the same red substance, and the room was filled with a sickly sweet scent.
Sarah stumbled back, her heart racing. She knew she had to get out of there and call the police.
As she turned to leave, she heard a voice behind her.
"You shouldn't have come here," the voice said, and Sarah felt a cold hand on her shoulder.
She turned around and saw James standing there, his green eyes glittering in the dim light.
"What have you done?" Sarah whispered, her voice shaking.
James just smiled. "I haven't done anything, Sarah. It's the mansion. It's cursed."
Sarah didn't believe him. She knew he was lying, but she was too terrified to argue.
She ran out of the mansion and back to her room. She locked the door behind her and collapsed onto the bed, her heart racing.
The next morning, she went to the police station and reported what she had seen. They promised to investigate, but Sarah knew they wouldn't find anything.
As she walked back to the bookstore, she couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen.
When she arrived at the store, the man behind the counter was nowhere to be seen. She searched the store, but he was gone.
Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her.
"Sarah," the voice said, and she turned around to see James standing there.
"What do you want?" Sarah asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"I want to help you," James said, his voice softening. "I know what's going on in this town, and I can protect you."
Sarah didn't believe him, but she didn't know