Chapter 4 - Descent into Despair

As Emily climbed the stairs, she felt a faint tremor beneath her feet, a sensation that made her heart pound all over again. She hesitated, standing at the top of the staircase, her hand resting on the door handle. The tremor grew stronger, shaking the walls and the floor until dust fell from the ceiling. The realization struck her like a blow to the chest. *It's back.* She turned and ran, her mind racing, but there was nowhere to go. A deafening crack filled the air as the house shuddered, the walls groaning under the strain. She stumbled, her balance faltering as the ground tilted beneath her. And then, with terrifying suddenness, the roof was torn away. She looked up, her heart hammering in her chest as she saw the giant's hand reaching down, its massive fingers curling around the walls of her house. She tried to move, to run, but her legs wouldn't respond. She was paralyzed, frozen in place as the giant lifted the house from its foundation, pulling her into the sky. The world tilted, the walls creaking under the pressure as she clung to the floor, her fingers digging into the wood. She felt the air grow colder as the giant raised her higher and higher, her entire world reduced to a single, terrifying perspective. And then, with a slow, merciless movement, the giant's fingers tightened. She felt the walls buckle around her, the crushing force squeezing the air from her lungs as the house splintered, crumbling in its grip. Her vision blurred, her body wracked with pain as the weight pressed down on her, a final, unrelenting force that left her gasping for breath. And then… nothing. --- Emily jerked awake, her body drenched in sweat, her heart racing. She was back in her room, the familiar walls surrounding her in the dim morning light. But the feeling of pressure, the pain, the terror—it lingered, a haunting reminder of the nightmare she couldn't escape. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to calm her breathing, to reassure herself that she was safe. But the shadows in the corners of her room seemed darker, deeper, and she knew, deep down, that her ordeal was far from over.