Chapter 1
Do you know why you’re not supposed to leave the house on New Year’s Eve?
Here the reason:
I went home to spend New Year’s Eve with my parents.
But around dinner time, I heard the sound of someone chopping meat upstairs.
It didn’t stop.
Not even after midnight.
Annoyed, I was about to go upstairs and tell them off–but my mom grabbed my arm, her face pale and strange.
Her fingers were ice–cold, trembling as she whispered.
“Don’t go up there… honey, we live on the top floor.”
“Mom, what are you talking about? We live on the fifth floor, not the top one!”
She avoided my eyes.
“You’ve been overseas too long, sweetie.”
“You don’t even remember which floor our apartment’s on anymore.”
Confused, I turned to my dad for help.
“Dad, tell her! We have neighbors upstairs, right?”
“I remember them–a retired couple! They used to give me candy when I was a kid!”
My dad just took a slow sip of his tea and kept reading his paper, not saying a word.
He’s always been distant like that. I was used to it.
But I knew I wasn’t imagining things.
I went to open the door, ready to go up and check, when my mom rushed over and slammed it shut.
The sound echoed down the hallway–BANG!
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Chapter 1
“Don’t you dare! It’s New Year’s Eve–don’t make me smack that attitude out of you!”
Her voice had that sharp edge that made my stomach drop.
I even rubbed my backside instinctively, those childhood memories of her discipline still stung.
So instead, I went to the window and started counting the floors on the next building.
“One, two, three, four, five, six…”
I frowned.
“See? Every building in the complex has six floors! We should have an upstairs neighbor.”
The moment I said that, the chopping sound grew louder–heavier–so loud the ceiling started to tremble.
Thud… thud–thud–thud–thud!
It was two in the morning. My heart was pounding in rhythm with every blow.
I couldn’t take it anymore–I threw open the door, ready to storm upstairs.
But my mom’s face suddenly twisted in horror.
She grabbed me with both hands, holding on with a grip that felt inhumanly strong.
Her voice came out rough and hollow, like it crawled up from the basement.
“Don’t. Go. Up.”
I froze.
When I turned back, her tone and face had changed–soft, calm, almost sweet.
But something about her was off.
Her face didn’t look quite right. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but my skin crawled.
“Mom… your face looks kind of weird.”
She laughed it off.
“Oh, honey, you’ve been gone so long, maybe you just forgot what I look like.”
“I’m just getting older, that’s all. Hey–how about I heat up that pork and veggie pie I made you?”
I hadn’t had a real home–cooked meal in months, so the mention of food distracted me right away.
I hadn’t had a real home-
Chapter 1
“Yeah, sure! That sounds amazing.”
The smell hit first–savory and rich.
I dug in without hesitation, stuffing down one hot bite after another until my stomach was full and warm.
I let out a satisfied burp, leaning back in my chair and that’s when I saw it.
From the kitchen ceiling, something dark red was dripping.
It wasn’t sauce.
It was blood.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
