Forbidden dawn

Chapter 1

The rhythmic thump of unpacking boxes echoed in the empty silence of my room. Clothes tumbled out, landing on the floral bedspread with a sigh. This room, like the entire house, held a strange sense of timelessness, as if frozen in a bygone era. The view from the balcony, however, was a stark contrast.

Pushing open the flimsy glass doors, I stepped out onto the tiny balcony. A cool breeze, carrying the scent of damp earth and something faintly floral, washed over me. It was a welcome relief from the dusty confines of the house. Below, the town stretched out like a faded photograph, the houses merging into a sea of muted grays. But nestled amidst them, a ribbon of emerald green snaked through the town center - a small park, perhaps. Despite the somber color scheme, there was a strange peacefulness to the scene, a stillness that calmed the churning anxieties within me.

A soft rapping on the door made me jump. "Dinner's ready, Eloise," Claire's voice called out.

"Coming!" I replied, taking one last look at the twilight scene before heading back inside.

The dining room was bathed in a warm glow from the hanging chandelier. Claire sat at the head of the table, her smile widening as I entered. Next to her sat Dad, his face etched with a nervousness that mirrored my own. Across from them, a small figure hunched over a plate, his back to me. He was a boy, probably around eight or nine, with a shock of white hair that seemed almost luminous in the warm light.

"Eloise, this is Leo," Claire said, gesturing towards the boy. "Say hello to your brother."

Brother. The word hung in the air, unfamiliar and strangely comforting. I offered the boy a tentative smile. He looked up slowly, revealing a pair of startlingly blue eyes that seemed to hold a wisdom far beyond his years. A hesitant smile stretched across his freckled face.

"Hi," he mumbled, poking a piece of broccoli with his fork.

The atmosphere around the table was stiff, punctuated by the clinking of silverware and the occasional murmur. Claire, ever the hostess, tried her best to fill the silences with stories about life in Forbidden Dawn. She spoke about the annual harvest festival, the quirky old librarian who knew everyone's secrets, and the baker who made the most delicious cinnamon rolls this side of anywhere.

"And of course," she said, her voice dropping a decibel, "there's Adrian. My son from… a previous relationship." She glanced apologetically at Dad, who offered a strained smile in return. I noticed a faint crease appear between her brows as she spoke Adrian's name, a fleeting shadow dimming the warmth in her eyes.

"He doesn't… he doesn't really like to socialize," she continued, her voice hesitant. My curiosity about this enigmatic half-brother piqued. Why wouldn't he want to join us for dinner?

"Why not?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Claire's smile faltered. "He, uh… He prefers his own company most of the time," she said, the answer sounding more like an excuse than an explanation. A strange prickling sensation crawled up my spine. There was something more to Adrian than just a social awkwardness, and I was determined to find out what it was.

The rest of the meal passed in a flurry of nervous small talk and unanswered questions. Leo, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the tension. He devoured his food with a quiet enthusiasm, occasionally offering me a shy smile or a single-word comment. Dad, bless his heart, tried to engage me in conversation about my old school, but his gaze kept darting nervously towards the forbidden door at the end of the hallway.

As soon as we were finished, Claire ushered Leo upstairs, leaving Dad and me alone. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"So," he began, running a hand through his already ruffled hair. "This is… different, isn't it?"

"A bit," I admitted, forcing a smile.

"Forbidden Dawn is a… unique place," he said with a sigh. "It takes some getting used to."

"What about Adrian?" I finally blurted out. Dad's smile faltered.

"He…" he started, then stopped. "He keeps to himself, mostly. Claire and I… we try to respect his privacy."

Privacy. It felt like a loaded word, a flimsy cloak draped over a deeper truth.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked, catching Dad by surprise.

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and hope. "Because you deserve to know your family," he said softly. "And… because you might be the one who can help us."

Help them? Help with what? A million questions swarmed my mind, but before I could voice any of them, a bone-chilling shriek echoed through the house. It started low, almost like a moan, and then rose to a crescendo of pure terror. My heart hammered against my ribs as I whipped my head towards the source of the sound.

"That's…" Dad started, his face turning pale.

"Adrian's room!" I finished the sentence, a jolt of fear electrifying my body.

Without a second thought, I was already on my feet, racing towards the forbidden door.

My hand trembled as I reached for the forbidden door. The scream had been horrifying, a primal sound ripped from a place of raw fear. Curiosity battled with a rising tide of apprehension. Who could make such a sound? And what was going on behind that locked door?

"Eloise, wait!" Dad's voice was strained, laced with urgency. But I was already there, my fingers brushing against the cold metal knob.

"Don't!" Claire's voice rang out, sharp and laced with panic. She materialized beside me in a blur of movement, her hand clamped over mine. Her grip was surprisingly strong, the desperation in her eyes mirroring my own fear.

"He's just having a nightmare," she said, her voice breathless. "He gets them sometimes. It's nothing to worry about."

Her words felt hollow, a flimsy attempt to shield me from something darker. The memory of her earlier unease flashed through my mind. The way her smile faltered when she spoke of Adrian, the unspoken worry etched on her face. Nightmare? Maybe. But it felt like more.

"Are you sure?" I whispered, my gaze locked on the unyielding wood of the door.

Claire hesitated, her eyes searching mine. Finally, she sighed, a wave of defeat washing over her features.

"Look, Eloise," she began, her voice low and serious. "There are things about Adrian… things you don't understand yet. Things it's not safe for you to know. Trust me, it's better for everyone if you stay away from his room."

Her words, meant to be reassuring, only fueled my curiosity further. What secrets did this room hold? Why was Adrian kept isolated, shrouded in an aura of fear and mystery?

"But what about the scream?" I pressed, my voice barely a squeak. "It sounded awful."

Claire's eyes flickered with a flicker of something I couldn't place, perhaps sadness, perhaps fear. "He… he has trouble sleeping sometimes. It's nothing more than that."

A tense silence stretched between us. My hand still rested on the cool doorknob, a silent question hanging in the air. Dad cleared his throat awkwardly, breaking the spell.

"Why don't you go back to your room, Eloise?" he suggested. "Maybe unpack some more. We can talk about this later, when things have calmed down."

There was a defeated note in his voice, a man caught between a daughter's curiosity and the fear of what might be unleashed if that curiosity went unchecked. I glanced back at the forbidden door, the silence emanating from behind it more unsettling than the scream itself. With a heavy heart, I relented.

"Alright," I mumbled, reluctantly releasing my grip on the doorknob. "But I want answers. And soon."

Claire offered me a strained smile. "We'll talk, I promise," she said. But her voice lacked the conviction of her words.

As I turned and retreated towards my room, a strange chill crept down my spine. The silence within the house felt heavier than before, a suffocating weight. The forbidden door loomed large in my mind, its secrets beckoning with an irresistible force. I knew, with a certainty that chilled me to the core, that this was only the beginning. The mystery of Adrian, and the secrets of Forbidden Dawn, had just begun to unfold.