Her Father Said That The Barn Was Off Limits—But What She Finds Inside After Inheritance Changed Everything

Claire coughed as dust rose in thick curls. The hinges resisted, metal rasping against wood, but eventually the door gave way and folded back to reveal a narrow staircase. Wooden. Uneven. Fading into darkness. Claire clicked on her flashlight and aimed it down.

The beam illuminated old steps—some bowed, some cracked—leading into what looked like a cellar, maybe ten or twelve feet down. The air rising from below smelled stale and damp, like wet stone and mildew. She hesitated. But then she descended.