THE REMEMBERING ONE

In the small town of Millfield, there was a house that stood abandoned and forgotten. It had once been a grand mansion, with towering columns and a sprawling garden, but now it was nothing more than a shell of its former self. The windows were boarded up, the paint was peeling, and the garden was overgrown with weeds.

For years, the people of Millfield had avoided the house, believing it to be cursed. They whispered stories of ghosts and ghouls that haunted the halls, and warned their children to stay away.

But there was one person who had never forgotten about the house. Her name was Emily, and she had grown up in Millfield, just a few streets away. As a child, she had been fascinated by the grand old mansion, and would often sneak over to peer through the gates and catch a glimpse of the garden.

As she grew older, her fascination turned to obsession. She spent countless hours researching the history of the house, pouring old maps and documents, and talking to anyone who might have information.

But despite her efforts, Emily could never quite piece together the story of the house. The more she learned, the more confused she became. There were rumors of a wealthy family who had lived there once, but no one seemed to know their names or what had become of them.

Undeterred, Emily continued to visit the house, sneaking in through a gap in the fence and exploring the overgrown garden. She would sit for hours, imagining what the house might have been like in its heyday, and trying to piece together the puzzle of its history.

But as the years went by, Emily's visits became less frequent. She had grown busy with work and family, and the old mansion had faded into the background of her life.

It wasn't until many years later, when Emily was well into her seventies, that she thought of the house again. She was walking through town one day, lost in thought, when she saw a group of men unloading boxes from a truck outside the old mansion.

Curious, she made her way over to investigate. As she got closer, she saw that the men were wearing suits and carrying clipboards, and that the boxes were filled with documents and files.

Emily couldn't resist the urge to ask what was going on. She approached the nearest man and introduced herself, asking if he could tell her what was happening.

The man looked at her skeptically, but Emily persisted. She explained her long-standing fascination with the house and her desire to learn more about its history.

To her surprise, the man's demeanor softened. He introduced himself as a lawyer, and explained that the house had been left vacant for many years after the death of its last occupant, a reclusive old man who had lived there alone.

"But now," he said, "we've been tasked with sorting through his belongings and getting the house ready for sale."

Emily's heart raced as the lawyer led her inside the house. It was dark and musty, with furniture covered in sheets and cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.

But as she looked around, Emily's eyes fell on a stack of boxes in the corner. The boxes were filled with papers, books, and photographs, and she knew that they held the key to unlocking the mystery of the house.

With the lawyer's permission, Emily began to sort through the boxes. She found old photographs of the family who had once lived in the house, as well as letters, diaries, and even a few old newspapers.

As she pored over the documents, Emily began to piece together the story of the house. She learned that it had once belonged to a wealthy family named the witch

Mortimers, who had made their fortune in shipping. The family had been the talk of the town, hosting lavish parties and living a life of luxury.

But as Emily dug deeper, she discovered a darker side to the Mortimers' story. She read about a family feud that had torn them apart, and about a son who had disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As she continued to read, Emily began to feel a strange presence in the house. It was as if someone was watching her, following her every move.

At first, she dismissed the feeling as her imagination running wild. But as she delved deeper into the history of the Mortimers, the feeling grew stronger.

One night, as Emily was sorting through the papers in the study, she heard a faint whisper. At first, she thought it was just the wind, but then she heard it again.

She looked around, but the room was empty. She was about to leave when she heard it again, louder this time. It was a voice, whispering her name.

Emily's heart raced as she realized that she was not alone in the house. She turned to leave, but the door was stuck fast. She pushed and pulled, but it wouldn't budge.

Panic set in as Emily realized that she was trapped. She screamed for help, but no one came. She was alone in the dark, with the whispers growing louder and more insistent.

As the night wore on, Emily began to feel as if she was losing her mind. The whispers turned into screams, and she could feel a presence closing in on her.

She was about to give up hope when she heard a sound outside the door. It was a key turning in the lock, and then the door creaked open.

Emily stumbled out into the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around, but there was no one there. She was alone in the empty house, with nothing but the sound of her own breathing to keep her company.