the house is freezing (10)

She slams it shut and locks it, her hands trembling so badly she can barely manage the key. The house is silent again. The air is still freezing, but the whispers are gone.

Ellie stumbles to the front door, yanking it open and stepping out into the night. She doesn’t stop running until she’s back in her car, the engine roaring to life as she peels out of the driveway. She doesn’t look back. She doesn’t need to.

She knows the house is still there, waiting. The key burns in her pocket like a brand. She doesn’t know why it was sent to her, or what the house wants, but she knows one thing for certain: She’s never going back.