The heavy wood of the wardrobe had left scuff marks on the pristine marble floor, but neither of us cared about property damage anymore. The sight of that spiderweb crack pattern sent a cold chill straight down my spine.
Marcus: Look at the center of the cracks, Elena. The impact didn't come from our side of the room. Something hit this wall from the inside.
Elena: From the inside? That is impossible, Marcus. There is nothing behind this wall except the exterior brickwork of the hallway or the guest bathroom. Right?
Marcus: That is what the blueprint from the real estate agent showed us. But blueprints can be altered, can't they?
Elena: You think the previous owners hid something? Like a safe or illegal storage?
Marcus: Safe? Safes do not crack plaster like a fist or a hammer from within. This looks like structural damage, or worse.
Lily whimpered, hiding her face in Elena's skirt as the tense atmosphere in the living room grew suffocating. The bright natural daylight streaming through the tall windows suddenly felt cold and blinding.
Elena: Lily, baby, it is okay. Daddy is just inspecting the house.
Lily: No, Mommy! They are making noise! They are scratching!
Marcus: What did she just say?
Elena: She said they are scratching, Marcus! Did you hear that?
Marcus pressed his ear against the cold, cracked white plaster. For a long, agonizing second, there was only dead silence. Then, a faint, rhythmic scraping sound echoed from deep within the void behind the wall.
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