"Mom, there's something in the house. At night, it whispers. and there's a shadow. I don't think it's just a dream.
Her mother smiled gently, brushing her hair from her face. "Sweetheart, there's nothing to be afraid of. It's just your imagination. You've been having nightmares. That's all."
But Mia was not so sure. The whispers that night were stronger than ever before. She couldn't sleep. Sometime, she awoke and decided to uncover the truth. She went to the toy chest, which now appeared to be filled with an ominous power.
When she opened it, rather than the typical soft toys, a dark, hidden compartment at the bottom had been discovered. Her fear was overcome by curiosity, and she reached in, opening the false bottom of the chest. An old, dusty key was inside.
It appeared to be a key to something significant, but Mia did not have a clue what. The whispers ceased instantly. She glanced around, as if the house were fully quiet.
Mia was unaware that the key had opened something much worse than her nightmares.