Lurking Shadows: Alps Edition

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setting:

The story takes place in the secluded Snowfall Lodge, a historic hotel nestled in the heart of the Alps. The hotel is known for its picturesque views and is accessible only by a winding mountain road.

main characters:

• Chaeyoung Park (you) - a crime reporter with a keen eye for detail, who's pen name is Roseanne.

• Jennie Kim - the owner of the Snowfall Lodge, a woman with a mysterious past.

•Im Nayeon - a reclusive artist seeking solace in the mountains.

• Matthew Kim - the local law enforcement officer, skeptical of outsiders.

chapter 2: Echoes of the Unseen.

The cold mountain air seemed sharper today, cutting through the thick windows of Snowfall Lodge as Roseanne Park sat by the fireplace, studying the clues. The lodge, blanketed by snow and trapped in the throes of an incoming storm, had taken on an almost spectral atmosphere. Silence filled the grand halls, yet Roseanne could feel an undercurrent of unease, a weight of untold stories pressing against the very fabric of the building.

Jennie Kim, the lodge’s owner, stood nearby, watching Roseanne intently as she flipped through Im Nayeon’s sketchbook, the only piece of her left behind. The artist had disappeared a week ago under baffling circumstances, leaving no trace except for her haunting drawings.

Jennie cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Nayeon wasn't here to uncover secrets, Rosé. She came here for peace. To paint."

Roseanne glanced up, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. "But something changed, didn’t it? She saw something. Something she wasn't meant to."

Jennie hesitated, her face pale under the dim firelight. She finally nodded. "She… she did. But I don’t think she realized what she found at first. That’s when everything started to fall apart."

---

Earlier That Week

Im Nayeon had arrived at Snowfall Lodge seeking nothing more than inspiration. A young artist in the prime of her career, Nayeon was known for her evocative landscapes, her brush capturing the raw beauty of nature in ways that few others could. The sprawling isolation of the lodge, nestled in the heart of the mountains, seemed the perfect place for her to recharge and create.

The first few days were blissfully uneventful. Nayeon spent her time wandering the frozen wilderness, sketching the jagged peaks, the snow-draped trees, and the quiet serenity that surrounded her. But it was within the lodge’s labyrinth of rooms that she found the most intrigue. The architecture was grand, but old. The walls, adorned with portraits and tapestries, spoke of a history far older than she had expected.

One afternoon, Nayeon had been sketching in a little-known corner of the lodge. The grand hall where she worked was lined with bookshelves and ancient artifacts. As the sunlight dimmed, casting long shadows, she noticed something peculiar. One of the walls didn’t look quite right. The outline of a hidden door revealed itself faintly under the shifting light, almost as if the lodge was waiting for her to notice it.

choose the correct picture:

(there will be consequences)

Picture B.

Curiosity piqued, Nayeon abandoned her sketch and approached the wall. The air was cold there, colder than the rest of the room. She ran her hand over the wall’s surface until her fingers brushed against a slight groove. With a soft creak, the gave way, revealing a narrow age leading deeper into the lodge.

---

Back to the Present

Roseanne closed the sketchbook, her brow furrowed in thought. "Nayeon didn’t just stumble upon this age, Jennie. She documented it."

She flipped the sketchbook open again, pointing to a series of rough drawings that had captured something beyond landscapes. There were faint sketches of doorways, shadowy hallways, and cryptic symbols etched into the walls.

Jennie’s face drained of color. "I didn’t know… she drew them?"

Roseanne tapped the page. "This is more than just curiosity. She found something in that hidden age, something that made her nervous. The way her lines shift – the hurried, erratic strokes – suggest she was frightened. What exactly is hidden behind these walls, Jennie?"

Jennie shifted uneasily, glancing toward the shadowy corners of the lodge, as though the building itself might be listening. "I don’t know everything, but there are rumors… old stories about the original owners of the lodge. Dark stories. This place was built on something older than its foundations. And Nayeon... Nayeon must have found it."

---

The Discovery

Nayeon’s heart pounded as she moved down the hidden ageway, the air becoming colder with every step. It was darker here, the light from the main room barely illuminating her way. The walls were lined with strange carvings – ancient symbols and cryptic inscriptions that sent shivers down her spine. She had never seen anything like it.

"Just a little further," she whispered to herself, her voice echoing strangely in the narrow space.

Finally, the age opened into a small, dark room. It was nearly pitch black, but Nayeon could just make out something in the center of the space – a pedestal. And on top of it lay an object she couldn’t quite discern in the dim light. Instinctively, Nayeon reached into her bag, fumbling for her flashlight. The beam of light revealed an ornate, antique key lying atop the pedestal. It was intricately carved, its surface worn but glowing faintly as if it held a power that was still very much alive.

As Nayeon reached out to touch the key, a sudden gust of wind roared through the age behind her, extinguishing her flashlight. Panic gripped her. The air had changed – it was heavier, colder. The wind wasn’t natural. It howled like a voice, angry, desperate. In a moment of sheer terror, Nayeon stumbled backward, dropping her sketchbook and the flashlight. She scrambled to her feet and raced back through the age.

TRIGGER WARNING: possible jump scare

notice anything out of the ordinary?

(there will be consequences)

No.

The door slammed shut behind her with a loud thud, as if the lodge itself had sealed her out, warning her not to return. Nayeon's heart thundered in her chest as she leaned against the cold stone walls, trying to catch her breath. Something was terribly wrong. She could feel it in her bones.

---

Back to the Present

Roseanne’s eyes scanned the room, her instincts telling her there was something Jennie wasn’t revealing. "You didn’t report her disappearance right away. Why?"

Jennie hesitated, clearly wrestling with her conscience. "I… I thought she would come back. She was acting strange after she found that age. Distracted, paranoid. She tried to talk to me about it, but I dismissed her fears. I thought… maybe she’d left on her own."

Roseanne narrowed her gaze. "You thought wrong. Whatever Nayeon found, it terrified her. It wasn’t just some old room she stumbled upon. There’s something darker here, and it’s still hiding behind these walls."

As the fire crackled in the hearth and the snowstorm began to howl outside, Roseanne felt the weight of Snowfall Lodge’s centuries-old secrets pressing in on her. She knew that Nayeon’s disappearance was no accident – it was tied to the very heart of the lodge’s mysteries. The key, the hidden room, the ancient symbols – all of it was part of a story waiting to be unearthed.

Roseanne’s jaw tightened with resolve. "We need to go find that age, Jennie. We need to see what Nayeon found."

Jennie looked uneasy, but nodded. "If the storm doesn’t trap us in first..."

But as they prepared to venture deeper into the lodge, a sudden howl of wind rattled the windows. The snowstorm had arrived with full force, its icy breath seeping into the lodge’s very bones.

Roseanne glanced out the window, watching as the snow began to swirl in violent gusts. The path to the hidden room would have to wait.

For now, Snowfall Lodge held its secrets a little longer.

next part?