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Just as he was about to push the door open, the lights flickered again—this time, they went out completely. Darkness swallowed the room. A low, eerie hum filled the air, and for a moment, no one moved. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the kind that made every breath feel heavier than the last.

David pushed the door open and shouted, “Who is this?!”

His voice cracked through the silence, but there was no immediate answer. The room on the other side of the door remained eerily still, the only sound the soft rustling of the wind outside.

David’s eyes darted outside to the street, then quickly snapped back to the room to make out any movement in the darkness. Nothing. Just the dim outline of Amelia’s study, the room they had last seen her in.

Mr. and Mrs. Lay rushed in, their footsteps echoing in the silence as they scanned the room. Mrs. Lay’s voice trembled, “Amelia? Are you here? Please, where are you?”

David’s gaze remained fixed on the shadowed doorway, his hand still gripping the doorframe as if holding himself back from entering the room.

Suddenly, Mr. Lay’s voice broke through the silence, sharp and confused. "Appointment with Mr. Julian Marlowe, tomorrow 10 AM, 120 Brooklyn Street" he read aloud, eyes scanning the notebook that lay open on Amelia’s desk. He furrowed his brow, his fingers tracing the words on the page as if they held some hidden meaning.

“Who’s Julian Marlowe?” Mrs. Lay asked, her voice quivering slightly as she stepped closer to the desk, trying to make sense of it all.

David turned, his mind racing. "I don’t know… wait, I remember this name from somewhere." He stepped closer to the desk, running his fingers over the words. "Julian Marlowe… it sounds familiar, but I can't place it." He glanced up at Mrs. Lay, a realization dawning in his eyes. "Oh, I think I heard Amelia mention him yesteryday... but she never said much. Just that he is a famous writer. But why would she have an appointment with him?"

“Wait, a writer? Do you know what kind of books he writes?” Mrs. Lay asked, her voice sharp with curiosity and concern.