Chapter 2: The Long Road Ahead

Kori gripped the steering wheel tightly as the U-Haul truck rumbled along the empty highway. Every mile that passed felt like another piece of her old life slipping away. She glanced over at Megan, slouched in the passenger seat, her arms crossed, a deep frown etched on her face.

“Are we there yet?” Megan asked, her voice tinged with frustration for the hundredth time.

Kori sighed. “Another hour or so, according to the GPS.”

“Great,” Megan muttered under her breath, turning her gaze back to the passing scenery. It was nothing but fields and trees now, the last signs of civilization disappearing miles behind them.

Kori’s heart sank. She understood Megan’s anger. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be. They should have been in their little apartment, Megan playing with her friends at the park, while Kori figured out a way to piece their lives back together after Matt’s sudden disappearance. Instead, they were heading to some rundown house in the middle of nowhere, all because Matt had left them with nothing but debts and broken promises.

“Mom, why do we have to move?” Megan’s voice broke through the quiet again. “Why couldn’t we just stay at home? I don’t even know this place.”

Kori swallowed hard, trying to keep her frustration in check. “Megan, we’ve talked about this. We couldn’t afford the apartment anymore. We didn’t have a choice.”

“You mean you didn’t have a choice,” Megan shot back, her voice sharp. “You’re dragging me away from my friends. You promised me things would be okay!”

Kori felt a pang of guilt. She had made promises—promises she couldn’t keep. “I know this isn’t what either of us wanted,” she said softly. “But this house is our only option right now. It’s a fresh start. We’ll make it work.”

Megan didn’t respond, but the scowl on her face deepened. Kori glanced at the GPS, her stomach knotting as the distance dwindled. Just forty more miles. She hadn’t even seen the house yet—didn’t even know what it looked like, aside from the vague descriptions Frank had given her. All she knew was that it had been abandoned for years, a relic left behind by an uncle she’d never met.

Kori’s thoughts wandered back to the day Frank had shown up at her door. It felt like a lifetime ago, though only two weeks had passed. She still wasn’t sure if she had made the right decision accepting the property, but what choice had she really had? Eviction was imminent, and there was no job to fall back on. Moving to this house—no matter how dilapidated or isolated—was the only option that had kept her and Megan from being homeless.

But what kind of life awaited them out here?

The road stretched endlessly ahead, and the scenery began to change. The fields of farmland became more sparse, and thick woods started creeping in on both sides of the road. Kori couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that had been settling in her chest since they left the town behind. This place felt…isolated, even in the middle of the day.

Her thoughts took a darker turn, imagining all the worst-case scenarios. What if the house was falling apart? What if it wasn’t safe to live in? Or worse—what if the rumors her mother had mentioned about her father’s side of the family being “dangerous” were true? Kori had grown up believing that side of the family was best left forgotten. And now here she was, about to live in their legacy.

‘This isn’t a horror movie’, Kori reminded herself, forcing a nervous laugh. But even as she tried to brush off the unease, the nagging feeling that something was about to happen lingered. Something big. Whether it was good or bad was still anyone’s guess.

Matt’s betrayal crept into her thoughts again. Kori clenched her jaw. She had learned that Matt had been embezzling money from the company he worked for. It wasn’t just a case of him running out on his responsibilities as a father and husband—he was a criminal. He’d drained their savings to cover his tracks, and when he was caught, he disappeared. No goodbye. No explanation. Just gone.

And now, here she was, stuck cleaning up the mess he left behind.

Kori stole another glance at Megan, who had fallen silent again, staring out the window with an expression that mirrored the ache in her own heart. This wasn’t Megan’s fault, and yet she was paying the price too. Kori hated Matt for that more than anything.

The GPS beeped, breaking the tension in the air. “Turn left in one mile,” the robotic voice instructed.

Kori’s pulse quickened. They were close now. She followed the narrow road, the trees growing thicker, their twisted branches casting long shadows across the pavement. Finally, the GPS spoke again.

“You have arrived at your destination.”

Kori slowed the truck, her eyes scanning the road for a sign of the house. For a moment, she saw nothing but overgrown bushes and the faint outline of an old dirt path. Then, as she turned the corner, she spotted it.

The house loomed in the distance, half-hidden by towering trees. Kori brought the truck to a stop and just stared.

The house was large, almost mansion-like, with Victorian architecture that might have been beautiful once upon a time. But now, it looked tired and worn, its paint peeling, its windows dark and lifeless. Vines climbed up one side, choking the faded wooden siding. The place was eerily out of place, as if time had forgotten it. All around it were acres of empty farmland stretching to the horizon.

Kori’s heart sank. It was worse than she’d imagined.

She parked the truck and turned off the engine. For a moment, the only sound was the quiet ticking of the engine cooling down. Megan didn’t move, didn’t speak.

Kori slowly got out of the truck, her legs shaky. The air was cooler here, with the faint scent of pine and earth. She stood at the edge of the path leading up to the front door, the weight of reality crashing down on her.

Megan climbed out of the truck, looking around in disbelief. “You pulled me from my friends for this?” she said, her voice laced with disappointment and a hint of alarm.

Kori didn’t answer. She didn’t have the words.

She walked up the path, the gravel crunching under her feet. The house loomed larger the closer she got, its presence both imposing and sad. She could tell, despite its state, that this place had once been magnificent. But years of neglect had taken their toll. Still, it was theirs now—like it or not.

Megan followed reluctantly, her small footsteps echoing behind Kori’s. “This is so unfair,” she muttered. “Why do we have to live in the middle of nowhere?”

Kori swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. “Megan, I know this isn’t what you wanted,” she said quietly. “But we’ll make the best of it. I promise.”

Megan looked unconvinced. She stood with her arms crossed, glaring at the house as if it had personally offended her. Kori wished she could make things better for her daughter, but the truth was, she didn’t know how. Matt’s actions had thrown them into this mess, and now they had no choice but to face whatever came next.

Kori took a deep breath and approached the front door. It was large and heavy, its once-ornate carvings faded with age. She fumbled for the key Frank had given her and slid it into the rusted lock. The door creaked as it swung open, revealing a dark and musty interior.

Kori stepped inside, and the smell of damp wood and dust greeted her. The house was cold and silent, as though it had been waiting years for someone to return.

Megan hesitated in the doorway, staring into the darkness. “Are we really going to live here?”

Kori didn’t answer right away. She felt the urge to cry, but she swallowed it down.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “We are.”