I jolted awake, my heart still racing from the vivid dream. But it wasn't just a dream, was it? The memories of that night, of the voice, the darkness, and the figure with the leather-bound book, all came flooding back. And then, there was her face - my sister's face. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of my stomach. It had been 10 years since she passed away, and yet, the pain still felt like an open wound. I threw off the covers and got out of bed, my mind reeling with questions. What did it all mean? Was it just my subconscious playing tricks on me, or was something more sinister at play? I stumbled to the kitchen, needing a drink to calm my nerves. As I poured myself a glass of water, I caught a glimpse of myself in the window reflection. My eyes looked sunken, my face pale. I looked like I'd seen a ghost. And then, it hit me - what if I had? I spun around, my eyes scanning the room, as if expecting to see her standing there, watching me. But I was alone. Or so I thought. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched. It was just my imagination, I told myself. But the voice, the whisper in my ear, it still lingered. "I've been waiting for you, brother. And now, it's time to pay the price." I felt a chill run down my spine as I repeated the words in my head. What price? What did I owe? And to whom? I knew I had to find out, to uncover the truth behind the mysterious voice and the figure with the leather-bound book. But as I turned to head back to my room, I saw it. A piece of paper on the floor, with a message scrawled on it in red ink: "Meet me at the old oak tree at midnight. Come alone." My heart skipped a beat as I realized that this was no dream, no imagination. This was real. And I was running out of time. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I crumpled the paper in my hand, my mind racing with possibilities. I knew I had to go, to face whatever was waiting for me at the old oak tree. But as I looked at the clock, I saw that it was already 11:45 PM. I had 15 minutes to get to the tree, to face my destiny. And as I turned to leave, I heard the sound of footsteps outside my door. They were heavy, deliberate footsteps, and they were getting closer. My heart racing, I reached for the door handle, my hand trembling with anticipation. And then, just as I was about to open the door, everything went black. Again.