Synopsis

Dust motes danced in the single shaft of light slicing through the cluttered shop. Old Man Hemlock’s curiosity emporium was a labyrinth of forgotten things, each object whispering a half-told story. But today, something felt different. A subtle shift in the air, a prickle on his skin – an unsettling awareness that settled deep in his bones. He'd been rearranging shelves when he noticed it: a loose floorboard beneath a chipped porcelain doll. With a grunt, Hemlock pried the board free. A d