THE BRIDE OF BLACK HOLLOW

THE GROOM WHO NEVER DIED

The man didn't move.

He simply stood at the top of the staircase, dressed in a black wedding suit that looked untouched by time.

His face remained hidden beneath the brim of his hat.

Only his eyes...

Two endless pools of darkness.

Alexa felt an invisible weight pressing against her chest.

She couldn't breathe.

Damien slowly stepped in front of her.

"Don't look into his eyes."

"Why?"

"He'll make you remember."

Alexa frowned.

"Remember what?"

Before Damien could answer, the man smiled.

It was a sad smile.

Not cruel.

Not threatening.

As though he had carried unbearable guilt for a very long time.

"I never stopped looking for her," he said.

His voice echoed through the empty library.

"I was too late."

The lantern in Damien's hand flickered violently.

Every book on the shelves began to shake.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

---

"Who are you?" Alexa called out.

The man lowered his head.

"My name..."

He hesitated.

"...was Edward Hollow."

Alexa's eyes widened.

"Hollow?"

Damien's face turned pale.

"The founder of Black Hollow..."

Edward nodded.

"The man who was supposed to marry Eleanor."

"The ghost bride," Alexa whispered.

A tear rolled down Edward's cheek.

"I loved her."

Silence filled the room.

"But someone wanted our love to die."

---

Without warning...

The library disappeared.

Alexa blinked.

She was no longer standing beside Damien.

She stood in the middle of a grand ballroom.

Candles burned brightly.

Music filled the air.

Couples laughed as they danced.

At the center of the room...

Edward and Eleanor.

Alive.

Happy.

He slipped a silver ring onto her finger.

"I'll love you forever," he whispered.

Eleanor smiled.

"And I'll wait for you... no matter what."

The crowd applauded.

Then...

The ballroom doors burst open.

Masked men stormed inside carrying swords and rifles.

Guests screamed.

One of the masked men pointed directly at Eleanor.

"Kill the bride!"

Chaos erupted.

Edward drew a pistol and fought desperately, but he was quickly overwhelmed.

He shouted Eleanor's name.

She ran toward him.

A gunshot echoed.

Everything froze.

Eleanor looked down.

Blood spread across her white gown.

Edward caught her before she hit the floor.

"No..." he cried.

"No... stay with me..."

She reached up with trembling fingers and touched his face.

"I'll find you again..."

Her hand fell.

The room dissolved into darkness.

---

Alexa gasped as the vision ended.

She was back in the library.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"She wasn't betrayed," she whispered.

"She was murdered."

Edward looked at her.

"Yes."

"But then... why does she haunt the town?"

Edward's expression changed.

His sadness became fear.

"Because the thing wearing her face..."

He stopped speaking.

The lantern went out.

Darkness swallowed the room.

A cold laugh echoed from every corner.

One voice became ten.

Then a hundred.

Finally...

A woman stepped out of the shadows.

She wore the same bloodstained wedding dress.

The same veil.

The same smile.

But her eyes...

Glowed crimson.

Edward staggered backward.

"No..."

The woman tilted her head.

"You still can't tell them the truth, Edward?"

She slowly removed her veil.

Alexa's heart nearly stopped.

It wasn't Eleanor.

It was someone else.

Someone who looked almost exactly like her...

Only older.

And smiling.

"My name," she whispered,

"...is Vivienne Hollow."