Chapter 55: Welcome to Springwood
The afternoon sun streamed through the living room's bay windows, casting warm patches of light across the hardwood floor.
The air carried a faint lavender scent—Mrs. Connor's favorite essential oil blend.
Everything seemed peaceful and wholesome, filled with the unique comfort of a comfortable suburban family home.
Edward was sprawled on the couch, nursing a can of ice-cold Coke, his gaze unfocused as he watched the three little girls playing "house" on the living room carpet.
Ten-year-old Lily played the role of "mommy."
She wore a cute pink dress, cradling an oversized teddy bear, humming a lullaby in a disturbingly gentle tone.
"Hush little baby, don't say a word..."
Edward took a sip of Coke, completely unbothered.
The fact that these three were playing together without immediately attempting a hostile takeover was already a miracle—a testament to his authority as "head of household."
Man, Edward thought, my life is getting way too predictable.
Just as Edward felt himself about to rot from this weirdly "domestic" atmosphere, the doorbell rang—a sound like salvation itself.
Edward practically launched himself off the couch, moving so fast that all three girls stopped their "happy" playing to stare at him in unison.
He walked to the door and raised an eyebrow.
Standing outside was Maria.
But her posture and demeanor were completely different from her usual timid self.
She stood with perfect confidence, a faint smirk on her lips, her eyes bright and self-assured as she casually examined the potted fern by the door.
Edward understood immediately. "Alan," he didn't use Maria's name but directly addressed the visitor's true identity. "What do you want?"
The "Maria" at the door heard the name and her smile widened. She wasn't surprised at all—in fact, she seemed pleased by Edward's perception.
She raised one finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, then winked playfully. "What if Maria finally worked up the courage to ask you on a date?"
"If she had that kind of courage, she wouldn't have sent you to knock," Edward said, calling her bluff.
Alan shrugged without concern, then grabbed Edward's wrist and pulled him back inside without explanation.
"Whatever, details don't matter. I actually do have something important to talk about."
"You three, play nice and don't trash the place," Edward called back to the three little girls.
"Okay, big brother~" they chirped in unison, voices perfectly synchronized in a way that would creep out anyone else.
Alan dragged Edward straight upstairs, marched into his bedroom, and shut the door behind them.
"Alright, so where's this date taking us?" Edward leaned against the door, arms crossed, watching her with amusement. "Don't tell me it's right here in my bedroom."
"I mean, we could make that work."
Alan deliberately thrust out her chest, making a sultry expression with Maria's innocent face—though the effect was more comical than seductive.
Edward's mouth twitched, but he didn't take the bait.
Seeing he wasn't falling for it, Alan dropped the act and became serious. "Fine, down to business. Recently, while traveling through the Mirror World, I found something really weird."
"Weird how?"
"Very." Alan nodded, her eyes showing a mixture of excitement and unease. "The energy there is super unusual—full of... dreams, terror, and this kind of... collective rage.
I've never encountered that type of power before. It's not like a ghost or a demon, but more like... a rule given form.
I didn't want to go deeper alone, so I figured I'd drag you along to check it out."
"Sounds fun." Edward straightened up. "I'm in."
"I knew you'd say yes!" Alan snapped her fingers happily.
She walked over to the full-length mirror in Edward's room and extended her hand, gently touching the cold glass surface.
"Ready? This trip might be a little... rough."
"Let's do it."
Alan's palm pressed against the mirror, and the surface rippled like water disturbed by a stone.
She turned back and extended her hand to Edward, who took it without hesitation.
After an indeterminate amount of time—maybe seconds, maybe minutes—the rushing light and shadow suddenly slowed.
Edward felt his feet touch solid ground again.
The sight before him made his eyes narrow slightly.
They were standing on a quiet residential street.
Both sides were lined with typical American single-family homes—neatly trimmed lawns, white picket fences, the whole suburban dream.
The afternoon sun hung lazily overhead, and everything looked peaceful and idyllic.
But there was something wrong with the air—an indescribable pressure, thick and suffocating.
It was too quiet. No voices, no cars, not even birds or insects.
The entire street felt like a painting with the sound muted—bright and colorful, yet utterly dead.
A crooked street sign stood at the corner, several faded red letters painted across it: ELM ST.
"Of course it is." Edward's lips curved into an amused smile.
He finally understood what Alan meant about that special power.
"You know this place?" Alan asked curiously. "I just felt like the 'door' here was really unstable—full of fear energy and super easy to slip through."
"Know it? I know exactly what this is." Edward looked around, his gaze sweeping over the seemingly ordinary houses as if he could see through the walls to the bloody tragedies that had unfolded inside.
"This is a 'celebrity's' hunting ground. A celebrity who only kills in dreams."
Just as he finished speaking, a faint, ethereal song drifted from the end of the street, accompanied by the rhythmic thump-thump of a jump rope hitting pavement.
It was a little girl's nursery rhyme—the melody haunting and wrong, cutting through the oppressive silence.
"One, two, Freddy's coming for you..."
"Three, four, better lock your door..."
"Five, six, grab your crucifix..."
The song grew louder as a little girl in a white dress with pigtails came around the corner, skipping rope and singing.
Her movements were mechanical and jerky, her face blank and expressionless, her eyes staring straight ahead like a wind-up doll.
Alan's body tensed immediately. She could feel it—whatever was coming from that little girl was one of the sources of the strange power she'd sensed.
Edward, however, looked completely relaxed. He even seemed to be enjoying the classic death-summoning nursery rhyme.
"Looks like our 'celebrity' knows he's got visitors." Edward's face broke into an almost gleeful smile.
"Wonder if those famous claws of his are as sharp as advertised?"
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