The laughter didn't return.
After Elizabeth's arrival, the house felt unsettled. Conversations restarted, but they were forced, awkward. The game of hide and seek was forgotten, replaced by restless shifting and uneasy glances toward the doors.
Emma sat quietly, arms crossed, her mind racing.
Minutes passed.
Then more minutes.
Lucas checked his phone and frowned. "Okay… this is weird."
"What?" Mark asked.
"Clinton's been gone too long," Lucas said. "Even for a call."
Aunt Margaret waved it off. "Maybe he stepped outside to get fresh air."
Emma stood up. "He would've come back by now."
Everyone turned toward her.
Elizabeth frowned. "Who's Clinton?"
The room went quiet.
Lucas answered slowly. "One of the guests. He was playing hide and seek with us."
Elizabeth's brows pulled together. "Playing hide and seek… and now he's missing?"
Her father cleared his throat. "He stepped out earlier. We assumed he was on a call."
Emma shook her head. "No. That doesn't make sense anymore."
Lucas suddenly stood up. "I'll check outside."
He grabbed his coat and rushed toward the back door.
The room filled with murmurs.
"Why is everyone suddenly tense?" Elizabeth asked, confused.
Emma didn't answer.
The back door opened.
Cold air rushed in.
Lucas stepped out.
They waited.
Ten seconds.
Twenty.
Then Lucas rushed back inside, face pale.
"He's not there."
Silence slammed into the room.
"What do you mean, not there?" Aunt Margaret asked.
"I mean he's not outside. Not by the driveway. Not by the shed. Not anywhere."
Emma's heart began to pound.
Mark stood. "Maybe he went to his car?"
"There are no fresh tire tracks," Lucas said sharply. "And his coat is still here."
Elizabeth's face drained of color. "Wait… what?"
Emma spoke quietly. "He didn't leave."
The room erupted.
"That's not funny."
"Someone call his phone."
"Check the bathrooms."
"Check the guest rooms."
They scattered.
Emma stayed still.
Moments later, voices called back.
"He's not upstairs!"
"Not in the study!"
"Not in the guest rooms!"
Elizabeth pressed a hand to her mouth. "This isn't possible."
Lucas ran a hand through his hair. "We counted. He was here."
Emma looked around the room slowly.
Nine had played the game.
Eight stood there now.
One didn't vanish by accident.
Her father tried to stay calm. "Alright. Everyone relax. We'll search properly."
Elizabeth grabbed his arm. "Search? What do you mean search?"
"He couldn't have just disappeared," he said, though his voice lacked confidence.
Emma finally spoke, her voice steady but low. "Something's wrong."
Elizabeth turned sharply toward her. "What do you mean?"
Emma met her eyes. "This house."
A tense silence followed.
Audrey swallowed. "Emma… now is not the time."
"No," Emma said. "This is exactly the time."
Lucas snapped, "Enough! We're not doing this right now."
A loud bang echoed somewhere in the house.
Everyone jumped.
"What was that?" Mrs. Greene whispered.
Another sound followed—something heavy dropping.
Elizabeth's breathing quickened. "Tell me what's going on."
Emma's father turned to Emma slowly. "You said earlier… you felt something was wrong."
Emma nodded once. "I wasn't imagining it."
Elizabeth stared between them. "What is she talking about?"
Before anyone could answer, a scream came from the hallway.
Aunt Margaret ran back into the room, shaking. "The back door—it's wide open."
Lucas spun toward the hallway. "That door was locked."
Emma's stomach dropped.
Elizabeth whispered, "This isn't funny anymore."
Emma hugged herself tightly.
Clinton didn't leave.
He didn't answer his phone.
And the house had opened its door all by itself.
For the first time that night, no one laughed.
No one joked.
No one dismissed Emma.
They all knew one thing now.
Someone was missing.
And Christmas had officially turned into something else entirely.