"A New Home, A New Reality"

Ashley sighed, "I know it's a shotty place, but it's home, right?" She looked around the small apartment, trying to find something positive to say about it. Emily had already started to unpack some of the boxes, and the kids were running around, exploring their new surroundings. Emily shook her head, "I'm serious, Ash, this place is not good. The smell, the condition of the apartment...it's not healthy for you or the baby." Ashley rubbed her stomach, feeling a pang of worry. She knew that Emily was right, but she had no other options. Just then, one of Emily's kids, Jack, came running into the room, "Mom, Mom, look what I found!" he exclaimed, holding up a small, rusty key. Emily's eyes widened in alarm as she saw the key, "Where did you find that, Jack?" she asked, her voice firm. Jack looked up at her with a mischievous grin, "I found it on the floor, near the door. I think it might fit one of the locks." Ashley's heart sank as she realized that the key must have been left behind by the previous tenant. She didn't know what it unlocked, but she had a feeling that it wasn't something good. Emily took the key from Jack and put it in her pocket, "We'll have to be careful, Ash. We don't know what this key is for or what it might unlock." Ashley nodded, feeling a sense of unease wash over her. She was already starting to regret her decision to move into this apartment. As the day went on, Ashley and Emily worked to get the apartment cleaned up and organized. They scrubbed the floors, washed the windows, and even managed to get some of the mildew smell out of the air. But despite their efforts, Ashley couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a mistake. As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the apartment, Ashley felt a sense of exhaustion wash over her. She sat down on the couch, feeling the worn cushions sag beneath her. Emily sat down beside her, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You'll be okay, Ash," Emily said softly. "We'll make this place work. We'll make it a home." Ashley smiled weakly, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her friend. She knew that she couldn't have made it through this day without Emily's help. As they sat there in silence, Ashley heard a noise outside the apartment. At first, she thought it was just the sound of people walking down the hall, but then she heard it again - a low, scratching sound, like fingernails on a chalkboard. Ashley's heart began to pound as she realized that the noise was coming from outside her apartment door. "Do you hear that?" she whispered to Emily, her eyes wide with fear. Emily's expression turned serious, "Yeah, I hear it. Let's go check it out." Ashley's instincts told her to stay where she was, but Emily was already getting up from the couch, heading towards the door. Ashley followed close behind, her heart racing with anticipation.