True Scary Stories Told to the Sound of Rain | Relax and Fall Asleep Quickly Vol. 132 l Black Screen

hello everyone I am the Storyteller and I am here to help you today I know you use this video to fall asleep so before that like the video and subscribe to the channel also where are you from and what time are you watching now get comfortable and relax I arrived at the old roadside in early in the morning the owner had given me the keys a week before along with a set of instructions he wanted me to renovate the place I never stayed overnight at a job site before but he insisted that I finish the

work in a short amount of time he said the Inn had been abandoned for years and that it needed to be ready for new guests by the end of the month he paid me well so I said yes when I pulled off the highway and saw the building I noticed missing shingles cracked windows and a faded sign nothing seemed unusual at first it was a large wooden structure with two floors maybe 10 rooms total there were no cars S no people just the empty parking lot and a dead tree nearby the sky was pale and

the wind was quiet I unlocked the front door and stepped inside the lobby smelled like mold and old furniture a reception desk stood against the far wall its surface had stains and scratches there were wooden chairs along the sides and a Dusty old couch near the entrance the whole place felt stale I touched the banister of the staircase leading to the second floor the wood felt damp the air was stuffy and I decided to open a few windows before I carried in my bags I walked around the ground floor to see what needed to be

done the walls had old wallpaper peeling off the floors creaked some doors were off their hinges the dining area still had old tables and chairs covered with sheets I made notes in my small notebook sand and refinish floors strip wallpaper paint walls fix window Windows replace light fixtures remove old furniture after bringing my bags and tools inside I picked a room on the ground floor to use as my bedroom it was small and had a narrow bed frame without a mattress I unrolled my sleeping bag and placed it on top I left my flashlight phone

charger bottled water and a sandwich there I didn't plan to waste time driving back to town every day it was a 2-hour round trip and I just wanted to finish faster I had enough supplies for for a couple of weeks I started working that afternoon I peeled wallpaper in the lobby and tried to see if the beams were still solid I worked quietly only stopping for water late in the evening I took a break and sat outside on the old porch the sky was getting dark no cars passed by the wind picked up a bit

and I heard branches rubbing against the side of the building I went back in and climbed the stairs checking each room most were identical a single bed frame an empty closet a small table and a chair nothing strange just old and neglected I walked through the hallway slowly shining my flashlight in Corners where the dim ceiling lights didn't reach as I headed back downstairs I thought I heard something it sounded like soft footsteps behind me I stopped and turned around there was no one there I Stood Still for a moment I could hear my own

breathing nothing else probably an echo or my imagination I went to my room ate half my sandwich and rolled out my sleeping bag I turned off the flashlight and lay down the building was quiet I could hear the wind outside I closed my eyes but my mind stayed alert after about an hour I drifted off to sleep in the middle of the night I woke up there was a creaking sound outside my door I opened my eyes and held my breath I listened the sound came in short interval like someone stepping on a loose floorboard

I reached for my flashlight and pointed it at the door the light showed the bare wooden surface the sound stopped my heart was beating fast I waited a minute then another eventually I heard nothing else I told myself it was probably the building settling old wood can make weird noises I turned off the flashlight and forced myself to sleep again in the morning I got up and noticed that that my toolbox wasn't where I had left it I had placed it on the floor next to the bed now it was near the door I blinked

a few times and tried to remember if I had moved it I was sure I hadn't touched it everything else seemed in order maybe I kicked it in my sleep I decided not to dwell on it I spent the day stripping wallpaper in the upstairs rooms in the second room I saw something odd the sheets that had covered the furniture were folded neatly in the corner I remembered leaving them on the chairs I tried to recall if I had folded them myself I didn't think so I like to keep things organized but I hadn't bothered

to fold old dusty sheets it didn't make sense I checked the windows they were closed from the inside no Footprints no sign of anyone else inside the building by midday I felt uneasy I couldn't shake the feeling that I was not alone I took a short break went outside and walked around the perimeter of the Inn the back of the building had a small yard with tall grass I saw no tracks no broken branches nothing the doors were all locked I went back inside and continued my work around late afternoon I started hearing faint sounds

again footsteps but always when I turned my back when I stopped and listened they stopped once I heard a door hinge squeak on the second floor I rushed up there with my flashlight and found every door closed the silence felt heavy my heart rate went up again I felt sweat on my neck and under my arms I called out is anyone here my own voice sounded weak nothing answered that evening I ate a quick meal of canned soup and bread I sat in the lobby with my flashlight I listened to the building I heard the

wind outside a distant Creek and my own breathing I tried to relax I told myself to focus on finishing the job I went to my room and set my alarm for early morning I needed to paint the lobby walls and fix some floorboards during the night I woke up again this time it was different I Heard a Voice it was a low raspy voice Whispering something I sat up and grabbed my flashlight shining it around the small room empty I opened the door and looked into the hallway nothing but I could still hear the voice

somewhere nearby it was saying a name over and over it sounded like Robert or Roberts I didn't know anyone with that name it wasn't my name my name is Daniel and I had never met a Robert related to this job I stepped into the hallway in my socks the floor felt cold I followed the sound to the stairwell Shining my light on the steps no one was there The Voice stopped I felt my stomach tense I stood there for a few minutes feeling the hair on my arm stand up I went back to bed and

stayed awake staring at the ceiling until my alarm rang the next morning I noticed something disturbing the furniture in one of the rooms I had cleared out was back in place but arranged differently I had dragged a table and a chair against the far wall the day before now they were centered in the room the table faced the door the chair stood behind it the sheets were gone I checked the closet the hallway every corner the Sheets Were folded and placed behind the reception desk downstairs I had never put them there I felt my mouth

go dry someone was messing with me I decided to be systematic I locked the front door and the back door with my own padlocks I checked all the windows and made sure they couldn't be opened from the outside I placed a ladder against one window in the back to see if anyone tried to climb in I blocked the stairwell door to the attic which I had never opened anyway I kept my phone in my pocket and checked for service I had one bar not enough for a call the closest town was a drive away I

would have to handle this myself I worked all day with my ears open my eyes scanning every room I kept my toolbox inight at all times I heard soft steps behind me at least three times he each time I spun around shining my flashlight nothing no dust disturbed no Footprints no Shadow yet I could feel something a slight shift in the air a dull pressure in my chest my breathing got shallow my throat felt tight my hands trembled a bit when I tried to hammer Nails into the floorboards I forced myself to keep working I

wasn't going to run away because of some strange noises that night I decided not to sleep in the room I had chosen I picked a different room upstairs one with a view of the parking lot I pushed a heavy dresser against the door I turned on a small battery powered lantern and sat on the bed frame facing the door around midnight I heard the voice again it said Roberts in that same rough tone this time it sounded closer maybe just outside the door I held my breath and listened the voice said it again then paused

then said it again I felt sweat trickle down my face my heart was pounding I was wide awake I moved the dresser aside and opened the door fast shining my Lantern into the hallway it was empty no one there I checked the other rooms all empty the voice had stopped I went back to my room and locked myself inside again I waited listening to every sound the dresser felt heavy when I pushed it back in front of the door door I didn't sleep the next morning I found new changes downstairs the reception desk drawers were

all open The Ledger which I had never touched lay open on the floor I picked it up the pages were yellowed and had names written in faded ink I ran my finger down the list of names looking for Roberts I saw a few names that started with r but nothing that said Roberts the last date in The Ledger was 15 years old I closed it and placed it back in the drawer I checked the dining area some chairs had moved again arranged in a circle there were no Footprints no scuff marks everything was just shifted

quietly during the night my hands shook I couldn't explain it I tried to focus on the renovation again but my mind wandered I felt like someone stood right behind me looking over my shoulder as I measured boards and cut wood my back tingled I kept glancing around I grew tired and clumsy I dropped my tools more than once by the afternoon I decided I had to wrap up the essential work and leave early I couldn't take another night of this my throat felt dry and my stomach turned at every small noise I pushed through the

last tasks I painted the lobby walls replaced some broken tiles and installed new light fixtures I worked without brakes around dusk I climbed the stairs one last time to check the rooms everything looked fine at first glance as I passed the third room on the left I heard a step behind me I froze the hallway felt colder I turned around nothing but I could sense it my hair stood on end my skin felt tight I stepped backward down the hall without turning my back on that spot when I reached the stairs I ran down two

steps at a time I decided not to sleep there again I threw my tools and clothes in my bag I cleaned up my mess in the lobby I locked the 's door the owner had paid in advance I had done most of what he asked the rest could wait I just wanted to get out as I carried my bag to the car I kept glancing over my shoulder at the windows the rooms looked dark I didn't see anyone watching me but I felt it the same tightness in my chest lingered I opened my car door

and got inside the engine started on the first try I turned on the headlights and looked at the building one more time the wind rattled a loose shutter I didn't hear footsteps now I didn't hear the voice but the memory of those Whispers still made my neck tense I drove onto the highway and forced myself not to think too much I kept my eyes on the road until I reached the next town I never went back there I never told the owner what happened he sent me a message a week later asking when I would

finish the final details I lied and said I had an emergency he never responded after that I don't know if he hired someone else I don't care I just know that I heard that voice call A stranger's name in that empty Inn I heard those footsteps follow me in corridors where no one stood I saw Furniture move around by itself that was enough I don't need an explanation I don't want one I just want to forget that place on the first night I stood in the dark living room and looked through the window I saw

a figure standing on the far side of the dry lake I thought it might be a trick of the light or a tree stump I moved closer to the glass and squinted it stood upright like a person but it had no face it did not move it just pointed at me I remember feeling something heavy in my chest I backed away and told myself I was tired it was my first night in the new house I had no reason to panic but I could not ignore that strange shape I decided to keep the lights off

and watch for a few more minutes the figure did not move I did not sleep well that night I moved into this small one-story house near an old lake bed the place was cheap deep the realtor told me the lake had dried up years ago the soil was damp in some parts but mostly the area was flat cracked mud there were some trees around but nothing thick or tall the house stood close to the shore separated by about 50 yards of old mud and dried debris I picked this place because I wanted to be alone

I had grown tired of the city noise I wanted quiet I got it but not in the way I expected on the second night I looked out again the figure was there same spot still pointing at me no face I opened the door quietly and stepped outside keeping the exterior light off I listened I heard insects I heard a breeze I heard distant rustling in the brush I did not hear anyone moving across that muddy ground I walked around to the side of the house and looked at the lake bed with a small flashlight I

aimed the beam care carefully trying not to Blind myself the figure was barely visible now just a dark silhouette I waited it never shifted I raised my voice and asked who was there no response I felt a tightness in my neck the hair on my arm stood up I went back inside and locked the door in the morning I walked out to the spot where I thought the figure had stood the mud was solid in some areas and soft in others I saw my own footprint prints I saw cracked surfaces I did not see footprints

that belonged to anyone else there were no bootprints no shoe marks no signs that a person had stood there I checked a wide radius nothing I tried to stay calm maybe I had imagined it maybe it was a bush or a stump I found no stump there was nothing that could have created that shape on the third night I stood at the window again the figure was there again exactly the same position position it pointed at me with its right arm I still could not make out a face it was just a dark shape like

a person wearing dark clothes but there were no details no features no highlights I tried to open the window and call out the window made a slight creaking noise I said hey no response I yelled who are you the figure remained still I felt sweat on my forehead I closed the window and locked it the phone had no service here I had meant to fix that but I had just moved in and had not gotten around to it I had some old cell signal boosters in a box I decided I would set them up in

the morning I went to bed that night trying to ignore the feeling that someone was outside watching me I tried to sleep but my ears kept picking up small noises creeks in the house a tapping somewhere behind the wall a gust of wind against the glass then I heard a whisper it sounded like my name it came from outside the bedroom window or maybe the living room it was a soft sound like someone saying my name through the glass I shot up in bed breathing hard I turned on the bedside lamp the whispering stopped I

listened holding my breath nothing I got up and went to the living room I turned on a lamp near the couch and peered out the window the figure was there still pointing but now it seemed closer maybe it had moved 20 yards forward it no longer stood at the far edge of the lake bed it was closer to my side I felt my stomach drop I locked all the doors I closed all the curtains I lay awake until dawn listening for that whisper I thought I heard it once more but I told myself it was

the wind in the morning I checked the ground again still no Footprints except mine I looked carefully for any sign of disturbed soil nothing the top layer of mud near my house was cracked but not broken by fresh steps I tried not to panic I told myself I had seen something that was not real but I remembered the whisper I remembered the shape I remembered the way it pointed right at me I spent most of that day unpacking and trying to get my cell phone booster to work the signal here was weak I managed to

get a single bar after fiddling with the device on the roof I tried calling a friend in the city but the call dropped after a few seconds I sent a text but it did not go through I told myself I would try again later I ate a quick meal of canned soup and crackers I kept looking at the front door expecting to see it rattle or open but nothing happened during the day before Sunset I stood outside with my flashlight and inspected the area around the house I walked the perimeter I checked for footprints for

any evidence of a person hiding I found nothing I felt the air get cooler as the sun dipped low I felt a pressure in my chest as I imagined that figure appearing again I told myself I would handle it calmly I would try to ignore it I would treat it like a weird hallucination maybe I was stressed that night I closed the curtains early and decided not to look outside I turned on the TV and watched old DVDs because there was no cable the volume was low and I tried to focus on the show after

a couple of hours I got up for a glass of water I walked into the kitchen and glanced at the window over the sink I froze the figure stood there on my side of the lake bed now closer maybe 10 yards from my porch steps it pointed at me I felt my hand shaking I turned off the kitchen light and stood in the dark I looked again it was still there I could see it because of the Moonlight I could not see a face it was like a human shape cut out of Darkness I whispered

go away my mouth felt dry I waited the figure did not move I heard something outside a scraping sound near the porch I stepped away from the window and bumped into a chair I felt a bead of sweat rolling down my spine I moved slowly to the living room and looked out the front window the figure was still near the porch it had not come closer but it was close enough that I could make out its arm raised toward me I locked the windows I checked the back door locked I picked up a heavy wrench

from my toolbox in the hall I waited the TV was still on in the other room but I did not move to turn it off I stood there gripping the wrench listening to the silence after a long time I heard a whisper again it said my name I heard it clearly this time as if someone stood right outside the wall and spoke through it I felt my heart racing my legs felt weak I wanted to shout back but I could not form words I ended up sitting on the couch with all the lights off holding

the wrench breathing quietly I listened for any sound of movement but I heard only the occasional Whisper of my name after several hours the sky started to lighten I got up and looked out the window the figure was gone there was only the empty lake bed my porch was still intact no Footprints nothing I could not understand how something could stand there and leave no Trace I spent the next day driving into town it took about 40 minutes on a dirt road I stopped at a small convenience store and tried to ask the clerk if

anyone ever came out by the old lake bed he looked at me with confusion he said not many people go out that way I asked if there had been any kind of strange sightings he Shrugged I asked if there was a police station nearby he said the nearest one was a few Towns over I tried making a phone call for my cell phone outside the store the signal was weak I managed to reach a friend's voicemail I said I was having weird problems at my new place I asked him to call me back I did

not go into detail because I felt embarrassed I felt like he would laugh at me I returned home in the late afternoon as I approached the house I felt a growing sense of rad I checked around the property again before Sunset nothing unusual I went inside and decided to keep all the lights on this time I ate a simple meal of bread and cheese I tried to watch a DVD but my stomach was turning I sat near the front door with my flashlight and wrench waiting when it got dark I looked out again the figure

was back standing about where it had been the previous night it pointed at me through the window I felt my throat tighten I pushed the sofa against the door and wedged a chair under the doorknob I dragged a dresser from the bedroom and blocked the back door as well then I stood by the window and said what do you want I raised my voice I tried to sound angry no response I shouted again what do you want the figure did not move it just pointed I hit the window with my fist it made a dull

thump no reaction outside I opened the window a crack and yelled go away then I slammed it shut the whisper came soon after it said my name in a voice that was quiet but clear it came from behind the glass Right Where I Stood I jumped back and nearly dropped the wrench there was no one there just empty air on my side and that figure outside I paced the living room holding the wrench breathing through my mouth because my nose felt stuffed up my body was stiff my shoulders hurt from tension I looked at the

figure again it seemed closer to the house now maybe just a step or two I had not seen it move it was just somehow closer I thought about calling the police but I had no signal in the house I tried anyway no luck I wanted to run outside and confronted but my legs felt weak I stayed inside the whispering continued on on and off through the night sometimes I would hear it at the front window sometimes near the back door sometimes near the bedroom window always my name just once then silence each time I heard

it I froze my heart pounding my skin cold I could not see any Shadow through the curtains I tried not to imagine a face there was no face just a shape when Dawn approached I looked outside again the figure was gone I left the house and walked around the area no Footprints no sign of anything I tried to stay calm I decided I needed help I packed a bag and drove back toward the town on the way my car's engine light flickered and I felt the car losing power I managed to get it to a

small mechanic's shop near the convenience store the mechanic said he would need a day to fix it he didn't have the parts I asked if there was a place to stay overnight there was a small moot tell nothing fancy I considered staying there but I had all my stuff at the lake house and I felt like I should not leave it unguarded I ended up taking a taxi back which cost me too much money the taxi driver dropped me off at the start of the dirt road he didn't want to go further he said the

road was too rough I walked the rest of the way feeling uneasy as the sun got lower that night I took a different approach I turned off all the lights and sat in the kitchen with a flashlight aimed at the door I wanted to catch this thing in the ACT I waited in silence after a few hours I checked the window the figure was standing at the base of my porch steps it pointed at me through the glass it was so close now that I could see the edges of its shape but still no face

no details I held the flashlight on it the beam lit nothing it was as if the light did not reflect off it I went outside I took a deep breath and opened the door stepping onto the porch with the flashlight and wrench there was nothing there just the muddy ground and the dry lake bed I stepped down and shined the flashlight around nothing I turned back to look at the window I saw it inside my house now standing near the couch it pointed at me through the glass I screamed I ran back inside the figure

was gone I locked myself in the bedroom and sat there until morning I heard Whispers at the door it said my name softly a few times I lay on the bed holding the wrench shaking my throat was dry my eyes were heavy but I could not sleep when sunlight came I opened the bedroom door the house was empty no damage nothing out of place that morning I packed what I could carry and left on foot I did not care about the rest of my things I just wanted to get away I walked along the dirt

road until I reached the main road I had no plan I just kept walking I did not want to see that figure again I did not want to hear my name whispered from behind the glass I did not return I remember the evening I got the envelope because I was just finishing dinner I had locked my apartment door and turned off the TV I noticed something in my mailbox and at first I thought it was a bill or a piece of junk mail inside was a folded sheet of paper it was a handdrawn map of

an old house there was no address only a small red circle around a spot in a neighborhood where I knew there was nothing now but an empty lot someone had left it for me without a note no return address no explanation I studied it under the the kitchen light squinting at the uneven lines and the detail of the inside layout it was detailed enough to show rooms and corridors I recognized the rough outline of a property that as far as I knew had burned down decades ago I had researched paranormal cases for years so I

had heard rumors of a house that sometimes appeared on full moons but I never believed them I considered ignoring the map I didn't want to waste time chasing stories I already doubted but the next night night was a full moon and I decided to go the lot was 2 mil from my apartment around midnight I parked my car on the street walked over to the chain link fence and stood there holding a flashlight the ground was Bare I saw broken glass an old pipe sticking out of the dirt and chunks of concrete the moon was

bright enough to see the whole area clearly at first I saw nothing unusual just empty space in the shadows of a few trees behind the lot then then as I scanned the area with the flashlight off I saw a faint outline it was like a shadow of a structure that wasn't there I stepped closer the outline seemed to grow darker when I looked at it without direct light when I moved around I could see it was shaped like a two-story house the roof line the porch even what looked like a small chimney but there was

nothing physical there it looked like a dark flat shape against the night sky a silhouette hanging in the empty space my heart was beating fast I felt sweat under my arms I tried to touch it sticking my hand forward into nothing the air felt normal I walked around the silhouette from some angles it vanished from others it came back into view I decided to step right where the front door should be I took a breath and moved forward for a moment I felt like I was passing through a curtain of cold air my eyes adjusted

I could see a dim hallway in front of me it was as if I had stepped into a building the outside lot vanished from sight and I stood inside a hallway with wooden floors pale wallpaper and a series of doors on both sides I flipped my flashlight on the beam lit up a narrow Corridor that seemed to stretch much farther than the outline I had seen outside it didn't make sense the hall looked endless Fading Into Darkness far ahead I listened I could hear quiet laughter but I didn't see anyone the laughter was low distant

and sometimes it shifted into what sounded like Whispers I called out hello but got no answer my voice echoed the echo sounded off like the space inside wasn't stable I could feel my pulse in my neck my mouth was dry I decided to take a few steps forward I passed several doors on my left and right all were closed their surfaces looked old and worn the door knobs were simple and made of a dull metal I reached for one door knob it was cold to the touch I opened it hoping to find a normal room

instead behind the door I saw another Corridor angled differently with a different floor pattern I backed away and shut it that didn't make sense a door inside a house should lead to a room not another corridor I tried a door on the opposite side same thing another Corridor stretched out different lighting maybe a slight tilt in the floor I listened for the laughter again it was still there faint I could also hear shuffling like shoes on wood but I never saw anyone my stomach felt tense I tried the next door and again it showed me

another hallway that didn't align with anything I knew about normal architecture I kept looking over my shoulder expecting to see a person or something standing behind me but it was always empty I smelled dust the air felt cool I decided to mark my path I took out a pen from my jacket pocket and Drew a small X on the hallways wallpaper where I had entered I tried to keep track of the doors I opened but after opening a few and stepping through them I noticed something disturbing the corridor behind me sometimes changed I would look

back and see fewer doors or different wallpaper patterns once I turned around and saw the corridor slant downward slightly like a ramp another time I looked back and the X I had drawn was gone I tried to remain calm I told myself I had to keep a clear head I slowed my breathing and tried not to panic the floors creaked under my shoes the laughter came and went never right next to me Always Somewhere far ahead I tried walking straight ahead for a while without opening any doors the corridor just kept going after walking for

what felt like 10 minutes I turned around expecting to see the entrance behind me but all I saw was more Corridor the sense of direction was gone I couldn't tell how far I had come I kept my flashlight steady I wanted to find a wall or something that would show me an exit instead I found a door slightly ajar on my right I could see a sliver of Darkness inside I pushed it open carefully this time instead of another Corridor I saw a smaller room with bare floorboards as I stepped in I noticed that the

laughter seemed clearer here but still I saw no one I aimed the flashlight around the room was empty except for a wooden chair in a corner the chair looked old and had paint chipping off I approached it and touched it it felt solid that meant at least some objects here were real I checked the walls no window no vents no lights I spoke again is anyone here no reply just a soft scraping sound I felt a chill and turned around there was no one I backed out of the room and stepped into the corridor again

this time the corridor looked different the wallpaper had changed from a pale pattern to a darker brown the floorboards were narrower I felt my chest tightening I tried to remember the way I came in but but I couldn't find any sign of it I tried running back choosing random doors every door led to another Corridor sometimes I found a dead end sometimes I found a hallway that Twisted slightly I never found the outside or anything familiar at some point I sat down on the floor and tried to calm myself my legs were shaking I was

thirsty the flashlight beam shook as my hand trembled I took a deep breath and decided to pick a direction and stick to it I walked slowly touching the walls feeling the texture of the wallpaper and the occasional wooden panel I tried to keep track of every detail but after a few minutes the details changed again different style of door frames different patterns on the floor the place didn't follow any normal logic I heard a short burst of laughter behind a door to my left I opened it shining the light inside it revealed another Corridor but

this one had a slight curve to it I followed it hoping maybe it would lead me somewhere else the wood creaked I smelled something musty like old fabric I listened carefully but the laughter faded again I heard what sounded like whispering but I couldn't make out words I felt sweat running down my back my throat was dry I wanted to find a way out I tried every door I passed most of them led to corridors some led to empty rooms one room had a broken mirror on the floor another had a small Shelf with nothing

on it another had a rug rolled up against a wall I touched these objects to make sure they were real they felt solid but useless none of them helped me escape I considered that maybe I was hallucinating but I felt too alert I was certain I had stepped into something that shouldn't exist I tried to think logically if the house had once stood here maybe I was inside some strange remnant of it but I didn't want to waste time on speculation I needed an exit I decided to leave marks I tore strips from my shirt

I had a cotton undershirt beneath my jacket so I pulled off small pieces and tied them to doorknobs I left a trail of these fabric pieces behind me so I could see if the place rearranged itself after walking a while and returning to check the marks I found them gone the doorknob I had marked were different the pieces of fabric had vanished this made me panic I started breathing fast and had to pause to slow down again I whispered to myself calm down I tapped the floorboards with my foot trying to see if there was

any hollow space they all sounded the same just solid wood I opened another door and found a corridor with a slightly lower ceiling I followed it I turned left at the next intersection then right at another I kept going I no longer knew if I was heading deeper inside or back towards the entrance I heard a distant scraping sound again followed by a faint giggle I shouted who's there no answer my voice sounded small in that place I tried to listen for my echo but it came back strangely distorted I could feel my heart pounding

my legs felt tense my arm holding the flashlight was getting tired I tried res ing once more leaning against a wall and focusing on my breathing I got up and kept moving eventually I noticed something different the corridor ahead seemed lighter as if there was a faint glow I walked towards it feeling cautious and a bit hopeful as I moved closer I realized it was the same Corridor I had first entered I recognized the wallpaper pattern from my first few minutes inside I rushed forward scanning the area for any sign of the entrance I found

the spot where I thought I had first come in I stepped forward shining the flashlight ahead for a moment I saw darkness in the faint outline of the empty lot outside I reached out and felt cold air I moved slowly and after a few steps I was outside again I stood on the bare ground of the vacant lot when I turned around I saw nothing but empty space the silhouette of the house was gone I aimed my flashlight around the lot was just a vacant patch of dirt and debris no sound no corridors I was

sweating my shirt stuck to my skin I swallowed and tried to calm myself I could still feel my heart beating hard I backed away from the spot and walked towards my car I looked over my shoulder several times the empty lot stayed empty the moon was still bright I checked the time on my phone only about an hour had passed since I arrived it felt longer inside that place place I stood next to my car for a while breathing the cool night air I thought about the corridor the laughter the changing doors I didn't want

to think about it too hard I didn't want to lose my mind over it I took another sip of water from a bottle in my trunk my throat hurt a bit my hands were still unsteady I approached the fence One Last Time shining the flashlight into the lot I saw only dirt and trash no silhouette no sign of a house I left I drove home with the windows down feeling the night air on my face I locked my apartment door behind me and tossed the envelope and map into a drawer I sat on the couch

trying not to think about what had happened I just focused on the plain details I went there I entered something that shouldn't exist I got out over the next few days I went back twice each time I found nothing the silhouette didn't appear the lot looked normal I never found any explanation the corridor the doors the laughter they stayed in my memory I thought about trying another full moon but I stopped myself I knew what I had experienced I didn't want to risk entering that place again my nerves were still on edge sometimes at night

I thought I heard distant laughter in my apartment hallway but I knew it was just my imagination I still have that map sometimes I unfold it and look at the lines they make no sense they don't match what I saw inside there's no reason to believe the place follows any rules I understand I remember touching those doors and feeling the cold metal knobs I remember shining my flashlight down an impossible Corridor I remember the feeling of my heart pounding the way my hands Shook and the relief when I finally escaped I have no proof that

anything happened I have no recordings or samples I don't know who sent me that envelope I haven't told anyone the full story because I don't think they would believe me they would ask for evidence I don't have they would think I made it up but I know what I saw and what I felt I know that place existed at least for a while and that I was inside it I have decided not to investigate it further I don't want to open that door again I don't want to feel those corridors shifting and laughing at me

I don't want to lose my sense of direction in an endless hallway I just want to move on and not think about it but even now when I close my eyes I can picture that Corridor extending in front of me door after door leading nowhere laughing softly and never showing a single living soul I arrived in the village late in the afternoon the sky looked clear but the air felt cold my luggage was light a few books some notebooks my camera and a flashlight I had a single goal I wanted to learn about the local

Legend I had read about it in an old University Journal it described a place in the mountains where a strange creature haunted the Old Stone houses the author had never visited the village he had only collected rumors still I wanted real facts I wanted to see the place talk to the locals and note down what I observed I checked into a small Stone House that the locals rented out to visitors the owner an older man with a stiff way of speaking led me inside showed me the single bedroom the kitchen area and the small fireplace

he said very little he handed me the key and left without another word I found his behavior odd most people in remote Villages are at least polite but he seemed to avoid eye contact I stood alone in that silent living room for a while the walls were thick made of heavy stone blocks the furniture was simple a wooden chair a low table a narrow bed in the corner after settling in I walked around the village before nightfall the houses all looked similar old stone walls small Windows wooden roofs the alleys were narrow and uneven I

tried saying hello to a few people but they barely nodded nobody smiled I noticed no loud conversation no music no activity other than a few people carrying firewood or closing shutters I had planned to ask about the Legends right away but the unfriendly atmosphere pushed me back I decided to wait to not force any questions I wanted them to trust me or at least not to shut me out completely on the first day when I returned to my rented house the sun had gone down I made a simple meal bread cheese and water I found

some dried herbs in a small pouch near the fireplace and added them to the cheese for flavor I didn't taste anything special the silence grew thick I could only hear the sound of a slight breeze passing between the stones outside my flashlight and Camera were on the table my notes lay open I tried writing down my first impressions I wrote about the village layout the people's silence the heavy stone structures and the strange mood then I heard a knock from somewhere behind me it sounded like someone tapping lightly on a wall I Stood Still and

listened the knock came again a series of soft dull hits like Knuckles on Stone I walked slowly around the room trying to locate the sound it seemed to come from inside the walls themselves I pressed my ear against the Cold Stone the knock grew faint then stopped I felt a chill on my arms I couldn't explain it I had never heard stone walls make such a sound I told myself it could be the pipes or maybe an old wooden beam shifting but the walls were pure Stone I had seen no pipes I went to bed

early feeling uneasy the bed was firm the blanket rough I heard distant noises outside nothing strange just the wind and maybe a wooden shutter banging I tried to sleep at some point deep in the night I woke up to a sharper sound it was not a creek or a shift it sounded like someone knocking hard from inside the wall right next to my bed I sat up my heart pounded I held my breath The Knocks came in a pattern three knocks a pause then three more knocks I switched on my flashlight and examined the wall

nothing just cold rough Stone I stayed awake until morning as soon as there was enough light I examined every inch of the walls I tapped them pushed them tried to see if any stone was loose everything felt solid the mortar looked old but stable I saw no cracks large enough for even a small creature I checked the outside walls too no gaps I felt a bit embarrassed standing there in the morning light knocking on stone walls a villager passed by and watched me I waved at him he did not wave back I spent the next

day talking to a few locals I approached them with neutral questions I asked about the weather about the mountains about the houses most answered with a few words and then tried to leave I mentioned I was a history Professor a couple of them nodded but said nothing else when I finally asked in a direct way do you have any old Legends around here one man looked at me with a flat face and said there are always old stories in Old places he wouldn't say more another another person a woman sweeping her doorstep mumbled something I

couldn't understand and turned her back to me that evening I returned to the house and lit the fireplace it gave off some warmth but the corners of the room stayed cold I arranged my notes on the table and tried to write down my second day's Impressions I wanted to record everything while I wrote I heard something like a soft whisper behind me I turned nothing there I listened carefully I heard a faint voice like someone trapped behind a wall speaking words too soft to understand I stood up walked to the nearest wall and pressed my

ear against it I Heard a Voice it sounded human it said something like help but with a broken tone as if struggling to speak I stepped back and felt my skin get goosebumps I wasn't imagining it there was a voice inside the wall I tried talking to it I spoke in a low careful voice who are you I said are you stuck The Voice did not answer I only heard a sigh and then silence I waited leaning against the table trying not to panic I thought maybe there was a crawl space or a hidden room

I considered the idea that someone might be playing a trick on Me Maybe the villagers did this to scare Outsiders maybe they had a way to project sound through the stones I had no proof I decided to look for any sign of hidden doors I spent over an hour running my hands along every wall checking for seams or gaps nothing later that night the knocking resumed it started at one corner of the room moved to another then back again each time I rushed to the source it stopped as if whoever made the sound knew I

was chasing it my heart pounded the whole time I felt sweat on my forehead at one point I shouted stop it hoping someone would react The Knocks went silent for a moment I relaxed then I heard a low moan like someone in pain it came from behind the wall near the fireplace I rushed there and tried to push the stones they were firm and immovable I hardly slept that night I paced around the dark house flashlight in hand waiting for something else to happen the temperature felt colder near the walls I tried opening the window

for fresh air but the outside wind didn't help I kept thinking that I should just leave but I had come all this way I wanted at least some solid fact about this creature I wanted to understand what the villagers were hiding the next morning I approached the man who had rented me the house I told him about the noises I told him I heard voices and knocks he looked at me with no surprise he said you're imagining things our walls are solid there's nothing there I insisted he just Shrugged and walked away I felt anger

Rising inside me they knew something their silence was intentional I visited the small shop near the center of the village it sold basic supplies mostly dried goods and matches I asked the shopkeeper if he knew any old stories he said he had nothing to tell me I noticed his eyes avoiding mine I asked if Outsiders often came to the Village he said yes once in a while I asked if they stayed long he didn't answer that afternoon I wandered around the outskirts of the village the mountains Rose Steep and dark I found a corner of

the village where old collapsed walls lay scattered I saw stone block stacked in a loose pile I examined them they were heavy and rough I noticed no smell of Decay or anything that would suggest a body hidden inside just cold stone I turned one block over and saw deep scratch marks on its Underside like someone had tried to claw their way out of solid rock I felt a chill and put the block down I headed back to the house feeling tense my chest felt tight I wanted to leave but I also wanted answers that night

I prepared for more disturbances I lit the fireplace I kept my flashlight in hand I drank some water and sat at the table facing the largest wall I said out loud I know you're there I don't understand what you want immediately I heard a light tapping inside the wall I stood up pressed my ear to the stone and listened The Voice came again a whisper help cold trapped I heard these words clearly I asked who trapped you the voice did not answer I asked how can I help I heard faint sobbing it sounded real it

sounded like a person in agony I tried to think of a way to open the wall I had no tools just my flashlight and a small pocket knife the stone was too hard I used the knife's handle to tap on the wall The Knocks from inside responded they followed my pattern I felt my hand shaking I wanted to leave the house and run down the street but I was too curious I asked again louder this time how can I help you the voice just sobbed and Whisper whispered help over and over I noticed the room's

temperature dropping again my breath felt visible in the air the fire in the fireplace flickered but it did not warm the place I heard another sound coming from a different wall more knocking more voices now I heard multiple Whispers like a group of people trapped inside the stone they all seemed to plead for help I backed away pressing myself against the door I wanted to open the door and run outside but I was worried that I might miss something important my heart hammered in my chest I clenched my jaw I couldn't think clearly The Whispers

continued I yelled I don't know what to do I can't break these walls The Whispers quieted down for a moment then resumed they didn't form any new words they just repeated the pleas The Knocks grew louder not violent but steady and insistent I grabbed grabbed my flashlight and Shone it along the surface of the walls hoping to see some crack I saw nothing just old Stones carefully fitted together after an hour of this I couldn't take it anymore I stepped outside the street was empty and dark I stood there breathing fast feeling the cool air

on my face I saw no lights in other houses everything seemed quiet out there as if I had imagined the whole thing but I knew I hadn't I leaned against the stone wall of my house from the outside it felt solid no movement no sound inside I could still hear faint knocks I spent that entire night sitting in a chair by the door afraid to approach the walls again my body felt tense my head achd every so often I heard a whisper or a knock it never faded completely sometime before Sunrise I heard footsteps outside

I rushed to the window and looked at out I saw three villagers walking past my house not talking not looking anywhere in particular they moved at a slow pace as if patrolling I wondered if they knew what was happening maybe they did this every night making sure the visitor stayed put I tried to open the door and say something but by the time I got outside they were gone in the morning I decided to leave the village I had gathered no real explanation but I couldn't stand this place any longer I packed my things quickly

while stuffing my notebooks into my bag I heard one last knock from inside the wall I said I'm sorry I can't help you my voice cracked I felt uneasy admitting defeat I opened the front door the owner was standing outside waiting he asked if I would be leaving I said yes he nodded his eyes were calm too calm I said there's something in the walls you know what I'm talking about he didn't respond he just Shrugged I asked if the villagers had done something wrong he shook his head I asked if the creature was dangerous

he said nothing he just looked at me as if I were wasting his time I noticed how steady his gaze was how his expression never changed I walked away without pressing the issue I felt the weight of something sinister behind me I imagined those Whispers continuing even after I left I imagined other visitors hearing them too I would find no proof I had no recording just my notes I could write about it but who would believe me as I left the village and headed down the mountain trail I noticed the silence outside no birds no

insects just a dull quiet my legs felt stiff my back hurt from lack of sleep I kept walking not looking back I felt a steady uncomfortable Chill on my neck it was nothing physical it was just the leftover tension I tried focusing on the steps ahead on the Trail's uneven Stones eventually the path turned and the village disappeared behind a Bend I sighed in relief I never learned the full truth about that place I know I heard voices inside those walls I know I felt their cold and heard their pleading the Villager said said nothing

they didn't threaten me but they didn't help me either I left unharmed but unsettled that was enough to convince me that their Legend whatever it was had some real aspect to it the fear I felt The Knocks The Whispers I can't explain them I'm a history Professor I rely on evidence documents and logical reasoning but nothing there made sense I still remember the feeling of pressing my ear to that stone wall wall and hearing a human voice begging for help trapped in solid rock it was real to me and that's all I have I remember

the day I first saw that old music studio the lawyer handed me a small set of keys and an address he said I had inherited it from a distant Uncle I barely knew I walked up to the front door on a gray afternoon the building looked like it hadn't been touched in decades the paint on the wooden door had peeled off in uneven patches the door knob felt loose and when I turned it the hinges squeaked inside the air smelled stale the floorboards creaked with every step I closed the door behind me and stood in

the narrow hallway the silence weighed on my shoulders there was a large room ahead separated by old sliding doors I approached those doors slowly my heart pounded I don't know why I felt nervous I just did I pushed the doors aside and stepped into the main Studio there was a heavy piano at the center of the room an old upright with a dark finish the keys were slightly yellowed a thin layer of dust coated almost every surface along one wall were shelves with stacked papers rolled up sheets of music and some wooden boxes a few

old chairs stood around and heavy burgundy curtains hung over tall Windows the glass looked dirty letting in only weak light there was a standing mirror along the back wall its frame had some carved patterns that were chipped and worn as I walked toward it I noticed my reflection was a bit dim the mirror was old with slight imperfections I saw myself covered in dust I ran my hand over my shirt but it made little difference I spent the next hour or so going through the shelves I found piles of old scores some with names of

composers I recog recognized others were handwritten notes with strange instructions and half finished Melodies I tried to read them but the handwriting was hard to follow some notes were scribbled in the margins mentioning dissonant chords odd timing and strange Arrangements of instruments I didn't see anything special at first just old music from a Time long gone I planed to gather the more interesting ones and see if I could make sense of them later I checked the piano many keys were Out Of Tune and a few stuck when I pressed them the sound had a slight

Echo to it like the room was designed for Acoustics that no longer matched the instrument's condition the echo bothered me it didn't sound like a normal Echo it seemed to return at a slightly different pitch I tapped a single key and listened the sound faded then I heard a faint resonance that didn't match the note I had played I tried another key and it happened again there was a slight delay and the echo seemed to come from behind behind me or above me I looked around but I saw nothing unusual just dust particles drifting in

the stale air later that evening I set up a small lamp and started to organize the sheet music I wanted to figure out what I had inherited the lawyer mentioned that decades ago famous composers used this studio I found a small set of incomplete scores in a box pushed to the back of a shelf the handwriting was shaky and uneven but I could read some of it these pieces had had no titles some pages had large ink stains the notes formed unusual progressions I couldn't tell if they were mistakes or intentional curious I placed a

few sheets on the piano's stand and tried to play a short passage as soon as I played the first few chords I noticed something the notes sounded rough and there was a strange Reverb inside the room I stopped and listened the silence after I stopped playing felt thick I played another chord the curtains moved moved slightly as if a small draft had passed behind them I walked over and checked the window it was closed there were no vents nearby the curtains were still now hanging without motion I thought maybe I had caused some vibration I

returned to the piano and tried another line of the score I played slowly pressing each key carefully the echo returned but it didn't match my notes it sounded like someone was playing a similar chord on a different instrument far away I stopped again and listened tilting my head waiting nothing just the ticking of my wristwatch and the faint hum of distant traffic outside when it started getting dark I found the light switches only one overhead bulb worked it cast a weak yellow light over the studio I decided to sleep there I had nowhere else to

go at the moment I set up a small cot in the corner and tried to relax I heard the building structured shifting old wood tends to groan at night it didn't surprise me but something else was off at some point I heard a faint scraping sound it wasn't loud more like a soft scratch against a wall I sat up and looked around the curtains were still the mirror reflected the room just as it was the piano stood silent I didn't see anything eventually I fell asleep I woke up in the middle of the night because

I heard something it sounded like someone tapping a single piano key just one note hit gently I sat up on the cut and stared across the room the piano keys looked still I got up walked over and looked closely nothing moved I pressed a key lightly the sound rang out and then the echo this time the echo sounded more prominent I leaned forward listening I thought I heard footsteps behind me me I turned around fast but I saw only the mirror and the old furniture my hands felt clammmy I wiped my Palms on my pants

the air felt colder my breath came out in Shallow bursts I tried to calm down telling myself it was my imagination I moved to the shelves and scanned the titles of the old compositions again many had strange instructions like play after midnight or do not complete the final bar it felt weird I reached for one score that looked older than the rest the paper was yellow and brittle the notes on it Formed awkward chords I placed it on the piano and tried to play just a couple of measures I struck a cord the sound emerged

and I heard something move behind me I froze I turned slowly and looked at the mirror my reflection stood there tense but there was something else in the reflection I saw a figure on the opposite side of the room he wasn't there when I turned my head to look directly but in the mirror I saw him he stood by the curtains holding a violin he wore dark clothes that seemed faded his face was hard to make out I only saw vague features like Shadows on a blank surface he lifted the violin to his neck and

moved the bow but I couldn't hear any violin sound I only heard a faint Whisper of something that didn't match my piano note I spun around and looked at the actual curtains no one was there I looked back at the mirror the figure was gone I felt the hair on my arms stand up I backed away from the piano breathing faster I tried to leave the room but the door handle got stuck it wasn't locked it just wouldn't turn easily eventually I forced it open and stepped into the hallway I leaned against the wall my

forehead sweaty I didn't know what to think I wasn't seeing things clearly I waited in the hallway for a few minutes trying to to steady my nerves then I went back inside the room looked normal again no strange figures no violinist just old furniture and a silent piano the next morning I went to a small convenience store nearby and grabbed some coffee and a sandwich I sat on a bench outside before going back in the daylight felt safe I decided to continue exploring the studio maybe I had to know more I searched a closet in

the hallway and found a few notes from my uncle they talked about strange events in the studio he mentioned hearing odd Echoes and seeing someone in the mirror who did not match anyone in the room he wrote that certain unfinished scores caused unusual sounds he warned himself to never complete them he never said why he never mentioned death or anything like that he just said the presence in the studio grew stronger when certain chords were played I read his words several times my stomach tightened I understood now that he had experienced similar things that night

I returned to the main room and turned on the overhead light I decided to try something I took one of the incomplete scores and tried playing it very softly just a few notes at a time I was careful to listen closely I noticed that after each cord I felt a slight pressure in the air behind me it was subtle like someone stepping closer I played a few more notes and then stopped the silence fell felt heavy I checked the mirror again nothing unusual the curtains hung still I tried tapping on the wall solid wood I

listened to the floorboards they creaked when I moved everything seemed normal if I didn't play the music I spent several days cataloging the sheets during the day nothing strange happened the odd echos were still there but I could ignore them in the sunlight I noticed that the presence whatever it was only felt stronger when I tried to make sense of those incomplete scores I suspected they were composed to summon something I had no proof but the feeling inside my chest whenever I played them was enough I decided to stop playing The Unfinished pieces focusing instead

on well-known works that had been stored there when I played a regular piece the piano sounded normal and no strange Echoes followed the curtain stayed still and no figure appeared in the mirror but my curiosity got the better of me after a while one evening I locked the door to the studio and closed all the windows I wanted no distractions I chose a short section of the most incomplete score and played it note by note my fingers pressed each key lightly after each chord I paused and listened at first nothing then the echo returned it

sounded like a faint hum this time I played the next chord and I felt a cold draft on the back of my neck I turned quickly expecting to see the figure instead I saw the mirror's reflection the violinist stood there again this time a bit clearer I saw him lift his violin and move the bow slowly still no sound I noticed his eyes were Hollow as if he had none I could see the studio behind him in the reflection but no one actually stood there when I looked away from the mirror I felt my heart

pounding I backed away but I still faced the mirror the figure seemed to lean forward as if listening to me play I could not make out any details on his clothes except that they were old-fashioned I stopped playing and pushed the score away I stepped back and waited the reflection returned to normal my own image stared back I wiped sweat from my forehead and breathed fast my arms felt weak I sat down on a chair and tried to think of what to do next I decided to avoid those scores completely I took all the unfinished

pieces put them into a box and pushed it deep under a shelf for a few days I left the studio every evening and stayed in a cheap motel I tried not to think about it when I returned I left the mysterious sheets alone I played only neutral pieces random scales or I just sorted through old boxes but every night I slept there I heard small sounds I heard the piano Creek as if someone pressed the key softly I heard the curtains flutter even though no windows were open I heard faint tapping sounds coming from corners

of the room these were quiet but impossible to ignore I tried covering the mirror but the sheet I hung over it kept sliding off by morning I checked the window frames for drafts and found none the door knobs rattled softly now and then as if someone gently tested them from the other side on one particular night I decided to confront whatever was happening I thought if I played all the chords in one of the unfinished scores quickly maybe I could see what this presence really was I turned on all the lights I could find I

placed the score on the stand and set my fingers on the keys my heart was racing I pressed down on a series of chords ignoring how strange they sounded the piano's voice cracked and groaned the echo came back louder mismatched almost a sighing sound that made the hairs on my neck stand up I forced myself to continue each cord felt heavier the air got colder I felt my hands shaking then I dared to look in the mirror the figure was there closer right behind my shoulder in the reflection he moved the bow of his violin

along the string slowly I saw his arm move I heard nothing from the violin but I heard him breathe a soft raspy breath near my ear I froze I stopped playing and jumped up I turned around and nothing was there I turned back to the mirror my reflection alone the figure was gone I realized I would never find peace here if I tried to finish those pieces the presence would not leave me alone each cord drawn from those strange manuscripts brought it closer it never spoke it never touched me it never harmed me but it

made sure I couldn't relax I couldn't compose anything new every time I considered working on my own music I thought about that presence I stayed up late just sitting at the piano afraid to press a key eventually I only walked around the studio tidying shelves dusting surfaces avoiding the piano altogether after a few weeks I accepted that I couldn't break this cycle the presence lingered waiting for me to make a move waiting for me to play something that would give it more ground I kept the old scores hidden I avoided the mirror sometimes pushing it

against the wall so I wouldn't catch a glimpse of anything behind me the curtain still moved sometimes The Echoes still didn't match the notes but as long as I didn't play those unfinished pieces the present stayed quiet it hovered behind me like a watcher never leaving never getting closer I knew I could leave the studio and never return but it belonged to me it was a place meant for music I tried playing my own simple melodies when I did I still felt tension my hands were sweaty and my stomach churned anticipating something behind me the

presence was always there I learned to play fewer notes each day never settling into a rhythm that might Attract it again the curtains would shift a little as if reminding me it was still present the mirror would show me my own frightened expression so I remained stuck in this strange coexistence the presence didn't leave I didn't dare to provoke it again I tried to restore the piano's tuning but each time I tested a note I listened carefully for the echo the echo never went away it didn't matter what I played a part of me knew

that no matter what I did I'd never compose in this space without feeling that cold pressure behind me my hands would always shake my breathing would always shorten I would always check the mirror expecting to see that violinist lurking in the reflection As Time passed I accepted that this was my inheritance a studio haunted by An Invisible Presence that responded to certain chords and incomplete Melodies I accepted I would never find calm here no death no final horror just this constant tension every chord I played reminded me that something watched from behind I eventually stopped

trying I kept the piano closed the scores locked away and learned to live with the silence Ence The Echoes and the soft movements at night each time I thought about pressing a key I remembered that Hollow figure in the mirror and the faint sound of breathing near my ear it was enough to keep my hands away from the keys it was enough to keep me restless and uncertain knowing I would never compose in peace I opened the old wooden door and stepped into the barn the smell of rotten hay and dust hit my nose right

away I remembered the place as a kid but now it was empty and quiet there were broken boards on the floor rusted tools on the walls and a few old barrels stacked in the corner I came back to find my grandfather's old pocket watch my mother said it was left behind when we abandoned the farm years ago I did not want to return but I needed to I wanted that watch because it belonged to him and he left it for me now I was here alone inside this Barn feeling something strange I heard a soft

creaking sound above me there was no Breeze no open Windows still the doors moved slightly as if Touched By An unseen hand I kept my steps slow I could hear my own breathing it felt too loud the barn smelled like mold and old straw dust floated around me whenever I moved my boots scraped against the dirt and small stones on the ground the rafters above were dark and long chains hung down swaying very gently I looked at them carefully I could not see why they moved I felt my heart pounding I remembered the stories my

grandmother told me about strange things that happened here after my grandfather passed I tried not to think about it I just wanted the watch it was probably stored a small wooden chest he kept in the back I remember that chest it was always locked and he never told me what else he kept inside I just knew the watch was there I took a few steps forward the chains moved again they rattled I felt sweat forming on my neck my throat went dry I looked around there was nothing that would cause these movements no wind no

animals no one else here I tried to ignore it I had to find that chest I walked toward the rear of the barn where a pile of old tools and planks rested against the wall I Heard a Voice it was quiet like a whisper it said my name it was not loud but I heard it I stopped I felt my heartbeat increase I listened nothing just the sound of my breathing and a faint drip of water somewhere in the corner I shook my head and told my myself I was just nervous I had not been

here in years everything felt wrong but maybe it was just my imagination I kept walking pushing aside some wooden boards and a broken ladder underneath I found a Dusty old box it looked familiar I knelt down and touched it the surface felt dry and cracked the latch was rusted I tried to pull it open but it was stuck I searched around and found a small piece of metal that I could use as a makeshift lever I tried to open the box again as I pressed the metal into the latch I heard that whisper again it

said my name a bit louder this time I turned around fast holding the metal bar in my hand like a weapon I saw something in the corner near the doorway it looked like a dark shape a figure with no clear details it Stood Still I could not see a face or hands it was like a silhouette I stepped back and almost tripped on the box I felt my chest tighten my breathing got faster I thought about running but I wanted that watch I tried to speak but my voice sounded weak I said who's there the

figure did not answer I could not hear anything but the small soft sound of chains moving above me I tried to focus I tried to think logically maybe it was a shadow from something outside I walked a few steps toward it holding the metal bar up it did not move I approached slowly my stomach felt tense and my legs felt heavy when I got closer it faded it was not like it disappeared suddenly it just sort of blended into the darkness I swung the metal bar through the spot where it stood nothing was there I

turned back toward the box and tried to calm down I told myself I had to keep going I knelt down again and pride open the latch the box creaked it was dark inside the barn but some light came through the gaps in the walls I could see the shape of something wrapped in cloth I reached in and felt around the cloth was rough inside it I felt something small and round it had a chain attached to it I smiled for a second relieved that I found the watch before I even pulled it out I heard

a scraping sound on the floor behind me I froze my back felt cold I looked over my shoulder and saw something move near the wall I stood up with the watch in my hand still wrapped in cloth I looked at it and felt a sense of relief but I also felt dread the presence in the barn seemed stronger as I moved toward the exit the doors creaked they moved a few inches I tried to understand what was causing it there was no wind I walked slowly keeping my eyes on every corner the barn felt cramped

like it was closing in on me the chains overhead rattled again louder this time I looked up and saw them swinging more than before I whispered to myself I need to get out I held the watch tight and stepped forward the dirt floor felt loose under my boots I tried to walk straight for the door but I heard that voice again it said my name louder almost hissing I stopped my pulse was hammering my hands were sweating I gripped the watch until my Knuckles hurt I forced my myself to keep moving I did not want

to talk to it I did not want to look at it I just wanted to leave halfway to the door I saw the figure again it was near a large wooden beam it seemed darker than the Shadows around it I saw it tilt its head or at least it seemed to I heard a faint whisper not words just a soft sound I looked for any detail feet on the floor eyes anything but there was nothing it was like a hole in the Darkness I felt my stomach churn I raised the metal bar again and said

I'm leaving I have what I came for the figure did not move I stepped to the side hoping I could circle around it as I moved the figure shifted it stayed in front of me blocking my direct path I looked down at the watch in my hand I could see a bit of detail now it was an old silver pocket watch with a chain and a small latch my grandfather always carried it I remembered the ticking sound it made now it was silent I wanted to open it but my hands were shaking I kept my

eyes on the figure I stepped left again the figure swayed slightly I heard the chains above Creek and rattle one of them hit a beam and made a sharp metallic sound I flinched the figure remained in place I tried a different approach I decided to walk straight at it I moved forward gripping the watch and the metal bar my heart felt like it would burst I took one step then another the figure got clearer it was not just darkness it had a shape like a tall man wearing dark clothes but I could see no details

at all it was like looking at a person painted completely black standing still the whispering became clearer it said my name over and over slowly each time quieter but more insistent I felt my legs tremble I felt a chill on my arms and face I stopped a few feet away away I realized I was breathing hard I tried to calm down I'm taking this watch I said I don't know what you are but I'm leaving the figure stayed silent I stepped forward it moved away sliding backward into the shadows for a second I thought I

could Escape I hurried toward the door Not Looking Back the door was half open but as I got close it creaked and swung inward closing halfway I reached out and pulled it but it felt heavier than before I strained my arm muscles it gave an inch or two then stopped I tried again pulling with all my strength my finger slipped on the old wood my hand hurt from the pressure I let go and stepped back breathing fast I turned around and saw the figure near the back of the barn the chest was still open I

saw the cloth lying on the floor it felt like the figure was attached to that spot to that chest to the watch I realized I needed to open the watch maybe there was something inside it that would help me I gritted my teeth and found a stable spot to stand I placed the metal bar under my arm and tried to open the watch with my thumb the latch was stiff I pressed harder finally it opened with a click inside I saw the watch's hands stopped at a certain time probably the time my grandfather last wound

it up there was no inscription just old faded numbers I expected something else but it was just a watch I looked back at the figure confused it remained still its presence heavy in the barn the chains rattled the doors creaked again moving slightly I tried to talk again I have the watch I'm leaving let me go the figure did not respond I felt trapped the silence pressed against my my ears I could hear my heart pounding in my own skull I had to find a way out maybe a window maybe a loose board I walked

along the side of the barn keeping my eyes on the figure it did not rush at me it did not vanish it just stood there watching or at least facing my direction I found a loose board near the corner I tried to pull it off my fingers hurt on the rough wood I managed to get some leverage and yank it loose behind it there was nothing but more boards no exit there I cursed under my breath I considered running at the door and trying again I turned toward the door and saw it had opened a

few inches again I did not understand how I moved toward it slowly the floorboard squeaked under my feet the figure stayed behind me I felt its presence on my neck like it was staring at me every hair on my arm stood up I got to the door and pulled it moved a bit more this time I realized it was giving way slowly I tried to ignore the rattling chains I tried to ignore the voice Whispering my name I focused on the door I pulled harder grunting putting all my weight into it the door gave another

inch then another I felt a rush of fresh air against my face it smelled better than the inside of the barn I pulled again and the door opened enough for me to to slip through I heard a sudden scraping sound behind me I turned my head and saw the figure moving closer it did not walk like a person it just glided forward slow and steady I felt Panic rising in my chest I stepped outside and turned around to look back in the figure stopped at the threshold just inside the barn it did not come out

it stayed there almost blending with the darkness inside the chains were still rattling the doors creaked again but this time from outside I could see no wind no reason for them to move I backed away still holding the watch the figure stayed where it was its Whispering stopped I felt my breathing slow down a bit as I realized it was not chasing me outside I put the watch in my pocket my hands were shaking and my legs felt weak I looked around the old farmyard the grass was overgrown and the old house next to the

barn was boarded up I wanted to leave right away I turned and walked toward my car which I had parked near the entrance to the property every step felt heavy but with each one I felt better I could still smell the barn on my clothes that stale air and moldy straw scent as I reached my car I turned back to look at the barn one last time the doors were closed again the place looked normal from the outside just an old abandoned building but I knew what I had seen something was in there something that

did not want me to take the watch I got into my car started the engine and drove away trying not to look back my chest still felt tight and my head was pounding I wanted to get far away from that place on the road I pulled over after a few miles to catch my breath I took the watch out of my pocket and opened it again the hands were still stopped pointing at an old time that meant nothing to me there was no inscription no message but I had the watch and that was all I

came for I did not understand what that figure was or what it wanted I did not know why it whispered my name I only knew that I had gotten out and that it stayed behind I never wanted to return to that farm again I did not care if the figure stayed there forever guarding that barn and those old chains I had what belonged to my grandfather and I was done I started the car again and kept driving even though my hands trembled on the steering wheel and my ears still rang with that whisper I was

leaving I was leaving and I was not going back I saw the old gate leaning against a broken hinge when I arrived the paint on the metal bars had flaked off long ago leaving behind rough brown patches of rust there was no one around the wind pressed a damp smell of rotting leaves against my nose I had not been back here since I retired I never planned to return but I came anyway I was not sure why maybe I just wanted to see what became of the place maybe I wanted to settle something in my

mind I stood there looking at the front doors of the old sanatorium they were closed but not locked the front windows were covered in a layer of dust and dirt I could not see inside clearly I pushed on the doors and they opened with a dry scraping sound I stepped into the lobby the air inside felt heavy and smelled stale like wet paper and old cloth there was a wide reception desk to my left the surface was chipped and the drawers hung open empty I remembered sitting behind that desk in my white uniform listening for

the sound of patients arriving in wheelchairs or on gurns now the floor was covered in dirt and crumbled plaster the ceiling above had a large crack I could see a piece of metal pipe running overhead a few drops of water Gathering and then Falling Slowly onto the floor I heard something rustle behind me I spun around there was nothing just the sound of the wind pushing through the gaps in the old window frames my heart beat a little faster I walked forward slowly stepping over broken tiles and scraps of old paperwork I tried to breathe

breathe quietly but my breaths came out in short Puffs I told myself I was just nervous it was normal to feel like this in a place that used to be full of people and now was empty I moved into the main Corridor the walls had peeling paint the color used to be pale green but now it looked like patches of mold and grime the overhead lights were gone leaving only open sockets the hallway stretched out ahead lined with rooms where patients had once stayed I remembered pushing medication carts along this Corridor I remembered the quiet

murmers of people who did not know their own names I took another step and tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in my gut then I heard laughter it came from somewhere behind the closed doors the sound was soft and distant there was also a quiet sobbing mixed in with the laughter it did not sound right I could not tell if it was male or female old or young I pressed my my ear against one of the doors inside it was silent I tried the handle the door opened with a crunch and I stepped inside the

room had a single bed frame with no mattress the metal was rusted and bent there was a small table in the corner missing a leg the floor was damp I smelled something like moss and old wood I listened carefully but I heard nothing now I turned to go back into the corridor and in the doorway I thought I saw a shape pass by by it was fast and Silent like a shadow without a person I rushed forward into the Hall empty I stood there heart pounding trying not to panic I kept moving checking each room

most were empty some had overturned chairs broken cabinets or piles of old sheets rotting on the floor in one room there were several Rusty bed frames lined up I swear I saw a figure standing at the far end near the window it looked hum sized but had no distinct face or features I blinked and looked again it was gone I walked toward the window feeling the uneven floor under my boots the window was dirty outside I could see the tall grass and a few dead trees there was no one out there I heard that strange

laughter again it echoed through the corridor I followed the sound my throat felt dry and my Palms were sweaty I wiped them on my pants I heard soft crying now it sounded like a patient in distress someone in need of help my old nurse instincts told me to see if I could help even though I knew this place had been abandoned for years I moved toward the sound it seemed to shift from one hallway to another I passed an old treatment room inside I found a few gurns with their wheels rusted in place one gurnie

still had a stained sheet draped over it I lifted the sheet there was nothing underneath just a bare metal surface and some dirt I left the room as I moved deeper into the building I began to feel a pressure behind my eyes my head started to ache the sound of crying and laughing came and went sometimes it sounded very close just behind a closed door other times it was distant as if at the far end of the corridor the temperature seemed to drop my arms felt cold I rubbed them and tried to stay calm I

told myself if I was imagining things there were no patients here no one had died here that I knew of the place had closed for other reasons yet the sounds continued I decided to head to the old nurse's station it was at the far end of the East Wing I remembered the route I followed the main Corridor turned left at the broken water fountain passed a line of storage rooms and then reached the station the door was open inside there was a large wooden counter a few old cabinets and a line of lockers where we

used to keep our personal items the lockers were all open and empty the cabinet doors were half broken some medical files lay scattered on the floor their ink faded I knelt down and picked up a file it smelled like mildew the name was smudged the date was from decades ago I flipped through the pages but all the writing had faded I dropped it and stood up I felt dizzy I pressed my hand against the counter I heard the laughter again it sounded like it was right behind me I turned sharply no one there I tried

to ignore the Goosebumps on my arms my pulse was racing I walked out of the nurses station and started back toward the main lobby on the way I heard a sudden bang I froze my legs felt weak it sounded like a door slamming I waited I did not hear footsteps I stepped forward carefully I reached the intersection of the Halls the smell of mold was strong here there was debris on the floor I saw a figure at the end of the hall it had a human shape but I could not see a face just a

sort of gray blur where a head should be the figure was still I felt my throat tighten my eyes watered I wanted to speak but I could not find words I took a step toward it the figure slipped behind a door silent and quick my chest felt tight I moved faster now trying to catch whoever it was I found the door that the figure had passed through it was an old Ward room large enough for several patients I entered the windows here were coated in dust I could barely see outside the ceiling had spots of

black mold along the walls I saw old bed frames some were overturned others had straps dangling off off the sides in the corner there was a wheelchair with a broken wheel I did not see anyone in the room I circled around checking behind the bed frames nothing I spoke out loud my voice shaky and quiet who's here there was no answer I stood in the center of the room feeling my heart hammering in my chest my stomach churned the laughter came again it sounded like it was right inside my ear I jerked my head around

nothing then I heard crying it sounded muffled like someone crying into a pillow I followed the sound to a corner of the room where an old curtain hung from a rail I pulled the curtain aside there was only a cracked wall behind it I rubbed my face with my hands feeling sweat on my forehead my breathing was rapid my muscles felt tense I hurried out of the room and tried to find another way back to the lobby the building was silent except for my footsteps I could hear dirt crunching under my boots I passed a

row of rooms I had not checked before the doors were all closed the door at the end was open I looked inside from the threshold it was a small storage room with shelves along the walls some old bandages and Gauze strips lay scattered the gauze was brown with age I remembered rolling fresh bandages in this room and handing them to younger nurses now it smelled like rotten wood I stepped back into the hall I turned and caught a glimpse of something moving behind the dirty window at the far end of the corridor it looked like

a face but there were no features just a blank shape pressed against the glass I walked toward it each step felt heavy I could hear my heartbeat when I reached the window I saw only dust and cobwebs on the other side outside the grass moved in the wind I placed my palm on the glass it was cold and r rough I felt like I was not alone but I saw no one I forced myself to speak again is anyone here my voice echoed in the empty Corridor I listened carefully I heard a faint sobbing sound

near the stairwell I followed it stepping over broken tiles and chunks of plaster the stairwell door was half open I saw the stairs going down they were concrete and covered with dirt I took a few steps down the air smelled damp and stale I held the railing it was cold under my hand the crying seemed to come from below I descended slowly feeling each step under my boots at the bottom I reached a small basement Corridor it was dark but a bit of light came from a cracked window near the ceiling I saw old pipes

running along the ceiling dripping water the floor was wet I stepped carefully the sound of my boots splashing lightly the crying had stopped I turned a corner and saw another figure standing at the far end it looked like a person in a hospital gown the gown was stained and torn I could not see a face it seemed to shake slightly as if laughing or crying I opened my mouth but my throat was too dry to speak I took a step forward and the figure disappeared around the corner my legs felt weak and my eyes stung

with sweat I wanted to leave I turned around and climbed the stairs back up I nearly tripped on a loose tile I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand when I reached the top I walked quickly toward the main lobby I wanted to get out of this place my heart was pounding and my head throbbed I could still hear Quiet Sounds behind me sometimes I thought I heard laughter other times crying I did not look back in the lobby I pushed the front doors open again they scraped loudly against the old floor outside

the air smelled fresh compared to inside I sucked in a deep breath my shoulders felt tight and my hands were shaking I looked back at the building I could see dirty Windows broken roof tiles and patches of moss on the stone walls I stared waiting to see if any figure appeared at a window nothing moved I waited for a long moment my clothes felt damp with sweat I tried to steady my breathing I told myself I had imagined it all that my memory and the Silence of the place had played tricks on me but I

could still feel the tension in my muscles I could still remember the faceless shapes and the strange sounds I shook my head I was not sure what I had experienced I only knew I had felt something unnatural inside those Halls I had seen things that should not be there I had heard voices that did not belong to anyone real I walked away from the sanatorium back through the old gate and onto the overgrown path as I moved farther from the building the heaviness in my chest began to ease the sounds faded the wind felt cooler

on my face I glanced back one last time the building stood silent and empty I saw no one I heard nothing but I remembered what I saw and heard inside I clenched my jaw and kept walking I did not look back again I remember standing outside that old mansion and holding my camera in my right hand feeling my fingers pressing hard against the grip I had heard about this place from a friend who said it would give me interesting angles and textures for an artistic photo series I was working on the windows were cracked the

paint on the doors was chipped and the fence around the property was bent and rusted there was there was no gate just a wide opening that once had a set of iron bars I could see dried leaves piled in corners and a few Fallen branches scattered across the yard I told myself I could handle this I just wanted some shots of old furniture peeling wallpaper and maybe a few Dusty hallways I had no idea what I would find inside when I walked through the front entrance I had to push hard the door was swollen in

the frame it scraped against the wooden floor the place smelled like old paper and moldy fabric I could see dust floating in the beam of my flashlight the main hall was empty no furniture only some torn carpet along the edges and a few dark stains on the floorboards I started to take some test shots right away I raised my camera aimed at a corner and fired the flash the burst of light was bright and quick the shot showed nothing unusual on the camera's preview screen just a corner with peeling wallpaper I moved on I had

a tripod strapped to my shoulder but I didn't set it up yet I wanted to scout the place a bit I walked down a long hallway on the right side of the main hall my boots made soft creaking sounds on the boards the air felt heavier there and the walls were darker I came across a broken mirror leaning against the wall I pointed my camera at it and took a shot with flash The Flash lit up the dust in front of me on the camera's small screen I noticed something odd there was a shape behind

me in the photo like a thin figure standing next to my shoulder it looked skeletal I turned around fast raising my flashlight there was nothing there just empty space I swallowed hard my chest felt tight I told myself maybe it was some trick of the light or a piece of furniture I hadn't noticed but there was nothing behind me the hallway was empty I took another shot aiming at the same spot the flash popped again when I checked the screen I saw that figure again now slightly to the side it looked translucent I couldn't make

out details just a skull-like head and a bony frame I turned around again scanning the darkness with my flashlight nothing I felt my throat getting dry I tried to clear it but it didn't help I moved further down the hallway the floor felt uneven I stepped carefully there were cracked boards here and there I reached a room on the left pushed the door and it swung inward releasing a gust of stale air inside I could see a large wooden table covered with a thick layer of dust there were empty picture frames on the walls I

took a few steps in and aimed my camera at the table I fired the flash checking the screen I saw multiple shapes this time they were faint standing around the table all of them looked like skeletal figures some appeared taller others shorter they had no color just a pale almost transparent outline I heard a faint sound from the hallway like a soft Shuffle I turned around slowly shining my flashlight nothing was there just silence I felt a knot in my stomach I tried to breathe steadily I told myself I could leave any time I wasn't

trapped but I wanted my shots I had a strong urge to document these things I couldn't see them with my own eyes they only appeared in the camera's flash it felt wrong but also intriguing I took another shot without moving on the screen the figures had changed positions they were closer to me now almost at my side I could see the outline of their arms and ribs no clothes just thin bony Silhouettes I backed away until I hit the door frame with my shoulder I tried again with the flashlight alone searching the room nothing visible

just Dusty air and old wood my heart was beating faster I could feel sweat on the back of my neck I decided to leave that room and head back to the main hall I walked quickly keeping my flashlight in front of me the hallway felt longer than before I looked at my watch the time was normal but I felt as if I had been inside for hours already when I returned to the main hall I Stood Still and listened the house was quiet I heard the distant sound of a car passing on a a nearby

street that gave me a bit of comfort I wasn't completely isolated I took a deep breath and tried to decide what to do next I chose a different direction a corridor on the opposite side of the main hall there were doors on both sides some were closed some open I stepped into the first open door on the left it was a small room with a single chair under a broken window I took a photo with flash on the screen I saw one fig figure sitting in the chair facing away when I lowered the camera and

looked directly the chair was empty I took another shot the figure was now standing in the corner facing me I felt my legs tense up my heart thumped I tried to steady my hand but it shook a bit I left that room and tried another this one had an old bed frame without a mattress when I flashed the camera I saw two figures near the bed frame they were leaning over it as if examining it I shot another photo they were gone from the screen I tried a third time and now one stood at the

doorway right behind me in the picture I turned quickly shining my flashlight into the empty Corridor I felt the hair on my arms stand up my breathing was shallow I realized they could appear anywhere in the flash but never when I looked directly it made me feel surrounded cornered by something I couldn't confront I decided to go upstairs the mans had a grand staircase at the end of the hall the steps were dusty but sturdy enough I climbed carefully listening for any sounds nothing but my own breathing and the rustle of my clothes the second

floor had a long hallway with closed doors I tried the first door locked the second door opened with a squeak inside I saw empty shelves and a broken lamp on the floor I took a flash shot on the screen one figure crouched by the lamp I took another shot it stood tall facing the door another shot it was closer I stopped taking pictures and backed out into the Hall feeling my shoulder blades tense in the hallway I raised my camera and took a shot without aiming at anything in particular when I looked at the screen

I saw figures all along the hall standing at intervals they looked like they were waiting I lowered the camera the hallway looked empty again I leaned against the wall breathing through my mouth my hands felt clammy I thought about leaving but I wanted to understand what was happening I wanted to capture something clear maybe I could get a photo of one of them moving or changing position something that proved I wasn't imagining things I moved to another door and pushed it open the hinges screamed inside was a bedroom bigger than the others there was a

large window covered by a heavy curtain I tried the flashlight on the curtain it was thick and covered in dust I took a photo with flash on the screen three figures stood by the window another shot and now they were at different parts of the room one seemed to reach out its hand or arm just a cluster of thin bones I felt a chill in my chest I said something out loud maybe just a low curse to break the silence my voice sounded strange in that room I turned and left I needed air I headed

back toward the staircase I took photos as I went just quick flashes each time I looked I saw at least one of those figures sometimes they were far down the hall sometimes they appeared closer they never showed up directly in front of me always off to the side behind me or further ahead it felt like they were circling me staying just Out Of Reach my throat felt sore my eyes stung from the dust I kept blinking trying to stay focused at the top of the stairs I aimed my camera down and took a shot the

flash lit the lower Hall on the screen I saw a cluster of these skeletal shapes standing near the front door I wanted to leave I realized I had what I came for or at least more than I expected I had photos strange unsettling photos that would have to be enough I just needed to get out without feeling like I was pushing through them I took a second shot on the screen they were gone I wasn't sure if they moved or if I had imagined the first cluster but it felt more comfortable going down now I

descended slowly shining my flashlight on each step I didn't want to trip and fall my legs felt a bit shaky my back was tense I could feel sweat under my shirt in the main hall I stopped and checked my camera the battery was more than half gone I had taken a lot of pictures I decided not to take any more until I reached the front door I stepped carefully trying to keep my breathing steady the floorboards groaned under my boots when I reached the door I pushed it it stuck for a moment then opened with

a scraping sound fresh air hit my face I stepped outside feeling the light Breeze it was late afternoon but the sky was still bright enough I walked across the yard keeping my flashlight off now I didn't look back I just wanted to get to my car my car was parked a short distance away on a dirt patch by the side of the road I could see it through some bushes at the car I fumbled with the keys my hands were still shaking a little I got inside and closed the door I locked it out of

habit I looked at my camera again flipping through the shots they were all there the Figures were visible in every flash photo I took inside that Mansion I couldn't understand understand it I tapped the screen zooming in they had Hollow eye sockets and long spines their arms and legs looked like thin Sticks no clothing no hair just outlines of something I couldn't see with my own eyes I didn't feel safer in my car but at least I was out of that place I started the engine the sound of it helped calm me down I checked

the rear view mirror empty road a few houses further down no one around I took a moment to catch my breath and think about what happened I didn't feel like I had any answers just a lot of unsettling images my chest was still tight but I could manage I decided to drive away as I pulled onto the road I could see the mansion in my side mirror standing there silent and gray the upper Windows looked dark and empty I tried not to think about what was inside on the way home I didn't turn on the

radio I drove in silence I tried to focus on on the road the passing trees and the asphalt under my tires I kept feeling like I should delete those photos and forget it but I didn't I reached home without trouble I parked in my usual spot and went inside my apartment smelled normal and warm I closed the door kicked off my boots and went straight to my desk I plugged my camera into my computer and copied the files they opened fine the images were the same as on the camera's screen pale skeletal shapes in almost

every frame I found myself looking at them one by one trying to see if there was any clue they looked so plain so straightforward they stood in empty rooms by Broken furniture near doorways some seemed to move closer between shots I couldn't explain it I felt a pressure in my forehead I got up drank some water and sat down again the images didn't change they were not Illusions from inside the Mansion they were real photos as real as anything else I decided to keep them at least for now I wouldn't show them to anyone yet

I didn't want questions I couldn't answer I didn't feel hungry or sleepy I just felt unsettled I looked around my apartment checking every corner it was silly I saw nothing strange I turned off the lights in the other rooms leaving only the small lamp by my desk I stood there listening to the hum of the fridge no strange sounds No figures I checked the camera's memory card again to make sure nothing was corrupted everything seemed fine I considered going back to the mansion another day maybe taking different equipment I dismissed that idea I didn't want

to see those figures again I didn't feel threatened by them exactly but I didn't like the idea of being surrounded Ed by things I couldn't see I didn't like the way they showed up only in the flash as if they were waiting in the dark I sat there for a while running my hand through my hair breathing slowly eventually I got up closed my computer and walked to the bathroom I splashed cold water on my face I looked at myself in the mirror I looked normal just a guy who had been inside an old house

I turned off the bathroom light and went to my bedroom I lay down on the bed staring at the ceiling in the darkness I listened to my own breathing nothing else I told myself I was done with that place in the following days I didn't go back to the mansion I kept the photos stored safely sometimes I looked at them but not for long they made my pulse Quicken they made me feel like I was back in that Dusty hallway hearing my boots on the old floorboards I preferred to focus on other projects but I

knew those images were there and and I knew what I saw it was enough to know that there were things inside that building that I could only see through a camera's flash that was the truth I came away with I never told my friend what I found I never needed to I still remember how my throat felt dry and how my hands shook I don't need anyone else to believe me I know what I saw and that's enough I pushed open the attic door and stepped inside holding my suitcase in my left hand the landlord

had mentioned that the attic would be damp but I hadn't expected the smell it reminded me of stale air and wet clothes that had been left in a corner too long the floorboards creaked under my feet when I walked to the small window at the far end the light outside was weak clouds covered most of the sky and the trees in the small backyard looked bent and thin I turned around and took a better look at the room the walls were old and rough the paint peeling off in strips I saw a small desk a

wooden chair with uneven legs and an old mattress rolled up near the wall I placed my suitcase near the desk and stood there breathing in the musty air my plan was simple I had come to this old Victorian house to write something anything my previous attempts at writing had been useless I had run out of money this was my last chance to focus without interruptions the rent was cheap and I didn't care about the discomfort I settled in I took a few of my notebooks out of my suitcase and placed them on the desk I

ran my hand along the wooden surface it felt rough there were marks on it small scratches and Tiny dark stains the attic was quiet except for a faint dripping sound somewhere Behind the Walls I could see no source of the moisture but the ceiling above me was discolored showing irregular patches of Darker wood I pulled the mattress over and unrolled it it smelled old and felt lumpy but I didn't have another option there was a single electrical outlet near the door but it didn't work I tested it with my phone charger but no light came

on the device I had brought some candles and matches they were my backup I didn't mind riding by candle light it would at least give the room a steady glow after arranging my things I decided to sit at the desk and try to start writing my idea was to write a short story about a traveler who never finds a place to stay it was rough but I had to start somewhere I sat down opened my notebook picked up my pen and tried to form the first sentence as soon as I pressed the pen tip to

the paper I heard something tapping beneath the floorboards the sound was light and quick it was like the tip of a finger hitting wood I froze and listened the tapping continued for for a few seconds then stopped I hesitated unsure what to do I pressed the pen to the paper again and the tapping started again this time it was a bit louder almost like someone was knocking with their Knuckles from underneath the floor I lifted my feet and pressed down hard hoping to scare away whatever was there the tapping paused then continued in a slow

steady Rhythm I tried to ignore it and wrote a sentence the tapping grew louder I wrote another sentence the tapping continued I stopped and waited after a minute or so of Silence I tried again the tapping came back my heart was racing my throat felt dry I spoke aloud hello expecting no answer there was no reply but the tapping stopped as soon as I spoke I exhaled and rubbed my forehead I decided I would try to write later maybe I was tired maybe it was just the old house settling I stood up and checked the

floorboards they looked normal just old and slightly warped I spent the afternoon reading some old notes and trying to brainstorm ideas when evening came the light faded without electricity in the attic I lit a few candles I placed them on the desk and on a small crate I had found in the corner the candle Flames were steady at first but then a draft from somewhere made them flicker their light stretched across the walls creating Long Shadows I looked at these Shadows they weren't just random shapes it looked like figures on the wall I saw what

appeared to be silhouettes of people standing close together I turned my head to see if something was blocking the candle light but there was nothing I stood up and moved around but the Silhouettes stayed they shifted slightly as the candl light danced it looked like these shadowy shapes were moving in slow gentle steps it reminded me of people dancing in paars turning slowly but I kept my mouth shut I didn't want to imagine things I tried to see if something in the room was casting these shapes there was no furniture arranged in such a way

the walls were bare except for peeling paint I waved my hand in front of a candle my hand Shadow appeared normally but the Silhouettes continued their slow movements on another part of the wall my neck felt tense my stomach was tight I tried blowing out one candle with one candle gone the Silhouettes faded slightly but I could still see them as faint outlines I relit the candle they came back more defined this time I spoke quietly who are you no answer no sound only the distant dripping from behind the walls and the faint creaking of

wood I stared at the Shadows they made no noise no whisper no sigh they only moved in slow deliberate motions I felt a chill on the back of my neck I turned around quickly but saw nothing I wanted to leave the attic and go downstairs but I had paid for this space I needed to write I tried to ignore the Shadows I moved my chair so I wouldn't see them easily I focused on my notebook and Pen I pressed the pen to the paper again the tapping beneath the floor started once more now it felt

more like fingers drumming on a table except it was on the wood under my feet I pressed down with my heel the tapping paused then resumed near the desk's legs I shifted my weight and tried to concentrate I couldn't form a single good sentence I got up and tried to find the source of the tapping the attic floor had no obvious opening I knocked on the floorboards they sounded solid except in one corner near the window where I heard a hollow Echo I considered lifting a floor board but I had no tools I pressed my

ear to that spot the tapping started right below my ear sudden and loud I jerked back almost falling over I stood up feeling my heart pound I walked around the attic I checked behind the old crates and boxes near the walls I saw only dust some cobwebs old nails and a few scraps of torn paper I found nothing that explained the tapping I decided to go downstairs and ask the the landlord about it I walked down the narrow stairs the landlord's apartment was on the first floor I knocked on his door he opened it halfway

and looked at me he asked what was wrong I mentioned tapping sounds in the Attic floor he Shrugged and said the house was old that maybe it was just pipes I said I heard no Rushing Water just tapping he Shrugged again he said he never used the attic and had only stored a few things there he said it was an old place that strange noises were normal I realized he had nothing to add I thanked him and climbed back up back in the attic I found the candles half burned I replaced one with a fresh

candle as soon as I lit it I saw the Silhouettes again they were clearer now as if several people were standing together holding each other's arms turning slowly in place they moved around in a circle on the wall their Shadows long and thin I focused on their outlines I saw what looked like old-fashioned clothes their posture seemed stiff I couldn't see their faces just dark shapes I tried to find any object in the Attic that would cast such Shadows there were no coats hanging no statues nothing that could explain this I tried blowing out all

the candles the room went dark and I Stood Still for a few seconds in the darkness I heard the tapping again this time it was softer slower like a single finger tapping once every few seconds I felt sweat on my forehead and my Palms were damp my mouth was dry and my arms felt weak I fumbled for my flashlight in my suitcase I turned it on Shining it on the walls with the flashlight there were no Silhouettes just the rough surface of the old walls but I could still hear the tapping below the floor I

decided to write on my phone's Notepad my phone still had some battery left I sat down turned on the flashlight and opened the notepad app I typed a few words the tapping responded with a quick sequence of knocks I stopped typing the tapping stopped I typed again and the tapping started again it was like something reacting to each attempt to create words I turned off my phone screen silence I turned it on and typed again tapping I shook my head frustrated I spoke out loud I just want to write leave me alone the tapping paused

for a long moment then started again softer but steady I stood up knees slightly shaking I paced around the attic listening the tapping changed spots sometimes under the desk sometimes near the window sometimes by the door I tried stomping my feet to scare it away but it didn't work I sat on the mattress holding my flashlight I waited eventually I got used to the tapping I tried to ignore it and focus on the physical details of the room the boards were Dusty the air felt heavy the smell of damp wood made my nose itch my

back was sore from the tension my stomach growled I realized I hadn't eaten since morning I went downstairs to the small kitchen area I was allowed to use I took a sandwich I had bought earlier from my bed bag I ate it cold and flavorless I drank some water I looked around the House's hallway was quiet and empty the landlord's door was closed the living room downstairs was dim with old furniture covered in sheets I didn't linger I went back upstairs determined to ignore everything and just right when I returned the atmosphere felt heavier I

lit one candle and kept the flashlight ready the Silhouettes were back on the wall moving slowly they didn't stop this time no matter where I placed the candle they drifted along the walls circling the attic I could feel my chest tighten my breathing was shallow my legs felt stiff I sat at the desk Pen in Hand and tried to write on paper the tapping started again I tried writing anyway my pen scratched the paper my handwriting was shaky the tapping grew louder then softer then stopped as if testing my patience I forced myself to write

a full paragraph I wrote it fast without thinking the tapping seemed to respond with quiet pulses sometimes slowing sometimes speeding up I paused and listened behind me I heard a soft Creek I turned around holding the candle I saw nothing I touched the wall it felt cold the Silhouettes were now behind me I turned and saw them again they had spread across two walls their forms turning bending their arms slowly as if passing through one another I tried standing close to the wall to see if my own body cast any part of these shapes it

didn't my own shadow was small and clear separate from the others I spoke again what do you want no answer only the rustle of my clothes as I moved I raised my voice I'm just trying to work my voice sounded weak in that empty attic the Silhouettes moved in Silence the tapping resumed one slow knock at a time I felt a shiver pass through my arms my scalp tingled I rubbed my eyes and tried to remain calm I couldn't think of a logical reason for this but logic didn't matter right now I was trapped with

these things they didn't harm me they didn't break anything they just watched and responded whenever I tried to write I sat down again and attempted to write something else I wrote about a person alone in a strange room hearing sounds they couldn't explain I described the tapping as I heard it I wrote about my frustration the tapping slowed to a gentle Rhythm like a quiet pattern meant to guide me I wrote more I filled a page as I wrote my breathing calmed the Silhouettes never left but they seemed to keep their distance they stayed on

the walls circling in the camp CLE light I could see their heads tilt slightly their arms lifting and falling their bodies turning in a slow steady motion after a while I placed my pen down and looked at what I had written it was simple and direct it had no clever phrases it only described what I had experienced I felt a slight release of pressure in my chest I realized that the tapping had stopped I looked at the walls again the Silhouettes were still there but they looked fainter the candle flame flickered I took a deep

breath I knew I would have to sleep here I couldn't afford a hotel I decided to unroll my sleeping bag and lie down maybe I could rest even if my heart was still beating fast I set my notebook aside and lay on the mattress I kept the flashlight Within Reach I didn't blow out the candle I closed my eyes but I didn't sleep right away I kept my ears open for any new sound the attic was quiet except for the distant dripping Behind the Walls after a few minutes I heard a soft scratch under the

floor but it was distant I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to think too much I was tired cold and uneasy my throat was still dry in the dark edges of my vision I could still sense movement on the walls I didn't look I faced the ceiling and waited for sleep my muscles achd my eyelids felt heavy I knew the Silhouettes and the tapping were not leaving they were part of the attic they had been here before me and would remain after I was gone I didn't feel welcome but I felt watched they wanted

me to know they were here they didn't hurt me they just refused to let me ignore them I tried to breathe slowly I accepted that I wouldn't find peace easily I focused on The Quiet Moments between the dripping sounds eventually my heartbeat slowed my breathing became steady I listened and waited half awake half asleep no one spoke no one cried no one died there were no sudden screams only the quiet tapping below and the faint outlines on the walls turning in their slow silent dance I would endure the night I would try to write again

tomorrow I remember the day I hung that Venetian mirror on my living room wall it was late afternoon and I had just come back from an antiqu spare outside the city I collect old things because I like their weight and detail this mirror had a thick wooden frame with carved faces that looked like old tired men the edges had small cracks and the glass looked slightly uneven I liked that it didn't look perfect I paid good money for it because the seller told me it was from Venice probably 18th century and I believed him I

didn't see any obvious signs that he was lying I brought it home wiped the dust off the surface and put it up as soon as I stepped back I noticed something strange my reflection stood there as it should but I swear I saw its mouth move even though mine stayed closed I shook my head and rubbed my eyes then I checked again my reflection stared back not moving at all I told myself I was just tired I live alone I have a two-bedroom apartment with a small hallway and a living room that opens onto a

tiny balcony the place isn't special I keep my collections around old statues weird tools vases the mirror went on the largest empty wall it looked good there well centered and at first glance it made the room feel bigger I sat down on the couch and looked at it from a distance the carved faces on the frames seemed well done detailed and each face had a different expression one looked like it was yawning another looked angry another looked confused I got up and ran my finger along the carvings feeling the rough texture and the slight stickiness

of old polish the mirror glass was cold when I pressed my fingertip against it as it got darker I turned on the overhead light and watched the mirror I don't know why I kept focusing on it so much something about it made me feel un easy I tried to ignore this feeling by picking up a magazine but every time I looked up I thought I saw my Reflections lips twitch I stood up and approached the mirror I raised my hand and waved slowly my reflection followed perfectly I opened and closed my mouth my reflection did

the same I waited staring hard until my eyes hurt nothing odd happened later that night I turned off the lights before going to bed the room got dark except for a faint glow that seemed to come from the mirror's frame I approached it squinting I could swear the wooden faces on the frame had a dim light behind them like a weak candle flicker I leaned in close almost touching the wood with my nose the room was silent except for a low hum from the refrigerator and my own breathing then I heard a faint sound like

a soft sigh or a quiet moan it came from the mirror I stepped back my heart thumping I turned on the light again the glow and the sound stopped I stood there breathing through my mouth feeling a slight sweat on my forehead I couldn't sleep well that night I lay in bed thinking about that soft lamenting noise I thought maybe the wood was old and had tiny movements inside it like how old furniture sometimes Creeks or maybe I imagined it I decided to ignore it and try to sleep but my mind kept drifting back to

the ref reflection that seemed to move its mouth on its own the next morning I got up and went straight to the living room the mirror looked normal in daylight I stood in front of it and inspected every inch I touched the frames carvings the faces were just wood unmoving the glass was clear enough maybe a bit old and wavy in certain spots but nothing unusual for antique glass I made faces at my reflection stuck out my tongue twisted my neck everything seemed normal now I felt stupid for being so worried I went about my

day I had some errands to run I left the apartment did some grocery shopping and came back in the afternoon the sunlight streamed in through the balcony door hitting the mirror at an angle as I dropped the grocery bags on the kitchen counter I glanced at it there it was again my Reflections mouth seemed to move slightly right after I'd stopped moving it looked like it was was trying to form words I walked up to the mirror and moved my mouth slowly saying nothing just opening and closing it I stopped my reflection stopped I tried

a few random gestures stopping abruptly each time sometimes after I froze I Saw My Reflection continue the movement for a fraction of a second it was slight but my chest felt tight every time I noticed it I didn't know what to do I decided to ignore it I I heated some leftovers ate them in front of the TV and tried not to look at the mirror but I couldn't resist every few minutes my eyes darted toward it by evening I was so distracted I turned off the TV and stood in front of the mirror again

I leaned in close and whispered what are you of course I expected silence but I saw something the reflections mouth opened just a little and I heard something like a tiny hiss my scalp tingled and I took a step back my heart was beating faster I wiped sweat from under my arms with my hands I felt a dryness in my throat I coughed and tried to calm down telling myself I was imagining things when darkness fell I turned off all the lights again I stood by the window letting some street light come in the mirrors

frame glowed faintly I saw the carved faces Shimmer I leaned forward care not to touch it with my face the faint moan or sigh came again it was like distant wind through a crack in a door but it came from the mirror I got goosebumps on my arms and my stomach felt Hollow then I saw the reflection it stood there mimicking my pose but its eyes seemed more focused more alert I tried moving my head from side to side the reflection followed perfectly then I stopped moving my Reflections mouth opened I heard a whisper so

quiet I had to lean closer it said something like I know you the voice was raspy and slow I stumbled back knocking into a small table behind me a lamp fell off and hit the floor with a dull thud my heart pounded my throat felt tight I tried to speak but no words came out I stared at the mirror and the reflection just stood there expressionless the whispering stopped as soon as I turned the lights back on the glow faded the carved faces looked like normal wood again I didn't sleep well that night in bed

my mind raced I tried not to think about ghosts or curses I just wanted to find a logical explanation maybe I was tired maybe the old wood had tiny speakers the dealer might have tricked me that idea gave me some comfort the next morning I rushed to inspect the back of the mirror I took it down from the wall it was heavy I placed it carefully on the floor leaning it against the couch I checked every inch of the back it was just old wood Dusty and a bit rough no wires no devices I tapped

it with my Knuckles solid I turned it around feeling a chill as I faced the glass the reflection stared back I pressed my ear against the frame I heard nothing unusual just my own heartbeat I I decided to leave it Off the Wall I leaned it against the wall in my hallway where less light reached it maybe I just needed to keep it out of sight for a while but that night I still felt drawn to it around midnight I left my bedroom and walked into the hallway I didn't turn on the overhead lights the

place was dim I stood a few feet away from the mirror my reflection stood there shaped by The Faint light coming from under the bathroom door the frame glowed softly again I heard the low moan I felt my legs tremble I clenched my fists I whispered what do you want the reflections mouth moved I heard it say I can tell you things its voice was weak and Airy like a draft in an old attic I felt a cold sweat on my forehead my stomach tightened I didn't answer I just stayed scared I didn't know what

else to do the reflection continued I can tell you what you hide I felt my scalp prickling my breathing got heavier I whispered back I don't hide anything the reflection smiled its teeth looked the same as mine but slightly darker I noticed the muscles in my legs tense ready to run my mouth felt dry and I licked my lips but that didn't help I turned on the hallway light and everything went quiet the glow faded the reflection went back to normal my legs were shaking I sat on the floor leaning against the wall breathing hard

my chest felt tight I thought about covering the mirror with a sheet but I was afraid to approach it after a few minutes I got up and grabbed a bed sheet from the closet my hands shook as I threw it over the mirror the cloth settled hiding the frame and the glass I stared at the sheet for a while expecting it to move or show signs of light underneath nothing happened I went back to bed but I couldn't sleep well I tossed and turned my mind replaying the voice over and over the next morning I

decided to call the antique seller I found his business card and dialed the number it rang a few times then went to voicemail I left a brief message asking about the mirror's origin I didn't mention what happened I just said I was curious ious about its history after that I had breakfast and tried to distract myself by cleaning the apartment every time I passed the hallway I saw that sheet covering the mirror I felt uneasy but at least it wasn't staring at me around midday I decided to test it again I went into the hallway

and pulled the sheet off slowly nothing strange happened the mirror looked normal in the daylight I stood in front of it I waved the reflection waved I turned my head squinted and tried to catch a delay nothing it was perfectly normal now I looked closely at the carved faces on the frame they looked calm and still I touched them again rough wood a bit Dusty I thought maybe I had lost my mind the night before maybe I was half asleep and hallucinating I felt my shoulders relax a bit but as evening came I started to

feel anxious I didn't want to turn off the lights again I made some coffee and stayed in the living room with the TV on around 10: p.m. I muted the TV and listened the apartment was quiet my back felt tense I got up and approached the mirror I stood very close peering into my own eyes I inhaled slowly I turned off the main light leaving only a small lamp on in the corner The Mirror's frame caught the faint glow I saw a flicker then I heard the sighing again my chest felt tight my mouth went

dry I tried something different I pulled out my phone and tried to film the mirror as I raised the phone and looked at the screen I saw myself holding the phone nothing strange I recorded for a few seconds then turned off the light completely except for the phone screen glow the frame glowed faintly and I heard the moan again on the phone screen I saw only Darkness I pointed the phone flashlight at the mirror the glow vanished the moan stopped I turned the flashlight off the moan came back I felt Panic rising in my chest

I pressed my lips together to keep quiet I whispered what do you want to tell me the reflections mouth moved in the darkness I leaned closer I felt sweat trickling down my back the reflection whispered I know your secrets my heart pounded my hands felt clammy I said nothing the reflection continued you keep things inside its voice sounded distant I swallowed hard I wanted to deny it but I had no words my body felt stiff I stared at its mouth its lips moved slowly forming silent words I leaned even closer until my nose almost touched

the glass my breath fogged the surface I watched its lips it whispered I can show you I shook my head and stepped back my legs were weak I sank to my knees my eyes watering I couldn't believe what I was hearing I felt trapped cornered by a piece of old glass and wood I stood up and turned on every light in the apartment bright light flooded the place the whispering stopped I paced around rubbing my neck and arms trying to calm down I looked at the clock after midnight I didn't want to spend another night

with that thing uncovered I grabbed the sheet again and covered it this time I wrapped some tape around the top so it wouldn't slip I pressed my ear against the sheet I heard nothing just silence I slept in short bursts that night in the morning I checked my phone the antique seller hadn't called back I tried him again same result I searched online for Venetian mirrrors with carved faces I found references to decorative Styles but nothing about Whispering Reflections I gave up and closed my laptop I decided to get rid of the mirror I grabbed

it by the sides and took it to my storage unit in the building's basement it was dark and musty down there but at least I wouldn't have to look at it I leaned it against a wall still covered by the sheet I locked the door and went upstairs my apartment felt lighter without it I spent the rest of the day trying not to think about it I watched some shows cooked a decent meal and even had a beer to relax but at night alone in my apartment I could still feel the tension in my neck

and shoulders I kept looking at the living room wall where the mirror had been it was just an empty space now I wondered if the mirror was glowing down in the basement whispering to itself I wondered if the wood faces were sighing in the darkness I did didn't want to know I rubbed my eyes took a shower and went to bed I slept better that night but I still woke up feeling uneasy I decided I wouldn't go near that storage unit again for a while maybe I'd sell the mirror maybe I'd never touch it again

for now I was just relieved it wasn't in my apartment looking at me whispering in that strange voice telling me it knew what I kept inside I don't want to think about what Secrets it could reveal I don't want to know if it can talk louder I just know I never want to face that reflection again I heard about this in from a guy at a Roadside Diner he told me it was a quiet place out in the Hills far from the main road he said the rooms were always empty so I wouldn't have to

deal with noise from other guests I have trouble sleeping most nights and I wanted a place to rest without hearing cars voices or anything else he said people who stay there get better sleep than anywhere else he didn't say much else about it he didn't smile he just wrote down directions on a napkin and walked out I left my car parked at the bottom of a long slope and walked the rest of the way because the path was too narrow for the car it was late afternoon and I was tired my head felt heavy and

my eyes were burning I carried a small bag with a few clothes and some toiletries the air was dry high and still I heard no birds no insects just my footsteps on the dirt path the in showed up behind a line of trees a single story building made of old wood with a roof that looked warped in places it had a short porch and a single door no sign the windows were covered with heavy shutters I knocked on the door and a man with a thick beard answered he looked at me for a second then

stepped aside and let me in pointed to a small desk in a corner and told me to sign in if I wanted a room his voice was flat low and had no warmth in it I wrote down my name and the date he took a key from a hook and handed it to me without saying the room number out loud I saw a small number etched into the key room three he pointed down a hallway and told me where to go I asked him if there were other guests he Shrugged and said No not tonight

the entire Place smelled like old wood and stale air the floorboards creaked under my feet I didn't see any staff besides him I didn't ask for his name I was too tired to talk my room was small a bed a chair a dresser a narrow window with shutters closed tight no decoration I tried to open the shutters but they were stuck I didn't try too hard I put my bag down and lay on the bed the mattress was thin but firm enough the pillow felt like a piece of folded cloth nothing else there was a

single overhead light with a pull chain I left it off and sat in the dark for a while thinking I'd just sleep but sleep never comes easy for me after a couple of hours of lying there I got up and walked around the room I paced I breathed deeply I pressed my forehead against the cool wall trying to calm my Restless mind it was probably after midnight when I first heard something light foot steps as if someone was walking on the roof they were slow and steady a few steps then a pause then a few

more steps it sounded like boots on old wood then I heard a quiet sound like someone laughing through their teeth it was muffled and barely there I turned on the light and looked around my room nothing unusual I stood on the bed and pressed my ear against the ceiling the footsteps were faint but real I got down opened my door and peaked into the hallway it was dark and no one was there the hallway smelled musty like wet Rags I wanted to see if anyone else could hear it but I didn't know where the inkeeper

was I didn't see a bell or a phone I closed the door and tried to sleep again the next night I stayed up late trying to see if it would happen again I sat on the bed staring at the ceiling waiting around the same time I heard the the steps again they moved from one end of the building to the other then I heard that muffled laughter again but this time it sounded like it came from the other side of my wall I pressed my ear against the wood and listened I could hear something like

breathing slow and steady then a quiet Snicker I banged on the wall and said who's there I heard nothing after that I opened my door and stepped into the hallway the corridor was completely dark I ran my hand along the wall until I found a light switch I flicked it on a weak yellow light filled the space the walls were bare just old wood planks the floor was uneven as I stepped further down the hall I saw a mark on the wall it looked like a handprint wet and shiny I touched it and it felt

damp it smelled like water not sweat or anything else it was just wet I wiped my hand on my pants and looked back at the print but it started to fade I watched watched it disappear in front of me as if it was evaporating I looked around but I saw no one there were a few doors along the hallway all closed I tried a few door handles but they were locked my heartbeat felt heavy in my chest I didn't like this it made no sense I stood there for a few minutes listening I heard nothing

I went back to my room and locked the door I stayed awake until dawn listening for more sounds I couldn't relax my throat felt dry my legs felt weak the next morning I found the inkeeper by the main entrance he was wiping the counter with a dry rag I asked him if he heard anything at night he shook his head I told him I heard footsteps and laughter he just stared at me and Shrugged I asked him about the wet handprint he looked confused and said he didn't know what I was talking about I tried

to press him for details but he just said the Inn was old and sometimes the wood creaked and maybe I imagined The Sounds he didn't argue didn't get angry just looked bored I felt frustrated but I didn't want to push it I ate some stale bread and drank some weak coffee from the kitchen area no other guests were around I saw no one else just me and him that third night I tried to sleep early I wanted to see if ignoring the noises would help I lay in bed with the light off I kept my

eyes closed for a long time but I couldn't sleep around midnight I heard the footsteps again they were faster this time more erratic I heard them stop right above me I felt a kind of pressure in the air like when someone stands close behind you I opened my eyes the room was dark except for a little light under the door I heard that muffled laughter again this time sounding like it came from inside the wall H I got up and yanked open the door the hallway was dark again I turned on the light there were

three wet handprints this time running along the wall leading toward the end of the corridor I followed them my heart pounding as I got closer I heard a quiet tapping sound like fingers against wood the corridor turned a corner and I saw another closed door no number on it the handprints were on this door glistening I tried the hand it was locked I pressed my ear against the door I heard soft breathing inside then a low chuckle I backed away feeling my stomach tighten I didn't know what to do I turned around and walked back

to my room the handprints disappeared again I checked where they had been and the wood was dry my Palms were sweating I felt dizzy over the next few nights it got worse every time I tried to sleep I heard those footsteps sometimes I heard them running along the roof other times it sounded like several pairs of feet shuffling the laughter came and went never loud always just a quiet Snicker as if mocking me from behind a thin wall sometimes I felt a presence in the room like someone standing next to my bed but when I

turned on the light I was alone my nerves were shot my eyes burned from lack of sleep my muscles achd because I was always tense I tried asking the inkeeper again more firmly he offered no explanation he just said he never heard anything and that no one else had complained he refused to open any locked doors and said they were for storage he didn't try to calm me down he didn't seem worried I wondered if he was part of it somehow but he just looked blank no reaction one night I decided to wait in the

hallway sitting on the floor facing that door where I once heard breathing I turned off the corridor light and sat in the darkness listening after about an hour I heard faint footsteps again I held my breath I heard something moving overhead I looked up and saw dust falling from the ceiling then I heard the laughter right behind me I turned around quickly but there was no one there I ran my hand along the walls and felt nothing my heart was racing my forehead was damp with sweat then I felt something wet on my hand I

pulled it back and saw a fresh handprint next to where I was sitting it was exactly the size of my hand only slightly elongated fingers as if stretched I touched it again but it faded as before I sat there breathing hard feeling a knot in my chest I whispered who are you no answer just silence on another night I tried making noise I banged on the wall as I shouted I told whoever was there to stop messing with me I got no response I tried waiting with the door open hoping to catch whoever it was

still nothing but as soon as I tried to rest the footsteps and laughter came back it felt like it was playing with me testing how far it could push me every time I got up to investigate the signs would vanish every time I relaxed it came back I started to feel a constant tension in my body my neck was stiff my my eyes were bloodshot I jumped at small sounds my clothes felt damp even though the air was dry my stomach hurt I could barely eat I wanted to leave but I had nowhere else to

go that night the path back to my car was long and dark and I didn't trust my own reactions anymore I felt disconnected like I was losing track of time I didn't remember what day it was on what I think was my last night there I packed my things and decided I would leave at first light I lay on the bed wearing my boots and jacket ready to go I tried to stay awake all night around midnight the noises started again footsteps on the roof laughter Behind the Walls I got up and stood by the

door hand on the knob waiting I could feel my heart beating so hard that my chest hurt I slowly opened the door and stepped out the corridor was dark I flicked on the light no handprints this time instead I saw the door at the end of the hall was slightly open it had never been open before I walked toward it one step at a time my legs felt weak my hand shook as I reached for the knob inside was a small empty room with a wooden floor and bare walls no furniture the smell was stale

and sour I heard something in the corner a faint scraping sound I took one step inside and stopped there was nothing visible the scraping continued then stopped suddenly I felt a rush of cold air my throat tightened I backed out of the room and closed the door when I looked at my hand it was wet I wiped it on my jacket I could feel something watching me from behind that door even though I saw nothing my breath was shallow I stepped back to my room and closed the door I sat on the bed my heart

pounding and waited I waited until dawn once I saw a little light under the shutters I grabbed my bag and left the corridor was empty the main area was empty the inkeeper wasn't there I left the key on the desk and walked out the air outside felt heavy and still I hurried down the slope to where my car was parked my legs hurt my head felt like it was going to split I got in the car and drove away without looking back I still can't explain what happened I don't know who made those footsteps I

don't know why there were wet handprints that disappeared I don't know who was laughing Behind the Walls all I know is that I didn't sleep the whole time I was there I felt something there something invisible toying with me it never hurt me never attacked me never even touched me in a way I could prove but it got inside my head and stayed there I can't shake the feeling that it watched me the whole time enjoying every minute of my discomfort I can still feel that tension in my body that dryness in my throat that

tightness in my chest I don't think I'll ever go back I'd rather lie awake somewhere else than stay another night in that place I arrived before Sunrise waiting on the rocky Shoreline for the tide to go down the place was empty there were no boats no people no noise I had checked my watch a few times trying to gauge the right moment I stood there with my boots sinking into patches of wet sand I was alone I carried a small backpack with paper pencils a camera and a flashlight my clothes were simple an old jacket

canvas pants and a cap I had read about this coastal town in a Dusty archive the old documents said it sank after a storm and that its ruins became visible when the water withdrew it was rare not many people bothered to come out here most considered it a waste of time I wanted to see it for myself I wanted to walk on its streets I wanted to note every detail as the tide lowered I saw broken rooftops edges of old stone walls and Tangled debr rise from the water the exposed structures looked unstable I stepped

forward feeling the muddy sand pressing against my Souls I smelled stale salt and something rotten I tried to keep my breathing steady I moved toward what had once been the Main Street the water still clung to parts of it each step stirred small pools my boots kicked broken pieces of wood and something that felt like Smooth Stones I bent down picked one up and realized it was a Shard of painted Pottery it was worn I put it in my pocket I walked deeper into the area the place was quiet my own steps sounded too loud

I looked at the half collapsed walls the broken windows the chunks of roof Beams I saw old doors lying flat on the sand I tried to imagine what these buildings were used for but I kept my thoughts straight I did not want to distract myself I focused on what what I saw exposed wooden frames rusted metal hinges and Scattered bricks everything looked damp and Slick I smelled the algae in the wet wood I touched a wall the surface felt cold and gritty I kept going I entered what seemed to be a narrow Street I saw

crabs scuttling away I heard a trickling sound of water draining then I heard something else soft Whispers it sounded like voices but they did did not rise above a murmur it was not normal speech it was more like gurgling or a low hum it was coming from somewhere ahead I tried to focus my hearing there were no other people around I was sure of that I stopped walking listened and felt a slight Tremor in my chest I told myself to stay calm I switched on my flashlight even though there was still some light the sun

was low but present the flashlight beam bounced off wet surfaces I saw nothing moving except tiny sea creatures and a few loose strands of seaweed I walked on following the sound the sand stuck to my boots and made each step feel heavy I looked through broken windows into the Interiors of old rooms they were Dark Half filled with sand and water I saw empty shelves pieces of old wooden chairs and fragments of tiles scattered on the ground I smelled something musty in some places the walls were tilted I could not enter every structure because they

looked tooo unstable I tapped a wall with my knuckle and the sound was dull I noted the thickness of the plaster I took a few photographs as I turned a corner I heard the whispering again it was like soft gargling like water passing through a tight space I looked around for a pipe or a gap where the Tide Water might be draining I saw only rough walls and broken floors I decided to move closer to a building that still had part of a door frame I stepped inside the interior was dim so I pointed my

flashlight around slowly I saw a collapsed table a broken bus and a pile of thick rope that had turned green with slime my foot Disturbed the water on the floor it splashed against a wooden plank then I heard a quiet scraping sound along a wall it was a light scratching noise it made my shoulders tense I approached the wall I held my flashlight steady I saw a patch of peeling plaster and exposed brick the scratching continued it did not sound random it came in short bursts I leaned closer my mouth felt dry I breathed through

my nose I tapped the wall lightly with my flashlight the scratching stopped I waited I felt my pulse in my neck after a few seconds the scratching started again but now it sounded lower near the base of the wall I crouched down the water soaked my pant legs I saw a small gap between the bricks I aimed my flashlight inside the Gap was narrow I could not see far into it I smelled stale air I reached inside with two fingers felt the edge of a rough brick nothing moved against my hand but the scratching persisted

I decided to leave the building I did not want to stay too long in one spot the tide would not remain out forever and I needed to see more of the ruins I moved back outside onto the damp Street the whispering sound was still there now more noticeable it seemed to come from all around like a faint chorus of voices trapped underwater I turned off my flashlight letting my eyes adjust the Morning Light was getting brighter I saw that the street LED toward a larger square the square had a cracked fountain at the center I

approached it carefully the fountain was made of stone blocks its bowl was half filled with dark water I leaned over and saw bits of seaweed drifting inside there were no fish I noticed that the whispering grew louder when I stood near the fountain I backed away the sound lowered a bit I approached again the sound Rose I checked around the fountain the ground was uneven I kicked a piece of broken tile away way I stooped down and listened the voices if they were voices sounded almost like they were coming from the ground below me I

felt the hair on my arm stand up I did not know what caused these sounds I considered the possibility of Trapped air pockets under the ruins or some kind of water flow beneath the surface I tried not to think too much I just noted the fact that there were strange gargling Whispers here I moved on turned down another Street I looked inside another structure the windows were shattered pieces of glass were stuck in the frames and some lay on the wet sand I stepped inside cautiously the floor was slippery I smelled something bitter I checked

a cabinet against the wall its doors were open and the inside was empty I found no objects of value I found no personal items I did not see any bones or remains there were no plates no cups no clothing everything had been washed away or destroyed I just saw fragments of building materials I moved deeper inside that building at the back I found a narrow staircase leading down it was partially clogged with sand I shown my flashlight the steps were covered in slime I tried to descend a few steps holding on to the wall my

hand touched Cold Stone it felt stable enough I went down carefully one step at a time the air got heavier I felt my chest tighten the whispering noise faded instead I heard dripping water and something shifting Behind the Walls I could not see what it was but I heard a soft scraping again it sounded closer this time I gripped my flashlight tight my hand felt sweaty I tried to keep my breathing quiet at the bottom of the stairs I reached a small chamber it was mostly flooded the water reached my ankles I moved the flashlight

slowly over the room I saw broken jars rotted pieces of wood and something that looked like metal hooks attached to a beam everything was crusted with Barnacles and slime I tried to pick up a piece of wood but it crumbled in my hand the scraping sound came from my left I turned the flashlight that way there was a hole in the wall it was about the size of my head the wall there looked weaker as if something had pushed against it I listened holding my breath I did not see anything inside the hole I leaned

forward holding the flashlight closer the beam reflected on the wet surfaces the scraping paused I felt my heart pounding in my ears I decided not to put my hand inside I was not sure what was behind that wall the air smelled stale and salty my back felt tense I stepped away from the hole when I did something tapped tapped on the wall from inside three short Taps I froze I did not want to panic I thought about leaving immediately my pulse sped up I backed toward the stairs my boots made soft splashes the tapping continued

I climbed the stairs slipping a bit on the slimy steps I held the rail and pulled myself up I reached the top turned and looked one more time down the stairs it was dark I heard a soft scraping again then silence I left the building without looking back outside the tide was still low but I could sense it would turn soon the light had changed I walked toward the edge of the ruins back the way I came the whispering grew faint I passed by a cluster of toppled walls and noticed that some windows were larger

than I remembered perhaps I had not noticed them before I checked inside one more structure it had a high ceiling that was partially collapsed patches of sunlight entered through holes in the roof I saw broken shelves a few metal tools and Scattered Pebbles the floor was uneven I smelled a mix of damp Stone and dead algae I crouched near a pile of debris and pulled out a wooden frame that might have been a picture frame the image inside was gone the paper had rotted away I set it aside and checked another Corner my foot bumped

a piece of metal I picked it up it was a rusted hinge I turned it in my hand flakes of rust falling off I put it down I heard the whispering again but it sounded distant I stood up and walked outside I looked toward the shore I could see more water creeping in the tide was starting to return I decided I had enough I did not know what made those noises I did not know what scraped the walls or tapped from the other side I had seen no people no bodies nothing alive except small sea

creatures the empty Windows the broken Furniture the hollow rooms all felt heavy I knew I should leave before the water covered everything again the ground was still firm enough but I did not want to Wade through deeper water I walked quickly now trying not to slip my boots left prints in the wet sand I headed back toward the rocky Shoreline where I had started the sound of waves grew louder as I moved away from the center of the ruins the whispering faded behind me I glanced back once or twice I saw the old walls leaning

at strange angles the light made everything look plain and colorless I felt my Cales strain as I hurried my heartbeat was still fast I reached the edge of the ruins and stepped onto firmer ground I looked down at my boots they were covered in mud and bits of seaweed once on on the Rocks I took a few seconds to catch my breath I listened I could still hear the ocean but not the Whispers I could still smell the salty air but not the stale odors the ruins were behind me half buried in sand and water

with broken windows and empty doorways they stood there silent now I understood that the place offered no Comfort I felt tension leaving my shoulders but my stomach still felt tight IED walked along the shore away from the ruins I glanced over my shoulder one last time the water was Rising covering the lower streets in a few hours the place would vanish beneath the waves the strange sounds would be trapped underwater again I had my notes and my photographs I did not know if I would return I tried to focus on the steps ahead each step

took me farther from that heavy silence and that strange Whispering I kept walking until I could no longer see the top of the old walls the ocean covered them and they were gone from sight I had spent years handling rare texts and hidden manuscripts I had seen books with covers that felt strange to the touch and pages so old they crumbled under a soft breath I had learned to handle them with patience and steady hands I had not panicked before I had not held my breath at every tiny sound but that was before I received

that package that was before the grimoires and the symbols that shifted when I blinked that was before I felt something pressing against the back of my head while I stood alone in my own study too nervous to turn around I knew how to handle old books I did not know how to handle this I remember the day I got the package it arrived in a plain cardboard box with no return address I had agreed to look at old and unknown Works before so this was not unusual inside there was a single volume wrapped in a

piece of rough cloth the cloth smelled like damp soil I placed it on my desk and pulled the cloth back underneath I found a leatherbound book The Leather looked uneven and stained I could not see a title on the spine or the cover I noticed small scratches on the corners of the leather as if it had been dragged over Stone I turned on my desk lamp I held the book and lifted the cover the pages looked thick probably handmade paper yellowish and rough the ink on the first page looked fresh as if it had just

been written I leaned forward and squinted at the words they did not form any language I recognized the shapes of the letters looked sharp and thin almost like someone had pressed a knife into the page I ran my fingertip over the ink it felt dry but the black lines seemed to glisten under the light I flipped a few pages each page had different symbols some looked cramped filling the whole page others were spaced out a few characters at the top some in the middle some near the bottom I tried to see patterns I could not

I took a pencil from the drawer and tapped the tip against my desk I wanted to Mark pages to note something down I always did that but I hesitated something about this book felt wrong like it was waiting for me to do something before it reacted I heard a faint sound it was a scraping noise I stopped turning pages and stayed quiet the noise came again it seemed to come from the window on my left I looked over the window was closed curtains half drawn I stood up and walked to it I pulled the curtains

aside and looked out it was dark outside the lamp on my desk did not light the outside well I pressed my ear against the glass the scraping sound seemed to move along the frame I lifted the latch and opened the window a crack cold air rushed in I listened nothing just quiet night air I closed the window I turned back to the desk the scraping started again I stared at the closed window the sound now came from the glass itself as if someone or something dragged a thin nail from one corner to the other I

looked at the window frame carefully I saw no scratches I tapped the glass with my fingertip the noise stopped I waited after a few seconds of Silence I let out a long breath I returned to the desk and looked at the book again the letters on the page I had left open did not look the same as before before I had seen a set of sharp characters arranged in three neat lines now I saw a single curved symbol in the center of the page ink smudged at the edges I flipped back to the first page

the text there had changed too now it showed a series of looping marks each one thicker than the last like spirals drawn in a hurry I leaned in the ink looked wet now I saw it Shine I touched the corner of the page the tip of my finger came away with a black smear the ink was fresh now I felt a tightness in my chest I did not smell anything unusual I heard my own breathing I decided to check the rest of the house I stepped away from the desk leaving the lamp on and the

book open I walked through the hallway my footsteps sounded louder than usual the floorboards creaked I went into the living room everything seemed fine the temperature felt normal I returned to my study as soon as I stepped through the doorway I noticed the air felt colder I could see my breath the room smelled damp now like the cloth that had wrapped the book The lamp's Light seemed dim dimer the Shadows around the corners of the room looked darker I felt the hairs on my arms stand on end I approached the desk the pages of the

book had changed again now strange characters ran vertically down the page and some of the ink seemed to drip onto the desk I saw a black droplet roll onto the wooden surface I grabbed a tissue and wiped it up the ink stained the tissue I threw it into the waist basket and looked at my hand my fingertips had dark smoke edes I tried to rub them off on my pants the black mark stayed on my skin I reached out to close the book as I touched the cover I felt a slight vibration through the leather

it reminded me of something alive a faint Tremor I pulled my hand back I stood there breathing slowly trying not to panic the window scratched again I turned and stared the curtains were still half open I saw nothing outside but dark Ness the scratching continued it moved in small circles at the corner of the window pane I thought about calling someone but it was late I did not want to explain why I was panicking over a book I turned back to the desk and leaned down trying to read the characters again they were not stable

as I watched they shifted shape some faded and reappeared in other places on the page lines of ink stretched and curled breaking apart and forming new new patterns it was like watching insects crawl across the page rearranging themselves my chest felt tight my scalp tingled I tried to control my breathing I decided to close the book I grabbed the cover with both hands and slammed it shut the sound echoed in the quiet room the scratching at the window stopped I locked my eyes on the cover and waited the cover looked normal the leather surface looked

old and stained but but it did not move I reached for the cloth that had wrapped it I wanted to cover the book and put it away I would deal with it tomorrow I picked up the cloth and placed it on top of the book as soon as I did I felt the cold intensify I saw my breath in front of my face again I could feel sweat on the back of my neck the room smelled even stronger now like wet dirt and mold I looked around the study nothing else had changed my bookshelf still

held my usual collection the lamp still glowed though faintly my desk chair sat there but something felt off the corners of the room seemed darker when I tried to focus on them I saw shapes they were small at first like shifting Shadows every time I blinked the shape seemed closer I looked directly at one corner nothing I looked at another Corner nothing but in my peripheral vision I saw movement it was as if something stood just outside my field of vision waiting my legs felt weak I pulled out my desk chair and sat down the

seat felt cold I kept my eyes on the center of the room trying not to look at the corners I took a deep breath and reached for the book again I wanted to see if closing it had fixed the problem I peeled the cloth back the cover looked unchanged I opened the book slowly the first page was completely blank now the second page had a few symbols drawn in thick lines I touched the page the ink felt sticky I pulled my finger away the ink stretched forming a thin thread that snapped and recoiled into the

page I stared at my fingertip the Black Ink remained there not drying not dripping I tried to wipe it off again it stayed on my skin I flipped another page more symbols some looked like Twisted letters others looked like shapes I could not place maybe runes or marks cut by someone who did not care about meaning the ink on these Pages shifted while I looked lines grew longer symbols broke apart and formed new ones I flipped another page I saw a shape in the margin a small black circle that pulsed I slammed the book shut

again the scraping at the window started once more I rubbed my arms I could feel Goosebumps my heart pounded I thought about leaving the house but the idea of stepping outside in the dark felt worse somehow I tried to reason with myself it was just a book ink and paper maybe a trick by someone who wanted to scare me maybe a prank but the temperature in the room the smell the shifting ink that did not feel like a trick I rubbed my face with my hands my skin felt clammy my fingers were shaking the presence

in the corners of the room felt stronger I dared to look sideways not turning my head fully just shifting my eyes I caught a glimpse of a shape it disappeared as soon as I tried to focus on it my stomach clenched I felt a tightness in my throat the cold air made me Shiver I looked at the door it was open the hallway Beyond looked normal I decided to try something simple I stood up took the book under one arm and walked out of the study I went straight to the living room and turned on

the main light it was bright and warm I felt a bit better I placed the book on the coffee table and stepped back I watched it for a full minute I heard nothing the living room stayed warm I approached the book and touched the cover it felt normal I opened it the pages looked different again but the ink did not move this time the symbols remained still I ran to the kitchen grabbed a trash bag and wrapped the book in it I sealed it tight I placed it on a shelf I waited nothing happened at

first then I heard a faint scraping noise it came from the direction of the study I left the living room lights on and went back to the study the lamp was still on the room felt cold again I looked around the window was closed no scratches visible the corners still looked darker than they should the presence was still there I felt the back of my neck prickle it was as if the book had filled this space with something and it stayed even when I moved the book elsewhere I returned to the living room to check

the trash bag it looked normal I touched it the book inside felt warm which made no sense I pulled it out and opened it again this time the ink formed a large symbol across two pages the symbol looked like an eye a rough oval shape with a spot in the center it did not move I leaned in the ink still smelled like soil I closed the book I could not stop thinking about the scratching noises the cold air the shapes in the corners I could not pretend nothing happened I decided to lock the book in

my safe I had a small safe behind a painting in the hallway I entered the code opened it and placed the book inside I shut the safe door and spun the lock I listened no sounds I turned off the lights in the living room and walked back to the study the room felt cold again but I tried to ignore it I left the lamp on and checked the window the glass was intact no marks I checked the walls the corners the floor everything looked normal yet I felt watched I felt pressure on my temples I

Stood Still in the center of the room and listened to my own breathing my breath sounded shallow and fast my heart beat hard in my chest I turned my head slowly scanning the corners each time I saw nothing but I could not shake the feeling that something was there just out of sight I closed the door to the study I tried to leave whatever presence was there behind that door I went back to the living room I turned on every light I could I paced around for a few minutes nothing happened the temperature felt normal

here no strange smells no sounds I walked to the hallway and looked at the painting covering the safe everything was quiet I touched my forehead I was sweating I wiped my hands on my pants again and checked my fingertips the black ink stain was still there darker than before I ran warm water in the kitchen sink and scrubbed my fingertips with soap the black stain faded a little but I could still see it I tried again it would not come off completely I leaned against the counter breathing hard trying to calm down I reminded myself

that no one had died nothing had attacked me but I could not deny what I felt the sense that the book was not just paper and ink the sense that it wanted me to see something the presence in the study the scratching at the window I stood in the kitchen for a while listening to the hum of the refrigerator the normal sound helped I thought about calling a friend or a colleague but it was late I felt stupid who would believe me if I said the ink was moving on its own I decided to wait

until morning maybe sunlight would help maybe I could take the book to someone else maybe I could leave it somewhere and let someone else handle it I felt ashamed of that thought but I also felt scared I headed back to the living room and sat down on the couch I turned on the TV with low volume trying to have some background noise I kept glancing at the hallway thinking about the safe and the book inside I tried to focus on the TV but my attention drifted I rubbed my arms still feeling the cold air that

had surrounded me in the study I could not forget the ink changing shape the feeling that the book was alive the scraping at the window I stayed there awake alert until the early hours every small sound made me jump the fear did not go away I could still feel something waiting not in the room but at the edges of my thoughts I knew I would have to deal with the book again tomorrow I did not know what it wanted I did not know what would happen when I opened it again I only knew I was

afraid to try I stopped at the old train station because I had nowhere else to go I had been walking for hours and my legs were aching the place looked abandoned the paint on the walls was flaking the wooden boards felt weak under my boots there was a strange odor in the air maybe old oil or damp wood I saw a few old benches and some broken crates stacked in a corner there were no signs of life I wanted to rest I figured I could spend the night there and move on in the morning there

was no one around to tell me otherwise I remember standing near the entrance holding my small pack against my side the night air had a sting to it I tried to settle in I took slow steps around checking for anything dangerous there were no lights except a few oil lamps hanging from Rusty hooks on the walls they were weak and their Flames flickered for no reason the glass covers around them were dirty I saw a lot of dust in the corners the door was half off its hinges the floor groaned as I moved I had

not planed to stay inside I thought about sleeping outside under the stars but the wind picked up as soon as I arrived it made sense to step inside for shelter the station's interior was small there was a single waiting area and Beyond it what looked like an old ticket booth with its window shattered there was a corridor leading to a storage room but I did not feel comfortable going deeper I decided to drop my pack on a bench near the back wall I unrolled a thin blanket and checked my water I had enough for the

night I could move on at first light I tried to relax my shoulders were tense my breath felt shallow the wind outside kept blowing through the gaps in the walls it made the boards Creek the place felt unstable but I had no other options I sat down rubbed my neck and tried to ignore my discomfort I took a sip of water and leaned back the oil lamps gave off a weak light that didn't reach the edges of the room I tried to focus on the wooden boards and the cracked plaster I stared at them forcing

my mind to calm down my heart was still beating a bit fast from the day's long walk then I heard something that should not have been there it sounded like a whistle it was distant and weak but it had a clear sharp tone it reminded me of a train's whistle but I knew this place was abandoned I had not seen any tracks in use for a long time I stiffened stood up and listened the night air pressed against the Broken Walls I walked to what was left of a window and looked out the rails were

still there but covered in Rust there were weeds growing around the ties I didn't see anyone I didn't see any lights I just heard that whistle again a little softer this time I tried to make sense of it maybe the wind passed through some broken pipes or something I listened carefully the whistle faded I waited for several minutes leaning forward my hand resting on the window frame the wood felt rough my fingertips pressed against splinters I tried not to think about it too hard there were no trains around there hadn't been any here for decades

from what I could guess I stepped back and looked at the lamps they were steady enough now not flickering I decided to ignore the whistle and get some sleep I sat down again pulled the blanket over my shoulders and closed my eyes I listened to my breathing tried to settle my nerves then I heard footsteps on the wooden floor outside the waiting area I opened my eyes and stood up again my legs felt tense I walked towards the door and looked around I saw nothing but empty benches and broken Furniture I walked back and as

I was was about to sit down I heard another sound it was like something running along the rails but not metal on metal it was just a faint rustling sound I stepped outside stood near the platform and looked at the tracks the Moonlight was weak but I could see well enough the rails were empty there was nothing moving I ran my hand over my face I felt sweat my forehead was damp even in the cool air I kept hearing faint Whispers they were too low to make out words they seemed to come from all sides

but I could not pinpoint a source I turned in slow circles expecting to see an animal or a person nothing the station was silent except for the wind and that strange whistle that came and went I decided to try and sleep anyway I had to move on in the morning I sat down breathing slowly and stared at the floor then I heard my name it was a whisper Thomas it was my name spoken by a voice I didn't recognize I jumped to my feet my heart pounded I looked around wide-eyed who's there I said out

loud my own voice echoed dully no answer I felt my stomach tighten there was a sour taste in my mouth I took a few steps toward the ticket booth broken glass crunched under my boots I pushed the wooden door open and looked inside it was empty I passed my hand along the counter it felt Dusty I reached up and turned the oil lamp so it would cast more light the flame shook a bit I saw a few old tickets scattered on the floor they looked brittle I stepped back out and heard something else it was

not just one voice now there were multiple Voices All Whispering my name Thomas come they said The Whispers were soft but but urgent they repeated my name and something else I could not fully catch it sounded like they wanted me to follow them I froze my neck felt stiff my chest felt heavy the whispering made no sense there was no one there I tried to push it aside tried to ignore it but the whispering got louder I heard shuffling it sounded like footsteps brushing against the floor but I saw nothing I tried to steady my

breathing my mouth felt dry I whispered to myself that it was just the wind but I knew the difference the voices were calling me by name the wind could not do that I moved toward the door leading outside to the old platform I stepped onto the old boards they creaked under my weight I looked at the tracks again my eyes were adjusting to the dark I could make out the line of metal stretching into the distance I saw something then it looked like silhou ET standing near the rails they were faint outlines of people standing

still facing me I stared at them blinking hard they were there one moment and then they moved they ran along the tracks passing from one side to the other Vanishing behind old pillars and crates I tried to follow them with my eyes but they were too fast they made no sound except a faint shuffling I felt a chill down my spine I stepped back into the station my legs felt weak I leaned against the wall and tried to calm myself I thought about leaving right then but I was tired I also worried that if I

left I would have to walk through the dark Fields alone I decided to wait it out maybe my mind was playing tricks on me I rubbed my eyes and drank some more water I sat down but I kept looking around trying to catch any movement the lamps flickered again the flame in the nearest lamp grew dim then brightened for no reason I smelled something strange like old cold dust the voices came back they whispered from the corners of the room Thomas please come Thomas it's time they said these words again and again I clenched my

jaw I stood up my back was tense I moved toward the door I wanted to leave the building maybe hide outside as I reached the door frame I felt a push of cold air it hit my face and made me gasp the cold made my teeth chatter I looked down at my hands they were shaking I tried to say something but my throat felt tight the voices got louder they were all around me Whispering at once I walked outside onto the empty platform I saw the Silhouettes again running along the tracks but there was no

sound of breathing no sound of shoes on gravel they were just shapes moving in the dark the Moonlight hit the rails showing how rusted they were the silhouette did not seem to care they passed over the rails easily I called out who are you my voice cracked I heard no answer instead I heard the whistle again clear this time it Rose in Pitch then faded slowly then I heard the voices say something else all aboard they said it quietly but the words were clear they repeated it All Aboard Thomas All Aboard my heart hammered they

wanted me to board something I saw no train no lights nothing but empty tracks and weeds still they kept saying it I felt my legs tremble I backed away from the platform's edge I stepped inside the station grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulder I wanted to be ready to leave if I had to I stood in the middle of the room holding my pack with one hand clenching it hard I looked at the Shadows on the walls they shifted even though the lamp light barely moved I considered just running off into the

fields but the night was dark and I was tired I hoped that if I ignored these voices they would go away I tried to think of something calm I tried to slow my breathing my heart was still pounding in my ears my shoulders felt tight the voices spoke again Thomas the Train is here I heard a faint Clank as if metal touched metal I walked slowly to the door and looked outside the tracks were empty there was no train I saw a faint outline of something darker than the night as if a shape stood over

the rails it was like a large object blocking the faint Starlight I felt my pulse race I could hear soft murmur as if passengers were talking in low tones there was a faint smell of old seats as if leather and dust mixed together I could almost feel warm air on my face but I saw no sour for it I backed away the station walls felt too close I felt trapped the voices kept calling my name telling me to hurry I could not see them but I heard their urgent tone my mouth was dry I tried

toallow my arms felt heavy I gripped the strap of my pack looking for something solid to hold on to I turned and looked at the benches nothing moved inside the station except me the voices were coming from outside side but also inside my head I shook my head trying to clear it I walked along the wall feeling the rough wood under my fingertips I reached a window and looked out I expected to see fields and trees maybe the faint outline of a distant Farmhouse instead I saw those Silhouettes moving across the tracks they were not

solid they flickered in and out of sight they raised their arms as if waving for me to come closer I clenched my teeth and stepped back my eyes were watering I wiped them with the back of my hand the whispering Rose in volume the words Blended together into a kind of pleading sound I could not make out specific words anymore just the sense that they wanted me to do something the whistle sounded again and I felt a vibration under my feet a subtle shaking that made the boards Creek I looked down the floor looked stable

enough but I felt a slight Tremor I stepped outside onto the platform the Tremor felt stronger there it reminded me of how the ground shakes when a heavy vehicle passes by but there was nothing there I felt dizzy I gripped a post and looked around breathing through my mouth the air smelled stale the Silhouettes were gone now and I saw nothing but empty tracks I tried to calm myself by counting my breaths the Tremor faded the whispering faded too but I could still sense them nearby I stayed stay outside for a while looking at the

sky the stars were faint the moon was low I judged that morning was a few hours away I decided I would wait until the first light and then leave I didn't care if I was tired I just wanted to put distance between me in this place I returned inside and sat on the bench I kept my pack at my feet I tried to rest my head against the wall but every time I closed my eyes I heard them whisper my name every time I looked around around I saw nothing but old wood Dusty corners and

broken Furniture the lamps flickered sometimes but that was it I tapped my foot on the floor trying to stay awake my throat felt sore I drank some water I stared at the door expecting to see something appear at any moment nothing did at one point I stepped outside again just to check the sky I felt colder now the wind had settled down the Silhouettes did not appear I heard no Whispering I stood there for a while silent just listening the air was still the tracks looked empty I heard no whistle no voices no strange sounds

everything seemed normal now as if the place had decided to leave me alone I waited tense for hours eventually I saw the sky lighten the boards were VIs visible without the lamp's light I watched as the first rays of dawn touched the rails nothing moved I rolled up my blanket took a last sip of water and stepped outside my legs were stiff my back hurt I walked down the platform and followed the track a short distance I looked back at the station it was quiet and empty the windows were broken the wood was old and

I saw no signs that anyone had been there I moved on heading away from the the place not looking back again as I put distance between me and that station I kept thinking about the voices and the silhouette I had no explanation for it I just knew I was never going back there I felt tense and tired my shoulders hurt I walked fast wanting to reach a road or a town I wanted to be around people to hear normal sounds to see normal faces the memory of those Whispers And that strange whistle stayed with with

me for a long time but I did not stop until I was far from that Old station I live in a small apartment on the top floor of an old building the walls are thin the floors Creek and the pipes make noises late at night I never paid much attention to these things but about a week ago something started happening that I cannot ignore the door of my living room closet began to open on its own in the middle of the night I tried to convince myself it was a draft or a loose hinge but

now I am not so sure something inside the closet seems to watch me while I sleep it does not attack me it does not come out it just stays there hidden behind my old shirts and jackets Whispering I can hear it in the darkness and I can smell something like old dead flowers it makes my head pound and I cannot rest I feel it changing me or maybe I'm losing my mind but I need to understand it I need to know what is in there I Woke Up 3 nights ago at around 3:00 in the

morning my eyes were heavy and my neck felt stiff I rolled over and saw the outline of the closet door I usually keep it closed and I remember closing it that night before going to bed but it was open the door was slightly a jar maybe a few inches I stared at it for a few seconds and I felt my breathing slow there was a strange smell it was like something wet and old like flowers that have been left out too long I sat up and rubbed my eyes the door did not move but it

was not closed I tried to remember if I had left it open I was sure I had not I stood up and walked over to it I pushed it shut and I made sure it clicked into the frame then I stood there there in my underwear looking at the blank surface of the door feeling the cool floor under my feet I listened for any sound the building was quiet I went back to bed the next morning I checked the hinges and the latch everything seemed fine the door did not swing freely if I opened it

halfway it stayed there if I closed it it stayed closed there was no reason for it to open on its own I tried not to think about it I had to get ready for work that night I went to bed around midnight I turned off all the lights locked the front door and checked the closet one more time it was closed I lay in bed and listened to the faint noises of the building at some point I fell asleep I do not know how long I slept but I remember waking up in the dark I

stared at the ceiling I felt a pressure in my chest like something heavy on me I turned my my head and looked at the closet door it was open again this time it was open wider than before I could see my jackets hanging inside they did not move but I could see the dark space beyond them I sat up and felt sweat on my neck I felt a slight headache I took a deep breath and got out of bed I approached the closet slowly I heard something it was very faint like a voice speaking from

far away I could not understand the words it was not clear language just a soft whisper I leaned in the smell of old flowers was Stronger this time I reached out and touched my coats pushing them aside trying to see the back of the closet nothing was there just the old wooden back panel some boxes on the floor no person no animal nothing visible I did not sleep well that night I kept the closet door closed and tried to ignore Everything But as soon as I laid down I felt like something was behind IND that

door just waiting for me to drift off I turned on the bedside lamp and stayed awake until dawn the next day I decided to do something about it I brought home a small chair from the kitchen and wedged it under the closet doorknob I checked it from different angles if the door tried to open it would hit the chair I went to bed feeling a little more in control but sometime after midnight I woke up to a scraping sound I looked over and saw the door open again just a bit the chair had been pushed

aside somehow it was still under the knob but angled weirdly like someone had Twisted it the door was open about an inch I got up grabbed the chair and slammed the door shut I pushed the chair back into place I checked the latch and tried to pull the door open without turning the knob it would not budge there was no reason for it to open by itself I barely slept that night my head hurt my legs felt shaky I got up and made coffee at 5: in the morning the apartment felt heavier there was no

actual weight but I felt pressure in my ears I looked around the living room everything looked normal the closet door was closed the floor was clean the sofa and TV were where they should be the smell was gone but I could not forget the sound of that whisper it was not loud or angry just constant like someone talking behind thick walls I decided to try something else that evening I took out all my clothes from the closet and placed them on the sofa I emptied the closet completely leaving only the bare interior there were two

old boxes on the floor with some papers and junk inside but I took them out too the closet was empty I inspected it carefully the back panel looked solid there were no holes the sides were old wood scratched and dry the floor was dusty but nothing unusual no mold no insects nothing that could explain the smell or the whisper I left it empty and closed the door I turned off the living room light and went to bed that night I woke up again the air felt too warm I got up and walked to the living

room the closet door was open there were no clothes inside nothing to hide behind still I smelled the old flowers I leaned in and listened I heard the whisper ER again I could not tell if it was one voice or several it sounded like a conversation but I could not make out any words it was like a low muffled breathing combined with occasional clicks and pops I felt my heart beating harder I looked around the empty closet I reached inside and touched the back wall it felt cold I tapped on it solid I looked at

the edges where the wall met the sides nothing there I left the door open and stood back watching nothing moved I waited a few minutes feeling silly feeling angry I slammed the door shut again I went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water my hands were shaking I needed sleep but I could not relax the next day I was tired at work I kept thinking about the closet I avoided telling anyone I just wanted to fix it that evening I bought a heavier chair one with a high higher back I jammed it under

the door knob even tighter than before I taped the knob with duct tape to the frame wrapping it around a few times I wanted to make sure the door stayed shut I turned off all the lights and waited in the dark for a few minutes before going to bed I tried to calm down but I felt my chest tighten I checked the door one last time before going to sleep it was Secure I woke up Suddenly my ears ringing I opened my eyes and saw that the lamp beside my bed was flickering I heard a

Creak I got up and rushed to the living room the chair was still in place but the doorknob was turning slowly against the tape the tape stretched and made a soft tearing sound I stood there my mouth dry my heart pounding I grabbed the doorknob and held it still it tried to move again a gentle push from inside then it stopped after a minute I slowly peeled the tape back I opened the door it swung open without resistance the closet was empty the smell was strong this time the whisper was louder but still not clear

I said something out loud I think I said who's there but there was no answer the whisper did not stop it just kept going at the same tone I reached inside and pushed on the back wall again checking every inch with my fingers but found nothing I closed the door and backed away I sat on the sofa and stared at the door for a long time eventually I got up and pushed the sofa against it the sofa was Heavy I made sure the closet was completely blocked then I turned on all the lights in the

apartment I sat at the kitchen table and waited until morning I did not sleep in the morning the sofa was still there and the closet door was closed behind it I pushed the sofa aside and checked again when I opened the door door I smelled old flowers there was no sound this time I left it open all day while I was at home just looking at it from time to time nothing happened it seemed normal but at night when I turned off the lights and tried to sleep I heard the door Creak open again I

got up and saw it halfway open I Shone a flashlight inside nothing there I closed it again I went back to bed a few hours later I heard the whisper I got up and the door was open again I started feeling tension in my chest and neck I could feel sweat on my hands my stomach felt tight each night the door opened on its own always slowly never fast or violent each night I smelled those old flowers Some Nights the whisper was soft other nights it was louder it never formed words I could understand it

never made a clear demand but it was always there waiting observing me just beyond my reach I tried to record it with my phone one night I set my phone on a chair in front of the closet door closed lights off I waited in the bedroom listening after a few hours I heard the door open I stayed in bed pretending to sleep the next morning I checked the recording I heard the hinge Creak I heard a soft rustling sound I heard a faint whisper but it sounded like static I could not separate the whisper from

the background noise no clear evidence I tried keeping the closet empty I tried putting my clothes back inside I tried placing a towel under the door to block it none of it worked the door always found a way to open the whisper and the smell always returned after a few days of this I started feeling strange in my head my sleep was broken my appetite got worse I kept looking at the Closet during the day touching its surface checking the hinges testing the latch everything was normal there was no logical reason for this but I

could not deny what I saw and heard I stopped using the living room in the evenings I stayed in the bedroom with the door locked headphones on music playing but even then I imagined I could hear that whisper through the walls I tried talking to it a few times asking it what it wanted it never answered it just kept Whispering sometimes it paused for a few seconds then started again the smell of old flowers never went away it was always faint clinging to the air I tried spraying air freshener but after a while that old

smell returned after another week I decided to ignore it I told myself it could not hurt me it never did anything harmful it never touched me or caused physical damage except for opening that door the presents stayed inside watching me from behind the darkness whisper Whispering I tried to accept it I tried to sleep without worrying but I could not forget it was there night after night studying me now I stand in front of the closet again it is late I smell the old flowers I hear the whisper I see my clothes hanging inside they

look normal but the space behind them seems deeper at night as if the closet extends into darkness that I cannot see when I shine a light inside I see only the back panel when I reach in I feel nothing unusual but when the light is off and I am in bed I know it is there I know something is there watching I do not know who or what it is I do not know where it came from I have tried to understand it but it does not respond it just watches and Whispers it does not

attack it does not leave any marks it just opens the door each night enough for me to notice enough to remind me that I am not alone here I feel my chest tighten and my head ache I rub my eyes and blink The Whisper gets quieter I close the door again firmly and walk back to my bedroom I think about moving out but I know I cannot leave right now I have a lease I have my job nearby I have no reason to explain this to anyone I lie down and close my eyes I hear

the the door Creak open again in the darkness I feel my heartbeat faster and I grip the sheets with my hands I smell old flowers The Whisper returns steady and calm I stay still eyes open staring at the darkness in my bedroom my head hurts my neck feels stiff my mouth is dry I know the closet door is open I know it is there and I know I cannot stop it I can only wait and listen it does nothing but watch me it does nothing but whisper it will not leave and I cannot make it

leave I breathe slowly and stare at the ceiling waiting for Mourning for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for