Once upon a time, in a quiet little town nestled at the edge of a dense forest, stood an abandoned castle. It was ancient, with crumbling towers and ivy crawling up the weathered stone walls. Most people avoided it, but I had always been curious. One chilly autumn evening, I decided to spend the night there, armed with nothing but a flashlight, a thick blanket, and a journal to document my findings.
As I approached the castle, the air grew colder, unnaturally so. The wooden door creaked open with an eerie groan as if it hadn’t been touched in centuries. Inside, the grand hall was coated in dust, and the smell of mildew hung heavy in the air. My flashlight beam danced over faded tapestries and shattered chandeliers, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch and flicker like they had a life of their own.
I settled into what had once been a luxurious parlor room, the furniture now draped in thick cobwebs. The silence was almost suffocating, but soon, it was broken by the sound of faint whispers. At first, I thought it was the wind, but the whispers grew louder and more distinct. They seemed to come from all around me, echoing off the cold stone walls.
I followed the sound, descending deeper into the castle. Down a narrow staircase, I found a hidden room lit by the pale glow of moonlight filtering through a cracked window. Inside was a mirror—tall, ornate, and covered in dust. But when I wiped the surface clean, I didn’t see my reflection. Instead, I saw an image of the castle as it had once been—grand, filled with people, dressed in regal clothing, but their faces… their faces were twisted, contorted in horror.
Suddenly, the room became freezing cold. I could feel icy fingers brushing against my neck, and a deep voice growled from the shadows, “You shouldn’t be here…” The mirror began to ripple, like the surface of water, and from it emerged a ghostly figure—tall, with hollow eyes and a crown of bones. He raised a skeletal hand, pointing at me, and in that moment, I knew I had to run.
I bolted from the room, heart pounding in my chest. The whispers followed me, growing into wails of agony. Doors slammed shut, and the castle itself seemed to shift, changing its layout to trap me. But just as I felt all hope was lost, I stumbled back into the grand hall, where the front door stood open, beckoning me with a faint glimmer of moonlight.
Without a second thought, I dashed through the door and into the night, collapsing on the ground outside, gasping for breath. The castle loomed behind me, silent once more, as if nothing had happened.
But I know what I saw. And I know I’ll never step foot in that place again.