Episode 4 ( On a Dark Stormy Night)

On a dark, stormy night, five friends found themselves stranded on a narrow, winding road. The rain poured heavily, making it difficult to see ahead. Sarah, the responsible one of the group, suggested they take shelter. “Look! There’s an old mansion over there,” she pointed to a shadowy figure in the distance. The group had heard tales of the mansion; it was said to be haunted, but the storm left them with no other option.

With hesitant hearts, they approached the mansion. The tall, wooden doors creaked open with a gentle push, revealing a dimly lit foyer filled with dust and cobwebs. The air felt heavy, as if the house itself was breathing. The friends stepped inside, shaking off rain and trying to ignore the eerie feelings creeping up their spines.

“Let’s find a room so we can wait out the storm,” said Mark, a thrill-seeker who always enjoyed a bit of adventure. Lisa, his girlfriend, stayed close, her eyes wide as she looked around. There was an ornate staircase that spiraled up into darkness and long hallways that seemed to stretch on forever.

As they explored, they found a large living room with a fireplace. “This looks nice,” Sarah suggested, and they all settled on old couches. The wind howled outside, making the windows rattle. Nestled under a thick blanket, they were grateful for the warmth the fire provided. But despite their attempts to relax, an unsettling feeling hung in the air, as though the house was watching them.

“It’s just an old building,” said Tom, trying to ease the tension. He was the skeptic of the group. “There’s no such thing as ghosts. ” But just as he finished his sentence, they all heard a low whisper, almost like a sigh, echoing from the hallway. The friends exchanged worried glances.

“Did you hear that? ” Lisa asked, her voice trembling.

“It’s probably just the wind,” Tom shrugged, but he looked uneasy.

Feeling brave, Mark stood up. “I’ll go check it out. ” He walked slowly toward the dark hallway. The others watched nervously from the living room. As he walked further into the shadows, he noticed something strange—the wallpaper seemed to shift and change, patterns swirling like a living thing. He stepped back, unnerved.

“Hey! You okay? ” Sarah called out, her voice shaking.

There was no response from Mark. The sounds of the storm faded, and all they could hear was silence. “Mark! ” Lisa shouted, her heart racing. They decided to follow him, forming a line as they ventured into the hallway.

As they walked, the air felt cooler, and a strange energy enveloped them. They saw Mark standing in front of a large painting of a woman in a dark dress. She had a haunting expression, her eyes seeming to follow them. “I think this is the one they talk about,” Mark said, pointing at the painting. “The Lady of the Mansion. ”

Suddenly, the lights flickered and then went out. Panic rose among the friends. They quickly turned on their cell phones, but the light illuminated nothing but thick darkness ahead. The mansion remained silent. It was as if it was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

“Maybe we should go back,” Tom suggested, but just then, they heard a soft laughter, echoing from behind them. The sound was both inviting and chilling. It grew louder, almost melodic.

“Who’s there? ” Sarah called out, fear creeping into her voice. They turned around, but the hallway was empty. Just when they thought the laughter was fading, it grew louder, morphing into whispers that echoed off the walls.

“Welcome…” it seemed to say. “I’ve been waiting…”

The friends huddled closer together, fear gripping them. They had all heard the stories of the mansion being alive, but they had come to debunk the myths. Now they felt trapped in a nightmare. The walls began to pulse, as if tired of standing still.

“Let’s get out of here,” Lisa urged. But as they turned to leave, the hallway shifted, elongating impossibly. The doors leading back to the living room vanished into the darkness.

“What is happening? ! ” Mark shouted, panic-stricken.

“Maybe if we follow the whispers, it will lead us out,” Tom suggested, though he wasn’t too sure himself.

Steeling their nerves, they moved deeper into the house, following the sound of laughter and whispers. It led them to a grand dining room, filled with an enormous table set for a feast that looked like it had just been prepared. Candles flickered softly, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

“Look at this,” Sarah said, pointing to a place card at the table with her name on it. The others checked theirs; each had their own name, as if they were expected guests.

Suddenly, the doors slammed shut behind them, and a deep voice echoed throughout the room. “You are finally here. I have waited long enough. ”

The friends jumped back, their hearts pounding. The voice continued, “This mansion craves life. It is hungry for souls. You will stay with me forever. ”

Creeping dread overcame them as the walls pulsated again, and shadows began to swirl around them. The candle flames flickered violently, and the laughter rose and fell like a dark symphony.

“No, we won’t! ” Lisa shouted defiantly, grabbing Sarah’s hand. They started to fight their way toward the door, pushing against the shadows that seemed to coil around them.

“Stick together! ” Mark yelled, and they all held hands, trying to form a chain against the dark force.

With a final push, they rushed toward the door. It burst open, and they flung themselves into the hall. They ran, determined to escape. The whispers grew angry, and the mansion shook as if it were trying to keep them inside.

Finally, they saw the front door ahead, glowing with a soft light. Just a few more steps and they would be free. The shadows clawed at their heels, but they leapt forward, bursting through the door and tumbling out onto the wet grass outside.

Breathless and terrified, they looked back. The mansion stood silent, almost serene now, as if it had never been alive at all. The storm began to fade, but the friends knew they could never return.

As they drove away, the echoes of laughter followed them, a reminder that some houses hold secrets too dark to explore, and sometimes, they wait patiently for the right guests to come.

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