Chapter 1 – I Shouldn't Have Taken That House
I never believed in ghosts.
Not spirits.
Not demons.
Not cursed houses.
Until I moved into 27 Willow Creek Road.
And now…
I wish I had believed.
Because maybe then…
I would have stayed away.
It was late October when I arrived in the small town of Ashford, Pennsylvania.
Cold wind.
Dry leaves flying across the road.
The kind of place where everything looks normal in daylight…
but terrifying at night.
I had just gotten a remote job as a graphic designer.
And honestly, I wanted peace.
No city noise.
No traffic.
No neighbors fighting.
Just quiet.
Too much quiet… as I later learned.
My budget was low.
Very low.
So when I saw the online listing:
"2-bedroom house – $300/month – Immediate move-in"
I thought it was a joke.
In the US, that price was impossible.
Still… I called.
The landlord sounded old.
Very old.
His voice cracked like dry wood.
"You sure you want that house, son?"
I laughed.
"Yeah, why? Something wrong with it?"
Long silence.
Then he said softly,
"Nothing… if you don't mind being alone."
At that time, I thought he meant peaceful.
I didn't know what he really meant.
When I reached the house…
My smile disappeared.
It stood alone at the end of Willow Creek Road.
No neighbors.
No street lights.
No other houses.
Just trees.
Tall, black trees surrounding it like guards.
The house looked…
tired.
Peeling paint.
Broken fence.
Windows covered in dust.
It didn't look abandoned.
But it didn't look alive either.
Like something was waiting inside.
Watching.
I shook my head.
"Stop being dramatic, Alex. It's just a house."
I unlocked the door.
The hinges made a long screeching sound.
Like a scream.
Inside smelled old.
Wet wood.
Mold.
And something else…
Something metallic.
Like rust.
Or dried blood.
I couldn't tell.
The first day was normal.
I cleaned.
Set up my laptop.
Ordered pizza.
Watched Netflix.
Nothing strange.
Nothing scary.
I even laughed at myself.
"Ghosts? Seriously?"
Night came.
That's when things changed.
At exactly 2:17 AM…
I woke up.
For no reason.
My room was freezing cold.
My breath visible in the air.
The heater was off.
But I clearly remembered turning it on.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
From the living room.
Step…
drag…
step…
drag…
Like someone walking with an injured leg.
My heart started pounding.
"Probably rats," I whispered.
Yeah.
Rats.
That's normal.
Right?
But rats don't sound like boots on wooden floors.
I grabbed my phone flashlight and walked out.
The living room was empty.
Dead silent.
No movement.
Nothing.
I laughed nervously.
"See? Just imagination."
As I turned back—
I froze.
The front door.
It was open.
Wide open.
But I locked it before sleeping.
I was sure.
Cold wind was blowing inside.
Leaves scattered on the floor.
Like someone just walked in.
Or walked out.
Next morning…
I checked the door lock.
Perfectly fine.
No damage.
No scratches.
Nothing.
Maybe I forgot to lock it.
Yeah.
Must be that.
Right?
Day 3.
While working on my laptop…
I heard whispering.
Very faint.
Like someone talking in another room.
I removed my headphones.
Silence.
Put them back on.
Whispering again.
Soft.
Unclear.
Like someone calling my name underwater.
"…Alex…"
I turned around quickly.
No one.
But the temperature dropped again.
Every time.
Always cold.
Like winter following me.
That night…
I decided to explore the basement.
Big mistake.
Huge mistake.
The basement stairs were old and creaky.
Each step sounded like it would break.
My flashlight flickered.
Classic horror movie moment.
I laughed to calm myself.
"Stop acting scared. You're an adult."
Halfway down…
I smelled something horrible.
Rotten.
Like dead meat.
I covered my nose.
The basement was almost empty.
Just old boxes.
Broken chair.
And…
A door.
A small wooden door in the corner.
Locked from outside.
With chains.
Who locks a basement door from outside?
I felt uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
But curiosity won.
I removed the chains.
Opened the door slowly.
Inside…
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
My flashlight barely worked.
Then I saw the walls.
Scratches.
Deep nail scratches.
Everywhere.
Like someone tried to escape.
Over and over.
My stomach dropped.
And then…
I saw words.
Written on the wall.
With something dark.
Maybe paint.
Maybe…
blood.
It said:
"DON'T LET IT SEE YOU"
My heart stopped.
"What the hell…"
Suddenly—
BANG.
The basement door upstairs slammed shut.
Hard.
The entire house shook.
I ran upstairs.
But the door wouldn't open.
I pulled.
Pushed.
Nothing.
Like someone was holding it from outside.
Then…
I heard breathing.
Behind me.
Slow.
Wet.
Right behind my neck.
I didn't turn around.
I couldn't.
Because I knew…
If I did…
Something would be there.
Something not human.
And then…
A whisper.
Right in my ear.
Cold.
Broken.
Almost laughing.
"Why… did… you… open… it…?"
I screamed.
And everything went black.