SHIBSHANKAR PAUL
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"The Silent Visitor"
It was a cold, rainy night when Emily found herself home alone for the first time in months. Her parents had gone to a dinner party, leaving her with a bowl of popcorn and a few horror movies to keep herself entertained. She loved the thrill of a good scare, but tonight felt different. The house was eerily quiet, and the rain pattered against the windows like tiny fingers tapping to be let in.Halfway through her movie, Emily heard a faint noise coming from the kitchen. She paused the film, listening intently. It was probably just the old house settling, she thought. But then she heard it again—a soft creak, like someone stepping on a loose floorboard.Emily's heart began to race. She grabbed her phone and slowly made her way to the kitchen, her bare feet silent on the hardwood floor. The kitchen was dark, but she could make out the silhouette of the refrigerator and the outline of the table and chairs. She held her breath, waiting for another sound. But there was only silence.She let out a small laugh, feeling a bit foolish. "It's just my imagination," she whispered to herself. Emily turned to head back to the living room when she saw it: a shadow moving in the hallway out of the corner of her eye. It was quick, almost too quick to notice, but she was sure she saw it.Her hands trembled as she flicked on the hallway light. "Hello?" she called out, her voice wavering. No response. She slowly walked down the hallway, glancing into each room, but everything was exactly as it should be. No signs of anyone else.As she turned to go back to the living room, she saw it again—a dark figure standing at the end of the hallway. This time, there was no mistaking it. The figure was tall, its face hidden in shadow, and it stood completely still, as if waiting for something. Emily's breath caught in her throat. She blinked, and the figure was gone.Panic surged through her body. She ran back to the living room, grabbed her phone, and dialed her mom's number with shaking fingers. No signal. The rain outside intensified, battering the windows more violently than before.Suddenly, the power went out, plunging the house into darkness. Emily's breathing quickened as she fumbled for the flashlight app on her phone. The beam of light flickered to life, casting long, eerie shadows on the walls. She could feel the presence of someone—or something—watching her.She backed up against the wall, clutching her phone like a lifeline. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of movement. And then she heard it again—the creak of a floorboard, this time much closer."Whoever's there, please go away!" she shouted, her voice breaking.A low, raspy whisper responded from the darkness, "I'm already here."Emily's blood ran cold. She turned the flashlight towards the source of the voice and saw the figure standing just a few feet away. Its face was still hidden, but its eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.The figure took a step closer, and Emily's instincts kicked in. She bolted towards the front door, flinging it open and sprinting into the rain-soaked night. She didn't stop running until she reached her neighbor's house, pounding on the door frantically.The neighbors let her in, and as she tried to explain what happened, she glanced back at her house. Through the rain and darkness, she saw the figure standing at the window, watching her with those faintly glowing eyes. And then, just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.The police searched the house thoroughly but found no signs of forced entry or anyone inside. They chalked it up to Emily's imagination playing tricks on her in the dark. But Emily knew better. She knew what she saw. And she knew she was no longer alone in her own home.
By SHIBSHANKAR PAULabout a year ago in Horror
"The Midnight Shift"
Emma had just started her new job at the local McDonald’s, taking the late-night shift. The store was always quiet at night, with only a few customers trickling in for a midnight snack. Her coworker, Jake, was the only other person working with her. He had been at this location for years and knew all the ins and outs of the job.One night, around 3 a.m., a strange customer walked in. He was unusually tall, with a long, unkempt beard and eyes that seemed almost too large for his face. He didn’t order anything at first; he just stood there at the counter, staring at Emma with a blank expression.“Can I help you, sir?” Emma asked, trying to maintain her composure.The man slowly grinned, revealing a set of yellowed, crooked teeth. “Just a coffee,” he said in a low, gravelly voice. She nodded and quickly prepared his order, feeling uneasy under his intense gaze. When she handed him the coffee, his hand brushed hers, and she felt a chill run down her spine. His skin was cold, almost clammy.After he took his coffee, the man didn’t leave. Instead, he sat down at the table farthest from the counter, in the darkest corner of the restaurant. Emma tried to ignore him, but every time she glanced over, he was staring at her.“Hey, Jake, have you seen that guy before?” she whispered, nodding toward the corner.Jake looked over and his face paled. “No, but I’ve heard stories. Late-night customers that just… don’t seem right.”Emma tried to laugh it off, but something about the man was deeply unsettling. Hours passed, and the man stayed put, sipping his coffee ever so slowly. Eventually, Emma decided to take a break. She went to the back room to grab a drink and calm her nerves. When she came back, the restaurant was eerily quiet. Jake was nowhere to be seen.“Jake?” she called out, but there was no answer.Panic began to set in. She walked around the counter and saw that the man was gone, too. Her heart raced as she checked the bathroom, the kitchen, and even outside, but there was no sign of them. She pulled out her phone to call for help, but the screen flickered and went black.Suddenly, the lights in the restaurant began to flicker. Emma heard a strange sound, like whispering, coming from the back of the store. She slowly approached the kitchen, her hands trembling. The whispering grew louder, more insistent, until it was almost a deafening roar in her ears. She burst through the kitchen doors and saw Jake standing in front of the walk-in freezer, his back to her.“Jake! What’s going on?” she shouted.Jake didn’t respond. He just stood there, motionless. Emma cautiously approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned around slowly, and she gasped in horror. His eyes were wide, his pupils dilated, and his mouth was frozen in a silent scream. In his hand, he held a small, broken mirror.Before Emma could react, the freezer door swung open with a loud creak. Inside, she saw the tall man from earlier, his eyes now glowing a sickly yellow. He beckoned to her with a long, bony finger.“Come inside,” he whispered in that same gravelly voice. “It’s much warmer in here.”Terrified, Emma tried to pull Jake away, but he wouldn’t budge. His eyes were locked on the man, who continued to beckon them into the freezer. Emma’s mind raced as she felt the temperature around her drop. She knew she had to get out of there, but Jake seemed to be in some kind of trance.Suddenly, the man stepped forward, his long limbs unfolding unnaturally. Emma screamed and bolted for the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She ran through the empty restaurant and out into the night, not stopping until she was a block away. When she finally looked back, the McDonald’s was dark, the lights all turned off, as if it had never been open in the first place.Emma quit her job the next day. Jake was never seen again, and neither was the strange man. But sometimes, late at night, she could still hear that whispering, calling her back to the McDonald’s, back to the freezer, back to where the real horrors waited.
By SHIBSHANKAR PAULabout a year ago in Horror
Karna Pishachini's Curse
In a small, secluded village in India, nestled amidst dense forests and misty hills, there was an old temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. The villagers feared the temple for it was said to be haunted by a Karna Pishachini—a fearsome spirit known for its ability to possess people through their ears and control their minds.The legend of the Karna Pishachini had been passed down for generations. According to the story, she was once a beautiful woman who fell in love with a powerful tantric. The tantric, however, betrayed her love, leaving her heartbroken and filled with vengeance. To take revenge, she mastered dark magic and became a Karna Pishachini, vowing to torment any man who dared to enter her domain.One rainy night, three friends from a neighboring town, Raj, Priya, and Vikram, decided to test their courage by visiting the haunted temple. The villagers warned them about the Karna Pishachini, but they laughed it off, thinking it was just a superstition.As they entered the forest, a chilling wind began to blow. The trees rustled, and the shadows seemed to dance in the darkness. The path to the temple was narrow and treacherous, winding through dense underbrush and slippery rocks. Despite the eerie atmosphere, the friends continued, driven by curiosity and a sense of adventure.When they finally reached the temple, they found it abandoned and overgrown with vines. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. Raj, being the bravest, led the way inside. The interior was dark, with only the faint light of their torches illuminating the ancient stone walls covered in strange symbols.As they explored, Priya noticed a large, ornate mirror at the far end of the temple. She felt drawn to it, as if it was calling out to her. Vikram, sensing something was wrong, tried to pull her away, but it was too late. A sudden gust of wind blew through the temple, extinguishing their torches and plunging them into darkness.In the silence that followed, they heard a soft, whispering voice. It was the voice of the Karna Pishachini, speaking in a language they did not understand. Raj felt a sharp pain in his ears as if something was crawling inside. He screamed in agony, falling to the ground, clutching his head.Vikram and Priya tried to help him, but Raj's eyes turned blank, and his voice changed. He began to speak in a strange, otherworldly tone, warning them to leave the temple or suffer the same fate. Priya, terrified, tried to run, but the doors slammed shut on their own, trapping them inside.The Karna Pishachini had taken control of Raj. He stood up, moving in a stiff, unnatural manner, his face twisted into a sinister smile. "You have entered my domain," he said in a voice that was not his own. "And now, you will pay the price."Vikram, desperate to save his friend, remembered an old chant his grandmother had taught him to ward off evil spirits. He began to recite it loudly, his voice trembling with fear. The Karna Pishachini laughed, mocking him, but as he continued, the laughter turned to screams of anger.The ground beneath them shook, and the temple walls began to crumble. Vikram kept chanting, his voice growing stronger with each word. The spirit's grip on Raj weakened, and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious. The mirror shattered into a thousand pieces, and a deafening roar filled the temple as the Karna Pishachini was banished back to the realm of the dead.With the spirit gone, the doors opened, and the friends fled the temple, never looking back. They returned to the village, shaken but alive, vowing never to speak of what happened that night. The villagers, however, knew that the curse of the Karna Pishachini could never truly be broken, and the temple remained a place of fear and darkness, waiting for the next group of brave souls to enter and face the terror within.
By SHIBSHANKAR PAULabout a year ago in Horror
The Whispering Hallways
Late one evening, Emily, a high school junior, stayed back to finish a project in the old wing of her school. This part of the building, rarely used and dimly lit, was rumored to be haunted, but Emily didn't believe in such tales. The classrooms were filled with dusty desks and old, forgotten textbooks, and the walls were lined with faded portraits of stern-looking former principals.As the clock struck 8PM, Emily heard a faint whisper echo through the empty hallways. She paused, thinking it was just her imagination, but the whispering continued. It seemed to come from every direction, growing louder with each passing second. She tried to focus on her project, convincing herself it was the wind or the old pipes. But then she heard a distinct voice — a child's voice, soft and pleading."Help me..."Emily's heart raced. She stood up and walked into the hallway, calling out, "Hello? Is anyone there?" Her voice echoed back to her, but there was no reply. She decided to follow the sound, hoping to find the source and put her mind at ease. As she moved down the corridor, the whispers grew louder, more frantic, as if the walls themselves were speaking to her."Help me... find my way..."She reached the end of the hallway and stopped in front of a door she had never noticed before. It was slightly ajar, and a cold draft seeped through the crack. Summoning her courage, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dark, with only the faint glow of the moon illuminating the old chalkboard and rows of desks. She heard the whisper again, this time right next to her ear, sending a chill down her spine."Find me..."Emily turned on her phone's flashlight and scanned the room, only to see a small, shadowy figure in the corner. It was a young girl, her face hidden in her hands, crying softly. Emily took a step closer and gently asked, "Are you okay? Do you need help?"The girl slowly lowered her hands, revealing a face pale and hollow, with eyes that seemed to stare into Emily’s soul. Emily gasped and stumbled back, dropping her phone. The flashlight flickered wildly as it hit the floor. When she looked up, the girl was gone, but the whispering was louder than ever, surrounding her, filling the room with desperate cries.Panicked, Emily grabbed her phone and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. She sprinted down the hallway, but as she reached the exit, she found it locked. Frantically, she pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t budge. The whispers grew louder, more aggressive, as if mocking her fear."Find me... Stay with me..."Emily pounded on the door, screaming for help, but there was no one to hear her. Suddenly, a hand gripped her shoulder. She spun around to see the same young girl, now inches away from her face, her eyes dark and hollow.Before Emily could scream, the girl whispered one last time, "You'll stay with me forever."And then everything went dark.The next morning, the school janitor found Emily’s phone lying in the hallway, its screen cracked and covered in dust. The door to the old wing was wide open, though it was always supposed to be locked. As he stepped inside, he could hear faint whispers echoing through the empty hallways, pleading and crying for help.Emily was never seen again, but students often whispered about the ghostly cries that could be heard late at night, echoing through the school's old wing. Some say it’s Emily, still searching for a way out. Others believe she joined the lost souls that roam the whispering hallways, forever trapped in the darkness.
By SHIBSHANKAR PAULabout a year ago in Horror
"The Echoes of St. Mary's"
In the heart of a forgotten town stood St. Mary's Hospital, a relic from a bygone era. It was a massive structure, with tall, narrow windows and an ivy-covered facade that hinted at its many years of disuse. The townsfolk spoke of the place in hushed tones, warning of the strange occurrences that had been reported there since it was abandoned after a mysterious fire in the late 1960s.Laura, a young journalist with a knack for uncovering the truth behind local legends, decided to spend a night inside St. Mary's. She wanted to write a feature on the most haunted places in the area, and this hospital was at the top of her list. Armed with a flashlight, a camera, and a recorder, she made her way inside as the sun dipped below the horizon.The interior was a maze of dark, crumbling corridors. Paint peeled from the walls, and the floors creaked underfoot. An eerie silence filled the air, broken only by the occasional drip of water from the ceiling. As Laura walked deeper into the hospital, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She turned on her recorder to capture the atmosphere."Day one at St. Mary's," she whispered into the microphone. "No signs of—"Her words were cut off by a loud crash echoing from somewhere deeper within the building. Laura’s heart raced. She shone her flashlight toward the sound but saw nothing but darkness. Swallowing her fear, she moved forward, following the echo down a long, twisting hallway that led to the old maternity ward.She entered the ward cautiously, and a sudden chill filled the room, as if the temperature had dropped by several degrees. The hairs on her arms stood on end. She aimed her flashlight around the room, revealing rows of rusted metal beds, their mattresses long rotted away. In the corner, an ancient wheelchair sat, covered in a thick layer of dust.As Laura approached the wheelchair, she heard a faint, rhythmic tapping. It grew louder and more insistent, coming from behind a set of double doors at the far end of the ward. She hesitated, then pushed the doors open with a creak.Beyond was an operating room, its once-sterile tiles now grimy and cracked. In the center of the room stood an old surgical table, its leather straps still fastened. The tapping noise was louder now, but Laura couldn’t see its source. She moved her flashlight around the room and suddenly froze.In the corner, a shadowy figure stood, facing the wall. It was a woman in a nurse’s uniform, her back turned to Laura. The tapping continued, and Laura realized it was the sound of the nurse's fingernails drumming against the wall. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Her hand shook as she held the flashlight steady.The nurse slowly turned her head, revealing a gaunt face with hollow, sunken eyes that stared straight at Laura. "You shouldn't be here," the nurse whispered, her voice echoing around the room.Laura stumbled back, her breath quickening. She turned to flee, but the doors slammed shut in front of her. Panicking, she pushed against them, but they wouldn't budge. Behind her, the nurse began to hum a haunting lullaby, the same melody Laura’s grandmother used to sing to her as a child.Tears streamed down Laura’s face as she pounded on the door. Suddenly, the humming stopped, replaced by a soft, sickening laugh that reverberated through her bones. She spun around to face the nurse, but the figure had vanished. In its place, a series of ghostly figures appeared—doctors, nurses, patients—all staring at her with the same hollow eyes.Laura fumbled with her recorder, trying to document what she was seeing. But when she looked at the screen, she saw nothing but static. The figures advanced toward her, their expressions a mix of sorrow and anger. Laura screamed, slamming her fists against the door.As the ghostly figures reached out for her, the door finally gave way, and Laura tumbled into the hallway. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted toward the exit, never looking back. The hospital seemed to come alive around her, with whispers and cries echoing through the corridors.When she finally burst through the front doors, Laura collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. The night was still, the stars overhead twinkling like nothing had happened. She looked back at St. Mary’s, its dark windows staring back at her like empty eyes.Laura fled the hospital grounds and never returned. She wrote her article, but no one believed her story. The footage on her camera was corrupted, filled with nothing but static and eerie sounds. And the recorder? It played only the faint lullaby and the ghostly voice of the nurse whispering, "You shouldn't be here."Years later, St. Mary’s Hospital still stands, abandoned and decaying. Some nights, if the wind is just right, you can hear a faint humming drifting from the building, accompanied by the soft, rhythmic tapping of fingernails on a wall.
By SHIBSHANKAR PAULabout a year ago in Horror
