Do Not Watch

In the small, isolated town of Crescent Grove, there was an old, abandoned house that locals avoided at all costs. Stories of its haunted past swirled, but few dared to explore the dilapidated structure. That is until a group of teens—Samantha, Jason, and Emily—decided to spend their Friday night investigating the legends.

Armed with flashlights and a sense of adventure, they made their way to the eerie mansion, its once-grand façade now draped in vines and decay. As they carefully navigated through the creaking door and into the darkened foyer, dust motes danced in the beams of their lights.

"Let's split up and search for anything interesting," Jason suggested, the excitement in his voice masking the unease in his eyes. They agreed and ventured into different rooms, each filled with relics from a bygone era.

Samantha stumbled upon a dusty box in the attic. Inside, she found a stack of old VHS tapes. One, in particular, caught her eye. The label read, "Do Not Watch," scrawled in shaky handwriting. Curiosity got the better of her, and she pocketed the tape before rejoining her friends.

Back at Samantha's house, they gathered around an old TV and VCR to watch the tape. As the screen flickered to life, the grainy footage revealed a family—mother, father, and two children—seemingly enjoying a lovely day at home. But there was something off about their smiles, something unsettling in their eyes.

The footage jumped and crackled, revealing scenes of the family engaging in increasingly bizarre and disturbing activities. Their once-pleasant home became a backdrop for sinister rituals and eerie chanting. The friends watched in horrified silence as the family seemed to be consumed by an unseen force, their faces twisted in agony and madness.

Suddenly, the camera panned to a mirror, and the friends gasped. Reflected in the glass was not the family but themselves—Samantha, Jason, and Emily—standing in the very same living room, their faces contorted with the same nightmarish expressions.

The screen went black, leaving the room in a suffocating silence. They looked at each other, fear etched into their features. The air grew thick, and an oppressive presence seemed to press down on them.

As they scrambled to leave, the house seemed to shift and groan, as if it were alive and aware of their terror. Doors slammed shut, trapping them inside. The lights flickered, revealing fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures lurking just beyond their reach.

Desperation set in as they realized the house was not just a structure but a malevolent entity feeding off their fear. They huddled together, whispering frantic prayers, hoping for a way out. Just when all seemed lost, the front door creaked open, a sliver of moonlight cutting through the darkness.

They booked it through the door, only to find themselves standing in the foyer of the mansion. It was no longer dusty and dark but alive with light and furnishings that looked brand new.

“What is happening?!” Samantha screeched in terror.

Suddenly, the door to the living room swung open to reveal the family from the tapes holding hands and chanting with a sinister grin on their faces.

The following day, concerned friends and family reported their loved ones missing, leading the police to find Samantha's car outside the abandoned mansion. Inside the living room, Samantha, Jason, and Emily were discovered, their faces contorted in pain, their lifeless bodies cold and blue.

Medical examiners concluded that the teens' cause of death was cardiac arrest, leading to rumors that they had died from fear. Subsequently, the city opted to demolish the old mansion, and the incident would eventually fade from memory.

Meanwhile, at Samantha's residence, her mother was organizing her bedroom. Separating items into piles for friends and donations. Amongst the pile of items that would make their way to the local Goodwill, was a box labeled “VHS Tapes”.