"The Guardian of the Asylum"

John and Sam had been friends for as long as they could remember. They had grown up together and now, in their early twenties, they were inseparable. They loved to go on adventures and explore the world around them, and they were always up for a good scare.

One day, they decided to take a trip to an abandoned asylum that was rumored to be haunted. They had heard all sorts of stories about the place, and they were excited to see if they could capture some paranormal activity on their cameras.

As they made their way through the overgrown grass and broken windows, they couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The air was thick with the smell of decay and the silence was deafening. They knew they shouldn't be there, but they couldn't turn back now.

As they explored the dark corridors, they heard strange noises and saw shadowy figures out of the corners of their eyes. They tried to brush it off as their imagination, but the feeling of being watched only grew stronger.

Suddenly, they heard a loud banging on a door. They followed the sound and found an old, rusted door with a sign that read "Morgue." John hesitated, but Sam was determined to see what was inside. He slowly opened the door and they both froze at what they saw.

The room was filled with rows of old, battered metal tables, each one with a sheet-covered body on it. John's stomach turned as he realized they were standing in a room full of corpses.

But as they turned to leave, they saw movement under one of the sheets. They watched in horror as a pale, emaciated hand reached out from under the sheet and grasped the edge. John grabbed Sam's arm and tried to pull him away, but it was too late. The sheet was thrown back to reveal a figure with glowing eyes and a twisted, grotesque face.

The creature let out a blood-curdling scream and lunged towards them. John and Sam ran as fast as they could, but they could hear the creature's footsteps pounding behind them. They burst through the door and into the sunlight, not stopping until they were miles away from the abandoned asylum.

They never spoke of what had happened that day, and they never went on another ghost hunt again. The memory of the creature in the morgue stayed with them, haunting them for the rest of their lives.

As the years passed, John and Sam tried to put the incident behind them and move on with their lives. They both went to college and started successful careers, but they couldn't shake the feeling that something was still following them.

They would often wake up in the middle of the night, feeling like they were being watched. They heard strange noises and saw shadows moving in their peripheral vision. They tried to tell themselves it was just their imagination, but they couldn't shake the feeling that they were being stalked by the creature from the asylum.

One night, John woke up to find the creature standing at the foot of his bed. Its glowing eyes seemed to bore into his soul as it let out a low, guttural growl. John tried to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. He was frozen in fear, unable to move as the creature reached out towards him with its bony fingers.

Just as it was about to touch him, he woke up with a start. It was just a dream, he told himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was real. He knew he had to do something to banish the creature from his life once and for all.

He confided in Sam about the creature and together, they came up with a plan. They would go back to the asylum and confront the creature head on. They gathered all the equipment they needed, including cameras, audio recorders, and EMF detectors, and set off on their journey.

As they approached the asylum, they could feel the creature's presence getting stronger. They could hear its twisted, raspy breath and feel its eyes on them. They knew they had to be careful and stay alert.

They made their way through the corridors, setting up cameras and recording devices at every turn. They were determined to capture the creature on film and prove to the world that it was real.

As they entered the morgue, they saw the creature standing in the corner. Its glowing eyes seemed to be mocking them, daring them to come closer. John and Sam took a deep breath and approached the creature, their cameras and audio recorders at the ready.

The creature let out a deafening scream and lunged at them. John and Sam tried to run, but they were frozen in place, unable to move as the creature's bony fingers reached out towards them.

Just as they thought it was the end, they heard a loud, booming voice. "Leave them alone!" it commanded. The creature froze and let out a guttural growl before disappearing into the shadows.

John and Sam turned to see a figure standing in the doorway. It was a tall, shadowy figure with a cloak of darkness swirling around it. "Who are you?" they asked, their voices trembling.

The figure stepped closer, revealing a face that was both ancient and wise. "I am the guardian of this place," it said. "I have been watching over the asylum and the creatures within it for centuries. I am here to protect the living and banish the evil that dwells within these walls."

John and Sam were in awe. They had never seen anything like it before. "Thank you," they said, grateful for their rescue.

The guardian nodded. "You should leave this place now," it said. "The creature will be back, and it will be stronger than ever. You must stay away from this place and never return."

John and Sam nodded and gathered their equipment, fleeing from the asylum as fast as they could. They knew they would never forget their encounter with the guardian and the creature, but they were just grateful to be alive.