“The Room of Shadows”

Nihad was returning from college when his eyes fell on an unfamiliar house. A crumbling concrete building stood by the roadside. Windows and doors were shut, and the roof was nothing but shadows and broken tiles. Yet the strangest thing was that from inside the house, faint lights flickered intermittently.

At first, Nihad thought maybe someone lived there. But immediately, an eerie chill ran through his mind. He noticed the leaves of the nearby trees rustling in the wind, though the surroundings were eerily still.

One evening, Nihad mustered the courage to approach the house. The door wasn’t locked. A mix of fear and curiosity urged him to push it open slowly. The door creaked as it gave way, and the moment he stepped inside, he realized—something was not right.

Inside, the floor was covered in dust, paint was peeling off the walls, and the air carried an unusual coldness. Breathing became difficult. Nihad pulled out his phone and switched on the light, but suddenly the light flickered, forming strange shapes.

The scene seemed alive. On the walls were some drawings—faceless figures, yet their eyes seemed to follow him. Nihad tried to step back, but his feet felt stuck to the floor. A sudden breeze sent a shiver down his spine.

“Who’s there?” Nihad’s voice trembled as he called out. The sound echoed in the empty room.
But there was no reply.

He cautiously moved toward a room that looked like a dusty living room. There were no bloodstains on the floor, yet it felt as if hidden images or writings were etched on the walls—shadows of strange colors. As he stepped closer, the air grew colder, and he felt as though someone was watching him.

Suddenly, a small chair trembled on its own. Nihad spun around, but there was nothing. Still, he felt a presence behind him.

Then, the door slammed shut by itself. Nihad tried to scream, but no sound came out. He pushed the door desperately, but it wouldn’t budge. From the room came a faint whisper—“Don’t come out… you are not alone now.”

Nihad’s voice quivered as he said, “Who are you? Go away!”
But there was no answer—just whispers. Slowly, gray shadows began swirling in the darkness around him. The shadows seemed to float and move in rhythm with the air.

Suddenly, a face emerged from a corner of the wall. It had no eyes, yet Nihad knew—it was not human. His breath caught in his throat. The face slowly faded into the dust. Nihad turned to open the door, but it felt fused with the floor.

Suddenly, the room was illuminated with a burst of light. Nihad blinked and saw an old wardrobe trying to open itself. Books inside shifted in the air as if being moved by invisible hands. As the books opened, eerie shadows emerged and whirled around. Nihad realized—this house was haunted.

A gray shadow slowly advanced toward Nihad. He stepped back, but his feet were stuck to the floor. The shadow revealed a twisted face that sent shivers of guilt and fear through his mind. The whisper grew louder—“If you stay here, you will never leave.”

Nihad suddenly decided—if he didn’t get out fast, he might lose his life. He took a deep breath and tried to run, but all the doors slammed shut simultaneously. A blast of icy air swept the room. The gray shadows circled around him, moving like living things.

He remembered hearing that a family had once died in this house. Legends said those who entered after dark never returned.

Then, he noticed an old diary lying on the floor. Dust covering it, he opened it carefully. It belonged to a boy from several years ago. The diary read: “I am trapped in this house. The shadows won’t let me go. They tell me to stay silent, or I will remain with them forever.”

Nihad realized—this house was not just haunted; it was the center of a restless spirit. He closed the book slowly.

Suddenly, the whisper returned—“You saw me, so now you will stay too.”

Nihad tried to scream, but no sound came out. He knew—this house was never meant for him. He had to escape immediately.

Then, as if by magic, the door swung open. Dusty air rushed out with a heavy, musty scent. Nihad bolted outside. He gasped for breath under the moonlight, feeling both terrified and relieved.

He looked back at the house. The window slowly closed, and the lights inside went out completely. He breathed deeply, thinking—he had survived, but the memory of those gray shadows would haunt him forever.

From that night onward, Nihad never dared to walk past the house alone. The darkness of night, the haunting whispers, and those swirling shadows returned in his mind again and again.

Where others only saw an old, abandoned building, Nihad saw a room of fear—a room of shadows that silently held him captive.