Strange portraits

In a remote town, there stood an ancient manor. Once belonging to a wealthy merchant, the manor had long been abandoned, eroded by time and filled with an air of mystery and eeriness.

Thomas was a young artist with a keen interest in the mysterious. One day, he stumbled upon the legend of this manor, which was said to hide invaluable artistic treasures. Intrigued by the tale, Thomas decided to explore the manor and uncover its secrets.

As he stepped into the grand manor, it felt as if he had traveled back in time. The musty, decaying air hit him like a wave, creating an oppressive and heavy atmosphere.

He slowly made his way into the hall, where the sight before him evoked a sense of melancholy. The once-lavish decorations had been ravaged by time, with cobwebs covering the ceiling and paint peeling off the walls, revealing mottled traces. The once-luxurious furniture now lay in ruins, stripped of its former splendor.

Yet, amidst this desolation, a dusty portrait caught his eye. It hung quietly at the end of the hall, like a sleeping memory. He approached the portrait and gently wiped away the dust, gradually revealing the mysterious painting beneath.

The woman in the painting had an elegant figure and graceful curves. She wore a magnificent gown, with delicate and smooth fabric adorned with exquisite embroidery and sequins that sparkled brightly. On her head was a dazzling jeweled crown, with gems embedded that emitted a brilliant, multicolored glow. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, with skin as white as snow, willow-leaf eyebrows, large and bright eyes, and a deep, captivating gaze that exuded an enigmatic charm.

Standing in the gallery, Thomas gazed at the portrait, as if drawn by an invisible force. He was utterly captivated by the woman’s beauty and charm, and a strong curiosity welled up within him. He felt certain that there must be a touching story behind this woman, and he resolved to bring the portrait back to his studio for careful study.

Back in his studio, Thomas meticulously cleaned and restored the portrait. As it gradually regained its original appearance, he was increasingly struck by the woman’s beauty. However, strange things began to happen.

As evening fell, Thomas would faintly hear a barely perceptible breathing sound, seemingly emanating from the portrait. At first, he thought it might be his imagination or simply a result of being too nervous. But as days passed, the sound grew more distinct and real. Sometimes, he could even clearly feel the breath as if it were right beside his ear, making him uneasy.

What unnerved Thomas even more was the constant feeling of being watched, as if a pair of eyes were fixed on his back. Each time he turned around to check, he found no one there, only the portrait hanging quietly on the wall. Despite this, the sensation of being monitored lingered, sending chills down his spine. Gradually, Thomas began to suspect that the portrait might be hiding some dark secret, a secret that was slowly infiltrating his inner world.

One evening, Thomas was working late in his study, deeply engrossed in some urgent tasks. It was already very late, but he was fully absorbed in his work. When he finally finished, he stretched and felt exhausted. As he was about to leave the study to rest, he casually glanced at the mysterious portrait on the wall.

Suddenly, Thomas felt as if the woman in the portrait had moved slightly. He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating from overwork. However, when he looked again, he was astonished to see a sinister smile playing on the woman’s lips!

The smile filled Thomas with fear. He couldn’t explain why the portrait had changed so abruptly. He stared wide-eyed, trying to find answers in the painting, but the woman’s expression remained enigmatic and eerie. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the canvas, directly at Thomas, making him shudder.

Thomas backed away in terror and accidentally knocked over a shelf behind him. The loud noise was jarring in the silent night. When he regained his composure and looked at the portrait again, the woman had returned to her original appearance.

From then on, Thomas’s life became increasingly strange. He often dreamed of the woman in the portrait approaching him. Her steps were light, yet there was an indescribable sense of oppression. Each time he woke from these dreams, Thomas felt overwhelming fear and exhaustion.

Thomas began to try to get rid of the portrait. He hid it in the basement and even attempted to burn it. But no matter what he did, the portrait would inexplicably reappear in his studio, as if drawn by some mysterious force.

Meanwhile, Thomas’s health began to deteriorate. He grew thinner and more absent-minded, and his friends became worried about him. But Thomas couldn’t explain what was happening, knowing that no one would believe such a bizarre story.

One day, Thomas received an anonymous letter. It revealed the history of the portrait. The woman in the painting was the manor owner’s wife, who had died in a mysterious fire. It was said that her soul was trapped in the portrait, cursing anyone who possessed it.

Thomas felt despair. He knew he had to find a way to lift the curse. After some research, he learned that to do so, he needed to find the woman’s ashes and give them a proper burial.

Thomas returned to the abandoned manor once more. After a difficult search, he finally found the woman’s urn in the manor’s basement. As he was about to leave with the urn, the woman in the portrait suddenly appeared before him.

Her figure was ethereal and distorted, and she let out a shrill scream. To Thomas’s horror, the surroundings began to warp, walls collapsed, and flames erupted from all directions.

Thomas ran for his life, clutching the urn tightly. Eventually, he escaped the manor.

He found a peaceful spot in the countryside and buried the woman’s ashes there. From that day on, the portrait no longer exhibited any strange behavior, and Thomas’s life gradually returned to normal.

However, whenever Thomas recalled that experience, he was still filled with fear and awe. He realized that some things should never be tampered with, or one might be plunged into endless terror.