The ghost under the bed

As night fell, a thick, heavy veil of darkness enveloped the ancient town, as if threatening to submerge everything beneath its inky depths. The streets, bathed in the dim glow of the moon, appeared desolate and eerie, devoid of any signs of life. In this silent night, only the occasional rustling of the wind and the distant barking of a dog broke the stillness.

On the outskirts of the town stood a dilapidated building, standing out starkly against the landscape. Its walls were peeling, and its roof was in disrepair, exuding an air of decay. This was where Lisa lived alone, spending many lonely days in this place.

Lisa was a young office worker who had moved to this cheap but somewhat sinister residence due to work. On this particular evening, as usual, she returned home, exhausted from the day. After a simple dinner, she prepared to go to bed.

The room was dimly lit, and Lisa lay on her bed, flipping through a book, trying to free her mind from the day’s hustle and bustle. However, for some reason, she felt uneasy tonight, as if invisible eyes were watching her from the darkness.

She tried to ignore the unsettling feeling, closed her eyes, and forced herself to sleep. But every time she was about to drift off, a faint sound would reach her ears. It was like a soft sigh or the slow friction of an object.

Lisa sat up and listened carefully, but the sound disappeared when she focused. She told herself it was just an illusion, perhaps normal noises from the old house at night.

Lying back down, Lisa tried to calm herself. But soon, she distinctly felt a cold draft blowing up from under the bed, brushing against her cheek and making her shiver. Frowning, she wondered if there was a gap under the bed.

Curiosity drove her to investigate. She turned on the bedside lamp, knelt on the floor cautiously, and peered under the bed. It was pitch black, and she couldn’t see anything. Just as she was about to give up, the sighing sound came again, louder this time, as if right beside her ear.

Lisa’s heart raced, and fear overwhelmed her. She wanted to run, but her body seemed frozen in place. At that moment, she saw a pair of eyes glowing with an eerie blue light, staring at her from the darkness.

Lisa screamed in terror and recoiled, hitting her head hard against the bedpost. The pain brought her back to her senses a bit, and she scrambled to the door, desperate to escape the terrifying room.

However, when she tried to turn the doorknob, the door wouldn’t budge. It was as if some mysterious force had locked her in this horrifying space.

At that moment, a low, sinister laugh came from under the bed, like it was from the depths of hell. Lisa’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

“Who are you? Why are you under my bed?” Lisa asked, her voice trembling.

The only response was that bone-chilling laughter and the increasingly strong cold draft. Lisa felt her mind on the verge of breaking as she desperately looked for something to defend herself.

Suddenly, a pale hand emerged from under the bed. It was long, twisted, and had sharp, black nails. Lisa watched in horror as the hand slowly crawled toward her. She grabbed a chair and swung it at the hand, but it passed through the air as if it were nothing. The hand continued, grabbing her ankle. The icy touch made Lisa shudder, and she struggled desperately to break free.

Just as she was about to be dragged under the bed, a rooster crowed outside the window. The hand, as if startled, released her and retreated back under the bed.

Lisa seized the opportunity, rushed to the window, and jumped out without hesitation. She fell to the ground, but ignoring the pain, she got up and ran. She didn’t stop until she reached the busy street, where she panted heavily, catching her breath.

During the day, Lisa returned to her residence with friends. Although the sun was shining, she still felt a chill when she entered the room. Her friends checked under the bed but found nothing.

Everyone comforted Lisa, saying it was probably just her hallucination caused by too much work stress. Lisa hoped that was the case, but she knew in her heart that last night’s experience was all too real.

As night fell again, Lisa, despite her fear, returned to her room. She tried to convince herself of the daytime inspection results, but as soon as she lay down, the cold draft and the sighing sounds returned.

This time, Lisa felt her heart pounding in her throat, and her face turned pale. She tightly closed her eyes, not daring to look under the bed again, but the chill grew stronger, clinging to her like a shadow.

She wanted to scream, but the sound was stuck in her throat. Finally, she mustered the last bit of courage, threw off the blanket, and ran out of the room into the hallway.

But even there, the terrifying feeling still lingered in her mind, impossible to shake off.

Lisa felt weak all over, her legs trembling, and she could barely stand. She leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, trying to calm herself down.

At that moment, she heard the sound of light footsteps approaching from behind. She turned her head and saw a strange old man standing there, staring at her quietly.

The old man’s eyes were deep and mysterious, impossible to read. He was dressed in a black robe, looking solemn and dignified.

A strange fear welled up in Lisa’s heart. She stared at the old man warily, unsure who he was and why he was there.

The old man seemed to sense her unease. He smiled slightly and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. I’m just passing by.”

Lisa frowned, suspiciously asking, “How did you get here? This house has been abandoned for a long time.”

The old man chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I know a lot of things, including the secrets of this house.”

Lisa’s heart tightened. She nervously pressed on, “What do you know? Tell me!”

The old man paused for a moment, then slowly said, “This house has seen some tragic events. The people who died here never left. Their spirits still linger, waiting for someone to unravel the mystery.”

Lisa’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you saying there really are ghosts here?”

The old man nodded, his expression grave. “Yes, and they’re very powerful. It’s hard to deal with them. If you don’t want to be haunted endlessly, it’s best to stay away from here.”

With that, the old man turned and left, leaving Lisa standing there in a daze. His words echoed in her mind, filling her with fear and confusion.

Lisa decided to tell someone about what had happened, hoping to get help. So, she went to a local police officer and recounted her experiences in the abandoned house.

The officer was skeptical of her story but decided to investigate with her. When they arrived, Lisa was shocked to find that the house had vanished. In its place was just a barren patch of land.

Lisa was utterly confused and stunned. She began to wonder if she had really seen that house. Could it all have been just an illusion? But the terrifying experience felt so real that she couldn’t let it go.

After returning home, Lisa was restless all day, unable to figure out what had happened. She started researching information about ghosts and paranormal phenomena, trying to find answers.

During her research, Lisa learned about something called the “haunted house effect.” It’s said that some people might experience hallucinations or illusions in certain environments, leading them to believe they’ve seen supernatural phenomena. Perhaps she had been influenced by this effect, which made her think she saw the abandoned house.

Despite this, Lisa couldn’t completely dismiss her doubts. She felt there were still too many unknowns that needed explaining. Maybe only time could gradually heal the wounds in her heart.