The Shadows Beneath

**The Shadows Beneath**

1. The Forgotten Manor

The town of Duskwood was a small, sleepy village surrounded by dense forests that seemed to stretch endlessly. On the edge of town stood an abandoned manor, known locally as the Hawthorn House. Overgrown vines strangled its walls, and shattered windows gaped like the hollowed eyes of a corpse. Whispers of its cursed history floated through the town, tales of a family that vanished overnight and the chilling scream that echoed through the woods the night they disappeared.

For decades, no one dared to approach the manor, but when an ambitious journalist, Eliza Morgan, arrived in town, curiosity got the better of her. Armed with a flashlight, a notebook, and a recorder, she resolved to uncover the truth about Hawthorn House. She had heard rumors of the shadows that moved without light and the unnatural cold that radiated from within its walls.

2. The First Night

Eliza entered the manor at twilight. The air inside was thick with the scent of mildew and decay. Her flashlight beam danced across peeling wallpaper, broken furniture, and cobweb-strewn chandeliers. She noted every detail, determined to find a logical explanation for the stories.

As she explored the first floor, the creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath her feet seemed unnaturally loud. Then, just as she reached the grand staircase, she heard it—a soft whisper, faint but unmistakable.

“Eliza...”

Her breath caught. She swung her flashlight around, the beam slicing through the darkness, but nothing was there. Convincing herself it was the wind, she pressed on. Yet, as she climbed the stairs, the whisper came again, closer this time.

“Eliza...”

3. The Diary

On the second floor, Eliza discovered a study filled with dusty books and scattered papers. On the desk lay a tattered leather-bound diary. Its pages were brittle, the ink faded, but the entries sent chills down her spine.

"October 13th: The shadows grow stronger. They whisper at night, calling my name."*

"October 21st: The children are scared. They say the shadows have eyes. I told them it’s just their imagination, but I see them too."*

"October 31st: The shadows have taken her. My wife is gone. God help us all."*

The final entry was dated the night the family vanished. Eliza’s hands trembled as she closed the diary. Suddenly, the temperature in the room plummeted. Her breath became visible in the icy air, and then she saw it—a shadow moving along the wall, though there was no light to cast it.

4. The Unseen Eyes

Eliza fled the study, her heart pounding. The corridor outside was darker than before, as if the very walls absorbed the light from her flashlight. As she hurried, the shadows seemed to follow, slithering along the floor and walls, their movements unnatural and fluid.

“Eliza...”

This time, the whisper was louder, almost a growl. She turned sharply, her flashlight illuminating a tall, humanoid shadow with glowing red eyes. It stood motionless, yet its presence felt suffocating.

Eliza stumbled backward, tripping over a loose floorboard. When she scrambled to her feet, the shadow was gone. But the air was heavy with malice, and she knew she was not alone.

5. The Basement

Desperation drove Eliza to find a way out, but every door seemed locked, every window sealed by an unseen force. Her flashlight flickered as she discovered a trapdoor in the kitchen, leading to the basement. Against her better judgment, she descended.

The basement was damp and cold, the air thick with the stench of rot. Strange symbols were etched into the walls, glowing faintly in the dark. In the center of the room stood an altar, covered in dried blood and surrounded by black candles.

“Eliza...”

The voice was a chorus now, layered and inhuman. Shadows danced along the walls, converging toward the altar. Eliza’s flashlight died, plunging her into darkness. She felt the air shift as something moved closer, its breath hot against her neck.

6. The Truth Revealed

A dim light flared to life—a lantern hanging from the ceiling, its glow revealing a horrifying scene. The shadows weren’t mere tricks of the eye; they were entities, writhing and pulsating, their forms barely human. At the altar stood a figure cloaked in darkness, its face obscured but its voice echoing in her mind.

“You shouldn’t have come,” it said, its tone both amused and menacing.

Eliza demanded answers, her voice trembling. The figure chuckled and gestured to the symbols on the walls.

“This place is a gateway,” it explained. “The Hawthorn family tried to seal it, but they failed. The shadows claimed them, as they will claim you.”

Eliza’s mind raced. She remembered the diary’s final entry and realized the family hadn’t vanished—they had been consumed by the shadows.

7. The Escape

Eliza refused to become another victim. Clutching the diary, she remembered the mention of a ritual to banish the shadows. She scanned the symbols on the walls, piecing together fragments of Latin phrases.

The shadows surged toward her as she began to chant. Her voice shook, but she pushed through, her words growing louder and more confident. The air around her vibrated, and the shadows recoiled, their forms distorting.

The figure at the altar let out an ear-piercing shriek, its body disintegrating into black mist. The shadows screamed in unison, retreating into the cracks and corners of the room. The lantern flickered violently before shattering, plunging the basement into silence and darkness.

8. The Aftermath**

When Eliza awoke, she was outside the manor, the first rays of dawn breaking through the trees. The house loomed behind her, its windows now dark and lifeless. The diary was still in her hands, its pages blank as if the words had never existed.

Eliza returned to town, her story met with skepticism. Yet she bore the scars of her encounter—a streak of white in her hair, her once-steady hands now trembling. She published her article, warning others to stay away from Hawthorn House, but the locals dismissed it as fiction.

Years later, when another group of thrill-seekers vanished near the manor, Eliza’s warnings were remembered, though it was too late.

9. The Final Whisper

Late one night, as Eliza sat in her apartment, trying to convince herself that the ordeal was over, she heard it again.

“Eliza...”

This time, it wasn’t a whisper. It was right behind her.