The Silent Guest

The Thompsons had always dreamed of owning a house in the countryside. When they found a charming, old house for sale at an unbelievably low price, they couldn’t believe their luck. Despite the house's age, it was well-maintained, with large windows, wooden floors, and a spacious backyard.

"This is perfect," Anna, the mother, said as she helped unpack boxes. Her husband, Mark, agreed. Their daughter, Lily, was thrilled to have a big room of her own.

But from the very first night, something felt… off.

As they settled in, they started noticing strange occurrences. At first, it was minor—a chair slightly out of place, the sound of footsteps in the hallway when no one was there, and lights flickering for no reason. Mark dismissed it as an old house settling, but Anna couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

Lily, however, seemed unfazed. She even started talking to someone in her room.

"Who are you talking to, sweetheart?" Anna asked one afternoon.

"My friend," Lily replied matter-of-factly.

Anna chuckled. "An imaginary friend?"

Lily shook her head. "No, she’s real. She lives here."

A chill ran down Anna’s spine. "What’s her name?"

Lily hesitated before whispering, "Clara."

That night, as Anna and Mark were getting ready for bed, they heard a loud thud from Lily’s room. Rushing in, they found her sitting on the floor, staring at the corner.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Mark asked.

Lily nodded but didn’t look at them. Instead, she kept staring into the empty space, her eyes wide.

"Clara says we should leave," she whispered.

A heavy silence filled the room.

The next morning, Anna did some research on the house’s history. What she found was horrifying.

Years ago, a little girl named Clara had lived there with her parents. One tragic winter night, her parents mysteriously disappeared, leaving her alone in the house. Neighbors said they could hear her crying for weeks. By the time someone came to check, Clara was gone. She had simply… vanished.

That night, Anna couldn’t sleep. She kept hearing whispers—soft, distant, yet unmistakable. “Go away.” “You’re not safe.”

Then, at exactly 3:00 AM, she woke to the sound of Lily giggling. Confused, she sat up and saw Lily standing at the foot of their bed, staring at them with an eerie smile.

"Lily?" Anna’s voice shook.

"Clara says we can never leave," Lily whispered.

The lights flickered. The whispers grew louder. And the shadows in the room began to move.

The next morning, the Thompsons were gone.

The house went up for sale again.

And Lily’s laughter still echoed through the halls.