The Voice
Don’t Heed Its Call
There was only one rule: don’t open the door.
“Honey? Dinner’s ready.”
Maggie had huddled herself in the furthest corner of her room, palms against her ears to muffle her mother’s voice. Tears had been streaming down her cheeks, choking back every sob threatening to shred her throat.
“Maggie? Come on, put the phone down and join us.”
Her heart had been hammering in her chest, hands falling to encase herself in a tight ball. The footsteps were obvious, at the top of the stairs now, padding softly to her room. Maggie had turned the light out when she first heard it, immediate dread drenching her.
“Sweetie?”
Maggie held her breath once seeing the shadow just outside her door, and her heart dropped to her stomach. The doorknob jiggled a bit, testing and finding it locked, her mother’s voice took a sour turn.
“Ugh, we’ve talked about locked doors in this house, Mag.”
The doorknob jigged again, this time with force and a sharp knock rang through her ears. She had started shaking, more tears welling as the knob jerked. A yelp almost gave her away when the pounding on her door started, if it wasn’t for the hand to clamp quickly against her mouth.
“Maggie, be quiet, please.” The familiar voice next to her shook with a strained whisper.
Maggie nodded quickly, the palm dropping from her mouth to hold her hand. The banging continued, violently shaking the room. Maggie couldn’t help but twist herself into the person next to her, hoping the voice would leave, that that thing would leave.
“Maggie! Open the door right now! Listen to your mom!”
But her mom was sitting right next to her, shaking equally as bad as the jerking of the doorknob worsened.
Until they heard a soft click.
About the Creator
Nicole Fenn
Writing every emotion, idea, or dream that intrigues me enough to put into a long string of words for others to absorb, in the hopes that someone relates, understands, and appreciates.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
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More stories from Nicole Fenn and writers in Horror and other communities.
Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts7 days ago in Longevity
Comments (13)
Thank you all for the amazing and supportive comments! I didn't place in the challenge, but that won't stop me from posting more!
Nice touch, I like a good fright that makes my brain go Whaaaat
Okay, you made hair stand on the nape of my neck; well done and congratulations!
This has me wanting more stories!!!
The way you captured the eerie essence of the voice throughout the narrative was truly captivating. Your writing created such a palpable sense of tension and intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat. I especially appreciated the exploration of isolation and the psychological aspects of your characters. The twists you wove into the plot were unexpected and added an extra layer of depth to the story. I’d love to know what inspired you to write this piece and any particular experiences that influenced your creative process. I’m looking forward to reading more of your work! Best, Jason
well written, great job👌
Holy. Moly. This was SOOO good. You straight nailed this. This is one of my new favorites. Congrats on the well earned TS. If this doesn’t it make it to the top I don’t know what will.
Chills. I expected a twist, but that was fantastic.
Fantastic foundation of the story! Congratulations! 💥👏✨
The part where her mom was next to her but someone else was outside... whoa, that's creepy!
This is scary 👌👏❤️
me, shuddering...congrats on top story - happily subscribed
Wow, that was fantastic! That one made made me jump. Nice use of dialog and showing, not telling. Loved it!