Whispers from the Shadows

A Scary Hallowe’en Story for Young Adults by Sian O’Neill (aged 13)
In a shadowy little town Hallowe’en was the one night of the year when rumours of the supernatural whispered through the air. As the sun fell below their field of view, a group of four friends, dressed up in costumes, dared each other to visit the Holloway Mansion. This was a well known place wrapped in stories of apparitions and unexplained, mysterious events.
As they approached the towering, rotting mansion, a chill ran down their spines. The wind howled through the trees, and the moon gave off an unnatural glow as it shone on the cracked windows. Ignoring their growing sense of fear, they pushed open the door. It screeched as though warning them to turn back but they crept inside. Darkness enveloped them, and the air was so thick that it made them cough as they breathed in the dust. It was clear that nobody had entered the place in years.
Huddling together they crept along a dark corridor when suddenly a loud thump echoed from upstairs, followed by a low, unsettling groan. Hearts racing, they climbed a creaking staircase that shook under their weight. At the top they found a dimly lit hallway lined with portraits of the mansion’s previous owners, their eyes seeming to follow the four as they shuffled along.
In the first room they came to they found an old mirror, its surface blurry and cracked. They looked into it then screamed in terror. Standing behind them was a shadowy figure, its empty eyes staring at them. In panic they sprinted for the exit, but the door slammed shut. The figure began to whisper their names – “Freya… Jacob… Eve… Jamie”. The menacing voice grew louder as it echoed around them repeating their names over and over until it reached a crescendo of growls and screams.
Trembling they crept into a corner. The ghostly figure stood above them, its empty eyes filled with hatred. An overwhelming sense of dread washed over them as they feared they were not going to make it back out. The air grew colder and the whispers started again, then grew louder, turning into a screech of pure rage, urging them to stay still.
“No”, shouted Eve. “Run for it,’ she yelled. She jumped to her feet and the others followed.
In a frantic race to get out, they clawed at the door, desperately trying to escape the grasp of the evil spirit. Just as the figure reached out with icy fingers, they managed to force the door open and sprint down the staircase, hearts pounding.
Furious shrieks echoed behind them, but they didn’t look back. They burst into the dark road, gasping for breath, but they kept running desperate to escape the mansion’s dark clutches. As they ran, the last thing they heard was a whisper of the petrifying promise: “You can’t escape me forever.”
Sian O’Neill, October, 2024.
This section: stories and poems, Stories for Hallowe'en, Writing
Filed under: stories and poems, Stories for Hallowe'en, Writing
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