Page 60 - Demo

TheEscapefromtheWhisperingShadowsBY:K.NischalaPriyaIntheunusualandunassumingtownofHollow'sEnd,Halloweenwasnotjustaholiday;itwasanevent.Everyyear,thestreetswouldbrimwithlifeaschildrenparadedaroundincolourfulcostumes,whileadultshostedlavishparties.However,beneaththecheerfulfacadelayanage-oldlegendwhisperedamongthetownsfolk:thetaleoftheWhisperingShadows.Accordingtothelegend,theWhisperingShadowswerespiritstrappedbetweenrealms,cursedtowanderthenightofeachHalloween.Theycouldonlybeseenbythosewithapureheartandawillingsoul.Butonecouldneverbesureiftheshadowswerekindornasty,fortheycouldtwistrealitytotheirdesire.Themoonhunglow,castinganeerieglowoverthelandscape,whilechildrendressedasghoulsandgoblinsroamedthestreetsinsearchofcandyandmischief.However,forfourfriendsEmma,Jake,Lucy,andBenthisHalloweenwasdestinedtobedifferent.Everyyear,thefourfriendsdaredeachothertofacetheirdeepestfears.Thisyear,thechallengewastospendanhourintheoldabandonedmansionattheedgeoftown.Knownasthe\behauntedbythespiritsoftheWintersfamilywhohadmysteriouslyvanisheddecadesago.Despitetheirnerves,thefriendscouldn'tresistthethrillofthechallenge.Armedwithflashlights,theymadetheirwaytothemansionjustasthetownclockstruckmidnight.Theirongatescreakedopen,andtheysteppedontotheovergrownpathleadingtothefrontdoor.Thedoorswungopenwithalowgroan,asifwelcomingthemintoitsshadowyembrace.Inside,theairwasthickwiththescentofdustanddecay.Thegrandentrance,onceasymbolofgreatwealth,wasnowahollowshellofitsformerglory.Cobwebsdrapedthechandelierslikeghostlyveils,andthefadedwallpaperpeeledfromthewallslikeforgottenmemories.Thefriendssetuptheirmakeshiftcampsiteneartheentrance,laughingandjokingtokeepthegrowingtensionatbay.\,whobroughtthesnacks?\\,\Astheysettledin,thesoundofthewindhowlingthroughthebrokenwindowsseemedtowhispertheirnames,sendingchillsdowntheirspines.\,\Emmanodded,thoughherheartpoundedwithamixoffearandexcitement.\hour.\WithasenseofdreadtheyeachchoseadifferentpartofthemansiontoexploreEmmaventuredupstairsherfootstepsechoingthroughthesilentcorridors.Lucytooktheleftwing,Bentooktheright,andJakeheadedtowardthebasement.AsEmmawanderedthroughthedustyrooms,shecouldn'tshakethefeelingofbeingwatched.Acolddraftblewthroughthecorridor,sendingshiversdownherspine.Suddenly,aportraitcaughthereye%u2014afamilyoffour,theireyeseerilylifelike.Emmafeltdrawntoitasifitheldsomehiddentruth.Downinthebasement,Jakestumbleduponanoldtrunk.Curiositypiqued,heprieditopentofinditfilledwithdiariesandletters.Asheskimmedthroughthepages,achillingnarrativeunfoldedtheWintersfamilyhadbeentryingtoescapesomething,anevilforcethathauntedthemrelentlessly.Meanwhile,Lucyfoundherselfinaroomfilledwithantiquemirrors.Eachreflectionseemedslightlyoff,asifsomethingsinisterlurkedjustbeyondhersight.Shebackedaway,heruneasegrowingwitheachstep.Ben,intherightwing,discoveredadustylibrary.Ashescannedtheshelves,henoticedapeculiarbooktitled\.\includingadetailedaccountofthestrangeoccurrencesthatplaguedthetown.Anhourpassed,andthefriendsregroupedattheentrance,theirfacespalewithwhattheyhaddiscovered.Astheysharedtheirfindings,achillingrealisationdawneduponthemtheWintersfamilyhadneverleftthemansion.Theyhadbecomepartofit,trappedinaghostlyexistence.Beforetheycouldprocesstheimplications,theroomgrewcolder,andasoft,unearthlyvoicefilledtheair.\,\itwhispered.Themansionbegantotremble,thewallsshiftingandwarpingasifcomingalive.Panicsetinasthefriendstriedtoescape,butthedoorslammedshut,trappingtheminside.Themansionwasnolongerjustabuilding;itwasalivingentity,fueledbythespiritsoftheWintersfamily,seekingnewsoulstoimprison.Desperationgavethemstrength.Emmarememberedtheportraitshehadseenearlierandledthegroupbacktoit.\Jake,recallingthediaries,realisedthatthefamilyhadleftcluestobreakthecurse.Together,theypiecedthepuzzle,decipheringthecrypticmessagesthathintedatahiddenpassage.Withrenewedhope,theysearchedtheroom,eventuallyuncoveringaconcealeddoorbehindtheportrait.Itledtoasecrettunnelthatwounditswayoutofthemansion.Astheycrawledthroughthenarrowpassage,thewallsclosedinbehindthem,erasinganytraceoftheirescape.Emergingintothecoolnightair,thefriendsbreathedacollectivesighofrelief.Themansionstoodsilentandstill,itshauntedauradissipatingunderthemoonlight.Theyhadsurvived,buttheexperiencehadchangedthem.Astheywalkedbacktotown,theyvowednevertospeakofthatnightagain.Yet,deepdown,theyknewthatHollowHillwouldalwaysholditssecrets,waitingforthenextgroupofcurioussoulstostumbleuponthem.Andthoughtheycouldn'texplainit,eachfeltastrangekinshipwiththeheavenlyfamilytheyhadfreedareminderthateveninthedarkestplaces,thereislight,andinthemostfrighteningstories,thereishope.