Whispers in the dark

The night was eerily silent. A thick fog curled around the old, abandoned house at the edge of town. Raj stepped forward hesitantly, his flashlight barely piercing the heavy mist. The rumours had always fascinated him—a house where people entered but never returned.His friends had dared him to go inside, and he couldn't back out now. As he pushed the creaking door open, a gust of cold air rushed past him. The darkness inside swallowed his light, the walls seemingly stretching further than they should.Raj took a deep breath and stepped in. The wooden floor groaned under his weight. A shiver ran down his spine, but he convinced himself it was just nerves. Then, he heard it—a whisper. Faint but unmistakable. His heartbeat quickened."Who's there?" he called out, his voice barely above a whisper.Silence.He took another step forward, and suddenly, the door behind him slammed shut. Raj spun around, his flashlight flickering. Panic clawed at his throat as he fumbled with the knob. It wouldn't budge.Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw movement—a shadow shifting unnaturally across the floor. The whisper came again, clearer this time, almost right next to his ear."You shouldn't have come."Raj froze, his breath caught in his throat. The shadow lengthened, creeping toward him. He turned to run, but something cold wrapped around his wrist, holding him in place. The light in his hand flickered once, twice—then died completely.And in the pitch-black darkness, something breathed right behind him.