It was a chilly October evening when I first set foot on the grounds of the abandoned Thompson house. The faded shutters hung askew, and the once-bright paint had peeled away, leaving behind a gray shell of its former self. Most people avoided it, claiming it was haunted. I wasn’t one to believe in ghosts—until that night.
Shadow, my loyal Labrador, was unusually restless as we approached the house. His ears twitched, his tail tucked low, and a whine escaped his throat every few steps.
“Easy, buddy,” I murmured, but the unease in his eyes sent a shiver through me.
The air grew colder as we reached the front porch. Shadow stopped abruptly, his fur bristling. His growl—deep and guttural—echoed in the stillness. My flashlight flickered, casting eerie shadows across the warped wooden boards.
“Hello?” I called out, half-hoping no one would answer.
Suddenly, Shadow barked sharply and lunged toward the door, his nails scraping against the wood. My heart pounded as I fumbled to pull him back. That’s when I heard it—a faint, chilling whisper.
“Leave…”
I froze, gripping Shadow’s leash tightly. The voice was barely audible, yet it carried an undeniable urgency. Shadow’s growls turned into frantic barks as he tugged me away from the door.
“Alright, alright, we’re going!” I stammered, backing away. But just as we stepped off the porch, the door creaked open—slowly, deliberately.
I didn’t wait to see more. Shadow and I bolted down the driveway, my pulse racing. It wasn’t until we reached the safety of my car that I noticed the strange markings on Shadow’s collar—deep scratches that hadn’t been there before.
That night, as I sat on my couch with Shadow curled protectively at my feet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something—or someone—had been watching us.
*Cliffhanger Ending:*
The next morning, I returned to the house with a friend, determined to prove it was all in my head. But when we stepped onto the porch, Shadow refused to move, growling low and steady. That’s when we saw it—a faint handprint, smudged into the dusty glass of the window.