Trigger Warning:

This story contains intense themes of psychological horror, fear, and paranoia, which may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Title: Voices in the Dark

Chapter 1 - The Shadow

The wind howled through the trees, sending a chill down Kevin’s spine. He tightened his grip on the flashlight, its beam flickering as he made his way down the dark, winding path. The old forest on the outskirts of town was no place to be after dark, but he had no choice. Not tonight.

It had been two weeks since Kevin had seen his friend, Alex. Two weeks of unanswered calls, ignored texts, and an eerie silence that grew louder with each passing day. Everyone said Alex had just run off—he was a restless kid, always talking about leaving town. But Kevin knew better. Something was wrong. He felt it in his bones, a gnawing sense of dread that he couldn’t shake, no matter how hard he tried.

The air was thick with fog, and every shadow seemed to stretch and twist, like hands reaching out to pull him back. Kevin’s heart raced as he approached the old, abandoned house at the end of the path. It stood there, looming in the darkness, its windows shattered and its walls covered in creeping vines.

He had been here once before, years ago, on a dare. He and Alex had crept up to the house, laughing and daring each other to go inside. But they never did. They were too scared. Now, as Kevin stood at the foot of the crumbling steps, he wished he could turn back. But he couldn’t. Not when he had to find out what happened to Alex.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and stepped forward. The old wooden door creaked as he pushed it open, the sound echoing through the empty halls. Kevin’s flashlight flickered, casting a dim light across the dusty floorboards.

And then he heard it—a whisper, so soft he almost missed it.

“Don’t tell anyone.”

Kevin froze, his blood running cold. The voice was low, raspy, and seemed to come from all around him, echoing off the walls. He shone the flashlight around, trying to find the source, but there was nothing there. Just darkness.

“Alex?” he called out, his voice trembling. “Is that you?”

Silence.

Chapter 2 - Shadows in the Dark

Kevin’s heart pounded as he stepped deeper into the house. The air was stale, and every breath felt heavy, like he was breathing through a layer of dust. The floorboards creaked beneath his feet, and he could hear the distant dripping of water, somewhere deep within the house.

He moved down the hallway, the flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. Every step felt like it was taking him further away from the outside world, and closer to something he couldn’t see, but could feel watching him. He turned a corner, and there, at the end of the hallway, was a door, slightly ajar.

Kevin hesitated, his mind screaming at him to leave, to turn around and run as fast as he could. But something pulled him forward, a strange, irresistible urge to open that door.

He reached out, his hand trembling, and pushed it open. The room was dark, and the stench of rot hit him like a punch in the face. He gagged, covering his nose with his sleeve, and stepped inside.

“Alex?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw something in the corner of the room—a figure, slumped against the wall. Kevin’s breath caught in his throat. He moved the flashlight, the beam revealing a pale, gaunt face. It was Alex. But his eyes were wide open, staring blankly ahead, and his skin was deathly white.

“Alex!” Kevin rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside his friend. He reached out to shake him, but as soon as his hand touched Alex’s shoulder, the body slumped forward, lifeless. Kevin scrambled back, his mind reeling. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be some kind of sick joke.

And then he heard it again, that same whisper, right next to his ear.

“Don’t tell anyone.”

Kevin jumped to his feet, spinning around, but there was no one there. Just the darkness, pressing in on him, suffocating him.

Chapter 3 - The Diary

Kevin didn’t know how long he stood there, staring at Alex’s lifeless body, before he finally forced himself to move. His hands were shaking as he reached into Alex’s pocket, pulling out a small, leather-bound diary. It was old, the cover worn and faded, and it smelled faintly of mildew.

Kevin flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the cramped, messy handwriting. Most of it was mundane—notes about school, random thoughts, drawings. But as he got to the last few pages, the tone changed.

“I keep seeing things. Shadows, out of the corner of my eye. They’re always there, watching me. I hear them whispering at night, telling me things I don’t want to hear.”

“I thought I was going crazy, but then I saw her. The girl. She was standing at the edge of the woods, staring at me. Her eyes… they were hollow. Empty. Like she wasn’t really there.”

“I tried to tell Kevin, but they wouldn’t let me. They said if I told anyone, they’d make sure I disappeared too.”

Kevin’s heart skipped a beat. The words blurred as tears welled up in his eyes. This wasn’t just a game. Alex had been trying to warn him, and he hadn’t listened. He had laughed it off, told him to stop being paranoid. And now… now Alex was dead, and it was all his fault.

He wiped his eyes, forcing himself to keep reading. There was one final entry, scrawled hastily across the page.

“They’re coming for me. I can hear them outside. If anyone finds this, please… don’t let them take you too. Don’t tell anyone.”

Chapter 4 - The Girl

Kevin’s hands trembled as he closed the diary, his mind racing. He had to get out of here. He turned to leave, but as he reached the door, he saw her. A girl, standing in the doorway, her hair hanging limply around her face, her eyes dark and sunken.

Kevin froze, his heart hammering in his chest. “Who are you?” he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath.

The girl didn’t respond. She just stared at him, her eyes blank, lifeless. And then she smiled, a slow, twisted smile that sent chills down his spine.

“They told you, didn’t they?” she said, her voice soft, barely audible. “They told you not to tell.”

Kevin took a step back, his pulse racing. “What are you talking about?”

The girl’s smile faded, and her expression became serious. “They don’t like it when people know. They want to keep their secrets. But you… you’re not supposed to be here.”

Kevin wanted to run, but his legs wouldn’t move. “What happened to Alex?” he asked, his voice shaking.

The girl tilted her head, as if considering the question. “He told. So they took him.” She stepped closer, her eyes fixed on his. “And now they’re going to take you too.”

Chapter 5 - The Descent

Kevin didn’t wait to hear any more. He bolted, tearing down the hallway, his flashlight swinging wildly. The walls seemed to close in around him, the shadows growing darker, deeper. He could hear the girl’s voice echoing in his ears, taunting him, but he didn’t dare look back.

He burst through the front door and stumbled down the steps, his lungs burning as he ran. But no matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t escape the feeling that something was following him, that it was right behind him, breathing down his neck.

The fog was thicker now, and he could barely see two feet in front of him. He tripped over a root, falling face-first into the mud. The flashlight flew out of his hand, rolling away into the darkness. He scrambled to his feet, his clothes soaked, his hands shaking.

“Kevin…”

The whisper was right next to his ear, and he spun around, but there was no one there. Just the fog, swirling around him, suffocating him.

He stumbled forward, desperate to find the path, but he couldn’t see where he was going. The trees loomed over him, their branches twisting like skeletal hands, reaching out to grab him.

And then he saw them. Shadows, flickering in and out of the fog, moving closer, circling him.

“Don’t tell anyone,” they whispered, their voices overlapping, echoing, until it felt like they were inside his head.

Chapter 6 - The Truth

Kevin’s legs gave out, and he fell to his knees, gasping for air. He could feel the shadows closing in, their whispers growing louder, more insistent.

He thought of Alex, of the diary, of the fear in his friend’s eyes the last time he had seen him. Alex had been trying to warn him, but he hadn’t listened. And now it was too late.

The shadows were all around him now, pressing in on him, suffocating him. Kevin tried to scream, but no sound came out. He could feel them, cold and clammy, touching his skin, wrapping around him like a shroud.

And then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone.

Kevin lay on the ground, gasping, his mind reeling. He didn’t know how long he had been there, or how he had escaped. But when he looked up, he saw the girl standing over him, her eyes cold, empty.

“They told you not to tell,” she said, her voice soft, almost sad. “But you didn’t listen.”

Kevin felt a surge of anger, of defiance. “What are they?” he demanded. “Why are they doing this?”

The girl’s expression didn’t change. “They are the dark. They live in the spaces between, in the shadows you don’t see. They feed on fear, on secrets. And they don’t like it when people talk.”

Kevin’s blood ran cold. “But why me? Why Alex?”

The girl stepped closer, her eyes boring into his. “Because you know. And knowing is dangerous.”

Chapter 7 - The Final Warning

Kevin stumbled to his feet, his body shaking. “I’m not going to let them take me,” he said, his voice hoarse.

The girl’s lips curled into a smile. “You don’t have a choice.”

And then, without warning, she lunged at him, her hands cold and strong, gripping his throat. Kevin tried to fight, but her grip was like iron, and he could feel the darkness closing in, swallowing him whole.

“Don’t tell anyone,” she whispered, her voice echoing in his mind, over and over, until it was all he could hear.

The last thing Kevin saw before everything went black was the girl’s eyes, empty and hollow, staring into his soul.

And then there was nothing.

Epilogue

They found Kevin’s body the next morning, lying at the edge of the woods, his face pale, his eyes wide open, staring blankly at the sky. The police said it was a heart attack, but no one could explain why his skin was so cold, or why his lips were twisted into a silent scream.

They didn’t find the diary, and no one ever spoke of Alex again. But sometimes, when the fog rolled in, thick and heavy, people said they could hear whispers, faint and distant, like a voice carried on the wind.

“Don’t tell anyone.”

End