The Locked Door

Written in response to: Set your story in an unlikely sanctuary.... view prompt

169 comments

Horror Thriller Suspense

This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.



Creaking slowly in the middle of the night was mom's door to her old bedroom. In the year 2021; she died on her closet floor, leaving no clues leading up to her death. Thus, investigators assumed it was a suicide. Every night mom's door opens, but I'm used to it by now... I feel like it's just for me, as if I'm supposed to go in when she unlocks the door. At night I hear her whisper, yet I can't make it out because it sounds scratchy, like when you are on the phone and the service is bad.

I don't sleep at night because I wait for mom to open the door. I go in and sit where she died. No one knows this because no one believes that mom is still around. They don't believe me. No, they call me mental and desperate. When I go beyond the locked door; her words are clear, and I can even feel my mom's loving embrace. We sit together and talk, my life feels normal again... but just as we are enjoying each other's company; the glee I feel takes a nightmarish turn as her eyes turn black as I watch her bleed out.

I then wake up in my bed as if nothing has happened, but it does not feel like a dream, and I know it can't be.

I cannot open the door during the day because it is locked, and I don't want to bust it down because that would defile my mother's place of demise. I don't know how the door got locked. I have an older sister named Madison. I've asked her about the mysterious door before, but she doesn't know either. She moved in with her boyfriend back in 2019. Just a year afterwards, Dad and mom divorced, so it was just mom and I at home.

However, I'm 18 now and all alone with mom who I only see at night. I wish I could be with her during the day too, but the locked door. I can often hear her during the day, but not everything I can make out. When I can understand what is being said, it is not always good. I have heard things such as, "Kill her like you did me", but who is "her", and I didn't kill anyone at least I think I didn't? The worry and confusion deepen but I cannot leave my mother behind.

I told my best friend Grace about everything that has been happening and without a pause she declared, "You need to talk to someone about all of this paranormal stuff immediately!". I agreed so she found me a therapist, her name was Randy Lindsey Stine. She told me I have hallucinations and memory loss. Hallucinations are when you see something from your head, but you think they are real like how I see my mom... but she is real! I know she has to be she opens the door at night to let me in.

It is November 20th, 2023, at 3:01am and I don't hear the door opening instead I hear the sounds of mom crying and talking to herself she spoke out softly to me, "It has been too long, it is time to tell her what happened".

What "happened" and what has "been too long"? I lay in bed and think about what I just heard so hard my brain feels like it's going to explode.

Moments later the door opens slowly slower than usual. I go in and sit the same spot I do every night. This time feels different. It is eerie. Then suddenly, I don't see mom's beautiful blue eyes; instead, I see dark red eyes deeper than a black hole and sharp white teeth! I try to run out but The Locked Door! She bites my shoulder one inch away from my neck. Then in a burst of fear I wake up, checking all over my body but she, or it, left nothing except for the memory.

All day I think about everything that has happened. That thing in my closet and Mom crying. I still can't understand anything, so I decide to just take a shower. As I step out of the shower, I dry off but before I go to wrap myself in it, I realize my blood is all over the towel. Coming out of my arm is the nastiest red I've ever seen. I wash the blood off of my arm and revel teeth marks. "They weren't there this morning" I thought to myself. This means I was right... I don't have hallucinations, and this is all real. I do see, feel, and hear her.

The next day I decided to share this with someone who might actually understand so I decided to go and visit Madison and Abram. They welcomed me in, but I know we all felt awkward because we have not spoken to each other since mom's death. Abram went to take their dog outside. I knew this was the perfect time to talk to Madison in private about mom and everything else that has been going on.

"I would like to talk to you" I asked.

she agreed "okay".

I said, "promise me you will not think I am crazy".

She promised, "I promise. just don't say anything ridiculous".

I took a breath and told her, "At night moms door opens and I can go in and see her". "Oh, shut up Ariana yeah right"! she yelled.

I frowned, "I'm not lying I do, and I can hear her talk to me both day and night".

She said calmly, "look Ari I miss mom too, but you don't see me talking to air, do you"? I answered, "Fine if you don't believe me than come over and spend the night".

She agreed, "okay but I'm bringing my boyfriend".

I replied, "okay that's fine".

At 9:00pm I went home bringing Madison and Abram with me. We did not tell Abram about why they were really spending the night. We just let him fall asleep.

At 2:59am the door squeaked open Madison says, "oh my god did it just open after like 2 years of being locked"? I say, "yes it does every night". We both walked in but then Madison did something I've never done and regret seeing. She turned on the lights it looked like something you would only see in a nightmare. There was blood leaking from the walls, the bedroom window was completely shattered, and some shards put in the wall, moms old bed looked like a dog got in. As terrified as we both are we sit in the closet with the lights on but mom doesn't appear but there is a mirror sitting in front of us "I've never seen this" I said. she says, "because you don't turn on the lights".

I look closer and there is a note with bloody fingerprints all over.

It says, dear Ariana it is time you know how I really died it was not suicide. Every night you come in here and you think your talking to me but you're talking into this mirror, this mirror holds a demon in it they call Kaizlee, by now she has possessed you every night she lures you in here and grab's your hand and tries to get you to get more people in here to kill like you did me at 3:30am the night I died you got me to come in the closet and murdered me the only way to leave you this note was to take a life.

A life? I turn around in horror after I see Madison with her eyes black and wide open, I start to cry and scream as she stars to bleed out. Now everyone knows our house as (the house with The Locked Door!)

May 17, 2022 01:47

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169 comments

Kaizlees Stories
18:25 May 21, 2022

Hey

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Kaizlees Stories
18:25 May 21, 2022

Hey

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Kaizlees Stories
18:25 May 21, 2022

Hey

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Kaizlees Stories
18:25 May 21, 2022

Hey

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Kaizlees Stories
18:25 May 21, 2022

Hey

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Hi

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Hi

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Nikki

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Nicole Of 2022
22:15 May 21, 2022

Minaj

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Jes

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Bets start

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Hi

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Hi

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Hi

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

Hi

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Kaizlees Stories
18:24 May 21, 2022

I'm about to spam you lol

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Kaizlees Stories
18:22 May 21, 2022

Best story ever

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Nicole Of 2022
18:24 May 21, 2022

spamming ur pg now LOL

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Kaizlees Stories
18:22 May 21, 2022

Great story

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Kaizlees Stories
18:22 May 21, 2022

Omg i was seeing this story and it made me picture it in my jeans more than I read this story I love itt

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Nicole Of 2022
18:23 May 21, 2022

jeans?

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21:19 Jun 09, 2022

wow wow wow wow Well I wasn't expecting that ending. THIS IS SUCH A GREAT STORY! I never thought I'd have a fear of closets, but I do now. The beginning is so well written and hooks you on right at the start. I'm excited to read more submissions! -Bella

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Nicole Of 2022
22:19 Jun 09, 2022

Thank you Bella!

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Ace Quinnton
23:03 May 26, 2022

When reading this story, I merely had one thought: Vivid nightmares. This is something I, personally, have struggled with much of my REM sleep. The story seems like it'd be ripped out of a nightmare I had, but slightly different. If I ever had a prompt that related to what happened in that nightmare, I would write it and definitely suggest it to you as a fellow horror lover. (I also read your entire bio📖 Half of the musical artists you like; I listen to as well.)

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Nicole Of 2022
23:37 May 26, 2022

aha niceeee. Which ones?

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Ace Quinnton
23:53 May 26, 2022

Favorite albums by NF are The Search and Clouds the mixtape, favorite song by Twenty-one pilots is Heathens, and favorite song by Arianna Grande is No tears left to cry. (Also; quick question. How did you find out about me? I'm a newer writer here on Reedsy prompts, so not many people find me unless I commented on your story or on someone else's.)

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Nicole Of 2022
00:17 May 27, 2022

SAME!! I LOVE THOSE!! I'm pretty sure you commented on something, and my friend asked you "You really like gravity falls?" XDXD So I just followed LOL

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Ace Quinnton
17:44 May 27, 2022

THEY ARE SO GOOD! Yes, I do love gravity falls. This profile picture I have was made by me using Photopea.com. There are tons of other musical artists I know, but the ones on my bio are the ones that I listen to THE MOST.

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Nicole Of 2022
19:15 May 27, 2022

lol i looked i only know NF XD

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