Kyle jolted awake, his chest heaving, drenched in cold sweat. The room was dark, but everything was quiet now, eerily so. He sat up in bed, his eyes darting to the corner where the figure had stood. There was nothing there but shadows.
Had it been a dream?
The tapping. The figure. The darkness that swallowed him. It had all felt so real. He rubbed his temples, trying to steady his racing heart, when a soft knock at the door made him freeze.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
"Who's there?" Kyle called out, his voice shaky.
"It's me, Maria," came the familiar voice from the other side. "Are you okay? You screamed."
Kyle hesitated before getting up and opening the door. Maria stood there in her nightgown, holding a candle that cast flickering light across her concerned face.
"You heard me?" Kyle asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Maria nodded. "Half the house probably did. Are you sure you're alright?"
He glanced behind her, down the darkened hallway. "I… I think I just had a bad dream."
Maria frowned. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Kyle hesitated, then shook his head. "No, it's fine. Thanks for checking on me."
"Okay," she said softly, though her expression showed she wasn't convinced. "If you need anything, just come to my room."
Kyle nodded, closing the door after she left. He leaned against it, staring into the darkness of his room. Sleep wouldn't come again tonight, that much he was certain of.
The next morning, Kyle joined the family for breakfast, feeling like a shadow of himself. His sleepless night weighed on him, and every creak and whisper in the old mansion had kept him on edge.
"Good morning," Elizabeth greeted as he entered. Her tone was warm, but her sharp eyes studied him closely. "You look pale. Did you not rest well?"
"I'm fine," Kyle replied quickly, taking his seat.
Elise smirked, swirling her spoon in her coffee. "Maybe the 'gardener' isn't used to such luxury."
"Elise," Clarissa warned, her tone laced with irritation.
Kyle ignored her, focusing on the food in front of him, though his appetite had vanished.
Isaac cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Today, we'll continue the tour. There's still much for Kyle to see."
"I don't think he's ready," John interjected from his place by the door, his voice cool. "He looks like he's seen a ghost."
Kyle's head snapped up, meeting John's icy stare. The man's words felt deliberate, almost mocking.
"Don't be ridiculous," Elizabeth said, her tone dismissive. "Kyle is perfectly capable."
John didn't reply, but his lingering gaze sent a chill down Kyle's spine.
The tour resumed, this time leading Kyle to the east wing of the mansion. This part of the house was even older, the air heavy with the scent of aged wood and dust. The halls were narrower, the windows smaller, letting in just enough light to cast long, unsettling shadows.
"This wing hasn't been used much in years," Isaac explained. "But it holds some of the estate's most fascinating history."
As they walked, Kyle felt the same sensation as before, eyes watching him. He glanced back, catching a glimpse of a maid disappearing around the corner, her steps quick.
"Do the workers always stare at people like that?" he asked Isaac quietly.
Isaac chuckled, though it sounded forced. "They're just curious. You're new to them."
Kyle wasn't convinced. Their gazes felt less like curiosity and more like judgment, or warning.
They stopped in front of a set of double doors. Isaac pushed them open to reveal a grand library, its towering shelves filled with dusty books.
"This was your grandfather's sanctuary," Isaac said, gesturing around the room. "He spent hours here, studying the family's history and"
A sudden crash interrupted him, echoing from somewhere deep within the library.
"What was that?" Kyle asked, his voice tightening.
Isaac frowned, his facial expression uneasy. "Probably just a loose shelf. Let's move on."
Kyle hesitated, glancing toward the source of the noise. The shadows between the shelves seemed to shift, as if something or someone was lurking there.
By the time they returned to the main hall, Kyle's nerves were frayed. Every room they visited seemed to carry an oppressive weight, as though the house itself resented his presence.
As they passed the workers, their whispers grew louder, though they stopped abruptly whenever Isaac turned to look at them.
At lunch, the family gathered again, but the tension was palpable. Elise was arguing with Clarissa about something trivial, as usual, while Maria tried to mediate. John stood silently in the corner, his watchful eyes never leaving Kyle.
"Can we all just eat in peace?" Elizabeth said finally, her voice cutting through the noise.
The table fell silent, save for the clinking of silverware.
Kyle kept his head down, focusing on his plate, when Elise's voice broke the silence.
"So, Kyle," she said with a mocking tone. "What do you think of your new family so far?"
"Elise, stop it," Maria snapped.
"What?" Elise said with feigned innocence. "I'm just curious if he feels… welcomed."
"Elise," Elizabeth said sharply, silencing her.
After lunch, Kyle wandered the estate alone, needing space to clear his mind. The hallways felt endless, each corner leading to another shadowy corridor. He found himself back in the west wing, where the cold air bit at his skin.
As he passed a set of closed doors, he heard it, a faint whisper.
"Kyle…"
He froze, his breath catching in his throat. The voice was soft, almost childlike, but it sent a wave of dread through him.
"Kyle…"
It came again, closer this time. He turned slowly, his heart beating faster as he faced the door.
"Hello?" he called out, his voice trembling.
There was no response. Just silence.
He reached for the doorknob, his hand shaking. The metal was cold, almost freezing to the touch.
As he turned it and pushed the door open, the room beyond was dark, the faint light from the hallway barely illuminating the space.
"Kyle…"
The whisper came again, louder now, and he stepped inside, his legs moving on their own.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Kyle spun around, grabbing for the handle, but it wouldn't budge. The whispers grew louder, overlapping and echoing in the darkness.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, a woman, her face pale and gaunt, her eyes hollow. She raised a trembling hand, pointing at him.
"Leave," she rasped, her voice a chilling echo.
Kyle stumbled back, his chest tightening as the air grew colder. The whispers turned into a deafening roar, and the walls seemed to close in.
He pressed himself against the door, beating faster on it with all his strength.
"Let me out!" he shouted, his voice breaking.
The figure stepped closer, her hollow eyes locking onto his.
"Leave… before it's too late."
The door flew open, and Kyle fell backward into the hallway. He scrambled to his feet, looking back, but the room was empty.
Isaac stood a few feet away, his face pale. "What happened? I heard shouting."
Kyle stared at him, his breathing ragged. "There was… someone in there. She told me to leave."
Isaac's expression darkened, and he glanced at the closed door. "You shouldn't have gone in there," he said quietly. "That room hasn't been opened in years."
Kyle's stomach dropped, the weight of Isaac's words settling over him like a heavy shroud.
"What's happening in this house?" he whispered.
Isaac didn't answer. Instead, he turned and walked away, leaving Kyle alone in the dim hallway.
And for the first time, Kyle realized, he wasn't just being watched.
He was being hunted.