MidnightScreams

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Part I: The Opening Door
Chapter 1A: Whispers in the Attic
The wind howled outside, rattling the old house like a cage. Dr. Elias Whitaker knelt beside Mira Thorne, her shoulders shaking. The air in the attic was thick with dust and a strange, metallic scent. Above them, something shifted in the shadows—a presence that felt cold and hungry. The lantern's dim light flickered, casting long, distorted shapes on the walls, where strange carvings seemed to pulse.
"You can't unsee me now," a voice whispered, not loud, but somehow inside Elias's head, like a cold breath on his skin.
Mira whimpered, her eyes wide and fixed on the darkness. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Elias could feel the frantic beat of her heart against his arm.
He forced himself to look away from the unsettling shadows. His own heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. He grabbed Mira's arm, his fingers digging into her skin.
"We need to get out of here," he said, his voice rough.
Mira stumbled after him, her breath hitching in her throat. The old wooden stairs creaked under their weight, each step a groan of protest. Behind them, the presence lingered, heavy and oppressive.
They slammed the attic door shut, the sound echoing through the house. Elias leaned against the door, his chest heaving.
"What was that?" Mira whispered, her voice barely a breath.
Elias shook his head, his mouth dry. "I don't know. But it felt... wrong."
Mira's eyes darted towards the stairs. "We can't stay here."
"I know," Elias said, pushing himself away from the door. "But there's something I need to find."
"What?"
Elias hesitated, a knot forming in his stomach. "My father's journal. He mentioned it in his will. Said it had... answers."
Mira stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You want to look for a book while that thing is still up there?"
Elias met her gaze, his own fear battling with a desperate need for knowledge. "If we don't understand what it is, we're not going to survive."

Chapter 1B: The Journal’s Secret
The study was cold, the air thick with the smell of old paper and dust. A single, flickering lantern cast long shadows across the cluttered room. Elias rifled through the desk drawers, his hands shaking slightly. Mira paced behind him, her footsteps echoing nervously.

"Hurry," she urged, her voice tight.
"I'm trying," Elias muttered, his fingers brushing against faded papers and old trinkets.
Finally, his fingers closed around a worn leather-bound journal. The cover was cracked, the pages yellowed. "The Keeper's Curse," he read aloud, his voice barely a whisper.
He opened the journal, his eyes scanning the faded handwriting. His father's notes were frantic, filled with warnings and strange symbols.
"The house is alive," one entry read. "It feeds on fear. The Keeper watches the Silent Rooms, ensuring the veil remains undisturbed. I saw it. And once you see the Keeper, it sees you too."
Elias's breath caught in his throat. His father had known about this... thing.
"What does it say?" Mira asked, peering over his shoulder.
Elias swallowed hard. "It's called the Keeper. It guards something in this house. My father said once you see it, you can't escape."
Mira's face paled. "We need to burn this place down."
Elias shook his head. "The journal says the Keeper is bound to the house, but fire won't destroy it. It will only unleash it."
The lantern flickered and died, plunging the room into darkness. A chill swept through the air, raising goosebumps on Elias's arms.
"Elias—" Mira whispered.
"I know," he said, his voice trembling.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway, slow and deliberate.

"It's here," Mira whimpered.
Elias clutched the journal to his chest. "We have to face it."
Chapter 1C: The Silent Room
The footsteps led them back to the attic. The door hung open, a black maw in the darkness.
Elias's legs felt heavy, but he forced himself up the stairs. Mira followed, her breathing ragged.
The Keeper stood in the center of the attic, its form shifting and flickering. Its eyes glowed with a faint, malevolent light, and its mouth twisted into a grotesque smile.
"You've come back," it whispered, its voice a dry rasp.
Elias gripped the journal tighter. "What do you want?"
The Keeper's grin widened. "To keep what's mine."
The carvings on the walls flared with light, the air humming with a low, resonant thrum. The attic seemed to dissolve around them, the walls fading into an endless, swirling darkness.
Mira screamed as shadows snaked around her legs, pulling her into the void.
"Elias!" she cried, her voice filled with terror.
Elias lunged forward, grabbing her hand. But the shadows were too strong, dragging them both into the abyss.

Chapter 1D: The Keeper’s Grip
Elias landed on something cold and hard, the air knocked from his lungs. He gasped for breath, his vision blurring. Mira lay beside him, unconscious.
They were no longer in the attic. The space was vast and featureless, bathed in an eerie, gray light. The ground felt like stone, but it throbbed with a faint, unsettling pulse.

The Keeper loomed over them, its form clearer now. Wisps of shadow clung to its skeletal frame, and its teeth gleamed like black glass.
"This is the Silent Room," it intoned, its voice echoing through the empty space. "Where all who defy me are kept."
Elias struggled to his feet, the journal still clutched in his hand. "We're not staying here," he said, his voice shaking.
The Keeper laughed, a hollow, mocking sound. "You already belong to me."
Carvings on the ground glowed, forming a circle around them. The air crackled with dark energy.
Elias's mind raced. His father's notes had mentioned a way to seal the Keeper—but it required a sacrifice.
He looked at Mira, her face pale and still. He couldn't let her die.
Taking a deep breath, Elias stepped into the circle. "Take me," he said.
The Keeper paused, its eyes narrowing. "You would offer yourself?"
Elias nodded. "Let her go."
The Keeper's grin widened. "Very well."
Shadows wrapped around Elias, pulling him into the darkness. Pain tore through his body, but he clenched his teeth, refusing to cry out.
Mira's body shimmered and vanished, returning to the real world.
As the darkness swallowed him, Elias heard the Keeper's final words:
"You are mine now. But the veil is never truly closed."
Epilogue: A Faint Whisper

Mira woke up on the attic floor, gasping. The house was silent, the carvings on the walls faded.
"Elias?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.
There was no answer.
Tears welled up in her eyes. The journal lay open on the floor, the pages blank.
A faint whisper echoed through the room—Elias's voice.
Mira... the veil is thin... don't forget me.
Her heart ached. He was gone, but she knew she wouldn't give up. The Keeper had taken him, but she would find a way to bring him back.

End of Part I (CHAPTERS 1A-1D)

Continued in:
Part II (CHAPTERS 2A-2D)
Release: 14th Feb,2025