୨・┈・┈・┈・୨﹕✦﹕୧・┈・┈・┈・୧ ✧ about: • very first short story! • i hope u like it :D • note: though i don't like horror, the horror segment of this story is just ghosts (no scary monsters, no bl00d) ୨・┈・┈・┈・୨﹕✦﹕୧・┈・┈・┈・୧ The clock struck 12am. The old town of Raventhorn fell silent. Everyone was fast asleep, except 15-year-old Terri Paisley. Terri tossed and turned, she couldn't sleep. The full moon was shining a spotlight, its brightness pierced through the window. Right now, you could go outside, drop a ball, and it would be heard. Such a silence blanketed Terri in curiousity and a little bit of fear. Suddenly, she realised something a mysterious stranger told her about - the witching hour. They said, "It is time, between 12am-4am, at its peak 3am where supernatural entities such as ghosts, witches, and demons are at their most powerful. Be very wary when you wake up during this time, especially 3am." This didn't really freak Terri out. It made her more curious. Then, an idea sparked. She decided to go explore Shadow Manor, a notable place known for being haunted with ghosts, and possibly, rumours of malevolent forces of the remains of occult practices that happened secretly inside the place. Terri quickly packed a flashlight, camera, first aid kit, sound recorder, and baseball bat (for defence) in a bag. She snuck out of the house. As soon as she went outside, and started walking to the manor, something didn't seem right. It felt like, as if, someone or something was watching her as she headed to the manor. Nevertheless, she just chuckled and shrugged and continued walking. At last, Terri arrived. A feeling of excitement and suspense! The clock struck 1:33 am. She slowly opened the manor's entrance. So dark, cold, and eerie, she thought. But Terri didn't care. Next, she started to explore the place. Searching, searching, searching for ghosts. Visiting each room, glancing at the portraits that seem to be staring at her, and things started to move slightly on its own. Spectral whispers could be heard at the corners of each room and hallway. The clock struck 2:22 am. These spectral events slightly intensified. But Terri, unaware of the time, little did she know that all of these eerie things will reach its peak at 3:00am. She continued exploring. It took a while before Terri found the basement. She would try to find it, and then stop for a break. It was quite a confusing manor, after all. At last, at 2:59 am, she finally found the basement. It was so eerie and blanketed with mystery and malevolent forces as if unseen spectral eyes were spying on her. 5..4...3...2...1. 3:00 am. "What is this place? Ain't no ordinary basement. Looks like a dark magical ritual took place here", Terri whispered. And boy, there was something enscribed on the wall - 'Rituale Umbrarum, December 13, 1813'. It was the Latin phrase of 'Ritual of the Shadows', a dark magic practice that occured secretly between a group of low-profile occultists. This made Terri very curious, and saw mysterious tarot cards and a shiny crystal ball on a table. She shuffled the tarot cards, just for "fun", and waved her hands above the crystal ball, giggling. Then, as being clueless as usual, stared into the gargoyle mirror. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. Not only herself reflected in the mirror. A spectral figure, like of the ghost of an occultist appeared two metres behind her. But when she turned around, not a single thing. All she saw was old dusty magical objects and the sound of dark spectral whispers of a malevolent force. Now that's when Terri started to freak out. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. At least, with a good memory however, knew the way out. She dashed out of the basement, up the stairs, through the hallways, whilst hearing whispers, and then finally, out. She ran through the streets, covered in fear. After five minutes, Terri finally came home. It was 3:33 am. She darted upstairs, snatched her sleeping dog, burst into her sister Violet's room and huddled close to her, pulling up the blanket. It took an hour before she fell asleep. The next day, Violet got startled seeing her sister huddled beside her. "Terri? What are you doing in my room? And what is Minnie doing here? She's supposed to be with her puppies!" Violet exclaimed. "Oh, I was terrified. Don't you dare think of going to Shadow Manor at the witching hour", Terri warned her. "Why?" "Let me explain everything that happened last night." "Fine. But look up first - don't you just love purple skies?" Terri looked up. The sky was indeed purple. "Probably the effect of the magic in the manor", she thought. ୨・┈・┈・┈・୨﹕✦﹕୧・┈・┈・┈・୧ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ
