This year hasn’t been the best, to say the least. My girlfriend broke up with me, I impulsively quit my job because I was unable to tolerate my asshole boss anymore, and my uncle died. I didn’t know him well, but he took me in for a few months after my mom died and I needed a place to stay before I went off to university.
He was always a strange man. He never interacted with anyone and rarely left the house, even when I stayed there he barely spoke. My uncle was a quiet but kind man. The house had an eerie feel to it but I was able to ignore it. Actually, the whole property did. My uncle used to go into the woods every night. I would hear him leave at 12 am and come home at 6 am. I never did ask him about it. A couple of times I looked out the window when I heard him open the door. He always went into the woods. Sure, it was strange but I had other things on my mind at the time so I ignored it too.
Before I left for university, my uncle told me “When I die, sell the house. Do not move in and never come here alone. If you hear them calling at night, stay inside. If you feel drawn to the woods, don’t go. If it pulls you in, you may never get out”. At the time I just assumed it was the loneliness that got to him. Now I know how horribly wrong I was. I should’ve listened, now it’s too late. I’ve been pulled in.
When my Uncle died, he left me the house. I ignored everything he told me. The house was paid for and I wasn’t working. It was just cheaper to move in. I told myself it’ll only be until I get another job, then I’ll sell it. I planned on honoring his wishes after all. I didn’t see the harm in living there alone for a while either.
Everything was normal at first, I was settling in well. The house still had that uneasy feeling but I could still ignore it.. at first anyways. The longer I was there, the more uneasy I felt and the more on edge I was. Soon the feeling was unbearable; that’s when they started calling.
It started as tapping on one of my bedroom windows. Every time I looked outside the window, the tapping stopped, only to start again once I closed my blinds. The next night there was tapping on both my bedroom windows, then it spread to other rooms, soon tapping came from every window, then banging. Then the voices came, only ever saying one word “come”. Then screaming, it sounded like dozens of people, men, women, and children, screaming out in pain while these demonic voices continued to whisper. Somehow the whispering could still be heard clearly through the noise. This would happen from 12 am to 6 am every night.
One night I couldn’t take it anymore, I threw open the door and decided to face whatever hell awaited me outside.. but.. it stopped. The second I opened the door and my feet left the house, it fell silent. I saw a light illuminating the forest, something was tugging me towards it but I resisted and ran inside, only then did it begin again. I tried leaving the door open but unless I was outside, it continued.
You’re probably wondering why I didn’t just leave. I tried several times. I tried to drive away but my car wouldn’t start. I tried Uber but the drivers would always get lost and give up. I tried to walk only to end up walking for hours, turning around and seeing the house still behind me. Eventually, I gave up trying and just hoped that this was just one long nightmare, it felt like one. A neverending nightmare that I’m unable to wake up from. I decided that maybe if I slept outside, they would leave me alone. So I threw down a blanket and laid on the grass. Soon it was 12 am. A light softly glowing deep in the woods appeared but there was no screaming, no whispers. Finally, I thought I found the solution.
It wasn’t long before I felt the urge to look at the light. I felt mesmerized by it. I stood up without even realizing it. I found my body moving on its own. I was walking toward the forest against my will. It was like some unseen force was pushing me forward, drawing me in. The closer I got to the forest floor, the more anxiety and panic set in. I felt like I was buried deep within myself, unable to control my movement. Just a passenger in my own body. I was trying to claw my way into the driver’s seat, only to fail and watch in horror as my feet inched closer and closer to this unnerving light in the woods. I stopped fighting it and closed my eyes, attempting to prepare myself for whatever was going to happen next.
My legs came to a halt. I opened my eyes. I was deep in the woods surrounded by nothing but trees whose branches covered up the moonlight. In front of me was a stone well filled with nothing but a pitch-black unending void. A chill went up my spine just looking at it. A sense of dread crept up, making it hard to breathe. It was quiet, so very quiet. I couldn’t hear anything except the sound of my shaky breath and movement somewhere deep within the well.
That’s when I heard the voice. It sounded distorted and lacked emotion. There was a slight echo. I assume it was caused by the depth of the well. When it spoke, I felt it’s voice rattle and vibrate into my chest.
“Who will you sacrifice??”
“S.. sacrifice??”
“Yes, you are the new owner. You now bear the responsibility.”
“I-I don’t understand”
“We were bound to this well by a man long ago. He used an ancient spell to keep us trapped but the spell had conditions. He must give us sacrifices. Without them, our hunger grows and we’ll be able to push our way out. When he died he passed it on to the next owner. The spell is also why you can’t leave, you are bound by your duty as the owner of this land.”
“What do you mean by sacrifices??”
“Souls. All you have to do is say someone’s name and give us permission to have their soul. One soul every 6 months.”
“But my uncle came every night”
“He only gave us permission for a little bit of someone’s soul at a time, to “keep people alive longer,” he said.”
“What happens to the people whose souls you take??”
“No more questions until you give a name”
“Shae, Shae Nolands.. She cheated on me so.. Will you answer my question now??”
“Souls can not be destroyed, we only feed on their energy but once the souls enter the well, they can’t leave. They’ll be trapped in the well with us.”
“The screams I heard, they were..”
“The people who were sacrificed”
..
After this, I found my way out of the woods. The nights have been quiet ever since. This all happened exactly 6 months ago. I’ve sold the house, tonight will be my last night here and my last sacrifice.
When I first moved here, I swore I heard my mom’s voice among the whispers. I chalked it up to my imagination but since then I’ve heard it again coming from the well. My uncle.. he gave up my mom’s soul. He killed her, and my dad too. I heard his voice and my grandparents and my Aunts. I’ve heard other family members as well. I thought it was just bad luck that everyone in the family kept dying but it was him. I guess he felt guilty because I’ve heard his voice too. At first, I was mad but now, I don’t know. I think he just wanted the family to all go to the same place after they died. After spending so much time alone, I almost can’t blame him.
I don’t know why I’m sharing this. Maybe I just want my story told or maybe since I’ve lost everyone in my life, maybe I just need someone, anyone to say goodbye to. Tonight, I’m going to be with my mom again. I don’t know what will await me in the well, but I do know, I’ll never be alone again.