It was a dark and stormy night, and I was home alone in my small cottage on the edge of town. I had always been a bit of a nervous person, and the howling wind and crashing thunder only added to my anxiety.
As I sat huddled on the couch, trying to ignore the creeping feeling of dread that seemed to fill the air, I heard a knock at the door. My heart racing, I slowly made my way to the entrance, wondering who could possibly be out in such terrible weather.
As I reached for the handle, the knocking grew louder and more insistent. I hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered up the courage to swing the door open.
But there was no one there.
Confused, I stepped outside and peered into the darkness, but there was nothing to be seen. As I turned to go back inside, I felt a cold breath on the back of my neck.
Spinning around, I came face to face with a figure shrouded in darkness. Its eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and I could feel its malevolent presence radiating from within.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I turned and ran back inside, locking the door behind me. I knew that whatever that thing was, it wouldn’t be satisfied with just a fleeting encounter. It would be back, and next time, it wouldn’t be satisfied with just a scare.
I tried to calm my racing heart and think logically about what to do next. I knew I couldn’t stay in the cottage forever, but the thought of going back outside and facing whatever that thing was, sent shivers down my spine.
I considered calling the police, but the storm had knocked out the power and my phone was dead. I was completely cut off from the outside world.
As the hours ticked by and the storm raged on, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. Every creak and groan of the old cottage seemed to be a sign that the creature was closing in on me.
Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, I heard a faint knock at the door. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. But the knocking persisted, growing louder and more insistent.
Trembling with fear, I made my way to the door and slowly opened it. To my surprise, I found a group of people huddled outside, soaked to the bone and looking terrified.
They begged me to let them in, explaining that they had been out on a hike when the storm hit and had gotten lost in the woods. They had stumbled upon my cottage and hoped to find shelter until the storm passed.
Relieved and grateful, I welcomed them inside and offered them towels and warm blankets. As we sat huddled around the fireplace, drying off and trying to get warm, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie with these strangers.
We were all in this together, united against the darkness and the unknown. And as the storm raged on outside, I knew that as long as we stuck together, we would be able to face whatever lay ahead.