It was a dark and stormy night when Mark arrived at the house. Rain hit the windows like small stones, and the wind made the trees outside shake and groan. Mark had never been to this house before. His uncle had died the month before and left it to him in his will. Mark didn’t know much about his uncle, only that he lived alone and rarely spoke to anyone.
The house stood alone in the countryside, far from the village. Mark parked his car and quickly ran to the door. He used the key and opened it. The door creaked loudly. Inside, it was cold, dark, and quiet. Dust covered the furniture, and cobwebs filled the corners. Strange paintings of people with blank faces were on the walls. The air smelt of old paper and wet wood.
Upstairs, Mark found three bedrooms and a small study. But one door at the end of the hallway caught his attention. It was black and had a heavy lock. He tried all the keys, but none worked. He leaned closer.
Thump.
Something moved inside. Or was it just his imagination?
That night, Mark couldn’t sleep. The wind howled, and strange sounds came from upstairs—soft scratching, whispers, and quiet knocks. He tried to stay calm and told himself it was only the old house making noises. But he didn’t believe it.
The next day, he went to the village and asked an old woman at the small shop about the house.
“The locked room?” she said with a frown. “Your uncle warned everyone never to open that door. He believed something evil lived in that room.”
Mark laughed nervously. “Do you mean a ghost?”
But the woman didn’t smile. “Worse than a ghost.”
That night, the noises came back—louder and faster. Mark couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed a torch and an umbrella for self-defence. Just after midnight, he went upstairs. His heart was beating fast. The black door was shaking as though something was trying to get out.
He forced it open. The room inside was freezing cold. A single chair stood in the centre, facing the wall. On it sat a tape recorder. Mark stepped inside and pressed play.
His uncle’s voice spoke: “If you hear this, it means I’ve failed. It’s awake. Do not stay. Leave the house now.”
Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind him. Mark turned around. In the shadows, something moved. Something with glowing red eyes.
And then—the lights went out.
📒 Key vocabulary
- groan – make a sound of deep unhappiness
- will – a legal document that says what is to happen to somebody’s money and property after they die
- warned – to have told someone about a possible danger or problem in order to prevent harm
- slammed (shut) – closed loudly with force
- glowing – shining brightly
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