A haze of dust drifted in the ethereal moonlight filtering through the grand arched windows of the stairwell, casting an otherworldly glow as the statue's heavy form shifted. The resulting grumble of stone echoed through the subterranean passage, sending ripples of unease down Sha's spine. Could someone be lurking in the depths, alerted to her presence?
The student dormitory's hushed stillness amplified every sound, each noise resonating in her bones and stoking her fear. Heart racing, she scanned her surroundings, her breath echoing like a distant drumbeat in the corridor's silence. Even the gentle flow of air in the tunnels ahead sounded like eerie, lurking whispers, setting the hair on her arms on edge.
Summoning her inner resolve, Sha took a cautious step forward, lantern in hand. The lantern's light quivered, causing the candle's glow to dance erratically. She paused, her fingers brushing the matches nestled in her pocket, an insurance against the candle's betrayal in the clutch of darkness. She steadied her breath, willing her heartbeat to quieten.
Her footfalls felt intrusive against the unyielding stone, too loud in the otherwise mute surroundings. Slipping off her slippers, she stowed them in the pocket of her robe. The stone's chill bit through the soles of her feet, and the farther she ventured, the more she questioned whether the tunnel was carved from endless obsidian, an abyss of perpetual night. Her regret was palpable as the dry, dusty steps gave way to damp, slick rock, and droplets of cold, murky water splashed from above, sending a shiver coursing through her.
A suppressed scream caught in her throat as she turned her gaze toward an adjacent wall, its obsidian surface punctuated by hollow, gaping skull sockets. The macabre sight made her pulse quicken as realization struck her: an ossuary. Her swallow was audible, a gulp of trepidation against the eerie backdrop.
The tunnel's expanse eventually opened into a vast crypt, an assembly of stone coffins adorned with delicate statues. The stillness seemed almost serene in contrast to the journey that led her here. Tentatively, Sha stepped into the crypt's heart, the faint light ahead guiding her path. Torches, their flames sleepy and dim, cast eerie shadows that seemed to dance and flicker in rhythm with her heartbeat. A sudden pang of dread seized her—could someone else be lurking in the crypt's gloomy embrace? Fear tightened its grip.
As she trailed her fingers along the crypt's walls, an amalgamation of metallic tang and earthy herbs mixed with the damp air, its scent clinging to her senses.
Abruptly, the tranquil silence shattered as an ominous scream ricocheted off the walls, an auditory assault that compelled Sha to retreat. She darted backward, her movements frantic, seeking refuge in a narrow alcove concealed behind an immense stone tomb. The grit of dust against her skin marked her hasty refuge, and her breath came in ragged bursts.
YOU ARE READING
SHADOW
ParanormalEvery night, as the moon cast its ethereal glow upon her room, Sha felt an intense sensation that someone was watching her from the depths of the darkness. It was a tantalizing mix of trepidation and curiosity, like a delicate dance between desire a...
