Tales from the Dark

6

Late at night, Emily sat alone in her dimly lit living room, engrossed in a novel. The old grandfather clock in the corner ticked loudly, its pendulum swinging methodically. Suddenly, the power went out, plunging the room into darkness. Emily cursed under her breath and fumbled for her phone to use as a flashlight. As she shone the weak light around, a cold chill ran down her spine. In the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a shadow moving across the room. She turned quickly, but saw nothing. The room was silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of the clock. Emily's phone buzzed with a text message. She glanced at the screen and saw an unknown number. The message read: "I'm inside your house." Her heart pounded as she typed back, "Who is this?" The response came almost instantly: "Look behind you." She hesitated, her breath caught in her throat. Summoning her courage, she turned slowly, the phone's light casting eerie shadows on the walls. The room appeared empty, but the oppressive feeling of being watched grew stronger. Suddenly, the clock struck midnight, its chimes echoing through the silent house. Emily's phone slipped from her hand, clattering to the floor, the light extinguishing. In the darkness, she heard soft footsteps approaching, closer and closer. Desperation filled her as she groped for her phone, but before she could reach it, a cold hand clamped over her mouth, and a voice whispered in her ear, "I told you I was here."