The Abandoned Mansion

In a small, rural town, there stood an abandoned mansion that had been vacant for decades. The once-grand estate was shrouded in mystery and terrorized by locals who dared not venture near.One stormy night, four brave friends decided to explore the mansion. They laughed and joked as they approached the entrance, but their merriment was short-lived.Upon stepping inside, they discovered a door hidden behind a tattered tapestry. The door creaked as it swung open, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.Curiosity got the better of them, and they cautiously made their way down. At the bottom, a lone candle flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls.Suddenly, the candle extinguished, plunging them into darkness. The group froze, hearing footsteps echoing above – heavy, deliberate thuds that seemed to grow louder.Panic set in as they frantically searched for a way out. But every door led to more narrow corridors, and every window was sealed.As the footsteps reached the staircase, the group realized they were trapped. The stairs creaked under the weight of unseen feet, coming closer... and closer...And then, silence.The friends held their breath, waiting for whatever was coming for them. But nothing moved. Nothing made a sound.In the darkness, they stumbled upward, desperate to escape. The storm outside seemed quieter now, as if the mansion itself had swallowed the sound.Once back outside, they ran without looking back, not stopping until they reached the safety of their cars.As they drove away, they noticed something in the rearview mirror – the mansion's windows glowing with an otherworldly light.They never spoke of that night again, but the memory of those haunting footsteps remained, etched in their minds forever.