The house was always quiet, but it was the kind of quiet that felt dangerous. It wrapped around everything—walls, furniture, and the air itself. I had learned to live with it, this silence that followed me like a shadow. I knew every creak in the floor, every shift in the house as it settled under the weight of time. But tonight, the silence felt different. Heavier.
Mom was already gone for work, her absence as familiar as the quiet that filled the house. She always left before the sun set, promising she’d be back soon, but I knew better. She wouldn’t be home until late, long after I had hidden myself away in bed, pretending to sleep so I wouldn’t have to face her disappointment.
Dad was still here, though. He was always here. In the living room, slumped in his chair, bottle in hand, his eyes fixed on a TV that wasn’t even on. He hadn’t spoken a word to me all day, and I was fine with that. Silence was better than what usually came out of his mouth.
It was my birthday today. Not that anyone seemed to care. I hadn’t gotten a present, hadn’t even gotten a “Happy Birthday” from Mom before she left. Dad hadn’t even looked at me. And honestly, I didn’t expect much anymore. My birthdays had become just like any other day—a day where I tried to stay invisible, hoping not to catch my father’s attention.
But as I sat on my bed, staring at the darkening sky outside my window, I heard something that made my heart stop.
A knock.
It wasn’t on the front door or even my bedroom door. It came from the closet—the one that had stood in my room for as long as I could remember. The one I never opened because something about it always made me feel…wrong.
The knock came again, louder this time. I stood, my legs shaky, and crossed the room. My hand hovered over the closet handle for what felt like forever before I finally pulled it open.
Inside, hanging from a hook, was a doll.
It looked just like me. Same hair, same clothes, same wide, scared eyes. And as I stared at it, trying to make sense of what I was seeing, I heard a voice.
“Hello, Ethan.”
The voice didn’t come from the closet. It came from the doll.
YOU ARE READING
Shadows of Silence
Short StoryIn Shadows of Silence, young Ethan's life takes a dark turn when a mysterious figure known as Mr. Red Face appears on his birthday, bringing chaos and fear into his already broken home. Guided by a strange doll, Ethan is drawn into a supernatural wo...
