Echoes Of Haunted Heart's

The Unlikely Alliance

The eerie melody grew louder as Minji and Hanni reached the top of the stairs, their steps synchronized in nervous silence. But before they could even peek into the room where the sound was coming from, they heard muffled voices behind them and turned around to see two familiar faces at the bottom of the staircase.

“Haerin? Dani? What are you doing here?” Minji asked, her surprise clear.

Dani shrugged, adjusting her jacket. “We got bored. And when we heard you two would be here, we couldn’t resist joining in on the fun.”

Haerin, ever quiet, looked around with wide eyes. “Are you two really doing this dare?” she asked softly, her gaze shifting between Minji and Hanni. “This place is giving me the creeps already.”

“Well, you didn’t have to come,” Hanni said, crossing her arms, though relief washed over her face. She wouldn’t admit it, but she felt safer with Dani and Haerin joining them.

Dani smirked, nudging Haerin. “Scared, Haerin? Don’t worry; I’ll protect you from any ghosts… or Minji’s temper.”

Minji rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha, very funny, Dani. Let's see if you’ll be laughing once we get to the room where that creepy music is coming from.”

“Oh, so you are scared!” Dani teased, earning herself a pointed glare from Minji.

They climbed the staircase together, the group now feeling a strange mix of apprehension and confidence with their numbers doubled. The lullaby continued to echo softly, making the hair on the back of their necks stand up as they neared the door at the end of the hallway. Minji glanced at Hanni, who had gone pale but kept her chin held high, determined not to show any weakness.

“Shall we?” Minji asked, her hand hovering over the doorknob.

“Do it already!” Dani urged, pushing her from behind, causing Minji to stumble slightly, her cheeks flushing with a mix of irritation and embarrassment.

“Fine, fine,” Minji muttered, shooting Dani a glare as she pushed open the door.

The room was dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through a dusty window, casting long shadows over old furniture draped in white sheets. At the far end, an old gramophone sat on a wooden table, its handle slowly turning on its own, playing the haunting melody that had lured them up here.

“Oh, that’s just creepy,” Haerin whispered, her hand instinctively finding Dani’s arm.

Suddenly, the gramophone stopped, and the room fell silent. Hanni’s face twisted in confusion, and she moved closer to the gramophone, her fingers hovering over it as if to test if it was real.

Then, without warning, the door slammed shut behind them.

Haerin yelped, clutching Dani’s arm tighter. Hanni tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. “Okay, this is not funny!” she shouted, her frustration clear.

Dani laughed nervously. “Looks like we’re in a real haunted house adventure now.”

Just as they were trying to figure out their next move, they heard footsteps. Minji’s hand instinctively moved to grab Hanni’s, who surprisingly didn’t pull away. Haerin pressed closer to Dani, feeling her heart race as the footsteps grew louder.

“Everyone, stay close,” Minji whispered, her voice steady but her hand trembling slightly in Hanni’s.

They slowly backed up against the wall, keeping an eye on the doorway. The footsteps stopped, and the room filled with a thick silence, the kind that weighed on their chests and made every breath feel heavy.

Just then, Dani’s phone buzzed loudly, breaking the tension and causing all four girls to jump. The message was from one of their classmates: "Heard you guys went to Blackwood Manor... good luck. Hope you don’t meet the lady in white.”

Dani looked up with wide eyes, her voice barely a whisper. “Uh… what’s the lady in white?”

“A ghost,” Haerin muttered, her voice shaking slightly. “Supposedly, she haunts this place, searching for those who disturb her peace.”

Hanni laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood. “Ghosts don’t exist, right? This is just a story.”

Minji squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Right. It’s just a story. Let’s stick together and make it through the night. Nothing’s going to happen.”

But as they huddled together, a faint, ethereal figure began to take shape in the shadows of the room, her long, flowing dress shimmering in the pale moonlight.

“Uh… guys?” Dani whispered, her voice trembling as she pointed toward the figure.

The four girls froze, their fear-stricken faces mirroring each other. For the first time, they found themselves truly relying on one another, their usual banter and teasing set aside as they faced whatever lay ahead.