Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. Be Afraid of What's in It.

The House

There was an old house on the outskirts of the town, one that most believed was haunted. It was tall; four stories high, with a molded and rain-damaged structure. All of the windows' shutters were damaged or completely broken off, and all the windows themselves had had fragile lace curtains that moved like ghosts in the wind. The yard was overgrown and partially dead, and it was said that you could see the ghosts of all who ventured in the house in the tall grass.

One night, two people who did not believe the house was haunted decided to go and see what was in the house, despite the protests of the locals.

They approached the house with only flashlights, no fear in their ignorant hearts. They entered through the weak doorway, joking about the house.

For a long time, they explored the house. Every room was barren, except for the last room at the end of the hallway on the on the fourth floor. In that room, there hung a single picture. It was a painted portrait of a young girl, about seven or eight, with dull blonde hair and disturbing green eyes. It looked like a nice picture at a glance, but the longer the two people stared at it, the more uneasy they became. All talking ceased to none; they felt as if the portrait was studying them, ready to pounce.

After what seemed like a lifetime, one of the two suggested that they should leave. They hurried down to the first floor, eager to escape the house's disturbing aura. Neither suspected that a young, blonde, green-eyed girl was watching their every move.

A few houses away, someone thought they heard screaming coming from within the old house. They dismissed it as the wind.