(Daniel's POV)
The morning sun streamed through my bedroom window, but the warmth didn't reach me. It felt like the house had its own weather—a kind of unrelenting chill that seeped into my bones. I couldn't stop thinking about the basement, about the voice that had called out William's name, and about the shadows that seemed alive.
William had been gone when I woke up, not unusual, but it left me uneasy. Mom was at work, as always. It was like the house was swallowing everyone one by one, leaving me to fend for myself.
I threw on my hoodie, grabbed my bag, and headed out the door. Trevor wasn't waiting by the lockers this time, but I didn't care. My mind was somewhere else entirely.
That was when I saw her—Ella.
She was sitting on the edge of one of the tables in the courtyard, her short brown hair catching the sunlight. Her face lit up when she spotted me.
"Dan!" she called, waving me over.
I hesitated. It had been a while since we talked. Ella and I weren't exactly close, but we shared enough late-night group study sessions to call ourselves friends. Still, there was something comforting about her smile—like a sliver of normalcy in all the chaos.
"Hey, Ella," I said, managing a weak smile as I walked over.
"Don't look so thrilled to see me," she teased, but her tone softened when she got a good look at me. "Whoa. You okay? You look like you haven't slept in days."
"Thanks for that," I muttered, dropping my bag onto the table.
"Sorry, but seriously, are you okay?" she asked, her voice lowering. "You've been kind of... off lately."
I opened my mouth to brush her off, but the words wouldn't come. Maybe it was the way she looked at me—genuinely concerned—or maybe I was just tired of keeping everything bottled up.
"It's my brother," I said finally.
Ella tilted her head, waiting.
"He's been... different," I continued. "Ever since we moved back to town. He says he saw something—something that messed him up. And now, it's like he's not even here anymore."
She frowned, her brow furrowing in that way that made her look older than she was. "What do you mean, 'saw something'? Like, what kind of something?"
I hesitated. How was I supposed to explain it without sounding insane?
"I don't know," I admitted. "But it's like... it's following him. And now, I think it's following me too."
Her eyes widened, but she didn't laugh or brush me off like I'd expected. Instead, she leaned in closer.
"Dan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Have you told anyone else about this?"
"Just Trevor," I said. "But he doesn't really get it."
Ella was quiet for a moment, her gaze fixed on something in the distance. Then she looked back at me, her expression serious.
"Maybe you should," she said. "Tell someone who can actually help. A teacher, or a counselor, or—"
"No," I cut her off, shaking my head. "They won't believe me. No one believed William, and look what happened to him."
Ella sighed, but she didn't push it. "Okay," she said. "But if you ever need to talk... I'm here, okay?"
I nodded, grateful but still uneasy.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and half-listening to teachers drone on about things that seemed insignificant compared to what was waiting at home.
By the time I walked through the front door, the house was just as cold and empty as I'd left it.
I dropped my bag by the stairs and stared at the basement door.
It was closed, but it felt like it was watching me. Like it was alive.
I shook my head, trying to shake off the feeling, and headed upstairs to my room.
I had just sat down at my desk when I heard it—a faint creak from downstairs.
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest.
Another creak, louder this time.
I stood up slowly, my hands shaking as I grabbed the flashlight from my desk drawer. I didn't know why I grabbed it—it was broad daylight, and the house wasn't dark—but it made me feel a little less vulnerable.
I crept down the stairs, my footsteps as quiet as I could make them.
The basement door was slightly ajar, and a faint, flickering light spilled out into the hallway.
My throat went dry.
I reached for the door, my hand trembling as I pushed it open.
The basement was dimly lit, the single bulb swinging slightly as if someone had brushed past it.
"Will?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.
No answer.
I stepped inside, my flashlight cutting through the shadows.
The shelves were lined with the same old books and trinkets I'd seen a hundred times before, but now they felt... wrong. Like they didn't belong here.
I heard a faint rustling sound behind me and whipped around, the flashlight beam darting across the room.
"Who's there?" I demanded, my voice cracking.
Nothing.
But then I saw it—a shadow, darker than the rest, shifting in the corner of the room.
It wasn't William. It wasn't anyone.
It was just... there.
My breath caught in my throat as the shadow seemed to grow, stretching out toward me.
I stumbled back, tripping over a stack of old magazines and falling hard onto the concrete floor.
The flashlight slipped from my hand and rolled away, leaving me in near darkness.
I scrambled to my feet, grabbing the flashlight and pointing it at the shadow, but it was gone.
The basement was empty again.
I didn't wait to see if it would come back. I bolted up the stairs, slamming the door shut behind me and leaning against it, my chest heaving.
Whatever was down there, it wasn't done with me.
And I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep pretending everything was okay.
Sorry for late update guys I'm a student with upcoming exams but I promise every Tuesday I'll update thanks for reading ❤️❤️