The old Mitchell house stood at the end of Pine Street, its windows dusty and broken, its porch sagging under the weight of time. Kids in the neighborhood whispered about the boy who moved in last week, a pale figure glimpsed only at twilight. Tonight, as the autumn chill deepened, three friends gathered outside the warped wooden gate, daring each other to get a closer look.
Eli, the bravest of the group, led the way through the rustling grass, heart pounding. Sam and Maya followed, clutching each other’s sleeves, eyes darting to every shadow. As they crept closer, the front door creaked open, and a boy about their age stood in the threshold—skin as white as candle wax, dark circles under his eyes, and a stare that didn’t blink.
"Uh, hi. We just wanted to say hello,"
The Boy, voice barely more than a whisper, replied, "You shouldn’t be here after dark."
Sam squeezed Maya’s hand, feeling the cold draft seeping from inside. The boy’s gaze was fixed and unblinking, his lips barely moving as he spoke.
"The house doesn’t like visitors. Sometimes it tries to keep them,"
"Are you... are you trying to scare us?"
"I’m trying to warn you," the boy answered, stepping back into the shadows of the hallway, his outline flickering like the flame of a candle.
Eli spun around, heart racing, trying to find the latch. The walls seemed to shift, old portraits staring down with hollow eyes. The boy’s pale face appeared at the edge of the light, his voice echoing from everywhere and nowhere.
"If you want to leave, you have to promise not to tell anyone about me,"
"We promise! Just let us out," Sam pleaded, voice trembling.
Maya led the way, pushing aside dusty chairs and a moth-eaten sofa. The boy watched from the shadows, his eyes glimmering with sadness. As they reached the door, it creaked open easily, revealing the moonlit garden beyond.
"Remember your promise," he whispered, and the door slammed shut behind them as soon as they stepped outside.
Eli turned to the others, voice barely above a whisper.
"We’re never coming back here,"
Sam and Maya nodded, glancing one last time at the darkened windows. Above, the jack-o-lantern’s flame flickered out, and the night swallowed the house whole.
