The Old House

The Old House Chapter 1: The House at the End of the Road The rain had been falling since morning when twenty-year-old Daniel arrived in the small village of Blackwood. He had never been there before, but his grandfather had recently passed away, leaving him an old house at the end of a narrow road. Daniel had expected a small cottage. Instead, he found a huge, silent house surrounded by tall trees. The wooden gate made a strange sound as he pushed it open. The garden was completely overgrown, and the windows of the house were covered with dust. Daniel looked at the house and whispered, “So this is my grandfather's house.” He unlocked the front door with the old key he had received from the lawyer. Inside, everything smelled of dust and old wood. There was a large staircase in the center of the hall and several old paintings hanging on the walls. Daniel walked slowly from room to room. Everything seemed normal until he reached the second floor. At the end of the hallway was a black wooden door. It had no handle. Daniel touched it. Suddenly, he heard a soft sound from behind the door. Knock. Knock. Knock. Daniel stepped back. “Is someone there?” There was no answer. He tried to open the door, but it would not move. That night, Daniel slept in his grandfather's old bedroom. Around midnight, he suddenly woke up. Someone was walking in the hallway. Slow footsteps. One... Two... Three... The footsteps stopped outside his room. Daniel held his breath. Then he heard a whisper from the other side of the door. “Daniel...” His eyes widened. Nobody in the village knew that he had arrived that evening. He slowly opened the door. The hallway was empty. But at the end of the hallway, the mysterious black door was now slightly open. And from inside came a faint light. Daniel knew he should stay away. But curiosity was stronger than fear. He walked toward the door. And before he could touch it, something inside the room whispered his name again. “Daniel... come inside.”