The Haunted House of Brookfield (Part 1)— A chilling beginning of my mystery novel
The small American town of Brookfield was always known for its peaceful way of life. But everyone in town knew that something strange happened at one old cottage — Brookfield Mansion. It was believed that the mansion was alive in some mysterious way. People who went near it for any reason never came back.
One day, four college friends — Amanda, Liam, Jack, and Sophia — came up with a daring plan. They wanted to visit the town’s most famous haunted house. Their goal wasn’t just to test their courage but also to record a video and upload it to YouTube.
At 9 p.m., they stood before the mansion. The trees around them swayed in the wind, and the old house’s windows weren’t completely shut. Liam, bumping his shoulder against the gate, said nervously,
“So this is what we call courage, huh?”
Jack laughed and replied,
“Shut up! If you chicken out now, the video will never go viral. Let’s go.”
They slowly entered the mansion. The creaking wooden floor, the thick dust, and the stale air created an eerie unease. The old portraits on the walls seemed to stare right at them.
“Look at that picture! It feels like it’s watching us the moment we walked in,” Sophia whispered.
Suddenly, the lights inside the mansion flickered on by themselves. The four of them froze.
“Who turned that on? Is it automatic lighting?” Amanda asked.
No one had an answer.
They climbed the staircase to the upper floor. Down the corridor, beside an old coffee table, was a slightly open door. From inside came a strange noise — impossible to tell whether it was human or something else entirely.
Liam carefully pushed the door open. Inside was a small bedroom — just a bed and a chair in front of a mirror. But next to the chair, something was written in faded red letters:
“I’m watching… and I know you’re here.”
They exchanged terrified glances. Sophia tried to scream, but no sound came from her throat. Suddenly, their reflections in the mirror began to change. What stared back wasn’t them — it was a shadowy figure with hollow eyes and a twisted smile.
Jack shouted,“We need to get out of here now!”
They bolted into the corridor. But every time they opened a door, they found themselves back in the same room again. It was as if the mansion itself had trapped them.
Amanda turned around and saw the shadow figure following them — fading in and out of sight with every step. A dreadful thought crossed their minds: if they tried to escape, maybe it wouldn’t just be the night they’d lose… maybe they’d never come back at all.
Then Liam, usually the bravest of them, made a decision. He quietly grabbed the others and said,
“Sit down. Don’t move.”They sat together, breathing heavily. At that very moment, the lights went out.
When daylight streamed through the window, they suddenly realized — they weren’t in the same room anymore. The door was open, and outside, morning had arrived.
They stepped out to find the mansion quiet again, as if nothing had ever happened.
But when Sophia looked at her phone, she saw a video recording — one none of them remembered taking. On the screen, the shadow figure was following them. And then… a bloody red handprint appeared on the mirror before fading away.
The four stood silently, their hearts heavy with fear. They understood now — Brookfield Mansion wasn’t just a house. It was a living shadow.
And for those who enter it, a cold presence stays with them forever....(To be continued…)
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