The Haunting of Blackwood Manor

By Vaani Dosi

Emily had always been intrigued by the stories surrounding Blackwood Manor. The old mansion, perched on the edge of town, was the subject of countless ghost tales and whispered rumours. Its dark, ivy-covered walls and broken windows loomed ominously, a stark contrast to the vibrant suburban homes that lined the streets of her neighbourhood. It was said that no one had lived in Blackwood Manor for decades, not since the mysterious disappearance of the Blackwood family.

Emily was a typical sixteen-year-old, curious and adventurous. One crisp autumn afternoon, she and her friends—Sarah, Jake, and Tom—decided to explore the abandoned manor. They gathered at the edge of the overgrown lawn, the cool breeze sending shivers down their spines. "Are you sure about this?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling with a mix of excitement and fear.

"Come on, it’ll be fun," Emily replied, trying to sound confident. "It's just an old house."

With a collective nod, they approached the creaking gate, which swung open with an eerie groan. The path leading to the front door was covered in fallen leaves and tangled vines. As they reached the grand entrance, Emily pushed open the heavy wooden door, and it creaked loudly, echoing through the empty halls.

Inside, the manor was dark and musty. Dust particles floated in the air, illuminated by the beams of sunlight that managed to penetrate the filthy windows. The air was thick with the scent of decay and neglect. The grand staircase, once a centrepiece of elegance, now looked like something out of a nightmare, its bannister broken and steps covered in grime.

"Let's split up and explore," Jake suggested, his voice barely above a whisper. "We can cover more ground that way."

Emily nodded, feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. They were divided into pairs—Emily with Sarah, and Jake with Tom. The two pairs ventured into different parts of the house, their footsteps echoing through the empty corridors.

Emily and Sarah made their way to the library, a room filled with ancient books and cobweb-covered furniture. As they scanned the dusty shelves, a cold breeze swept through the room, making the hair on the back of their necks stand on end.

"Did you feel that?" Sarah whispered, clutching Emily's arm.

"It's just the wind," Emily reassured her, though she felt a growing unease. Suddenly, a book fell from the shelf with a loud thud, causing both girls to jump. Emily picked it up, noticing it was an old journal, its leather cover cracked and worn. She opened it, revealing pages filled with scrawled handwriting and cryptic symbols.

Meanwhile, Jake and Tom had ventured into the basement. The stairs creaked under their weight, and the air grew colder with each step. The basement was dark, the only light coming from their flickering flashlights. Old furniture and boxes were strewn about, covered in decades of dust.

"This place gives me the creeps," Tom muttered, his flashlight revealing an old, rusted furnace in the corner.

"Look over here," Jake called out, pointing to a hidden door partially concealed by a stack of boxes. They pushed the boxes aside and opened the door, revealing a narrow, stone staircase leading further down into the darkness.

Back in the library, Emily and Sarah continued to examine the journal. The entries detailed the life of Eliza Blackwood, the last known resident of the manor. Her writing grew more frantic and disjointed with each page, detailing strange occurrences and sightings of shadowy figures. The final entry was a chilling account of a night filled with whispers and shadows, ending abruptly with a single, bloodstained handprint.

"We need to find the others," Emily said, her voice shaking. As they turned to leave, the door to the library slammed shut, trapping them inside. They pounded on the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

In the basement, Jake and Tom reached the bottom of the staircase, finding themselves in a small, dimly lit room. The walls were lined with strange, ancient symbols, and in the center of the room stood an old wooden table with a large, dusty book. As they approached the table, the temperature dropped even further, and they could see their breath in the cold air.

"This must be some kind of ritual room," Jake said, flipping through the pages of the book. The writing was in a language neither of them recognized, but the drawings depicted dark rituals and summoning circles.

Suddenly, the door behind them slammed shut, and a low, guttural whisper filled the air. The boys spun around, their flashlights flickering as shadows danced on the walls. "We need to get out of here," Tom said, panic rising in his voice.

As Emily and Sarah continued to struggle with the library door, they heard footsteps approaching from the hallway. "Jake? Tom?" Emily called out, but there was no response. The footsteps grew louder, and the girls could see a shadow moving under the door. Then, the door slowly creaked open, revealing a dark figure standing in the doorway.

Emily's heart raced as she grabbed Sarah's hand and pulled her through the door. They ran down the hallway, the figure following close behind. The manor seemed to shift and change around them, the corridors twisting and turning in ways that defied logic. No matter how fast they ran, the figure always seemed to be just a step behind.

In the basement, Jake and Tom were frantically trying to find a way out. They pushed against the door, but it wouldn't budge. The whispers grew louder, filling their minds with dread. Suddenly, the room grew silent, and a cold hand touched Jake's shoulder. He turned around, but there was no one there.

"Let's try the window," Tom suggested, pointing to a small, barred window high on the wall. They managed to pry the bars loose and squeeze through, emerging into the night air. As they caught their breath, they heard Emily and Sarah's screams echoing from the manor.

"We have to help them," Jake said, determination in his voice. They ran back into the house, following the sounds of their friends' screams.

Emily and Sarah had reached the attic, the highest point in the manor. They barricaded the door with old furniture and tried to catch their breath. "What do we do now?" Sarah asked, tears streaming down her face.

"I don't know," Emily replied, her voice shaking. "But we can't stay here."

Suddenly, the door burst open, and the dark figure entered the room. It was tall and gaunt, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. Emily and Sarah backed away, but there was nowhere to go.

Just as the figure reached for them, Jake and Tom burst into the attic, tackling the figure to the ground. "Run!" Jake shouted, and the girls didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled down the stairs, the boys close behind them.

The manor seemed to come alive, the walls closing in and the floors shifting beneath their feet. Shadows reached out with clawed hands, trying to pull them into the darkness. But they kept running, fueled by sheer terror.

Finally, they burst through the front door and into the night. They didn't stop until they reached the safety of the street, gasping for breath and trembling with fear. Behind them, Blackwood Manor stood silent and still, its dark secrets hidden once more.

Emily looked back at the house, a sense of relief washing over her. They had escaped, but the horrors of Blackwood Manor would stay with them forever. As they walked home, they made a pact never to speak of what had happened, to let the manor's dark history remain buried in the past.

But deep down, they knew that the shadows of Blackwood Manor would always haunt their memories, a chilling reminder of the night they faced true terror and survived

By Vaani Dosi