Emily’s hands trembled as she locked the door to the lower floor. Her heart pounded so loudly that she could hear it in the deafening silence of the house. The shadow she had seen downstairs still haunted her mind—was it real, or was her imagination playing tricks on her?

She quickly dialled Sarah again, her voice shaky.

“Sarah, please… I saw something! There was a shadow downstairs. I’m not imagining things. Please come over!”

Sarah sighed on the other end.

“Emily, listen to me. It’s late, and I’m already at Chris’s place. I promise it’s nothing. The house is old—maybe it’s just your nerves. Try to get some sleep. I’ll come in the morning, okay?”

Emily swallowed hard. She didn’t want to be alone, but she knew Sarah wouldn’t come.

“Okay… just stay on call with me for a while?”

“Sure, Emily. Just calm down. Everything is fine.”

Emily sat on the couch, hugging her knees tightly. The dim lights in the room flickered occasionally, casting eerie shadows on the walls. She kept her eyes fixed on the locked door, afraid that if she looked away, something might come out from behind it.

As she sat there, trying to distract herself by talking to Sarah, a strange creaking sound echoed from the staircase. It was slow… deliberate.

Creeeaaak… creeeaaak…

Emily’s breath hitched. She whispered in a panic,

“Sarah… did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Sarah asked, concern creeping into her voice.

Suddenly, the sound stopped. Emily’s eyes widened in terror as she noticed something even more unsettling. The door to the lower floor… was slightly open.

“Sarah! The door… I locked it… but it’s open!”

Emily backed away from the couch, gripping her phone tightly.

“Emily, just get out of there right now!” Sarah shouted.

Summoning all her courage, Emily darted towards the main door of the house. Her fingers fumbled with the locks in her panic. She could hear soft whispers behind her—whispers that seemed to grow louder with each passing second.

“Leave… leave now…”

Finally, she managed to unlock the door and rushed outside, gasping for air. The cool night breeze hit her face, and she felt a sense of relief wash over her. The house, now behind her, stood silent and dark, yet it felt as though it was watching her.

She turned to see a lone streetlight flickering down the deserted road. The silence of the night seemed unnerving.

Sarah’s voice broke through the stillness.

“Emily, are you okay? Where are you now?”

“I’m outside… I can’t stay here, Sarah. Please come get me!”

“Okay, stay where you are. I’ll come right away.”

Emily hung up and looked back at the house. A part of her wanted to run far away, but another part felt drawn to it—as if something was pulling her back inside.

And then… she saw it again.

A shadow… standing at the top of the staircase, watching her through the window.

Emily’s blood ran cold, and without a second thought, she sprinted down the street, not daring to look back.

The next morning…

Sarah and Chris arrived at the house, calling out for Emily. But to their shock, they found the front door wide open, and Emily was nowhere to be found.

Her belongings were still inside. The eerie silence lingered, and the entire house felt colder than it should. Chris cautiously stepped inside and called her name.

“Emily? Are you here?”

Sarah checked Emily’s phone, which was lying on the couch. It had one last recorded call… from Emily herself.

With trembling hands, Sarah played the recording.

A faint whisper echoed through the speakers.

“You should have left earlier…”

Sarah and Chris exchanged terrified glances, realizing that something truly sinister lurked within The Gateway of Salvation.

Sarah’s hands trembled as she held Emily’s phone, listening to the eerie whisper that echoed through the last recorded call. The distorted voice, cold and menacing, sent shivers down her spine.

“You should have left earlier…”

She quickly turned to Chris, her voice shaky.

“Chris… wh-where is Emily? She wouldn’t just leave her phone behind.”

Chris glanced around the dimly lit house, his face tense. The air felt unnaturally heavy, and an unsettling chill crept through the place.

“Something is very wrong here, Sarah. Let’s search the house first, maybe she’s hiding somewhere.”

With hesitant steps, they moved further inside. The creaky wooden floor groaned under their weight, each step echoing ominously through the empty space.

Meanwhile…

Emily woke up in complete darkness. Her head throbbed, and she felt an overwhelming sense of confusion. She tried to move, but her body felt weak and restrained. The damp, musty smell of the place filled her nostrils, making it hard to breathe.

“Where… am I?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Suddenly, she heard it. The same whisper.

“You stayed… now you belong here.”

Her eyes widened in terror as she felt an ice-cold breath against her neck. She screamed, struggling against the unseen force that held her down. Panic surged through her veins as she frantically searched for a way out in the pitch-black void.

Her fingers scraped against something rough—a door? She banged on it with all her strength.

“HELP! Sarah! Rohan! Somebody!”

But the darkness only answered with silence.

Back in the house…

Sarah and Chris cautiously descended to the lower floor, where Emily had first felt uneasy. The air was dense with an eerie stillness, and the faint scent of incense lingered—a scent commonly associated with funeral rites.

Suddenly, Chris pointed at the floor.

“Look… footprints!”

Sarah’s eyes widened as she noticed faint footprints leading toward an old wooden door at the back of the hall. It looked ancient, with deep scratches running across its surface.

“Do you think she’s in there?” she whispered.

Chris nodded, swallowing hard before cautiously pushing the door open.

Inside was darkness… and something else.

In the dim light from his phone, Chris spotted an old chair, toppled over—exactly as Emily had described. But what sent chills down their spines was a faint whisper that suddenly echoed through the room.

“Welcome…”