THE SECRET OF OLD HOUSE



It was a dark and stormy night when Emily and her friends, Jake and Sarah, decided to explore the abandoned old house on the outskirts of town. The house had been empty for as long as anyone could remember, and it was rumored to be haunted.

Emily was the bravest of the three and was always looking for an adventure. She had heard about the old house from her grandfather, who used to tell her stories about the mysterious disappearances that had occurred there.

As they approached the house, the wind howled through the trees and the rain beat down on the roof. The front door creaked open, revealing a dark and dusty interior. Emily led the way inside, her flashlight illuminating the way.

The first room they entered was a large hall with a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls, and there were cobwebs everywhere. The room was freezing cold, and Emily shivered as she looked around.

Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from upstairs. It sounded like footsteps, and they all froze in terror. Emily whispered for them to be quiet and slowly started to climb the stairs, her heart pounding in her chest.

When they reached the top of the stairs, they saw a door at the end of the hallway that was slightly ajar. They could hear a faint humming sound coming from inside. Emily crept forward and pushed the door open, revealing a small room with a rocking chair in the corner.

In the chair was an old woman with white hair, humming to herself. She looked up as they entered and smiled warmly at them.

"Hello, dears," she said. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

Emily was surprised but relieved that the old woman didn't seem scary or dangerous. She explained that they were just exploring the old house and didn't mean to intrude.

The old woman introduced herself as Mrs. Jenkins and invited them to sit down and have some tea. She had a pot of hot water on the stove and some biscuits on a plate.

As they sipped their tea, Mrs. Jenkins began to tell them the story of the old house. She explained that she used to live there with her husband, who had passed away many years ago. They had no children, and after her husband died, Mrs. Jenkins had moved out and the house had been left abandoned.

"But that's not the only reason the house is empty," she continued. "There's a secret that nobody knows about, not even the townspeople."

Emily, Jake, and Sarah leaned in closer, eager to hear what the secret was.

"There's a hidden room in this house," Mrs. Jenkins whispered. "It's where my husband kept all his treasures, and nobody has ever been able to find it."

Emily's eyes widened in excitement. A hidden room? Treasures? This was like something out of a fairy tale!

Mrs. Jenkins looked at them sternly. "But be warned," she said. "The room is protected by a curse. Anyone who tries to find it will be cursed for life."

Emily and her friends didn't believe in curses, and they were determined to find the hidden room. They thanked Mrs. Jenkins for her hospitality and left the house, their minds buzzing with excitement.

Over the next few days, they spent every spare moment searching the old house for the hidden room. They pored over every inch of the house, but they couldn't find anything. They were about to give up when they noticed a loose floorboard in one of the upstairs bedrooms.

Jake pried the board up, revealing a small, dark hole. Emily shone her flashlight into the hole, and they could see a set of stairs leading down into darkness