Shadows in the Night

Little Tommy had always been afraid of being home alone, especially after dark. His parents tried to reassure him that their cozy little house was safe, but Tommy's imagination often got the better of him.

One stormy night, Tommy's parents had to rush out unexpectedly, leaving him alone for the first time. They promised they would be back soon, but Tommy was already scared. The wind howled outside, and the branches scraped against the windows like skeletal fingers.

Trying to distract himself, Tommy turned on the TV and curled up on the couch with his favorite blanket. But every creak of the old house made him jump. He kept checking the front door, half-expecting to see his parents' car pull up any moment.

As the clock ticked past midnight, Tommy heard something that made his blood run cold—a faint scratching noise coming from the basement. His heart raced as he remembered his parents saying something about raccoons getting into the crawl space.

Summoning his courage, Tommy grabbed a flashlight and tiptoed towards the basement door. The scratching grew louder with each step he took down the creaky stairs. With trembling hands, he flicked on the light switch at the bottom.

Nothing. Just dusty boxes and old furniture.

Relieved, Tommy turned to leave when he heard a soft giggle behind him. He spun around, flashlight trembling in his grip. There, in the dim light, he saw a small figure—a child's silhouette—standing at the far end of the basement.

Frozen in fear, Tommy couldn't move as the figure slowly stepped forward, revealing pale, ghostly features and dark, hollow eyes. It whispered his name, its voice a chilling echo in the stillness.

Terrified, Tommy stumbled backward, racing up the stairs and slamming the basement door shut behind him. He leaned against it, heart pounding, trying to catch his breath. The house felt colder now, the air heavy with a sense of dread.

Then, from the other side of the door, Tommy heard a soft, mocking laugh—a child's laugh.

Panicking, Tommy grabbed his phone and dialed his parents, tears streaming down his face. They rushed home to find him huddled in the living room, pale and shaking. Tommy tried to explain what he had seen, but they reassured him it was just his imagination playing tricks on him.

But Tommy knew what he saw was real. And from that night on, he never felt truly alone in the house again, always listening for that eerie giggle echoing through the halls when the wind howled outside.