The Haunting of the Abandoned Asylum.

In all my years of exploring abandoned buildings, I had never been to one quite like this. The old asylum stood before me, towering and ominous, yet I couldn't resist the urge to explore.

I had heard the rumors, the stories of patients who had never left, of screams that echoed through the halls at night. They said the building was cursed, haunted by the souls of those who had suffered within its walls.

I scoffed at the idea, but as I stepped through the rusted metal gate, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. There was a feeling in the air, a sense of dread that I couldn't shake.

Inside, the building was dark, save for a few beams of moonlight that filtered through the broken windows. The floors creaked beneath my feet, and the sound echoed through the empty hallways.

I made my way deeper into the asylum, drawn by an inexplicable force. The walls were peeling, the paint chipped and faded, and the air was thick with the smell of decay.

Suddenly, I heard a sound. It was faint at first, but it grew louder with each passing moment. It was the sound of footsteps, heavy and deliberate.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. The footsteps grew closer, and I could hear a low, guttural growling that filled the air. I turned to run, but my legs wouldn't move. I was paralyzed with fear.

The footsteps stopped just behind me, and I felt a cold breath on the back of my neck. I closed my eyes, bracing for whatever was about to happen.

But nothing did.I woke up with a start, covered in sweat. It took me a few moments to realize that it had all been a dream. I looked around my bedroom, the familiar surroundings calming my nerves.

I sighed, relieved that it had just been a nightmare. But as I tried to fall back asleep, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

Over the next few days, I couldn't stop thinking about the asylum. The dream had been so vivid, so real, that it was almost as if I had actually been there. I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I went back.

It was a foolish thought, I knew. But I couldn't shake it. I found myself researching the history of the asylum, reading about the patients who had suffered and died there. The more I read, the more obsessed I became.

Finally, after days of obsessing over the idea, I decided to go back to the asylum. I told myself that I was just curious, that it was nothing more than a harmless adventure.

But as I stepped through the rusted metal gate, I felt that same sense of dread wash over me. I pushed it aside, telling myself that it was just my imagination.

The asylum was just as creepy as I remembered it. The floors creaked beneath my feet, and the air was thick with the smell of decay. I made my way deeper into the building, feeling a strange sense of familiarity as I walked down the hallways.

As I approached the room with the mirror, my heart began to race. I knew that this was where my nightmare had started.

But as I pushed the door open, I was surprised to find that the room was empty. The mirror was still there, reflecting the moonlight that filtered in through the broken windows.

I stepped closer, staring at my reflection. But this time, there were no figures in the darkness. It was just me, alone in the room.

I let out a sigh of relief, feeling foolish for even coming back. But as I turned to leave, I heard a faint whisper. It was so soft that I could barely hear it, but it was there.

• "Welcome back," the voice whispered. "We've been waiting for you."

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. The voice had sounded so real, so close.

Suddenly, I felt a cold breath on the back of my neck. I turned around, but there was no one there. And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching me.

I ran out of the asylum, my heart racing. As I looked back at the building, I could have sworn that I saw a figure in the window, watching me leave.

I never went back to the asylum after that. But the dreams continued, haunting me every night. And every time I woke up, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was following me, watching me, waiting for me to return....