The storm raged violently against the cabin, the wind shrieking as it bent the towering pines, their branches scraping against the roof like skeletal fingers. Rain lashed against the windows, each drop a sharp tap that filled the isolated room, creating a symphony of chaos outside. The fire in the stone hearth flickered, the shadows dancing across the wooden walls, their twisted forms elongating and writhing in the dim, uncertain light.

Jack sat hunched in his chair, staring at the flames, his mind lost in the storm. It had been an unusually fierce night, the kind that pressed down on you, made your bones feel the weight of something more than just the weather. His cabin, hidden deep in the forest, was the only refuge for miles, and he usually took comfort in that solitude. But tonight, the walls felt thinner, the dark beyond the windows closer than ever.

It started faintly, almost drowned out by the wind—a sound that didn’t belong. Jack sat up, his brows furrowing, his ears straining. There it was again, a soft cry, carried on the gale, rising and falling, almost lost in the roar of the storm. A child’s cry. He stood, his heart skipping a beat, his eyes darting to the window. There was nothing but darkness, rain pouring down in thick sheets. The sound grew louder, desperate, full of fear, and Jack’s stomach twisted.

Who could be out here in a storm like this? He grabbed his flashlight, the metal cold in his grip, and moved to the door, his pulse quickening. He hesitated for a moment, hand on the latch, a chill creeping into his spine. But the cry came again, more insistent, and his heart ached with the helplessness of it.

The door swung open, the wind slamming into him like a force of nature, the rain stinging his face, blinding him for a moment. He squinted into the storm, the flashlight beam flickering and shaking as he swept it across the clearing. “Hello?” he shouted, his voice nearly lost in the howling wind. “Is anyone there?”

The crying stopped abruptly, cut off as if it had never been there. The sudden silence pressed in, heavier than the storm itself, and Jack’s breath caught in his throat. He scanned the tree line, the beam of his flashlight trembling, illuminating nothing but rain and the endless dark woods beyond. The air felt wrong—thick, oppressive, the cold seeping into his skin, chilling him to the core.

Jack stepped back, retreating into the cabin, and slammed the door shut, bolting it against the storm, against the darkness. He stood there, listening, his ears straining, the wind still howling outside. But there was no crying, no sound other than the storm. He let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his wet hair, his fingers trembling.

He turned back toward the fire, but the warmth seemed to have vanished. The cabin felt colder, the shadows in the corners darker, deeper. He shook his head, trying to shake off the unease that clung to him like a second skin. It was just the storm, just his mind playing tricks. He moved back to his chair, the floorboards creaking beneath his weight, the sound echoing in the quiet room.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

And then he heard it. A soft, pitiful sob. This time it came from inside.

Jack froze, his heart pounding in his ears, his eyes darting around the room. The cry echoed again, reverberating through the walls, coming from above, from the attic. The sound was unmistakable—a child, weeping, lost. The firelight flickered, casting long, clawing shadows across the walls, and Jack’s mouth went dry. He hadn’t been in the attic in years. There was nothing up there but dust and forgotten things.

The crying continued, each sob piercing, filled with a sorrow that gnawed at his chest. He moved toward the ladder that led up to the attic hatch, his legs heavy, the air around him thick, pressing against his skin. Each step felt like he was wading through something unseen, something that resisted, that wanted to hold him back. He reached the ladder, his hand hovering just beneath the hatch, the crying now a mournful wail, echoing in the confined space.

Slowly, he reached up, his fingers brushing the edge of the hatch. The wood was cold, colder than it should have been, and a shiver ran through him, his breath fogging in the chill air. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to push the hatch open, the wood creaking, a rush of freezing air spilling out from the darkness above.

The beam of his flashlight pierced the shadows, illuminating the rafters, the old trunks, the forgotten relics of a past life. The crying had stopped, replaced by silence, a silence so deep it felt alive, wrapping around him, crawling beneath his skin. He stepped up, his head and shoulders emerging into the attic, the flashlight sweeping across the darkness.

Nothing. Just dust, old memories, shadows that seemed to shift when he wasn’t looking.

Then, from the far corner, the sound began again—a soft, choking sob, followed by a whisper, so faint he almost didn’t hear it. “Help me...”

Jack’s heart lurched, his blood running cold, his flashlight shaking as he turned it toward the sound. The light flickered, the beam struggling, as if something in the dark was draining the life from it. And there, in the corner, he saw movement—a small figure, huddled, trembling, the hood of a tiny coat pulled over a head that faced away from him.

“Hey,” Jack called out, his voice a rasp, breaking in the cold air. “Are you alright?”

The figure didn’t respond, just rocked back and forth, the crying now a series of hiccupping gasps. Jack’s feet felt glued to the ladder, dread pooling in his stomach. He wanted to turn away, to close the hatch, to pretend none of this was real. But he couldn’t. He climbed into the attic, each movement slow, deliberate, his heart hammering against his ribs.

“It's okay,” he said, his voice trembling, the words falling into the darkness. He moved closer, his flashlight illuminating the small, fragile frame. The figure stopped moving, the crying ceasing abruptly, and Jack’s breath caught in his throat. The silence pressed in, suffocating, and he reached out, his fingers trembling.

As his hand touched the fabric of the coat, the figure turned. The hood fell away, and Jack’s scream caught in his throat, choking him. The face that stared back was wrong—twisted, pale, the skin too smooth, like wax, the eyes empty voids that reflected nothing, yet seemed to see straight through him. The mouth opened, stretching wide, wider, until it split, revealing row upon row of teeth, sharp, glistening in the dim light.

The flashlight flickered, and the world went dark, the attic swallowing him whole. The last thing he heard was the whisper, echoing in his ears, a voice that chilled him to his soul.

“Help me…”

The words twisted, became laughter, the sound echoing in the blackness, growing louder, drowning out the storm, drowning out everything, until there was nothing left but darkness and the terrible, endless laughter.