Horrific Shorts: Zombie Edition

The house breathed. Shadows coiled along the warped wooden walls, shifting like living things. The Forsaken Girl stood in the center, her hollow eyes locked onto Mira.

"Your nightmares," she repeated, her voice too calm, too knowing. "Give them to me, and I will give you the truth."

Draven's grip on his revolver tightened. "Not happening."

The girl's head tilted unnaturally. "You think you have a choice?"

The house lurched, throwing them off balance. The floor split apart, revealing a chasm of writhing figures beneath—their faces twisted in silent screams, their arms reaching.

Mira gasped, staggering back. The cursed book in her hands burned cold. She could feel its pages trembling, as if the Hollow Man himself was listening.

Elias pulled a knife from his belt, his voice low. "Mira, I don't like this. Whatever she is—"

The girl laughed. It was a sound that didn't belong in this world.

"You fear me, but you should fear what follows you more."

She stepped forward, and the room darkened. The walls stretched, distorting like a shifting nightmare.

Mira's heart pounded. "If I give you my nightmares… what happens to me?"

The Forsaken Girl smiled. "You will forget them. You will sleep without fear. But your nightmares will become real."

The room grew colder. Draven swore under his breath. "We don't have time for riddles. We need to get out of here."

The Forsaken Girl's expression flickered. "You cannot leave."

Zara, her blade drawn, edged toward the door—only to find it was gone, replaced by endless dark.

"You are between worlds now," the girl whispered. "This house is not just a house. It is a threshold. The Hollow Man's grasp is weakening. But he is still waiting."

The cursed book shuddered violently, its pages flipping on their own. Symbols pulsed with an eerie glow.

Then—a voice, deep and ancient, spoke from the book.

"She is lying."

Mira's breath hitched. The book had never spoken before. Not like this.

The Forsaken Girl's eyes widened in horror. "No. No, you can't—"

The walls trembled. The chasm beneath them yawned wider. Something was coming.

Draven grabbed Mira's arm. "Whatever you're doing, stop!"

Mira hesitated. The book pulsed in her hands. The Forsaken Girl looked afraid—truly afraid.

Then, she whispered, "If you do not leave now, you will never wake up."

Mira made her choice.

She threw the book open, chanting the first words that appeared.

A shockwave of darkness exploded outward. The house shrieked, its walls unraveling like threads. The chasm below collapsed into nothingness.

The Forsaken Girl's scream faded into silence.

And suddenly—they were outside. The fog was gone. The house… was gone.

But Mira could still hear the whispers.

And somewhere far away, the Hollow Man laughed.