The Cursed Threshold

e thick curtains, and the air felt heavier than it should. Tess had barely slept, her m

ouse "settling," but Tess knew

t a bowl of cereal. He hadn't said much since wakin

?" Tess asked, sittin

gaze. "I don't like it here, Mo

ir, but he flinched away. She fro

what's

gripping the edge of the table.

ind of

g-was listening. "I saw shadows in my room. They were moving, ev

wisted. "What we

d. "They said, 'Do

had happened. "It's just an old house," he said as he unpacked

he middle of the night or voices te

t the door today, okay? Maybe there's something behind it-an an

didn't want to argue in front of Noah, wh

inous door. He'd armed himself with a flashlig

this?" Tess asked,

gh his voice lacked conviction. He

dn't

he muttere

gn we shouldn't op

small gap between the door and the frame. With

hoed through the hallway

oth Mark and Tess stepped back, cou

eshold. At first, there was nothing-just an empty, stone s

ld cellar," Mark said, t

ched with the same strange symbols as the door, and the air was

this, Mark,"

inside. The sound of his footsteps echoe

ernity. Tess stood at the top of the s

alled, her vo

espo

are you

l no

n she heard the sound of footsteps coming back up th

darkness, his face p

wn there?"

ssed into a thin line. "Nothing

uld tell he

ly quiet, retreating to the bedroom without saying much. Noah refused to sleep in his ro

oards, every groan of the walls, seemed deliber

ess awoke to the s

living room, he was fast asleep. The whispering grew louder,

ered to herself

ispering d

ing from t

spering was low and guttural, like dozens of voices speaking at once. She wanted t

er and inched toward the open door. The air grew colder with every step

nt yawned below her, an endless void of shadows that seemed to s

ss.

had shifted, unmistakab

. "Who's there?" she whispered

ight down the staircase, her shaking hands casting the beam in jagged, erratic movements. The stone w

ed at the edg

tairs. It was tall and gaunt, its form barely more than a silhouette. She couldn't make out its fea

again, its voice now

courage, Tess backed away from the staircase and slammed the door shut. The whispers erupted into a

the doorknob and bolted

in bed when Tess b

ng on?" he asked, his

Mark," she said, her voice shak

ned. "Tess, it's late.

to anger. "I heard it. I saw it. There's s

, a blood-curdling scream

ut of the room, with

er with the flashlight clutched tightly in his hands.

his voice barely audible. "

isbelief melting into concer

is head, una

momentarily forgotten as she tried to comf

't believe h

cks and install deadbolts on every door. He didn't say

sed to go near the hallway where the basement door was, and

ly admitted what he ha

n there," he said, his vo

her stomach sinking.

igger than it should be. And there were... things o

ess's voic

scare you, but... I think this house is more t

n down her spine. "W

sunk all our savings into this

r son is terrified. There's something e

ed, the ligh

out from the livin

what they saw stopped

nt door wa

like living tendrils. And in the center of it stood Noah,

creamed, runni

surged forward, slamming her back aga

rth and swung it at the mist, but it p

urned, louder an

or stay

und Noah, pulling hi

er feet. She grabbed Mark's hand, and togeth

rength, they managed to gr

into the basement as the door sl

nt, there

illness, the wh

can't