Twisted Tales of Terror

20. The Blood Stain

The old house on Maple Street had always been a bit of a mystery to the residents of the town. It had been abandoned for years, and no one knew who the previous occupants were or what had happened to them. But despite the rumors of ghosts and curses, the house had always remained standing, a silent sentinel on the edge of town.

That was until the day the Blood Stain appeared.

It was a warm summer evening when the stain first appeared on the side of the house. At first, it looked like nothing more than a rust-colored splotch, but as the days went by, it grew bigger and darker. Soon, it was clear that the stain was made of blood.

The town was in an uproar. People whispered about murder and foul play, and the local police department was flooded with calls from concerned citizens. But when they went to investigate, they found nothing. The stain was there, but there were no signs of any human remains or evidence of a struggle.

The weeks turned into months, and the Blood Stain remained, a constant reminder of the horrors that had taken place within the walls of the old house. But despite the fear and the rumors, there were some who were drawn to the house, unable to resist the allure of the unknown.

One of those people was Anna. She had always been fascinated by the macabre, and the Blood Stain called to her like a siren song. She couldn't help but imagine the terrible things that must have happened in that house, and she longed to uncover the truth.

One night, Anna snuck out of her house and made her way to the old house on Maple Street. She approached the Blood Stain with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, her heart pounding in her chest.

As she got closer, she realized that the stain was not just a random splatter of blood. It was in the shape of a handprint, as if someone had been trying to claw their way out of the house.

Anna shuddered and looked up at the dark windows of the house. There was no light inside, and she couldn't see anything beyond the broken shutters and peeling paint.

But she was determined to find out what had happened.

With a deep breath, Anna stepped forward and touched the Blood Stain with her finger. It was sticky and warm, as if the blood had only just been spilled.

Suddenly, the front door of the house creaked open, and Anna froze. She could hear the sound of footsteps, slow and deliberate, coming from within.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to run or stay, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she stepped inside.

The inside of the house was dark and musty, with cobwebs clinging to the corners of the room. Anna could barely see anything, but she could feel the weight of the history that hung in the air.

As she crept forward, she heard a faint whisper, almost like a sigh, coming from somewhere deep within the house. She followed the sound, her heart pounding in her chest.

Suddenly, she found herself in a room that was different from the others. It was clean and orderly, with a large desk in the center and a single lamp providing the only source of light.

Anna approached the desk and saw that there was a piece of paper lying on top. She picked it up and read the words written in spidery handwriting.

"It's too late for me. But you can still escape. Run."

Anna's heart raced as she looked up from the note. She could hear the sound of footsteps getting closer, and she knew that she had to leave.

As she turned to run, she saw a figure standing in the doorway. It was a man, tall and gaunt, with dark hair and sunken eyes. He was wearing a tattered suit, and his skin was pale as if he had not seen the sun in years.

Anna froze, her breath catching in her throat. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.

The man stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Anna, and she could feel his cold breath on her face.

"You shouldn't be here," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Anna tried to back away, but she was trapped. She could feel the fear rising in her chest, consuming her.

Suddenly, the man lunged forward, and Anna closed her eyes, bracing herself for the worst.

But when she opened them again, she was alone. The man had vanished, and she was standing in the middle of the room, shaking and trembling.

She knew she had to leave, but she couldn't move. She felt as if something was holding her in place, as if the very air around her was thick and heavy.

And then she saw it.

In the corner of the room, there was another Blood Stain. It was smaller than the first, but it was unmistakable.

Anna's heart sank as she realized what it meant. The man who had warned her, the man who had been trapped in this house for who knew how long, had not escaped.

And now, neither would she.

The last thing Anna heard was a faint whisper, almost like a plea, coming from somewhere deep within the house.

"Run," it said. "Run while you still can."

But it was too late. The Blood Stain had claimed another victim, and the old house on Maple Street remained a mystery, a silent sentinel on the edge of town, waiting for its next unsuspecting victim.