Clara woke with a start. The room where she had spent the
night seemed smaller than before, the shadows denser, and
the walls, damp and whispering, as if they wanted to tell her
something. During the night she had heard voices mingled with
the wind, and for the first time she understood that the house
was alive in a way that defied all logic.
She stood up carefully, aware that any movement could trigger
the whispers again. The journal she had found in the library lay
open on the table, to a new page:
"Each chosen one must face their first test. The house watches.
The house decides. Learn quickly, or you'll be trapped forever."Clara took a deep breath. She didn't know what "test" meant, or
what to expect, but fear and curiosity compelled her to move.
She put the diary in her bag and headed to the library, where
the symbols she had begun to understand the night before
seemed to glow softly. The beam of her flashlight flickered, as if
the house itself were communicating with her through the
energy it radiated.
Upon entering, she noticed something different: the shadows
cast by the books and shelves were no longer static. They
moved purposefully, forming figures that resembled people, but
with distorted, deformed faces and empty black eyes. One of
them approached slowly, and Clara felt a chill run down her
spine.
—Welcome to your first test—whispered a voice inside her
head, a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and
nowhere at the same time.
Clara closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She knew she
couldn't run away; the house wouldn't allow it. She took a deep
breath and decided to face whatever awaited her. Slowly, she
opened her eyes and saw an antique mirror in front of her that
she hadn't noticed before. The glass was fogged, but
something shone from within.
She approached, and when she touched it, its reflection
vanished, replaced by a dark landscape: an endless corridor
filled with doors, each bearing symbols Clara had seen in the
basement and in the diary. The corridor seemed to shift,
expanding and contracting simultaneously, as if space itself
defied the normal laws of physics."You must choose," the voice whispered. "Every door leads to a
challenge. Every challenge, to a decision. Every decision, to
your destiny."
Clara felt a surge of panic as she went upstairs. Each door
looked identical, but she sensed that each one concealed
different dangers. She decided she had to take the risk and
chose the first door on the right. As she opened it, an icy wind
enveloped her and swept her inside, leaving the mirror and the
bookcase behind.
When she regained consciousness, she found herself in a dark
room, lit only by black candles floating in the air. The air
smelled of damp earth and ashes. In front of her, in the center
of the room, was a circle drawn with ancient symbols, identical
to those she had seen in the journals of the previous chosen
ones. Inside the circle, a human figure knelt, chained to a
shadow that writhed like a specter.
"Who are you?" Clara asked, her voice trembling.
"I am... one of the chosen ones," the figure replied, raising its
head. "I was trapped here years ago. The house... taught me its
rules, but I cannot leave. If you want to survive, you must learn
quickly."
Clara approached cautiously. The figure extended a hand
toward her and pointed to the chains that held it immobile.
"The first test is understanding the house. Not just seeing it, not
just hearing it. You must feel it. Every object, every shadow,
every whisper has intention. You must interpret them." A tear
rolled down her cheek. "Many fail at this stage. They get
trapped in their own fears and never move forward."Clara observed the circle and the symbols. She felt the air
around her vibrate, as if the floating candles were energy
receptors. Slowly, she recalled the symbols she had studied in
the basement and in her journal. Each one seemed to
represent an emotion, a thought, or a memory. The figure
instructed her to place her hands on the circle and "feel" the
symbols.
At first, Clara understood nothing. She only felt an intense cold
and a strange pain in her chest, as if the house were testing her
ability to concentrate and control herself. Whispers surrounded
her, mingling with childhood memories, images of fear, anxiety,
and betrayal. Every negative thought was amplified, and Clara
realized that the house was using her emotions against her.
"Don't be fooled," whispered the chosen one's voice. "You must
remain calm. Observe, interpret, don't react with fear."
Clara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She began to
visualize the symbols, recalling each pattern, each shape, and
each meaning. Slowly, a connection began to form. She felt the
symbols respond to her emotions, changing shape according to
her state of mind. She understood that the house was not only
judging her fear, but also her ability to adapt and control her
emotions.
Hours seemed to pass in minutes. Clara, focused, managed to
interpret several symbols and combine them so that a faint light
began to radiate from the circle. The chained figure stood up,
watching her with hope.
"You're making progress," he said. "Not everyone manages to
understand the first test. The house is cruel, but also fair if you
know how to listen to it."Suddenly, a roar shook the room. The black candles went out,
and the shadows on the walls began to move independently, as
if they had a life of their own. Clara sensed something
approaching, something dark and powerful. She had to act
quickly. She remembered the instructions in the journal:
combine symbols with clear intention and absolute
concentration.
With a tremendous effort, she traced the patterns she had
memorized in the air, focusing her energy on the light that had
begun to emanate from the circle. The shadows receded, and
absolute silence filled the room. The figure before her gazed at
her, surprised and grateful.
"You did it..." he whispered. "You've passed the first test."
Clara fell to her knees, exhausted. Her body was trembling, but
a feeling of relief washed over her. For the first time, she
understood that she could interact with the house consciously,
that she wasn't just a passive victim. However, she knew this
was only the beginning. Each test would be more difficult, each
challenge would test not only her courage, but also her
intelligence and emotional resilience.
The figure approached and handed him a small object: an
ancient metal amulet, with engraved symbols that seemed to
resonate with the energy of the house.
"This will protect you temporarily," he said. "Each chosen one
who survives the first test receives a guide, a link to those who
came before. Don't be overconfident, but don't be afraid either.
The house is still watching."
Clara nodded, keeping the amulet close to her heart. She knew
there was no turning back. Every step she took brought her closer to the truth about the house and the secrets that had
trapped the previous chosen ones. As she prepared to face the
next test, she understood that the real battle wasn't against the
house, but against her own fears, her uncertainty, and her
despair.
As she left the room, the house was silent, but the whispers
returned slowly, less aggressive, but just as insistent. Clara
understood that she had bought herself time, but that the
challenge had only just begun. Every door, every shadow, and
every whisper would be both an opportunity and a risk.
As she walked toward the endless hallway she had seen in the
mirror, Clara noticed new figures moving in the distance: other
chosen ones, caught in their trials, watching her with eyes that
reflected fear, hope, and warning. The house wasn't empty; it
was filled with lives hanging in the balance, and each one
represented a lesson, a warning, and a reminder that survival
depended on intelligence, intuition, and courage.
Clara pressed the amulet to her chest. She knew she had to
learn quickly, trust her instincts, and listen carefully to the
whispers. Every step she took brought her closer to the heart of
the house, where the darkest secrets awaited, where the lost
chosen ones sought guidance, and where true terror lurked,
ready to reveal its riddles.
And as the flashlight beam moved down the corridor, Clara
understood something essential: to survive, she had to stop
being afraid and start understanding. The house was alive, yes,
but it was also teaching. And the lesson had only just begun.
✨ If this story touched your heart…What you're reading here is only part of the journey.The complete novel, including all chapters and the final ending, is available on Amazon Kindle 📖
👉 Search on Amazon for "The House of Whispers" A story of faith, inner struggle, and hope when everything seems lost.
Thank you for reading and for walking this path with me 🤍