Whispers of the Blackwood Mansion

The stress from a long day at the newspaper office had caused me to forget to arrange for a proper filming vehicle. With Sophia Lee in tow, I flagged down a taxi. Unfortunately, this was right during rush hour, and the traffic was a nightmare. By the time we reached Blackwood Mansion, it was already dark. The mansion in reality was far more ominous than the photos had suggested, especially under the cloak of night. It looked more like a haunted house from a horror film.

Blackwood Mansion, shrouded in darkness, exuded an air of eerie silence and decay. Sophia, seeing the place we had come to, widened her eyes in shock and asked, "Ethan, why are we here?"

Looking at the dilapidated entrance of the mansion, I felt a twinge of unease. Part of me hesitated, but Sophia's question gave me the push I needed. All the preliminary work was nearly done; we just needed this final set of shots. As a struggling reporter with no background or prospects, I had to take risks. It might not lead to fame, but avoiding risks meant losing every opportunity.

Sometimes, there's no choice but to face the fear. I took a deep breath and smiled at Sophia. "We're just going to take a few shots inside and then head out. It'll be quick—five or six minutes tops. Don't worry, it's rush hour, so there are plenty of people around."

My attempt to sound casual seemed to ease Sophia a bit, though she still glanced nervously around. Indeed, there were many people passing by, but oddly, they all avoided the mansion, casting curious glances at us.

We had to go in. The longer we waited, the more time would be wasted. I walked over to Sophia, turned on the camera, and said, "You hold the camera and focus on me. We'll make a quick loop inside and then leave." Sophia, looking a bit bewildered, took the camera. It was a simple, lightweight model, easy to handle.

I rubbed my face, standing before the mansion's heavy wooden door. I motioned for Sophia to aim the camera at me and, with a serious expression, began, "Hello, everyone. I'm Ethan Collins, the host of 'The Friday Phantom,' and this is the infamous Blackwood Mansion. It's late at night, and we're about to take a closer look inside."

I pushed open the creaking door, which groaned mournfully as if protesting our intrusion. Sophia shivered and said, "Ethan, I'm really uneasy. Maybe we should just leave?"

As the door swung open, a cold, chilling breeze rushed out, making me shiver involuntarily. Inside was a long-abandoned courtyard, with cobblestone paths leading to a two-story mansion. The wooden doors and windows had long since fallen into disrepair, and the whole place was covered in thick layers of dust. Only the grand entrance and intricately carved window bars hinted at its former grandeur.

"Don't be afraid. Just stick with me, and we'll be in and out quickly," I reassured Sophia as I pulled out a high-powered flashlight I had prepared. We stepped through the door, and Sophia followed, carrying the camera. We walked around the courtyard, finding nothing amiss—not even a stray cat.

"Ethan, we've walked around. Can we leave now?" Sophia asked.

"No, Sophia. We need to check the inside of the house as well," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. I took out a protective talisman I had brought along and entered the mansion first. Sophia followed reluctantly, her steps echoing behind me. Inside, the main hall was dark, lit only by the cold light from my flashlight. In the center of the room were two tattered paper figures placed beside an old Eight Immortals table.

The hall was almost pitch black, illuminated only by the pale light from my flashlight, casting eerie shadows on the decayed paper figures. A draft from outside made the paper figures rustle and sway, filling the hall with an unnerving silence that sent chills down my spine.

Sophia, being a girl, let out a terrified scream at the sight of the paper figures. Her scream startled me, causing a cold sweat to break out on my back. I steadied myself and looked back at Sophia, who, though trembling, was still holding the camera.

Her fear wasn't just from the ghostly setup; her legs were practically giving way. I, too, was shaken but couldn't afford to show it. I approached Sophia and said, "Don't be scared. It's just a couple of paper figures. I have you covered. I even brought these protective talismans from a master. Take one and hold it tight. It's just a quick look around, and then we can get out. If we get some good shots, it could be your ticket to a bigger break in the industry…"

Sophia was clearly frightened but seemed convinced by my words. She hesitated but eventually nodded. Her face was pale but determined. "Okay, let's do it. But make sure I get a close-up in the footage."

I was surprised by how quickly Sophia agreed. I nodded, stood in the center of the hall, and instructed, "We're now inside the mansion. In the main hall, there are two paper figures, quite old, and who knows who placed them here. They say that when paper figures are drawn with eyes, they become somewhat spiritual. Now, let's head upstairs."

As Sophia and I climbed the wooden stairs, each step creaked ominously under our weight. The oppressive atmosphere made the climb seem endless. To ease Sophia's fear, I continued talking, though my back was to the camera. "After the tragic incident at Blackwood Mansion, there have been continuous ghost stories. Neighbors claim to hear screams from the mansion in the dead of night. On nights with a full moon, there are reports of ghostly wails, and people have seen a woman wandering nearby only to vanish when looked at closely…"

Sophia, shaking with fear, interrupted, "Ethan, please stop. The more you say, the more scared I get."

By now, we had reached the second floor, which was pitch black. I noticed an open door to the right and decided to investigate. I told the camera, "This is rumored to be the bedroom of the mansion's daughter-in-law."

Entering the room, I found it indeed appeared to be a woman's bedroom. It was dark and gloomy, with an old wooden bed and tattered bedding. Along the walls were old redwood furniture, and by the window stood a large vanity with a small wooden stool in front. The mirror was dusty, with combs and small boxes still on the surface.

"Sophia, film that vanity. Once we're done, we'll leave," I instructed. I quickly moved to the vanity, placing the flashlight on it, and stood ready for Sophia to catch up. Just as I was about to start speaking, the vanity drawer suddenly opened with a loud, startling crack!

In the oppressive silence, this noise was like a thunderclap. Sophia and I froze, our minds racing. The drawer was now halfway open, revealing an old black-and-white photo lying inside. The photo, yellowed with age, showed a young woman in a qipao, her face painted with heavy makeup and her eyes cold and lifeless. It was chilling.

"Ethan, I can't take this anymore. Let's go… please," Sophia pleaded, on the verge of tears. I, too, was unnerved. We had already captured footage of the drawer opening by itself, which was enough for this episode. We could add some effects in post-production to enhance the scare factor.

"Let's go," I said, hurrying over to Sophia to grab the camera. Just as I reached her, a strange, fleeting light passed outside the window, like the flash of a car's headlights. To my horror, I saw a figure appear beside Sophia—a figure that matched the woman in the photograph.