The Haunted House

The house stood like a forgotten relic, its wooden walls warped and groaning under the weight of time. Its windows were black, empty sockets staring into the abyss of the past. Vines had crawled their way up the walls, suffocating the structure as if nature itself wanted to erase its existence. Rumors spoke of a witch who had once lived here, luring children into the shadows and devouring them. Corpses of little ones had been found at the back of the house, feeding the legend that no sane soul dared challenge.

Erchid sat on the porch, his fingers tracing the hilt of his blade absentmindedly, lost in the stillness of the night. Then, she appeared.

She stepped into the moonlight, and for a moment, time itself seemed to falter. Golden hair cascaded down her shoulders like liquid sunlight, her pale skin glowing under the silver light. Her eyes—blue, piercing, and endless—held a strange power, as if they could peel back the layers of one's soul and expose the truths hidden within.

For a moment, Erchid felt the pull of something unspoken, something magnetic. But then he blinked, grounding himself back in reality.

"Is it because you lack fear that you asked me to meet you here?" he asked, his voice steady, referencing their initial conversation.

She smiled, tilting her head slightly. "Do you know the real story behind this house?"

Erchid remained silent as she stepped closer. "They say it belonged to a noble who molested and abused children. When his crimes were discovered, he killed them to cover his tracks. And when he was finally caught, rumors of a witch were spread to keep people away."

She studied him, intrigued. "You don't seem surprised. I suppose you really are different. At the tavern, I could tell. You hide something—something darker."

Erchid met her gaze, unfazed. "When you've seen the things I have, the light within you fades, swallowed by the darkness. And once it takes hold, it never lets go."

She sat beside him on the porch, her gaze drifting toward the endless night sky. For a while, they said nothing.

"I'm surprised you came. Thought you were going to pass me off as an insane woman." she said breaking the silence

"You are insane, inviting a stranger here," Erchid replied, smirking slightly. "But you can call my coming here… curiosity."

She laughed, a sound both light and haunting. "Why run a tavern? You seem like a man of many talents."

Erchid exhaled slowly. "Because when a man drinks, the world fades. The weight of existence is momentarily lifted, and he is freed—not by choice, but by necessity."

She studied him. "Never expected you to be the caring type."

He remained silent for a moment before replying. "Who knows."

She sat beside him, their gazes drawn to the night sky above, neither realizing how the shadows around them had started to merge into one.