They all tiptoed down the hall towards the banging noise. The wind howled in the murky night, causing loud creaks from the old house. They all knew they had to open the door.

“So, who’s gonna open it?” Jesse asked.

They all stared each other down with weary eyes, then to the door, and back at Jesse, as if they wanted him to be as dumb as the hapless teens in horror movies who always took the bait. He sighed in defeat and then his hand reached for the doorknob. Another bang echoed through the hall, startling the three teens.

Jesse shrieked as if he were attacked by a wild animal. Gathering some measure of courage, he reached for the door once again. This time no bang.

The door swung open, and to their surprise, they were all greeted by an empty space shadowed in darkness.

“Well, that sucks. I was actually hoping to see a ghost,” Jesse said as he held a displeased look. Then he closed the door. They all stared back at him.

“Says the person who screamed when no one was there,” Sean teased as they made their way back to the living area.

“Don’t act like you didn’t jump,” said Jesse.

“I never said I didn’t. I’m simply saying that you scream like a fourteen-year-old girl. Your own sister doesn't even scream like that,” said Sean. Then he laughed. He could already imagine Jesse’s face if they’d seen a real ghost.

Another loud thud resounded down the hallway, gaining Dawn’s attention. The boys were too busy goofing around to notice that she had wandered off. Dawn’s heart pounded against her chest as the sound lured her back to the door. 

‘Go back! Go back!’ her mind repeated sternly, but her feet kept drawing her towards it. Something was calling for her. She didn’t know why, but she had to see what was behind that door. To her surprise, it was already creeping open without anyone laying a finger on it. She wanted to leave and never look back, but her feet didn’t stop moving. It felt as if she was in a trance, that she couldn’t pull her body away.

Now, standing in utter darkness, bleak shivers burst along her body when a deep voice muttered in her ears. Dawn froze in terror. She couldn’t move an inch as an irascible inhumane growl reverberated throughout the room. 

Her eyes shot to the door, and almost instantly it slammed shut before she could even think of running. 

“HELP!” Dawn screamed, tugging on the doorknob, but it just wouldn’t budge. Tears ran down her cheeks as she heard heavy footsteps approaching her. She screamed again, feeling a pair of devilish hands resting on her shoulders. Before she knew it, she was gone.

“You heard that?” Jesse asked Sean. They both paused, waiting to hear the sound again, but there was only silence.

“It sounded like it came from the hallway.”

“Where’s Dawn?” Jesse asked, looking around for his sister.

“She was wandering in the hallway the last time I saw her. “

“You didn’t think to tell me that she wandered off?” Jesse pushed past him and headed towards the hallway. Sean followed, and they came up to the door again, but something felt as if they knew they would find what they were looking for.

“Open the door,” Sean said.

“No, I opened it last time.”

“Stop being a wimp and open the door.”

Jesse sucked his teeth and swung the door open. They pulled out their phones for a flashlight before walking inside, and what they saw made their eyes pop out. 

They saw different body parts spread out around the room. To their right was someone’s lower half lying on the floor, its legs crossed, one lying on top of the other. Blood was splattered everywhere. To their left was the upper half of the body missing a head. Sean shut his eyes and shook his head in disgust, rather than disbelief. He dared not take another glance. The sight alone made him want to vomit.

“This is brutal,” Jesse mentioned. He walked further inside and stumbled upon something that seemed like a hard round ball. He turned his flashlight and what he saw made his heart sink.

It was Dawn’s head with scratches scattered around her face, her eyes pure white and her mouth wide open as if she was terrified of someone, or something.

“I can’t.” Jesse turned his head away, tears burning in his eyes.

“What are you- Damn!” Sean couldn’t believe it. “We have to call the police!”

They ran towards the door but it slammed shut before they could reach it. Sean tried opening it but it was hopeless. Nothing would open that door. Even when they used all their might, it just wouldn’t budge. 

Sean screamed as he felt himself lifted from the floor and thrown across the room like a rag doll.

“Sean!”

Jesse heard a growl from behind him, and he banged and banged against the door as if someone could hear him screaming for help. He felt those cold hands rest on his shoulders; he felt himself disappearing. The three friends were never seen again.