Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm
The night was quiet — too quiet.
Sarah lay back on the bed, her hand gently resting on her pregnant belly. The baby kicked softly, as if reminding her of the life growing inside. Daniel sat beside her, his fingers interlocked with hers. His face looked calm, but his eyes told a different story — one that held secrets.
For months, Sarah had noticed the change. Daniel had become distant, lost in thought, often staring out the window long after midnight. When she asked what was wrong, he always replied, “Nothing, just work stress.” But she knew better.
Something was haunting him — and she was determined to find out what.
Chapter 2: The House with a History
They had moved into the old countryside house three months ago. It looked peaceful — surrounded by tall trees, with a soft breeze that carried the scent of pine. The real estate agent had called it “a house with character.”
At first, Sarah loved it. The creaky wooden floors, the warm sunlight through the curtains, the fireplace — it all felt like home. But soon, strange things began to happen.
At night, she’d hear faint whispers — like a woman murmuring from another room. Sometimes, the rocking chair in the nursery would move on its own. Daniel always said it was “just the wind.”
But one night, the whisper spoke her name.
> “Sarah…”
She froze, her hand clutching her belly. The room was empty. The whisper faded, leaving behind a silence that made her heart pound.
Chapter 3: The Letter
The next morning, Sarah decided to clean the bedroom while Daniel was at work. As she lifted his pillow, a folded piece of paper slipped out. Her curiosity got the best of her.
It was a letter — written in rushed handwriting:
> “You can’t hide it forever, Daniel. She deserves to know before it’s too late.”
Sarah felt the blood drain from her face. Her fingers trembled as she reread the line.
Who wrote this?
What couldn’t he hide?
When Daniel came home that evening, she didn’t mention it. But every time he looked at her, she felt the weight of that secret pressing between them.
Chapter 4: The Stranger’s Warning
A few days later, Sarah went to the local grocery store. The cashier, an older woman with kind eyes, smiled when she saw her.
“You’re the new couple who bought the old Harlow place, right?” the woman asked.
Sarah nodded. “Yes, we moved in a few months ago.”
The woman’s smile faded slightly. “That house… it’s beautiful, but… people say it’s unlucky for expecting mothers.”
Sarah frowned. “What do you mean?”
The woman hesitated, then leaned closer. “Years ago, another young couple lived there. She was expecting too. But she… disappeared one night. They never found her.”
Sarah’s breath caught. She tried to laugh it off, but the woman’s serious tone sent chills down her spine.
When she got home, Daniel noticed her pale face. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
She wanted to tell him — but instead, she whispered, “Nothing. Just tired.”
Chapter 5: The Whisper in the Walls
That night, Sarah couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about the woman who vanished. Around midnight, she heard the soft creak of the nursery door opening.
She sat up. “Daniel?” she called out.
No answer.
She slowly walked toward the nursery. The rocking chair was moving again — back and forth, back and forth — even though the windows were closed.
Then, a faint whisper filled the air:
> “He promised me too…”
Sarah froze. The voice was soft, sorrowful — and strangely familiar. Her hands shook as she reached for the light switch.
When the light flickered on, the chair stopped moving. The room was empty.
She hurried back to bed, her heart racing. Daniel stirred beside her, half asleep. “You okay?” he mumbled.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Just a bad dream.”
But she knew it wasn’t a dream.
Chapter 6: The Confrontation
The next morning, Sarah couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Daniel,” she said quietly, “I found a letter under your pillow. Someone said I deserve to know the truth. What is it?”
Daniel’s face turned pale. He sat down slowly, his hands trembling. “I didn’t want to tell you, Sarah. Not while you’re pregnant. But I guess you deserve to know everything.”
He took a deep breath. “The woman who lived here before us — her name was Emily. She was expecting, just like you. Her husband… was the one who sold me this house.”
Sarah’s eyes widened. “What happened to her?”
“No one knows,” Daniel said. “She went missing one night. The husband claimed she ran away. But people said he was hiding something. A few months later, he sold the house cheap and disappeared too.”
Sarah felt cold all over. “And you didn’t think that was important to tell me?”
“I thought it was just a rumor,” he said softly. “Until I started hearing things too.”
Chapter 7: The Mirror Message
That evening, as Sarah brushed her hair before bed, she noticed something strange in the mirror. There were words — faint, written in fog — forming slowly before her eyes.
> “Don’t let history repeat itself.”
She gasped and called Daniel. He rushed in, but by the time he looked, the words were gone.
“I’m not imagining things, Daniel,” she whispered. “Someone… something… is trying to warn us.”
He held her close, his heart pounding. “We’re leaving tomorrow,” he said. “I don’t care what it takes.”
Chapter 8: The Final Night
But they never made it to morning.
Around 2 a.m., Sarah woke to the sound of crying — a baby’s cry. She sat up, her chest tightening. “Daniel… do you hear that?”
He woke instantly. The sound was coming from the nursery.
They crept toward the door. As Daniel reached for the handle, it slowly turned on its own and opened.
Inside, the crib was empty — but the rocking chair was moving violently, as if someone invisible was sitting in it. The air turned icy.
Then, a woman’s shadow appeared in the mirror — holding a baby. Her voice echoed softly:
> “He promised me forever too…”
Sarah screamed and stumbled back. Daniel grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door. But before they could leave, the mirror shattered with a loud crack.
The sound of the baby’s cry turned into a piercing wail that filled the entire house.
Chapter 9: The Escape
Daniel dragged Sarah outside into the cold night air. They ran barefoot to the car, hearts pounding.
As they drove away, Sarah looked back through the window — and froze.
In the upstairs window, she saw her reflection.
Only… it wasn’t her.
It was the woman from the mirror — smiling faintly, holding a baby wrapped in yellow cloth.
Epilogue: The House Waits Again
Sarah and Daniel never returned to that house. They moved to another town and welcomed their baby girl safely. But neither of them spoke of that night again.
Years later, when their daughter turned six, she woke Sarah in the middle of the night and whispered,
> “Mommy, the lady from the window says thank you for taking care of her baby.”
And when Sarah asked what she meant, the little girl only smiled and said,
> “She says her name is Emily.”
Conclusion
Some secrets are buried deep — but not forgotten.
Sometimes, the past doesn’t haunt a place because of death…
It haunts it because of promises that were never kept.
