The Whispering Shadows of Old Pine Manor

In a quiet village nestled deep in the woods of Dhaka's outskirts, there stood a decrepit mansion known as Old Pine Manor. The villagers believed it was cursed, a place where shadows whispered secrets no one dared to hear.

The Origin of the Curse

The manor was once the home of a wealthy landowner named Zamindar Raihan, who lived there with his wife, Faria. It’s said that Faria was a kind woman who helped the villagers in need, while Raihan was cruel and greedy. One stormy night, Faria mysteriously vanished. Rumors spread that Raihan had sacrificed her to gain wealth and power, sealing the curse of the manor.

The Dare

Years later, a group of young skeptics decided to spend a night at Old Pine Manor. Among them was Alif, a curious man who prided himself on debunking superstitions. His friends, reluctant but equally intrigued, followed him.

The group entered the manor at dusk. The air was thick with a strange chill, and the scent of decay lingered. They joked to mask their fear, but the uneasy silence of the house quickly muted their laughter.

The First Sign

As night fell, the group began hearing faint whispers, though no one else was in the house. The whispers seemed to come from the walls, growing louder and more distinct. "Leave... or suffer..." the voices hissed.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped, and a door slammed shut in the distance. Alif, trying to keep the group calm, dismissed it as the wind. But the others were less convinced.

The Shadow

Around midnight, the group decided to explore the upper floor. As they climbed the creaking stairs, they noticed a shadow moving ahead of them. It wasn’t theirs. The shadow seemed to glide rather than walk, stopping at the end of the hallway.

One of the friends, Rafi, mustered the courage to shine his flashlight down the hall. The beam revealed a figure—a woman in a flowing white saree, her face obscured by her long black hair. She pointed toward a locked door before vanishing into thin air.

The Locked Room

Terrified but curious, the group approached the door. Alif managed to break the rusty lock. Inside, they found a dusty bedroom with a large, ornate mirror that appeared untouched by time. As they gazed into the mirror, Faria’s face appeared, her eyes filled with sorrow.

“Free me,” she whispered, her voice echoing in their minds. She revealed how Raihan had trapped her spirit in the mirror as part of his dark ritual. The only way to break the curse was to shatter the mirror.

The Escape

Before they could act, the room began to shake violently. The shadowy figure of Raihan emerged, his hollow eyes burning with rage. The friends screamed as objects flew across the room, narrowly missing them.

Alif grabbed a heavy chair and hurled it at the mirror. The glass shattered, and a blinding light filled the room. Faria's voice, now gentle, thanked them before fading away. The shadow of Raihan let out a guttural scream before dissolving into nothingness.

The Aftermath

The group fled the manor, never looking back. By morning, the villagers noticed the manor had collapsed into ruins, as though it had been waiting for the curse to be lifted.

Alif and his friends never spoke of that night again. But in the village, the whispers ceased, and Old Pine Manor became nothing more than a tale of the past.