The Night the House Watched

January 15, 2026

by Wilburn

1 min read

Story Premise 1 min read (187 words)

"The last guest had left my friend Clara’s birthday celebration, leaving just the five of us for the sleepover. We were gathered in the den, sprawled on cushions, sharing secrets and laughing about school. A sharp crack came from the large window behind us. We all turned at once, our chatter dying. Clara’s parents were […]"

The last guest had left my friend Clara’s birthday celebration, leaving just the five of us for the sleepover. We were gathered in the den, sprawled on cushions, sharing secrets and laughing about school.

A sharp crack came from the large window behind us. We all turned at once, our chatter dying. Clara’s parents were out for the evening, and we were the only ones in the house. We decided a tree branch must have hit the glass and tried to go back to our stories.

Then the curtains began to move. They slid open without a hand touching them, then snapped shut just as quickly. They repeated this frantic dance over and over until we could not stand it. We scrambled through the kitchen door into the cool night air, huddling together on the patio.

A deep chill settled over me, a feeling of being watched by something unseen. My friend Sara and I locked eyes, frozen with a shared fear. Then, an invisible force shoved me hard from behind. I stumbled forward and fell into the dark, cold water of the swimming pool, completely alone.

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