The Sound in the Hall

April 13, 2026

by Zaria

1 min read

Story Premise 1 min read (174 words)

"It began last month on a Tuesday. I needed to be up early for work, but sleep would not come. The clock showed three in the morning when a soft scraping sound started. It seemed to come from the wall near the kitchen, not my own door. I have a small dog, so I thought […]"

It began last month on a Tuesday. I needed to be up early for work, but sleep would not come. The clock showed three in the morning when a soft scraping sound started. It seemed to come from the wall near the kitchen, not my own door.

I have a small dog, so I thought it might be him. But the noise was too deliberate, too rhythmic. I got up slowly and stepped into the narrow corridor that connects the apartment’s rooms. The scraping had ceased. Then, after a moment of silence, a faint rustling came from the closed linen closet.

My heart beat fast as I hesitated by my doorway. I am a practical person, so I decided it was just the old building settling. I walked to the closet and pulled the door open, ready to find a stray mouse or a fallen towel.

Inside, a tall, slender shape was pressed against the back wall. I flicked the hallway switch, but the form remained, dark and unmoving. It did not turn around.

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