Chapter 118 Story 118 The Grinning Phantom
As the years passed, her appearance twisted into a ghastly visage, her once-beautiful smile contorted into a horrifying grin, and her eyes turned a sickly yellow, glowing in the darkness. She became the Grinning Phantom, cursed to haunt the living, seeking to steal the youth and beauty of anyone who gazed upon her.
One cold autumn evening, four friends—Emily, Jack, Sarah, and Mike—decided to test the legend. They gathered in an old, dilapidated house on the outskirts of town, the very place where the Phantom was said to have made her dark pact. The house was a crumbling ruin, with walls covered in peeling wallpaper and floors creaking with every step.
The air was thick with the scent of mildew and decay, and an unnatural chill seeped into their bones.
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"This place is seriously creepy," Sarah said, hugging herself for warmth.
"That\'s the point," Jack replied with a grin. "We\'re here to see if the legend is true. Are you scared?"
Emily rolled her eyes. "There\'s no such thing as ghosts. It\'s just a story."
Mike, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "I don\'t know, guys. My grandmother used to tell me about the Grinning Phantom. She said that if you see her, you\'re doomed."
"Come on, Mike. It\'s just a legend," Emily said, though her voice wavered slightly.
They set up their flashlights in the center of the room, their beams casting long, eerie shadows on the walls. Jack produced a dusty old mirror he had found in the house and placed it against the wall. "This is how it works," he explained. "We look into the mirror and say her name three times. If the legend is true, she\'ll appear."
The others hesitated, but curiosity got the better of them. They gathered around the mirror, their faces reflected in its cracked surface.
"Ready?" Jack asked, his voice trembling slightly.
They nodded, and together, they chanted, "Grinning Phantom, Grinning Phantom, Grinning Phantom."
For a moment, nothing happened. They stared at their reflections, their nerves on edge. But then, something shifted in the mirror. The room behind them seemed to darken, the shadows growing deeper and more oppressive. And then, from the darkness, she emerged.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Her face appeared in the mirror, twisted and grotesque, with long, silver hair framing her gaunt features. Her eyes burned with a yellow, malevolent light, and her lips stretched into an unnatural, wide grin that revealed sharp, decayed teeth. The Grinning Phantom was real.
Emily gasped, her breath catching in her throat. "This...this can\'t be happening."
But it was. The Phantom\'s reflection moved closer, her grin widening as she reached out with long, skeletal fingers. The air grew thick with dread, and the room seemed to close in around them.
"Don\'t look at her!" Mike screamed, turning away, but it was too late.
Jack, transfixed by the horror before him, couldn\'t tear his eyes away. The Phantom\'s reflection grinned even wider, a terrifying mockery of her once-beautiful smile. The mirror cracked, splintering into a web of fractures, and Jack felt an icy grip on his heart. He stumbled back, clutching his chest, his face contorted in pain.
The others watched in terror as Jack fell to the ground, his skin growing pale, his eyes wide with fear. His hair turned gray, and deep lines etched themselves into his once-youthful face. The Grinning Phantom had claimed him, draining the life from his body, leaving behind a withered husk.
"Run!" Sarah shouted, grabbing Emily and Mike by the arms.
They bolted for the door, but the house seemed to resist their escape. The walls groaned, and the floorboards buckled beneath their feet. The Phantom\'s laughter echoed through the halls, a chilling, hollow sound that sent shivers down their spines.
Finally, they burst through the front door and into the cold night air. They didn\'t stop running until they reached the safety of the town, their hearts pounding in their chests.
They never spoke of what happened in the old house, but they knew the truth: the Grinning Phantom was no mere legend. She was real, and she was still out there, waiting in the darkness, her grin wide and her eyes glowing, ready to claim the next foolish soul who dared to look upon her.