The Séance’s Invitation

Samantha had always been a skeptic when it came to the paranormal. So when she received an invitation to attend a séance at the old Victorian mansion on the outskirts of town, she was more intrigued than anything else. She had heard of the mansion’s haunted reputation, but she had always dismissed it as just another urban legend. Still, something about the invitation piqued her curiosity, and she found herself accepting it.

The day of the séance arrived, and Samantha made her way to the mansion, feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation. She was greeted at the door by a tall, imposing figure with a hooded cloak, who ushered her inside. The interior of the mansion was just as she had imagined it — dusty and dimly lit, with creaking floorboards and ornate furnishings that looked like they hadn’t been touched in decades.

As she took her seat at the table with the other attendees, Samantha felt a chill run down her spine. She wasn’t sure what to expect from the séance, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching her from the shadows.

And that’s when the lights went out.

In the darkness, Samantha could hear the shuffling of feet and the rustling of clothing as the others at the table settled into their positions. She felt a cold draft on the back of her neck and heard a faint whisper that she couldn’t quite make out. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she waited for something, anything, to happen.

And then, suddenly, there was a voice. It was low and raspy, and it seemed to be coming from the empty space in front of her. “Who are you?” the voice asked.

Samantha tried to speak, but her throat was dry and her voice came out as a croak. “I’m Samantha,” she managed to say.

There was a pause, and then the voice spoke again. “Samantha, you have been chosen. You have been marked by the spirits. They have a message for you.”

Samantha felt a wave of fear wash over her. This was not what she had signed up for. She wanted to get up and run, but she felt as though she was frozen to her seat.

The voice continued, “The spirits want you to know that you are not alone. They are watching you, always. They know your fears, your desires, your secrets. And they will be with you, every step of the way.”

Samantha’s heart was pounding in her chest as the voice faded away into the darkness. She knew she had to get out of there, but she was too terrified to move.

And then, suddenly, the lights came back on. The hooded figure who had greeted her at the door was standing in front of her, holding out a piece of paper. “This is the message from the spirits,” he said.

Samantha snatched the paper from him and ran out of the mansion as fast as she could, feeling like she was being chased by ghosts all the way back to her car. She didn’t stop running until she was safely inside and had locked the doors behind her.

As she read the message, her hands shaking, she realized that this was only the beginning of a nightmare she couldn’t escape from.

“Boo.”

Samantha sat in her car, breathing heavily and feeling foolish for ever believing in the paranormal. She shook her head and chuckled at herself. “Well, that was a waste of time,” she muttered to herself.

As she drove home, she couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. She had been marked by the spirits? Really? She was sure it was just some elaborate prank, and she had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

When she got home, she tossed the piece of paper in the trash and collapsed onto her couch, feeling relieved that it was all over. As she closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, she suddenly heard a faint whisper in her ear.

“Boo.”

Samantha jumped up, heart racing, and turned around to see…nothing. She let out a nervous laugh and rolled her eyes. “Real mature, guys,” she called out to the empty room. “Real mature.”