It started with a knock.
David was not expecting anyone. He looked at the clock. It was 6:17 in the evening. He had just finished dinner and was washing up. The knock came again, louder this time.
He opened the door. No one was there.
But on the doorstep was a small brown package. No name. No label. Nothing.
David picked it up carefully. It was light, like it was empty. He looked around. The street was quiet. Cold wind blew through the trees, but there were no people, no cars.
He closed the door and brought the package into the kitchen. He examined it. The box was sealed with plain brown tape. It looked new. There were no signs of who had left it.
He took a deep breath and opened it.
Inside was a single item: a black key.
Nothing else. No note. No explanation. Just a key.
David turned it over in his hand. It looked old, heavy, and worn, like it had been used many times. But he didn’t recognise it.
He tried to laugh. “Very funny,” he said to himself. Maybe it was a prank. But deep down, he felt something was wrong.
That night, he couldn’t sleep.
He kept the key on the table next to his bed. Around midnight, he heard a soft clicking sound. He sat up in the dark, heart racing. The sound stopped.
He got up, turned on the lights, and checked the front door. It was locked. Then he checked the windows. All closed.
But when he returned to the bedroom, the key was gone.
He stood still. Not moving. Not breathing.
The key was no longer on the table.
He turned slowly, and saw it. The key was now on his pillow.
David backed away.
He didn’t sleep the rest of the night.
The next morning, he tried to forget about it. Maybe he had moved it and didn’t remember. Maybe it was a dream. But the key was real. And it felt heavier than before.
That afternoon, while walking home from the shops, he saw something strange. A building he had never noticed before.
It was small, hidden between two houses. It looked old and empty. But what caught his attention was the door. It was black, with a large metal lock.
And the lock was shaped exactly like the key.
He stopped. His hands were sweating.
He looked around, again, no one. The street was quiet. Even the birds were silent.
Slowly, he took the key from his pocket. It felt warm. Alive.
He walked up to the door and put the key into the lock.
It turned easily.
The door opened with a loud creak.
Inside, it was dark. Very dark. But something pulled him in. He stepped inside.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Total darkness.
He turned quickly and pulled at the handle, but the door wouldn’t move. He was trapped.
Then, a voice whispered, “Welcome, David.”
It came from everywhere. From the walls. From the floor.
“What is this?” David shouted.
The voice laughed. “You accepted the package. You used the key. You opened the door.”
Light flickered above him, revealing a long hallway. At the end was a mirror.
He walked toward it slowly. In the mirror, he saw himself, but older. Tired. Lost.
He touched the glass. It was cold.
The mirror spoke.
“You wanted to know the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That there is more to this world than you see. And now… you are part of it.”
Suddenly, the mirror shattered, and darkness swallowed everything.
Outside, the key appeared on the doorstep again.
Waiting for the next person.
Vocabulary Notes
Prank
Definition: A trick or joke played on someone, often to surprise or embarrass them.
From the story: “Maybe it was a prank.”
Example: Tom put salt in my coffee as a prank.
Similar words: joke, trick, hoax, practical joke
Slammed
Definition: To close something forcefully and loudly.
From the story: “The door slammed shut behind him.”
Example: She was angry and slammed the door as she left the room.
Similar words: bang, shut hard, crash closed
Creak
Definition: A high-pitched sound made by something slowly moving, especially old wood or doors.
From the story: “The door opened with a loud creak.”
Example: The stairs creaked as I walked up to the attic.
Similar words: squeak, groan, screech (though screech is sharper)
Whispered
Definition: To speak very softly, often so others can’t hear.
From the story: “Then, a voice whispered, ‘Welcome, David.’”
Example: He whispered a secret into her ear.
Similar words: murmur, hiss (hiss is more negative or sinister), speak softly
Trapped
Definition: Unable to escape; caught in a place or situation.
From the story: “He was trapped.”
Example: They were trapped in the lift for two hours.
Similar words: stuck, caught, imprisoned
Shattered
Definition: Broken into many pieces.
From the story: “Suddenly, the mirror shattered…”
Example: She dropped the glass, and it shattered on the floor.
Similar words: broke, smashed, cracked (less severe)
Examined
Definition: To look at something closely and carefully.
From the story: “He examined it.”
Example: The doctor examined her arm for injuries.
Similar words: inspect, study, look over, investigate
Pitch black
Definition: Completely dark, with no light at all.
Used in previous stories; implied in this one as well.
Example: It was pitch black in the basement after the power went out.
Similar phrases: total darkness, completely dark, jet black (for colour)
Appeared
Definition: To become visible or to suddenly be there.
From the story: “The key appeared on the doorstep again.”
Example: A strange symbol appeared on the screen.
Similar words: showed up, came into view, emerged
Deep down
Definition: Used to describe a strong, hidden feeling or belief.
From the story: “But deep down, he felt something was wrong.”
Example: She smiled, but deep down she was sad.
Similar phrases: secretly, in his heart, beneath the surface
Story written by ChatGPT 4o AI
Image created by Flux Schnell AI
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CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads
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