Emily Carter moved into her new flat on a quiet street near the river. She wanted a fresh start after ending a long, difficult relationship. The building was old, with tall ceilings and wooden floors that creaked when she walked. On her first night, she noticed something unusual. When she lay in bed, she heard a whispering sound coming from the room next door.

At first, she thought it must be the pipes in the walls. Old buildings made strange noises. But the whispers were too soft, too human. It sounded like a woman’s voice, speaking quickly and quietly, almost as if she was trying not to be heard.

Emily pressed her ear against the wall. She couldn’t understand any words. Still, the whispering continued late into the night. It made her feel uneasy, as if someone was standing very close.

The next morning, she met her neighbour, an elderly man named Mr. Hill, while collecting her post.

“Do you know who lives in the flat next to mine?” Emily asked.

Mr. Hill paused. His expression changed slightly.

“No one has lived there for years,” he said.

Emily laughed, thinking he was joking. “No, really. I heard someone talking.”

Mr. Hill simply shook his head. “The flat is empty. It was sealed after… well, after something unfortunate happened.”

Emily felt a chill. She wanted to ask more, but Mr. Hill walked away before she could.

That night, the whispering returned. This time, Emily felt a strong emotion coming through the wall. It sounded like fear. A soft, desperate voice repeating something, over and over. Emily couldn’t sleep. Finally, she stood up, took her coat, and walked to the empty flat’s door.

She put her hand on the doorknob. It was cold.

The door was locked. But she could hear the whispering more clearly now. A woman’s voice saying, “Please don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.”

Emily’s heart pounded. She ran back to her own flat, sat on her bed, and covered her ears. But the whispering continued inside her mind.

The next day, she returned to Mr. Hill.

“What happened in that flat?” she asked.

Mr. Hill sighed and spoke slowly.

“A woman lived there with her boyfriend. She loved him very much. But he decided to leave her. They had a terrible argument. She begged him not to go. But he left anyway. She… she couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want to be alone.”

He looked down.
“She took her own life in that room. Some people say she’s still there, whispering, asking him not to leave.”

Emily felt cold, as if a shadow had fallen over her. That night, she sat still in her bed, listening. The whispering was clearer than ever.

“Please don’t leave me…”

The sadness in the voice felt heavy, like it was filling the room. Emily spoke softly into the dark.

“I’m here,” she said. “You’re not alone.”

For a moment, the room was silent. Completely silent.

And then, slowly, the whispering faded. It did not return.

The next morning, the air in the flat felt lighter. The rooms looked brighter. Emily realised that, somehow, the lonely spirit had finally been heard.

She never heard the whispering again, and from that day on, she felt stronger, like she had found a way to comfort another person’s pain, as well as her own.

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Vocabulary Notes

Uneasy
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable, worried, or nervous about something.
In the story: “It made her feel uneasy, as if someone was standing very close.”
Example sentence: She felt uneasy walking home in the dark.
Similar words: anxious, unsettled, nervous, uncomfortable

Whisper
Meaning: To speak very softly, often so only one person nearby can hear.
In the story: “She heard a whispering sound coming from the room next door.”
Example sentence: He whispered to her during the film so they wouldn’t disturb others.
Similar words: murmur, breathe, hiss (soft speaking sounds)

Sealed
Meaning: Closed or locked tightly so nothing can enter or leave.
In the story: “The flat is empty. It was sealed after… something unfortunate happened.”
Example sentence: The envelope was sealed so that nobody could read the letter inside.
Similar words: shut, closed off, locked

Desperate
Meaning: Feeling a strong need or desire for something, often because the situation is very bad.
In the story: “A soft, desperate voice repeating something, over and over.”
Example sentence: He was desperate for help, but no one could hear him.
Similar words: hopeless, frantic, longing, urgent

Accept
Meaning: To recognise something as true, or to come to terms with a situation emotionally.
In the story: “She couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want to be alone.”
Example sentence: It took him a long time to accept that the relationship was over.
Similar words: come to terms with, acknowledge, face, endure

Story written by ChatGPT AI.

Image created by 1min.ai.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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