Sarah had only just moved into Flat 6 of the old building. The rent was cheap, and the landlord said the place was “full of character”. She liked the tall windows and the quiet street. It felt like a good new start.

On her first night, she heard footsteps above her. They were slow, heavy steps, walking from one side of the ceiling to the other. Sarah checked her contract. There was no flat upstairs. She tried to ignore the sound, telling herself it was just the pipes. Eventually, she fell asleep.

The next morning, she knocked on her neighbour’s door to ask if anyone lived above her. An elderly woman opened the door. Her eyes were tired, and she looked nervous.

“There is no upstairs,” the woman whispered. “No one lives above you. That part of the building is closed.”

That night, the footsteps returned, louder and faster. Sarah hid under her blanket, trembling. She wanted to leave, but she had no money to move again. “It’s all in my head,” she told herself, taking deep breaths.

On the third night, she woke to the sound of scratching at her bedroom door. She sat up, frozen. Something dragged along the floor, slowly moving closer. The door handle shook. She tried to scream, but fear stopped her voice.

Suddenly, the noise stopped. Silence filled the room. Sarah waited, tears on her cheeks. After a few minutes, she forced herself to get out of bed and open the door. Nothing was there. The hallway was empty.

In the morning, she went back to the elderly woman.

“You heard it, didn’t you?” the woman asked. She closed the door behind Sarah and spoke quietly. “The shadows. They move when the sun goes down. Anyone who lives in Flat 6 hears them. No one stays long.”

Sarah felt cold. “Has anyone… been hurt?”

The woman looked away. “We don’t talk about that.”

Sarah tried to leave that evening, but when she packed her suitcase, the shadows in the corners began to move. They stretched up the walls, like dark hands reaching for her. The footsteps thundered from above, shaking the ceiling.

She ran to the door and pulled the handle, locked. She hadn’t locked it. She tried again. It wouldn’t open.

The lights flickered. The shadows crept closer. A voice whispered her name, long and soft: “Saaaarah…”

She fell to the floor, shaking. The darkness covered her like a blanket. She screamed, but the sound disappeared into the black.

The next morning, the elderly neighbour knocked on the door of Flat 6. No answer. She sighed sadly and walked away.

A new sign went up outside the building: “Flat 6 for rent.”

---

Vocabulary Notes

Trembling
Meaning: shaking because of fear, cold, or nervousness.
Example: “Sarah hid under her blanket, trembling.”
Similar words: shaking, shivering, quivering
Extra example: He was trembling when he heard the strange sound behind him.

Whispered
Meaning: spoke very quietly, often so others cannot hear.
Example: “‘There is no upstairs,’ the woman whispered.”
Similar words: murmur, speak softly, hiss
Extra example: She whispered a secret to her friend.

Frozen
Meaning: unable to move because of fear or shock.
(Not about ice , a figurative meaning.)
Example: “She sat up, frozen.”
Similar words: paralyzed (with fear), rooted to the spot, motionless
Extra example: He was frozen when he saw the dark figure in the doorway.

Dragged
Meaning: pulled something along the ground with effort.
Example: “Something dragged along the floor…”
Similar words: pull, haul, scrape
Extra example: They dragged the heavy box across the room.

Whisper (the voice calling her name)
Meaning: a soft, quiet voice that is difficult to hear.
Example: “A voice whispered her name…”
Similar words: murmur, soft voice, hush
Extra example: She heard a whisper behind her, but no one was there.

Story written by ChatGPT.

Image created by ChatGPT.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

short stories, English short stories with subtitles, short bedtime stories read aloud, English short story, short bedtime stories for toddlers, British English story, short story, short English story, English story British accent, short stories, English stories, English stories for kids, British, British studying, stories, British lifestyle, moral stories, moral stories in English, British English, British phrases, stories for teenagers, British English lesson, British English at home