“Alone in the Dark: The Night She Heard Footsteps”

“Alone in the Dark: The Night She Heard Footsteps”

It was past 11:30 p.m. when Ayesha, a 21-year-old student, realized she was the only one left in the house. Her parents had gone to attend a wedding in another city, and her younger brother was at a friend’s sleepover.

At first, the thought of having the house to herself felt exciting. She made popcorn, turned on her favorite drama, and scrolled endlessly on her phone. But by midnight, the silence began to feel heavier than she expected.

The Silence

Houses at night have a way of changing their personality. The same living room that feels warm in daylight now seemed cold and distant. The walls creaked. The old clock ticked louder than usual. Even the sound of the refrigerator hum felt strange, like it was alive.

Ayesha tried to distract herself, but the power suddenly flickered. The TV screen went black. Her phone battery was at 9%.

That’s when she heard it.

The Footsteps

At first, it was faint — like someone dragging their feet across the wooden floor upstairs.

“Probably the wind,” she told herself, though the windows were tightly shut.

Then came another sound. Clearer. Closer. Footsteps.

Ayesha froze. Every hair on her body stood on end. She lived in a safe neighborhood; break-ins were rare. But in that moment, her heart pounded as if she already knew — someone was inside.

The Door

She grabbed a kitchen knife and whispered to herself:

“It’s nothing. Just the house settling.”

But then she heard it again — this time from the hallway. Slow, heavy, deliberate steps.

Gathering courage, she tiptoed to the door and locked it. She switched off the lights, hoping whoever it was would think the house was empty. Her phone buzzed — a WhatsApp notification — but the sound felt deafening in the silence.

Then came the knock.

A single, slow knock on her bedroom door.

The Voice

Her breathing grew fast. She wanted to scream, but fear sealed her throat.

And then… she heard a voice. Low. Male. Whispering through the door:

“Ayesha… open the door. I know you’re awake.”

Her blood turned to ice. She hadn’t told anyone she was home alone. She hadn’t posted anything online. So how did he know?

The Call

With trembling hands, she dialed her mother. No answer. She tried her brother. Nothing. Finally, she called 15 (Police emergency). The operator picked up, but before she could speak, the line went dead. Her phone battery had died.

The house was silent again. Too silent.

The Twist

Gathering courage, she decided to climb out of the window and run to the neighbors. As she pushed the window open, she looked down — and froze.

There, in the darkness of her yard, stood a man. Dressed in black. Face hidden under a hood. He was staring directly at her window.

Her legs shook so badly she almost fell. She slammed the window shut, heart hammering. When she turned back, she saw a piece of paper slipped under her bedroom door.

On it were just three words, written in shaky handwriting:

“I AM INSIDE.”

What Happened Next?

The next morning, her parents returned to find Ayesha unconscious on her bedroom floor. The police searched the house but found no signs of forced entry. No footprints. No fingerprints.

The only thing they found was the piece of paper. And to this day, no one knows who left it… or how they got inside a locked house.

Ayesha never spent another night alone again.