One Short Story A Day

September 27, 2024

Prompt: Imagine if you had never left your home in your entire life and then were forced to go outside and never come back to your house.

Tucked away in a secluded corner of the countryside, nestled among towering trees and rolling hills, was a quaint little cottage. This cottage was home to a young woman named Adelaide, who had never once left its cozy confines in her entire life. Adelaide had been raised by her eccentric parents, who had instilled in her a fear of the outside world from a young age. They had told her tales of monsters lurking in the shadows, of dangers waiting just beyond the front door. And so Adelaide had grown up in isolation, her only companions the rustling leaves and chirping birds outside her window.

But one fateful evening, everything changed. A violent storm raged outside, shaking the walls of the cottage and rattling the windows. Adelaide huddled in a corner, eyes wide with fear as lightning flashed and thunder roared. The storm seemed to be calling her name, beckoning her to step outside and face the world beyond her front door.

And then, with a deafening crash, the front door burst open. Adelaide gasped in horror as a figure stepped through the threshold, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He was tall and gaunt, with piercing black eyes that seemed to see straight through her. Adelaide's heart thundered in her chest as the stranger advanced towards her, his footsteps echoing in the empty room.

"Come with me," he whispered, his voice like a cold wind. Adelaide shook her head, backing away in terror. But the stranger seized her arm in a vice-like grip, pulling her towards the door. Adelaide screamed and thrashed, but he was too strong. With a final yank, he dragged her out into the storm, leaving the safety of her home behind forever.

The outside world was a blur of color and noise, overwhelming Adelaide's senses after a lifetime of solitude. The stranger led her through the darkness, his grip never loosening, his eyes never leaving her face. Adelaide stumbled and fell, scraping her knees on the rough forest floor. But still, the stranger pulled her onwards, deeper and deeper into the heart of the storm.

As they reached a clearing, Adelaide saw a massive house looming before her, its windows dark and foreboding. The stranger pushed her towards the door, his grip tightening even more. Adelaide's mind raced with fear and confusion.

Who was this man? Why had he taken her from her home? And what awaited her inside that sinister house?With a sudden jolt, the stranger flung open the door and shoved Adelaide inside. She stumbled and fell to the ground, her heart pounding in her chest. The house was as dark and empty as it had appeared from the outside, the air thick with dust and decay. Adelaide's eyes frantically scanned the shadows, searching for any sign of escape. But the stranger stood in the doorway, blocking her only way out.

And then, from the darkness, a voice spoke. A cold, chilling voice that sent shivers down Adelaide's spine.

"Welcome, Adelaide," it whispered, sending a wave of terror through her. "You have been chosen to play a very special role in our little game. A game of life and death."

Adelaide's breath caught in her throat as figures emerged from the shadows, their faces twisted with malice. She realized then that she was not the only one who had been brought to this house against her will. She was not the only one who had been forced to leave her home behind and face the horrors of the outside world.

And as the game began, Adelaide knew that her life would never be the same again. She would have to fight for her survival, for her sanity, and for her very soul.

For she had stepped outside her home, and there was no turning back.