BORONIA WEATHER

The Whispering Shadows by Lucas Aratangi Year 5, Borinia K12

In the small, isolated village of Ravenswood, nestled deep within a dense forest, there was an old mansion that had been abandoned for decades. The villagers spoke of it in hushed
tones, calling it the Whispering Shadows. They said that anyone who entered the mansion never returned the same.
One stormy night, a young woman named Eliza, driven by curiosity and a desire to uncover the truth, decided to explore the mansion. Armed with only a flashlight and her courage, she made
her way through the overgrown path leading to the mansion’s entrance. The wind howled through the trees, and the rain pounded against the windows as she pushed open the creaking door.
Inside, the air was thick with dust and the scent of decay. Eliza’s flashlight flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls. She could hear faint whispers, like the murmurs of a thousand
voices, but she couldn’t make out any words.
Determined, she ventured deeper into the mansion.
As she climbed the grand staircase, the whispers grew louder, more insistent. She reached the top floor and found herself in a long hallway lined with portraits of the mansion’s former
inhabitants. Their eyes seemed to follow her, and she felt a chill run down her spine.
At the end of the hallway, she discovered a locked door. The whispers were now a cacophony, urging her to turn back, but she pressed on. Using a hairpin, she managed to
pick the lock and push the door open. Inside, she found a small, dimly lit room with a single, ornate mirror hanging on the wall. Eliza approached the mirror, and as she looked into
it, she saw not her reflection, but the faces of
the mansion’s former inhabitants. They were trapped, their eyes filled with despair. Suddenly, the whispers became clear: “Free us.”
Terrified, Eliza tried to step back, but her feet were rooted to the spot. The faces in the mirror began to scream, their voices merging into a deafening roar. The room grew colder, and
shadows began to swirl around her, pulling her towards the mirror.
With a final, desperate effort, Eliza reached out and shattered the mirror. The glass exploded into a thousand shards, and the shadows dissipated. The whispers ceased, and the room fell silent.
Exhausted and shaken, Eliza stumbled out of the mansion and back to the village. She never spoke of what she had seen, but the villagers noticed a change in her. Her once bright eyes
were now haunted, and she avoided mirrors at all costs.
The mansion still stands in Ravenswood, its secrets buried within its walls. And on stormy nights, if you listen closely, you can still hear the faint whispers of the shadows, waiting for
their next victim.