হোলি 2025: তারিখ, গুরুত্ব এবং উৎযাপন | Holi 2025 , Date ,Time

 

The Witches In My Family

Short Story :  The Witches In My Family
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark ( Horror Story)  
By Debopam Rai Chaudhuri . All Copyright Reserved 2019

 

My name is Emma and five years ago, when I was 20, I lived with my mother, my aunts and my grandmother in an old country house on the outskirts of the town. For as long as I can remember, they had been dedicated to witchcraft, something that, although I did not share, I had accepted as part of my life. However, that particular night was different, because I had never witnessed one of their rituals before.

 

It was a dark and gloomy night, with only the moonlight visible between the clouds. There was a heavy, dense air around me, as if it sensed that something strange was about to happen. My family decided to perform a ritual to ward off bad vibes from our house, and although it was not my custom, I decided to join them.

 

We headed towards a cave located near our house, a place that had always seemed spooky to me and which I had avoided going near. However, this time I found myself walking towards it, accompanied by the sound of our footsteps in the fallen leaves and the murmur of the branches moving in the wind.

 

As we reached the cave entrance, my aunts lit candles, while my grandmother held in her hands some old, dusty books whose contents I did not know. The candlelight cast ghostly shadows on the cave walls, accentuating my growing sense of unease.

 

My aunts began to prepare the ritual, arranging everything necessary on the floor. Among the items they would use was a bottle of goat's blood and a lock of hair whose origin I did not know. The mere sight of these objects increased my fear, but I decided to keep my composure and continue forward.

 

As the ritual progressed, my aunts and grandmother recited words in a language I didn't recognize, and I remained silent, watching every movement warily. I couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right, that this ritual had a darker purpose than I had been told.

 

Yet there I was, in the darkness, with my family, feeling a disturbing energy take over the cave. In my mind, a mix of fear and curiosity drove me to stay and find out what would happen next, not knowing that that night would only be the beginning of a series of terrifying events that would change my life forever.

 

At that moment, almost at the end of the ritual, my grandmother mentioned the name of my boyfriend, Jorge. I felt my heart stop for a moment and my blood run cold in my veins. Despite my fear, anger began to take over me. I couldn't believe that my family was doing something against the person I loved.

 

Enraged, I lunged at the makeshift altar and threw the candles and blood in a vase to the ground. Darkness filled the cave as the flames died down, my actions echoing off the stone walls.

 

My aunts and grandmother looked at me in surprise, while my mother tried to justify her actions, telling me that Jorge was not good for me, that he had no job and was unattractive, and that I deserved someone better. At that moment, my anger reached its peak and, unable to contain myself, I shouted at them to stay out of my life.

 

The cave seemed to vibrate with the intensity of my words, as if the walls themselves could sense my anger and pain. My mother and aunts looked down, while my grandmother watched me with an indecipherable expression on her wrinkled face.

 

The anger slowly dissipated, leaving behind a deep feeling of sadness and betrayal. I realized that in their eagerness to protect and guide me, my family had crossed a line that they should not have crossed. Despite the love I felt for them, I knew I could no longer trust them in the same way.

 

Silently, I gathered up the extinguished candles and left the cave, leaving my family and the unfinished ritual behind . The night had returned to its darkness and cold, but my heart burning with fury and indignation kept me warm as I walked away from that place.

 

I didn't know what the future held for me after that betrayal, but I was determined to face any challenge on my own, uninfluenced by my family's beliefs and wishes. What I didn't imagine was that that night of betrayal and fury would be just the beginning of a series of chilling events that would test my courage and change my life forever.

 

As soon as I got home, I grabbed a suitcase and started packing my clothes and most important belongings, determined to go to Jorge's house, who lived a short distance away. I didn't want to spend another second in that place where my family had tried to manipulate my life without my consent.

 

I was about to walk out the door when my family's witches appeared in front of me. One of my aunts looked at me seriously and told me that she understood my anger, but that what I had done was very wrong. She explained that leaving a ritual unfinished could bring serious consequences, since I was playing with forces that should not be taken lightly. She alluded to the fact that the devil did not tolerate such games.

 

Despite their words, I couldn't help but feel angry towards them. I firmly told them that I didn't care about the consequences and that I was leaving that house so they wouldn't bother me anymore. I asked them to leave Jorge alone and not try to interfere in our relationship again.

 

My aunts and mother seemed surprised by my determination, but my grandmother watched me with a worried expression on her face. Despite her reaction, I stood firm in my decision and left the house, feeling a weight on my chest that oppressed me.

 

I arrived at Jorge's house and told him what had happened, seeking comfort and support from him. He hugged me tightly, promising that we would be together and face whatever came our way. Although his words comforted me, I couldn't help but feel a growing fear inside me, as if the abyss of the unknown was opening up before me.

 

My aunt's warning about the consequences of leaving a ritual unfinished echoed in my mind, but I refused to give it any importance. I didn't want fear to rule my life and my decisions, but what I didn't know was that that night I had unleashed dark forces that would soon manifest themselves.

 

The first few weeks at Jorge’s house were uneventful. We felt happy and safe together, and I was beginning to forget the terrifying events that had led to my escape from my family home. However, that tranquillity did not last long.

 

One night, while we were lying in bed, we began to hear a strange sound, as if something was scratching at the walls. We looked at each other uneasily, but we didn't give it much importance, attributing it to some nocturnal animal or the wind.

 

Another night, George reached under the bed to look for something he had dropped and felt something lick his hand. He quickly pulled his hand away, describing a cold, scratchy, disgusting tongue. We were both shocked and frightened, but we could not find any logical explanation for what had happened.

 

Fear began to take hold of us when, on another occasion, while we were sleeping, we were awakened by noises in the room. When we opened our eyes, we saw something that seemed to come out of our worst nightmares: two of Jorge's stuffed animals seemed to have come to life and were mocking us, pointing at us and laughing maliciously.

 

Terror gripped us completely, and we began to question whether what was happening had any connection to the unfinished ritual I had interrupted weeks before. My aunt's warning echoed in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel that, in my desperation to protect Jorge, I had unleashed dark and dangerous forces that were now stalking us.

 

I knew I had to face the problem and find a solution before things got worse, but I had no idea how to do it. I had left my family and their knowledge of witchcraft behind, and now I was trapped in a situation that threatened to destroy the life I had built with Jorge.

 

With each new manifestation of these dark forces, tension and fear took over our lives more and more. Uncertainty and anxiety tormented us day and night, and we knew we had to find a way to stop this torment before it was too late.

 

The situation worsened considerably. One day, while Jorge was taking a bath, I heard a heart-rending scream coming from the bathroom. I ran there and found him trembling with fear. He told me that the water in the shower had suddenly become boiling hot, the bathroom light had gone out, and he had also heard someone calling his name repeatedly.

 

Listening to his story, my heart was beating a thousand miles an hour and fear ran through my entire being. I hugged him tightly and told him that everything would be okay, but deep inside I knew I was wrong. That same night, one of the worst omens manifested itself: one of the crosses that Jorge had in his room, since he was Catholic, fell and broke into pieces for no apparent reason.

 

To top it all off, Jorge started to feel very ill. He developed a fever, coughed, and his skin turned pale. His condition worsened rapidly and he even started vomiting hair, something that left me horrified and not knowing what to do. I could no longer deny the reality: the dark forces unleashed by the unfinished ritual were affecting Jorge, and it was my fault.

 

Desperate and feeling like I had no other choice, I decided to face my fear and return to my family's home to ask for their help. Despite everything that had happened, I knew that they were the only ones who could confront and stop the forces that now threatened our lives.

 

With my heart in my mouth and a determination to protect Jorge, I set out to face my family and the shadows of the past that now loomed over us. I had no idea what I would find when I returned to that house or if we could stop the evil that was stalking us, but I was willing to do whatever it took to save Jorge and get our lives back.

 

I returned to my family home with my heart filled with fear and resentment. Even though I didn't want to be there, I knew it was the only option I had to protect Jorge and put an end to the nightmare we were living.

 

My aunts, my mother and my grandmother were happy to see me back, but I couldn't forget what they had tried to do to Jorge. Still, I told them everything that had happened to us in the last few days, hoping that they could help us stop the dark forces that tormented us.

 

To my surprise, they didn't seem surprised by what I told them. They earnestly promised to help us and assured us that everything would get better. They even said they would stop interfering in my relationship with Jorge, acknowledging that they had crossed a line they shouldn't have.

 

Despite their words, I couldn't help but feel a certain distrust. However, I knew I had no choice but to trust them and their knowledge of witchcraft to confront the evil forces we had unleashed.

 

My aunts, my mother and my grandmother began to prepare a purification and protection ritual, with the aim of cleansing our energy and driving away the dark entities that were stalking us. They asked me to participate in the ritual and to confide my fears and worries to them, something I did with some reluctance, but also with the hope that it could save Jorge and me from the darkness that surrounded us.

With fear and resignation, I returned to the cave where I had interrupted the previous ritual. My mother explained to me that, in order to solve the problem that I had created myself, I would have to perform a blood sacrifice. I was given a chicken, which I had to sacrifice to obtain some of its blood and thus complete the ritual.

 

Even though I was horrified by the idea, I knew I had no other choice if I wanted to save Jorge and me from the darkness that was closing in. With trembling hands, I slaughtered the chicken and collected its blood in a bowl.

 

Then my aunts, mother, and grandmother began reciting words in a language I didn't understand. They asked me to repeat them, even though I didn't know what they meant. As I did so, my grandmother would cleanse me with herbs and my aunts would spit alcohol on me to purify my body and spirit.

 

The ritual became more and more intense, and the energies in the cave seemed to vibrate around us. I could feel that something was changing, though I didn't know if it was for better or worse. In my heart, I just wished for it all to end and for Jorge and I to get our lives back.

 

When the ritual finally came to an end, my aunts, mother and grandmother seemed satisfied and relieved. They assured me that the dark forces we had unleashed would now be under control and that we would not have to worry about them anymore.

 

Although I wanted to believe his words, a part of me still feared that the evil we had unleashed was too powerful to be contained. However, for Jorge's sake and mine, I decided to trust my family and hope that, somehow, things would return to normal.

 

When I returned home, I began to feel a peace that I had not experienced since the horrible events began. I decided to forgive my family, who seemed very happy and assured me that they only wanted the best for me. However, there was a terrible secret that they were hiding that I would not discover until later.

My trust in them began to grow, as the supernatural events had ceased and everything seemed to have returned to normal. When I asked Jorge how he was feeling, he told me that he was feeling much better and that he had not experienced anything strange in the last few days. We both felt relieved and grateful for the apparent calm.

 

I took the opportunity to apologize to Jorge for all the terrifying events that had happened to him because of me and my family. To my relief, he understood and forgave me, once again demonstrating the deep love he felt for me.

 

For a while, it seemed like everything was going well and things were getting back to normal. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right and that the evil we had unleashed was still lurking, waiting for the right moment to manifest itself again. Despite my uneasiness, I tried to ignore those thoughts and enjoy the peace and quiet that existed in our life. However, it wouldn't be long before my family's terrible secret came to light and changed everything forever.

 

My fear and despair grew as my apparent normality began to crumble. One morning, while I was sleeping, I heard a knock on my window. At first, I thought it was something supernatural, but then I heard Jorge's voice calling me. I opened the window and saw him drenched in sweat, his face pale and crying inconsolably. I made him sneak into my house so he could explain to me what had happened.

 

Once inside, Jorge told me that his grandfather had passed away just an hour ago. They had heard a scream of terror, and when they ran to check on him, he was no longer responding. His words made my heart swell with anguish, not only from the fear of the unknown, but also from the sadness of losing someone who had been so kind to me during the time of my relationship with Jorge. His grandfather had always shown affection and understanding towards me, and I couldn't help but feel deep sorrow for his loss.

 

What he said next was even more terrifying. When he went out to get help, he saw one of my aunts, dressed in black, spying on him in the dark.

 

Panic set in as I realized that somehow my family was still involved in all of this. Despite their promises to help us and not interfere in our relationship, they had continued to manipulate our lives and cause suffering.

 

I didn't know what to do or who to trust. My world had become dark and scary, and I felt like I was being dragged into an abyss from which there was no escape. I decided that I couldn't continue to allow my family to destroy our lives and that I had to confront them and find out the truth behind their actions and the dark secret they were hiding.

 

Instead of confronting my entire family at once, I decided to start by talking to my aunt in private. I woke my aunt up carefully so as not to make too much noise and asked her to come to my room for an explanation.

 

Once in my room, my aunt revealed to me that the last ritual they had performed had not actually been to protect me and Jorge, but to make sure I was okay, but at the cost of my boyfriend's suffering. They did not want us to be together and had taken extreme measures to separate us.

 

My aunt confessed to me that she understood how I felt, but that there was nothing she could do about it. She told me that many years ago, my grandmother had also not allowed her to be with the love of her life. My aunt was forced to leave her boyfriend to prevent my grandmother from burying a voodoo doll in the cemetery, which would have resulted in the death of her lover. She preferred to sacrifice her relationship rather than endanger the life of the man she loved.

 

My aunt’s revelation left me shocked and distraught. Not only had I discovered that my family had been manipulating our lives and causing Jorge to suffer, but I also learned that these kinds of interventions and sacrifices had been repeated in the past. I wondered how many times they had done this before and how many lives had been affected by their actions.

 

The tension in my room was palpable. My aunt, embarrassed and remorseful, apologized to Jorge, who was still with us. However, Jorge told me that he couldn't continue with me, that my family would never let us be together and that he wouldn't risk his life for an impossible love. His words made me cry, and my crying woke up the rest of my family.

 

I told them what had happened to Jorge's grandfather, how I had seen my aunt spying on him and that she had revealed the truth about the ritual to me. I told them that I hated them and that I was leaving that house forever. I begged Jorge not to leave my life, but before I could answer, my grandmother started laughing and warned me to stay away from him or I could end up like his grandfather.

 

At that moment, Jorge left my house and I confirmed to my family that I was leaving. But my mother told me that it was best for me to stay, because no matter where I went, they would always find me. She added that I should understand that men were bad, and that when she finally thought she had found a good man, who had been my father, he ended up cheating on her and when my grandmother found out, he caused her to suffer a serious accident.

 

I felt horrible about what my mother had said about my father and what my grandmother had done to him. I knew I couldn't report her, even if I wanted to, because it was witchcraft and no one would believe me. Jorge left the village, leaving me behind with a broken heart and a cursed family.

 

I locked myself in my room and accepted my fate in that family. For two years, I didn't want to meet any man and deep down, I hated my family. They taught me spells to protect me, but the situation didn't improve. Everything changed when my grandmother died a year later. That's when my mother and aunts allowed me to be free and they were free too.

 

In the end, we discovered that Grandma was responsible for everything bad that had happened to all of us. Without her, we were finally able to lead a normal life, away from the darkness and control she had exerted over us for so long. Although my relationship with Jorge never recovered, I learned to value freedom and to fight for my happiness, no matter the circumstances.

Copyright © 2019 Debopam Rai Chaudhuri

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