Tell me a STORY... Vol.2 / part 2

TELL ME ASTORY...

FOREWORD

When Tell me a story, Volume 1 was published in 2021, its main goal was to divert my students’ focus from the misery brought to us by Covid 19 to something that will bring them more joy, an alternate meaning to their young lives. Then, the complete writing process, together with the book promotion, wasdoneonline.

Tell me a story, Volume 2 has a similar purpose. It is meant to offer to my students an alternate pastime from their smart phones and computers. It is intended to enrich them with one priceless skill, one which, sadly, is being forgotten in these moderntimes,thewritingskill.

Reading through these pages, you will witness the immense brilliance and creativity of these young writers. You will walk through mysterious lands, meet the heroine and hero of this story collection, Elizabeth and Luis, and face their adversaries together.

Enjoy your reading; I am convinced that you will grow impatientforVolume3.

ValentinaBogojovska Englishlanguageteacher

SOUTakiDaskalo

Bitola

ECHOES OF THE FORGOTTEN

BY ILINA AVTAROVSKA

As the moon cast an eerie glow over the abandoned castle, shadows danced across its stone walls, setting the scene for a terror that would leave Luis Liebert and Elizabeth Fischer’s hearts reeling.

It was a sunny day, year 1827, Elizabeth was working on her scientific project. She was a 21-year-old girl who had a serious personality and who loved spending time alone and reading psychology and mystery Often spending her days engrossed in exciting stories, she enjoyed her own company. While searching for something for the project, she came across an intriguing article about an abandoned castle, located in the middle of the woods known as Bodiam Castle. It sounded mysterious and it made Elizabeth excited A few days after the research, she found herself drawn to the ancient castle nestled in the misty woods. With its towering turrets and ivy-covered walls, it exuded an air of both grandeur and decay Intrigued by its history and the secrets it held within, Elizabeth decided to spend a weekend exploring its shadowy corridors alone, but what she less expected was that on the same day, there was a man who went into the castle too Luis Liebert was a 23-year-old adventurer and reporter with an insatiable curiosity and a charming demeanor, stumbled upon the castle during one of his travels He was a charming and confident young man; he was also open-minded and bold. Entranced by its ominous beauty, Luis decided to investigate further, not afraid of the rumors of its haunted past.

As fate would have it, Elizabeth and Luis crossed paths at the entrance to the castle Intrigued by each other’s presence, they decided to explore the castle together, not knowing that their choice would change their lives forever.

The scent of dampness filled the air, cobwebs clung to the furniture, adding to the unsettling atmosphere, they decided to join forces, delving deeper into Bodiam Castle, determined to uncover the secrets it held While they were venturing deeper into the castle, they found themselves immersed in its rich history, uncovering forgotten chambers and many hidden passageways But then, the night fell and the castle was shrouded in darkness.

A sense of unease settled over them and they started to hear strange noises echoing through the walls Elizabeth’s legs felt as weak as jelly and her heart was pounding so fast as if she was running a marathon, but then Luis reassured her that nothing bad would happen and that they would leave there just as they had come.

Elizabeth came to her senses and then they explored a particularly decrepit wing of the castle; they stumbled upon a hidden chamber filled with ancient artifacts and dusty tomes. Among the artifacts, they found a peculiar-looking necklace adorned with a mysterious symbol Infatuated, Elizabeth reached out to touch it and remembered the quote:” I wear a necklace because I want to know when I’m upside down ” -Mitch Hedberg.

But then, Luis warned her against it, sensing an ominous presence lingering in the air. Ignoring his warning, Elizabeth reached for the necklace and placed it around her neck Suddenly, a cold chill washed over her and a voice whispered in her mind, beckoning her deeper into the darkness Luis was so scared and stunned that he thought his mind was slowly evaporating and his muscles were getting as weak as toothpicks Luis watched in horror as Elizabeth’s demeanor changed, it seemed like something possessed her soul. She began to speak in a voice that was not her own, her words were cryptic and unsettling Then, a dark shadow appeared behind Luis' body. Not knowing he did nothing, but then that shadow trapped Luis in the walls, leaving Elizabeth fighting with her possessed soul alone.

The other day, Elizabeth’s condition worsened, her mind was slipping further into the abyss Luis somehow managed to escape those walls. Desperate, he searched for a way to break the spell that had ensnared Elizabeth, but a shadow followed him from behind wherever he went and the castle seemed to conspire against him at every turn. Luis realized that the only way to save her was to confront the darkness which lurked within the castle's walls While Luis was going deeper into the castle, his heart was pounding with every step. Shadows danced along the walls, and the air grew thick with the stench of decay Finally, after so much effort, he came face to face with the source of the darkness, that is, the evil spirit that had been trapped in the castle for centuries, and his thirst for revenge made him possess the souls of the living. With all his strength, Luis fought against the spirit; he managed to break the curse that had bound Elizabeth’s soul, freeing her from the spirit's grasp. Luis immediately rushed to Elizabeth, but she didn’t know what was going on, she was so exhausted, her brain felt shaking and she also felt like it was almost going to melt like spring snow

Luis told Elizabeth that she had nothing to fear about, but, what he didn’t know was that Elizabeth was not completely healed, a twisted cross suddenly appeared on the back of her neck. She told him to head home, then mentioned that she would like to eat a cake with Luis because he liked cakes and he also liked to play the cello and read. Luis thought about it, but while they were together in the castle he didn’t tell her about his private life. He didn’t pay much attention to it and they walked away, hand in hand, out of the castle

After a few days, he published an article telling how they defeated the trapped spirit at Bodiam Castle, but what do you think happened to Elizabeth after she returned home? Well no one knows

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE UNKNOWN

BY DIMITAR KUMCHEVSKI

It was a beautiful sunny day in 1827 when two friends, Elizabeth Fischer and Luis Liebert, decided to take a walk through a remote forest They got ready and set off taking many things with them such as a lantern, clothes, food, water, a tent and many other things, some of which were unnecessary.

They were on their way to the forest, very hungry and tired because there was too much of a road, so they stopped to eat and rest After a long time, they arrived in the forest, but it was already getting dark They lit their lanterns and continued on their way. When it got dark they put up the tent and Elizabeth entered it Luis went to cut wood to light a fire to warm them because the night was cold. While he was cutting wood, he suddenly heard a loud scream from the tent He ran to see what was happening, he saw Elizabeth all scared and pale. Frantic, not knowing what happened to her, he immediately ran to her and asked her why she had shouted like that. To that she replied that she saw a ghost in the tent. Luis could not believe what he heard He asked her many times if she was sure. Elizabeth claimed that she was sure of what she saw.

Somehow he managed to calm her down. He did not believe in such supernatural, paranormal things at all They immediately went out of the tent and Luis grilled sausages to eat. Elizabeth was in no mood to talk to him, she was tired, exhausted and still in shock from what she had seen She was so scared that she asked Luis to sleep outside the tent because she was afraid to go inside Luis somehow managed to calm her down again and convince her that there was nothing, there was no ghost and they could spend the night comfortably in the tent. Elizabeth obeyed him and went inside

Tired, she fell asleep immediately Luis couldn’t sleep at all, so he sat awake. Suddenly, something unexpected happened. Luis also saw a ghost, perhaps the same one that Elizabeth saw As he watched in shock, suddenly the spirit disappeared. Frenzied by it all, shivers ran through his body, he could not believe his eyes He wondered if he should wake up Elizabeth and tell her that he believed her for he also saw something that he never thought he would see in his life – a ghost!

The night grew eerie as Luis sat there, grappling with what he had just witnessed The once calm atmosphere of the forest now seemed charged with an inexplicable energy. His mind raced with disbelief, trying to rationalize what he had seen, but there was no denying it – a ghostly apparition had appeared before him

As he debated whether to wake Elizabeth and share his experience, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that engulfed him What would she think? Would she believe him, or would she think he was mocking her? These questions swirled in his mind, adding to his turmoil

In the end, Luis decided to wake Elizabeth. He gently shook her awake, his voice trembling as he recounted what he had seen To his surprise, Elizabeth didn’t react with disbelief or skepticism. Instead, she listened intently, her eyes wide with understanding

“It’s real, isn’t it?” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustle of leaves outside. Luis nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him They were in this together, facing the inexplicable together

With newfound resolve, they huddled close in the tent, seeking comfort in each other’s presence as they waited for the night to pass. The events of that night would stay with them forever, forging a bond that transcended the boundaries of the ordinary.

As dawn broke and the first light of morning filtered through the trees, Elizabeth and Luis emerged from the tent, their shared experience etched into their memories From that day forward, they knew that some mysteries were best faced together, arm in arm, ready to confront whatever the world might throw their way

GHOST TOWN ELDERSTONE

BY MIHAELA PETROVSKA

What an unpleasant way for the mayor of Elderstone, Elizabeth Fischer to begin her day. She was greeted by police officers at her front door first thing in the morning to be informed of yet another murder that had happened in her town. Madam Fischer was distraught, to say the least, she couldn’t believe that yet another one of her citizens had unfortunately passed away. Elizabeth Fischer, at just the ripe age of 21, became the mayor of her town as her sad fate hadn't allowed her to do what her heart desired, to become a scientist, but her serious personality didn’t let her feelings take over her thoughts, so she embraced her role and accepted her duties as mayor

Madam Fischer thought long and hard about what to do to save her town and its citizens from the terrifying plight they were living in, so she decided to call and ask for the best detective and police officer in the whole nation, to be brought to her and solve the mystery as fast as possible and once and for all. After a few days, Sir Leo Liebert was brought to her, the best and most known detective in the whole state He brought someone with him, Sir Luis Liebert, his younger brother who wanted to be a journalist/reporter, a bright, confident, open-minded 23year-old young man and, since he thought this was the perfect thing to make a report about, he went along with his brother to finally make his big breakthrough in the journalism industry Madam Fischer, Sir Leo and Sir Luis all met up in the municipality where Madam Fischer’s office was located They were greeted by Elizabeth, her once beautiful face with a smile was now painted with dark circles and a frown so big you could see it from miles away They sat down and Madam Fischer explained the situation to Sir Leo, while Sir Luis was writing his report.

After the meeting, Sir Leo had already begun his investigation, he went to the house of the first victim, 34-year-old Josephine Ruby Jane who was brutally murdered in her sleep where the killer had left a shoe print and a message written in Ruby Jane’s blood saying: ” 1…. guess how many left” They investigated, collected clues and left for the following house.

64-year-old Agatha Rose Smith was drowned in her own bathtub, on the foggy mirror was written: “1,2 guess how many left” Once again they investigated, collected clues and left for the next house. They visited a few more houses and went back to inform Madam Fischer about what had they found Madam Fischer was absolutely flabbergasted and shocked from all the things that they found and she was relieved that they took the job seriously and found what was necessary to help put an end to this. However, regardless of all the evidence that was discovered, they had one problem- they had no clue who the killer/killers might be as there weren’t any fingerprints or anything that could possibly relate to a person, except for the handwriting on the walls

Madam Fischer was glad they were moving in the right direction, at least for something. Although they had no witnesses or ideas on who the killer/killers might be she was still glad and had hope for the future Days passed since the search of the houses and, even though the detective was Sir Leo, it was Sir Luis who was up all night for days trying to come up with reasoning and an idea on what might have been going on. During the investigation, 17 more people lost their lives, which led the town to lose more than half of its population fleeing from fear. Everyone was on the edge of their seats and scared for their life to say the least

Sir Luis decided to take things into his own hands, and went back to the houses to see if they had maybe missed something the first time He stood in front of Josephine Ruby Janes's house when he saw something He saw it shining in the sunlight and got closer to it As he slowly bent down he saw something so small and shiny, he dug it up-it was the half of a brooch He wondered about its meaning, why it had been dropped and broken

As he went to his room to get ready for bed, he opened the drawer to get his clothes and saw something shiny drop to the floor. He bent down, picked it up, and, low and behold, he saw a half-broken brooch! He was distraught and couldn’t believe his eyes! He pieced it together along with the other half he discovered He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw it connect…. he was disgusted at the thought that his brother could be the murderer As the door opened, he dropped it to the ground Sir Leo saw it and a grin formed on his face. Sir Leo broke the silence with a bone-chilling laugh Sir Luis hit his brother as strong as he could and left him unconscious.

Luis grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and dragged her out of the office. As they were running into the distance, you could see Elizabeth was finally free and could follow her dreams. What happened to them both is something that will never be discovered

FAMILY SECRET

BY DAVID BOGDANOVSKI

It all started in a small town called Alphacrest When Luis Liebert and Elizabeth Fischer met in the park, it was love at first sight; they got married, and Luis was the happiest man in the world He didn’t know he would soon uncover a mystery about Elizabeth, which would make him rethink his decision

For decades, everyone who got married to a member of the Fisher family was destined to have bad luck in life That was because years ago, Elizabeth’s great-grandfather did horrible things- kidnapping children, stealing, killing women and stealing their jewelry The first years as a newly married couple, were good; they had two children, a boy and a girl. Luis was working days and nights, seven days a week, without rest, just so he could put bread on the table. Elizabeth stayed home to raise the children When they eventually started going to school, everyone made fun of them because of their poor clothes Every day, the kids would come home crying, cursing their mother and father, wanting to leave because they couldn’t afford a new pair of clothes

That night Luis and Elizabeth couldn’t sleep because of the things their children said to them; they thought of an idea that might harm the next generations of the family, but they couldn’t care less Across from where they lived, there was a jewelry store filled with gold. That night, they committed the same thing as Elizabeth’s great-grandfather did-they robbed the store stealing every single piece of jewelry they could land their hands on. The next day, they went to another jeweler, sold all the treasure they collected and got a fortune for it

In moments, they became one of the wealthiest families in the town, making everyone suspicious; now the kids were finally happy; they had everything they wanted, new clothes, a bigger and better house, food to eat. They soon learned that money made in a dirty way would somehow harm their lives Years passed and their two children became deadly ill All the money they had couldn’t find a cure for the disease, and soon they passed away, leaving their parents without children

Luis and Elizabeth were devastated by the death of their children they thought about the crime they committed years ago when they stole everything from the jeweler making someone homeless The karma caught up making them heartbroken with no emotions left in their empty souls; darkness filled their lives

One night, someone knocked on their door They welcomed an old lady who asked for a cup of tea and started talking about their life since they got married The odd thing was that both of them had never seen this lady in their lives, yet she knew everything about them. She told them about the crimes Elizabeth’s great-grandfather committed making them both shocked realizing they had done the exact same thing as him. The old lady said that the only thing left for them was the pain of losing their children. She wished them good night and left, leaving them both stunned

Exactly 10 days later, they were woken up by suffocating smoke; their house was burning. They managed to escape seeing their house engulfed in flames, leaving them without a place to live The event made them rethink the value of money No amount of money could remove the darkness and loneliness they were left in.

THE CELLO

BY MAJA POPOVSKA

It was the start of October 1827, a cold and rainy night without much light on the streets It was quiet as a night could be and it felt deserted

There was a vacant position as a night guard for the local cemetery on one of the old walls of the small town; it was paid a decent amount of money Elizabeth Fischer and Luis Liebert applied for this job because Elizabeth was saving up to go to a science college while Luis was saving up for his journalist position. The cemetery was old and worn out, but people still buried their loved ones there; there were old graves dating back to the late 16th century and some even older.

There wasn’t anything off about the place. Well, except maybe the fact that some people claimed it was being possessed by something supernatural…it often sat alone by the creek that always stopped flowing as soon as midnight hit The townspeople were really concerned because every time there was a new night guard, after a night or two, they despaired; every single one of them was last seen by the creek but that didn’t stop Elizabeth and Luis from applying for the job. They both liked the mystery and thought, why not try and solve the mystery of the despairing night guards.

The first two nights were calm and nothing happened. Elizabeth was sitting quietly reading her books while Luis was playing his cello Suddenly, when midnight struck, the air got a bit chilly and there was a gush of wind On the third night, they both decided to go near the creek and see if anything happened there It was almost midnight; Luis was regularly checking his pocket watch so that they could get there right on time Elizabeth was holding the lantern tightly so as not to drop it After some walking, they saw a grave by the creek, hidden behind a bush. Elizabeth hid the lantern so it didn’t show any light and Luis was patently watching his clock. At last, it struck midnight and a large gush of cold wind started blowing around; the creek’s water stopped flowing and a strange black figure appeared sitting on the grave. It was tall and black, its face skinny; it looked appalling The deformed creature turned and looked directly at the bush they were hiding behind and reached behind the grave It took out something; it was a cello similar to the one Luis had It started getting closer and closer to the bush. Elizabeth and Luis got scared and ran for their lives

Suddenly, the creature got on all fours and started chasing after them! Luckily, it wasn’t awfully fast; after some time, it stopped and walked back to the creek. They were terrified and couldn’t believe their eyes.

The next morning, they decided they would go to the library and look for any information about this single grave by the creek After many hours of looking, they finally found that someone died right on that spot; since then, the person who died mysteriously appeared out of nowhere None dared to try and solve the mystery. They didn’t know how to proceed when a small note fell out of the book Luis picked it up and he put it in the other notes thinking he’d be able to use it in one of his journalist reports Later, Elizabeth held it up against direct sunlight; she saw that it said something, but it was too worn out to see clearly. At home, Elizabeth got to work and she did some experiments to see if she could see what was written on the torn piece of paper “The poor little thing just wants to learn how to play the cello…” the note said. She told Luis about it, but he didn’t want to go near the grave again

Needless to say, Elizabeth was convincing, so that night, he went to the creature and started playing the cello as the creature was about to attack At the first note, it froze and listened, at some point it sat down on the grave The wind got stronger, water was gushing out of the mud and the grave started cracking Soon after, a ghostly figure appeared and started screaming; the scream was so loud that Luis dropped his cello and covered his ears The creature came back to reality and was about to attack; it started running to him Elizabeth threw the lantern at the creature turning it into flames before it could reach Luis. A strike of lightning appeared; the following second, the grave vanished without a trace Nothing strange happened ever again, or so they thought

The cello wasn’t destroyed It would appear again.

THE TREE IN THE OLD PARK

BY ANDREJ JOSHEV

Once upon a time in 1827, Luis and Elizabeth were on a vacation in a village nestled among hills, not so far from their city

The house where they stayed was from Elizabeth’s greatgrandmother. It was surrounded by flowers, trees and grass. But there was one tree that held a special place in her heart It was a small, delicate tree with unusual leaves. It was her favorite thing from her greatgrandmother’s house

One evening, as Elizabeth sat by the fireplace talking to Luis, they heard a soft voice coming from the direction of the tree At first, they didn’t react to it, but the tree spoke a second time and they got confused. They started searching for where that voice came from

As they were searching, the tree spoke again: "Elizabeth," the tree whispered. "There is a forgotten mystery that lies buried in the depths of this village Only you can unravel its secrets”

In the village, there was an abandoned park The park was full of old trees and they were nearly falling down to the ground Elizabeth’s tree told them that the mystery was hidden in that park.

Luis and Elizabeth went to the park They searched everywhere Suddenly, they found a tree that looked like the one at the house. They got closer to the tree and it looked like there was a buried shelter under it They started to unbury the shelter. They unburied it and opened the squared entrance door

When they entered, they found a scratched journal that belonged to a young woman named Amelia, who had mysteriously disappeared many years ago The journal spoke of a forbidden love and a tragic fate that had befallen her.

As Luis and Elizabeth dived deeper into the journal's pages, they uncovered a web of secrets and lies that had torn apart the lives of the villagers. They were so curious to find the real cause of the mystery and started to do research

Luis and Elizabeth redirected the vacation into a mystery search.

They asked every villager they saw; no one had a clue about the real cause of the mystery They ran out of ideas on how to solve the mystery and went back to the house. While they were staying in the house, exhausted, they heard the tree talk again That gave them hope. The tree told them where to search

They headed back to the park Hours passed when they found letters carved on the wooden wall in the shelter The letters meant: “Amelia+Tristan=LOVE”. Luis and Elizabeth were hopeful again since they were really close to solving the mystery.

They started asking the villagers again. They asked if they knew someone named Tristan They told them that he was a handsome young man who hanged himself in the park after Amelia’s disappearance.

Luis and Elizabeth needed more information about the boy and started asking who exactly Tristan was The villagers told them that Tristan was crazy in love with Amelia and that he was trying to live a happy family life with her, but her disappearance stopped that from happening and he killed himself.

However, the truth about Amelia’s disappearance and Tristan’s death was something completely different. Tristan was planning on getting married to Amelia; they had a really strong bond between them He kidnapped Amelia to live a happy life with her, but instead, he stabbed her in her heart! She died in his hands, and he passed out for five minutes. When he came round, he saw Amelia’s blood on his hands and the knife on the floor He was petrified and couldn’t believe what he had done. He buried her under the shelter that was near the tree.

Tristan continued to live with sorrow, and one day went to the park to bring flowers to the grave. When he got to the woods he saw Amelia standing and crying He burst into tears and went to the shelter When he got inside the shelter, he grabbed a rope and hanged himself.

When Luis and Elizabeth found out the story they were really sad about the tragedy that happened They ended their vacation in the village and went back to the city. The actions that they witnessed and the mystery they solved would live long in their memory

SECRETS IN THE WOODS

BY ANA MARIJA KARANFILOVSKA

Elizabeth Fischer and Luis Liebert were known as the kindest people in the neighborhood for their good actions Luis loved to read; he would often help the neighbors’ children with their studies and homework and Elizabeth was always there to listen to her neighbors’ problems and struggles, even though she preferred her time alone.

One Friday night, while Elizabeth and Luis were reading a newspaper, they heard someone screaming. Elizabeth immediately felt a severe shock, while Luis rushed to the window to see what was going on He saw a person in full black clothing running in the woods. Previously, Elizabeth had read in the newspaper that there had been a killer on the loose who killed a 20-year-old girl in the neighborhood. Luis thought to himself that he had to find out who that mysterious killer was Elizabeth didn’t want him to end up being hurt. But, since Luis was a bold and open-minded person, he didn’t give up

The next day, he lied to Elizabeth telling her he was going out to meet a friend, when actually he was going in the same forest he saw the person going into. Elizabeth felt as if something was off; so, she followed Luis As she followed him, she realized that he had been lying to her She continued after him and caught up offering some support if needed. While they were walking around the forest, a strange shadow appeared and Elizabeth, scared, immediately hid behind Luis As they got closer, they realized that it was a wolf. They started running madly and got to the other end of the forest There they saw another shadow; but this time it was a human’s and they walked towards it. A person dressed in black was sitting on the ground holding the same knife he killed the 20-year-old girl. Luis carefully walked up to see who it was and to try talking to him. When he got closer, he heard a man ’ s voice crying!

With compassion in his heart, Luis approached the weeping figure and sat beside him, offering a comforting hand The man looked up, his eyes filled with anguish and regret. It was Mr. Johnson, the reclusive neighbor who had always seemed a bit distant Through tears, he confessed his dark secret-a secret that had consumed him with guilt and driven him to commit unspeakable acts Elizabeth's heart swelled with empathy as she listened, realizing that behind every facade lay untold stories and hidden pain In that moment, as the sun cast its warm embrace over the forest, forgiveness and understanding blossomed, healing all the wounds And as they walked back home, hand in hand,

Elizabeth and Luis carried with them not just the weight of their neighbor's burden, but also the profound knowledge that kindness and empathy could mend even the deepest wounds of the soul.

THE HUT

BY JOVAN NAJDOVSKI

Sunny days are good for anything. On that sunny day, Luis and Elizabeth decided to go hiking and explore deep into the forest The crisp autumn air filled their lungs with fresh and beautiful-smelling air. They didn’t know what was going to happen on that adventurous hike in the woods.

As the sun began to hide behind the trees, casting their shadows across the forest floor, it started to get colder and colder Luis and Elizabeth realized they had lost track of time and the path they had been following all day. Every path they took seemed to lead deeper into the heart of the forest, the trees closing in around them like walls of darkness. Panic began to rise within them as they tried to search for the trail they had been following There was no sign of it Hours passed and, the once beautiful forest, now felt scary, dark and suffocating. Each pile of leaves or snap of trees sent shivers down their spines as if unseen eyes were watching their every move. As they got deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to twist and make strange noises, branches reaching out like claws grasping prey. Strange whispers echoed through the woods, chilling Luis and Elizabeth to their bones Elizabeth clutched Luis's hand tightly, her heart pounding with fear.

As darkness enveloped the forest, they stumbled upon an old hut covered with bushes Desperate for shelter, they slowly approached the strange old structure. Its windows were shattered, and there was grass over the floor The wood appeared weak and worn out Despite their safety, they had no choice but to stay inside the old hut. The interior of the hut was just as old as the outside was The air was thick and filled with dust, and the floorboards creaked every time they had stepped on them. Luis attempted to start a fire while Elizabeth searched for any life around them, but no sign was found Elizabeth was calling out loud for help, but no one answered her. In the oppressive silence of the woods, they could hear only the rustle of leaves, branches cracking and wolves howling in the distance.

Suddenly, they heard steps marching through the dark forest, freezing them in place It seemed the thumping came from the depths of the forest. Luis and Elizabeth sat in place while their hearts were pounding in their chests As fast as they could, they barricaded the doors and windows with chunks of wood they had been collecting earlier, hoping to keep whatever was outside not to come inside

But their efforts were in vain. Shadows danced along the walls, and strange whispers filled the air Elizabeth was so scared she even started crying. Eyes glowed in the darkness, watching them with hunger and malice Shadows were seen between the trees, whispering dark secrets that sent shivers down their spines.

Hours turned into days as they remained trapped in the old hut, haunted by the unknown horrors that were outside waiting for them Their food supply was out, they had no food left to eat and their hope began to fade Each passing moment felt like an eternity All hope of ever getting back home was lost.

One night, as they hugged together for warmth, they heard a strange sound of footsteps approaching their hut. Dread washed over them as they realized they were no longer alone. With nowhere left to run, they grabbed sticks to defend themselves. As the door burst open, a blinding light filled the room, illuminating the figure standing in the doorway Relief was felt as they realized it was a rescue party Tears of joy started to come down as they knew they were getting back to safety, leaving behind but never forgetting the horrors of the forest forever.

Sunny days are good for anything. Or so we think.

THE HORRIFYING TRUTH

As Luis and Elizabeth were about to leave, they saw something in front of them that made them freeze in fear…It was a chilly autumn day on the 31st of October 1827, which was Halloween That day Elizabeth was alone sitting on her couch reading a book about mystery, she had always been interested in mystery books

Well, there was this palace named The Atrium Palace, which no one has ever investigated again since the passing of the Ashwood couple. The story was that a few months ago, a couple loved each other and got married A few months after their engagement, everything was fine until one night when Mrs. Ashwood saw her husband killing another man. When she saw that horror, her heart was beating so fast; it was about to burst of fear. She saw her husband's true character; in his eyes, she didn’t see the kind and loving man he was when they met Instead, she only saw pure evil. Mr. Ashwood saw that his wife witnessed everything. He threatened her not to tell anyone, or else he would kill her That went on for a few months; ever since the incident, he would get drunk and, once home, he would hit his wife Mrs Ashwood couldn’t handle it anymore and rang the police. Nevertheless, when Mr. Ashwood saw that, he killed her most brutally and decided to hide her body in a secret room in the attic. The police caught Mr. Ashwood; he was in jail for his crimes and had to face the death penalty

Sadly, they couldn’t find the lifeless body of Mrs Ashwood, nor the man. Mr. Ashwood had somehow escaped prison and came back to the palace to hide from the police but, because of the guilt he felt for killing both the man and his wife, he hanged himself The neighbors found the body and reported it to the police. The police wanted to find the bodies of Mrs Ashwood and the man Mr Ashwood killed, but sadly, they couldn’t find anything. This palace took Elizabeth’s attention, she wanted to find those bodies and bury them in a graveyard, so they could rest in peace

Luis and Elizabeth were really close friends who had feelings for each other. Elizabeth’s voice was like music to his ears. Whenever he needed help she was always there comforting him with her soft voice Luis was like a light to Elizabeth; whenever she was with him, she would have

nothing else but a bright smile and butterflies in her stomach But, none of them confessed since they were afraid of ruining their friendship.

That day, Luis came to Elizabeth’s house asking if she was ready and she slightly nodded They had packed an oil lamp, water and a notebook and pen to write down anything they would find. They began walking and found a faster shortcut As they were walking through the woods, the sun was slowly setting; the wind was blowing Elizabeth’s long, black, straight hair As it got darker, they took out the oil lamp and lit it up

Lastly, they were getting closer and closer to the Atrium Palace Once they arrived, they saw the palace, which sent shivers down their spine; it felt as if someone was watching them They started exploring first; they went around the mansion to examine the front and the backyard. Backyard, they found a small wooden cabin, so they entered it, but there was nothing. As they were about to leave, Elizabeth found the floor odd, so she moved the carpet away and saw a small door that led to an underground room. Luis took out his book and noted. They decided to go in What they saw left them in shock; they found the lifeless body of the man that Mr Ashwood had killed

Both of them were petrified; they left the body there so when the police came, they would take it. They decided to explore inside and try and find other secret rooms They split up and went to different rooms, but they couldn’t find anything; so, after that, they climbed upstairs hoping to find something Luis entered the couple’s room and investigated, while Elizabeth searched the guest rooms. While Luis was looking, he found the wardrobe odd, so he opened it and there was a diary hidden in a small place in the wardrobe. Quickly, he called Elizabeth and they both were convinced that the diary belonged to Mrs Ashwood, so they decided to read it. They flipped the pages where she was telling about her life with Mr Ashwood and how happy they had been, but they also reached the pages where she said that she had seen his true colors and how evil he had been They finally reached the last page on which it was written: “If you find this diary, it means I’m already dead and Mr Ashwood killed me This is the key to a secret room in the attic where you will find my body”

Luis and Elizabeth unlocked the secret room and when they went inside, they felt the hairs on the back of their necks standing up. They found the lifeless body of Mrs Ashwood killed most brutally Later, they were waiting outside and saw the bodies being carried out. Luis and Elizabeth were about to leave when they saw something in front of them that made them freeze in fear…

THE DIAMOND

BY JANA TEMELKOVA

One beautiful day, Luis and Elizabeth met in New York. They hadn’t seen each other for a long time When they were little, they lived in the same city and in the same street. They were so happy to bring back their childhood memories So, they sat in a restaurant to chat about the past In the small town where they both lived, everyone knew each other and seldom anything could stay a secret The kids often played in the forest where there was an abandoned house.

Elizabeth asked Luis if he remembered the night when they visited that old house in the late hours They were bewildered when they saw the broken windows and walls and heard cries and piercing screams They were standing in the middle of the hall downstairs when, suddenly, a strong flash of light blinded their eyes Luis said he could never forget the moment; his blood froze in his veins and his heart stopped beating for a moment

Elizabeth and Luis agreed to meet there at the weekend to explore that house once again. After a week they met again and they went to that house to find out its secret Before they went in, they met a woman and asked if she knew something about the house and what had happened there She told them that there lived a very rich family who bred horses. However, there had been an old curse which followed the family, even before the house was built First, their daughter died She lost her life while she was riding a horse. After several years, her son died from a mysterious illness for which there was no cure Overwhelmed with grief and pain after the loss of her children, the mother hanged herself; the father, after the loss of all his loved ones, threw himself into the river After that, no one lived in the house because cries and screams were often heard Luis and Elizabeth entered the house The doors behind them banged closed; the eerie silence welcomed them

When they entered a room, they thought they had found a clue to the answer to the curse. There was an old book covered in dust and decorated with symbols They took the book and wiped the dust In front of them, a door slowly opened and the shadows beckoned them to enter. The two looked at each other and knew they had to make a decision; to enter the world of shadows and uncover the mystery of the house or to turn back and continue their lives

Driven by their curiosity and longing to embark on the greatest journey of their lives, they were hoping to find answers

When they entered the world of shadows, they were greeted by the shadow of an old man He was the greatgrandfather of John, the father who threw himself into the river. His name was Tom. He told them that he had been a very bad person in his life. As a child, he was very poor but was fortunate enough to fall in love with the girl from the castle. Despite not loving her, he married her for her wealth They lived in marriage for two years and Stella truly loved Tom

Nevertheless, he couldn’t bear to live with Stella any longer and stole a lot of gold from her, including a diamond that had been passed down from generation to generation

Tom didn’t know that if the diamond got stolen it would bring great misfortune to whoever stole it and their family. Tom married the girl he loved and together they fled to another country, unaware they were carrying the curse with them. Tom hid the diamond in the house but tragically lost his life unexpectedly He never revealed where he had hidden the diamond and the curse continued to haunt his family.

Luis and Elizabeth emerged from the world of shadows and found the diamond. The diamond sparkled in Elizabeth’s hands. She said to Luis: “How beautiful this diamond is, but only as much as the harm it brought to the family”. How much peace would there be in the family if Tom married the girl he loved instead of the rich one? They would live modestly, but they would be happy and there would be no tragedies in the family Elizabeth and Luis left the house, heading to the museum to leave the diamond behind. Elizabeth was full of hope that a new love would be born in the house and that childhood laughter would fill it again. Luis looked at Elizabeth worriedly and secretly hoped that maybe the two of them would continue their life together in that abandoned house.

CRIMSON SKY

BY EMA LOPATICHKA

Elizabeth had recently been hearing subtle whispers, silent echoing whispers inside her head. Silent, yet deafening at the same time. She had always brushed them off as just little auditory hallucinations and never put too much thought, until one faithful day

One beautiful sunny day, Elizabeth and Luis went on a picnic together, something to take the edge off the last week, a relaxing little hangout They found a nice spot near a large oak tree, a sight truly out of a fairy tale, something that Elizabeth’s mom would tell as her bedtime story when she was just a child They sat down and spread the red checkered blanket onto the freshly cut grass below the tree The sun was shining brightly that day and the birds were singing. A day where you wouldn't think anything could go wrong.

After they finished eating and talking, Elizabeth and Luis decided to lie down and rest for a while under the tree, which was casting a calm shadow. Nothing but the birds chirping and the calm sounds of the leaves could be heard. The grass was swaying from the wind, her eyes slowly closed and she fell into an unconscious state; suddenly, everything fell silent "Fall", a deep voice echoed in her head She immediately opened her eyes, only to see everything in a dark crimson light The sky was a dark crimson red, the sun a piercing black and people were nowhere to be seen around her, not even Luis The silence was deafening Nothing but a deep rumbling could be heard that was almost making her feel as if she was suffocating "You can't escape what you ’ ve been running from Elizabeth", the mysterious deep voice said "You will soon meet your fate, and you will no longer see the light of day again", he continued Once you decide to face what you've done is when I will no longer make you return to this place, and if you choose to keep ignoring and running from yourself, I will make sure you face it by force. Despite everything, it's still you." "Wake up. Elizabeth." Everything fell silent. "WAKE UP." Her eyes swung open and she found herself back next to Luis, in a cold sweat. Except, everything seemed fine, just as it was before she had dozed off.

Luis noticed something was off with Elizabeth and he asked her if she was all right She lied to him that everything was fine, but she specifically remembered what happened in her dream that seemed so real She forced a smile and pushed back the unsettling thoughts "Just a bad dream, nothing

CRIMSON SKY • EMA LOPATICHKA

to worry about", she assured him, even though the memory of the deep voice and the crimson sky lingered in her mind like a terrifying melody Together they packed up their picnic and headed home, the events from her dream slowly fading in the background as the day went on But no matter how hard she tried to shake it off, Elizabeth couldn't leave the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach

As they returned home, a sudden screech pierced her ears Before Elizabeth could react, a blinding flash of light enveloped them. Those blinding lights were followed by the sickening crunch of metal. In the chaos of that moment, Elizabeth felt herself being thrown forward, the world spinning around her. And then everything went black. When she finally regained consciousness, it was not the comforting embrace of Luis or beneath the shade of the oak tree. Instead, she found herself trapped in a dark, suffocating void, a realm where shadows danced and whispered in the darkness. The voices were the same as her dream. They echoed in her mind with a chilling clarity

"You can't escape what you ’ ve been running from Elizabeth", they taunted, their words being a cruel reminder of the faith she had avoided. Despite the overwhelming darkness that surrounded her, Elizabeth clung to a sliver of hope, praying for a way out of this nightmare But as the day stretched into weeks and weeks into months, it became clear that there was no escape from the prison of her own turbulent mind

And so, Elizabeth remained trapped in her coma, suspended between the waking world and the realm of taunting, forever hunted by the echoes of her past and the whispers of her own conscience. She remained in that state of her mind, never hearing the words "I love you" from Luis, instead always hearing "You can’t escape Elizabeth".

THE FORGOTTEN

BY MATEA TRAJKOVSKA

It was just a normal Monday afternoon for Elizabeth and her childhood best friend Luis They went to the same school, so they had known each other from a young age; they would often go to school together and became really close friends Elizabeth always had this deep secret that was locked in her tiny soft heart that no one knew about She was sure that no one would ever find out… Little did she know, it was only a matter of time before everything would change

It was 1827 and Luis was engaged to a quiet nice girl named Andrea who was his age, while Elizabeth was single. She had her own private detective office, while Luis was working as a reporter for all kinds of companies. Elizabeth was a well-known detective and she always had people calling her to investigate Yet, her biggest dream was to be a scientist.

One day Elizabeth got a notice from the town nearby that they were suspecting a 15-year-old abandoned boarding school to be haunted They would hear kids laughing in the middle of the night, especially at 2:10 AM every night for the past three years No detective wanted to look into it; so, they finally called the well-known Elizabeth. She agreed, but, she needed help, so she called Luis to be her partner in this mission

A few people who lived near the boarding school showed Elizabeth and Luis its location It was still 5 PM, so, the boarding school looked normal, still abandoned, with scattered broken glass, no door, very old and dirty

At the mayor ’ s office, they found documents that said it was built in 1800, but, it was abandoned in 1810; its owner, a woman named Marta and her sister Natasha moved towns once they left school Marta’s daughter still lived in the same town; her name was Mia, and she was 27 years old. They went to interview her at her workplace She was a very sweet woman and really wanted to talk about the boarding school. Mia said that those years of her life were the best in her life She explained how both she and her cousin Bella loved that place and how she could still feel the joy in her heart when she thought about those memories made there Mia went on to explain the emotional attachment she felt and said that the moment they abandoned the boarding school felt like she abandoned herself, too

She felt like a part of her had died that day. This sentence clicked a button in Elizabeth’s mind the puzzle was almost solved They were left with no choice but to wait till 2 AM. Little did they know that this night would change them forever

The floor inside was barely stable, it was musty and dark, and you could hear the wind hitting the half-broken windows. The whole boarding school looked disgusting and depressed, with no joy for the kids that once were there. Suddenly, at 2:10 the laughing started, they could hear the joyful laughter of those children, playing and happily laughing Elizabeth could feel every emotion, happiness, sadness and emptiness, confusion, fear…everything. Luis was sweating and he looked petrified It continued for the following 15 minutes because 15 years had gone by since the abandonment.

Suddenly, Elizabeth saw young Mia as a ghost, crying by her side. She just wanted to be set free from her young soul trapped there for 15 years. The girl started yelling and crying angrily from all the hurt she felt. A piercing shriek was heard: “How could you come here, in MY SCHOOL, with MY friends and attempt to STOP the only joy we have left!? YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE YOUR ONLY HAPPINESS TAKEN AWAY SINCE THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE IS NOW MARRIED?!” she said while looking and pointing at Luis They couldn’t believe their eyes or ears Once baby Mia was done, Luis was left in shock and disbelief and Elizabeth in tears She felt attacked and betrayed; the secret she had been hiding her whole life because her biggest nightmare was losing him, even only as a friend, now became a reality She told young Mia that she could rest her soul and let go of the hurt her friends too It was her choice to make, to forgive and keep her little soul in peace and not in grief Mia’s soul heard those kind, soft words and she finally felt safe to rest.

Elizabeth and Luis left town the same night. Luis found out about the love Elizabeth had for him her whole life Once they got home, Elizabeth got a call from the boarding school; laughter was not heard anymore, so the mission was successful The only thing that was left broken was the friendship between Luis and Elizabeth. After that night, they never said a word to each other ever again He continued his life with his wife and job, slowly but surely forgetting everything he once had with Elizabeth Their friendship, the care he felt for her and every memory of happiness they once shared, all was lost. Elizabeth gave up being a detective; she fulfilled her dream of being a scientist, but never found another love like Luis.

CURSED LOVE

BY DAVID GRUJOVSKI

Once upon a time, in the 19th century, there used to be a village with many different people from all around the world, with all kinds of families. There was this one specific family that lived in a house filled with musical instruments The whole family had some talents related to music, mostly playing the piano and the guitar. There were 3 children in the family, two brothers and a sister But, something later in the years happened that left the oldest brother cursed and the whole family moved away from that village and never came back The boy was left alone and no one ever knew what happened to him.

Thirty years went by since that incident in the village, but the case was unsolved Luckily, there was Elizabeth, the greatest scientist of her generation This mission caught her attention and, of course, she asked Luis, the famous journalist, to join her.

Once they got into the village, they saw only a few really old people who still lived there So, Luis, like the confident gentleman he was, went up to an old lady who was sitting on a bench near the house of the cursed boy He asked her nicely: “I’m very sorry to disturb you madam...But I was wondering if you would know some information about the house that was abandoned 30 years ago?” The old lady smiled and replied: “I have been blind my whole life, I have never seen the house, but what I do know is that I could always feel the sadness of the cursed boy, walking around the house and the village, looking for the family that left him all broken I’ve heard stories that he was in love with a witch...” Luis got the information he needed and thanked the lady; it was almost night time so, the only option to discover something about the love of the witch was to go in the house and try to talk to the boy.

The house was made out of old rotten wood, it looked so lonely and depressed, it was stinky and everything seemed like it was on the verge of falling apart When they walked into the house, a loud scream filled with anger was heard:” WHO ARE YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME?” The boy screamed at Elizabeth and Luis They were both petrified but Elizabeth said in a calm voice that they came only because they cared about him and would like to know the undiscovered curse

The sad boy went on explaining that he was in love with a witch, she had long black hair and astonishing green eyes that took his soul, but sadly, she was only using him to fulfill

They fought against the spirits, using their knowledge and intelligence to find a way to break free Elizabeth's love for psychology and mystery helped them understand the spirits' motives, while Luis' bravery and determination kept them going Elizabeth's uncle, Mr Blackwood, was a renowned scientist who had dedicated his life to studying the paranormal He was convinced that the mansion was haunted by an omnipresent being, and he had been trying to capture evidence of its existence for years Elizabeth was fascinated by his work and eager to assist him

As they settled into their rooms, Elizabeth and Luis couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. As they stayed longer in the mansion, the angrier the being became, it started making loud noises and breaking walls, they could sense that it was incredibly mad. That night, they were woken up by a loud noise coming from the corridors. Elizabeth grabbed her lantern, and Luis followed behind her as they ventured out to investigate. As they walked down the dark, creepy corridors, Elizabeth's lantern flickered, and then it went out completely She let out a painful scream, and Luis quickly lit a candle He saw Elizabeth’s face and it was a terrifying disaster The strange haunting had whipped its claws against Elizabeth’s soft face and blood was rushing down her body like a flood, making the floor deadly red When Luis turned chills were sent down his entire body He got dizzy and started to throw up all while Lizzy’s screams got worse He snapped back and tried to help his girlfriend by ripping off a part of his shirt and wrapping it around her whole head, covering her before she could bleed out and die.

They found themselves in a room with no windows, wounded and hurt. The door behind them had mysteriously closed shut. In this moment Luis and Elizabeth both had lost hope, thinking that their end was near and that death was literally smiling at their faces. Just then, they heard a voice whispering their names. Elizabeth and Luis were frozen in fear as they saw a shadowy figure creeping towards them; adrenaline took over their whole body, making them almost faint and lose consciousness It was the being that Mr Blackwood had been trying to capture all these years The being spoke to them in a deep, eerie voice, warning them to leave the mansion before it was too late because they were disturbing its peace Elizabeth and Luis stood there all frozen and nearly dead listening closely to the being speaking to them One single wrong step would lead them to death They knew that there was no chance of standing against it so they figured that leaving that horrible place would save their lives

As Elizabeth and Luis left the mansion, they knew that they had experienced something truly terrifying and extraordinary Elizabeth was immediately sent to a hospital where she stayed for one month. On the other hand, Luis had suffered serious trauma because of what he went through and saw.

Elizabeth and Luis got married, as anticipated by all their friends. On October 13, Friday at 4pm Elliot was born Full of joy, Elizabeth and Luis couldn’t wait to meet their son As the nurse was walking towards them she had an odd-looking expression on her face. She didn’t say a word she just put the baby down in the hospital cradle and left spooked Confused and questioning, Lizzy and Luis looked at each other. They leaned over to look at Elliot when suddenly, the baby opened its eyes and All they could see was horror and terror within Elliot’s dark red eyes with fragments of black dust in them Was the baby demonic? Or maybe possessed from all they’d been through? Or maybe the haunting got in Lizzy’s blood? Was it in Luis’s? We really don’t know

THE HAUNTING OF ELIZABETH AND LUIS: A TALE OF TERROR IN THE HAUNTED MANSION

BY JOVANA PETROVSKA

Elizabeth and Luis had been friends since childhood. They grew up in a small town in England, where everyone knew everyone Elizabeth was always the serious one, with her nose buried in books. She had a love for science and was determined to become a scientist one day They soon became inseparable, spending every moment they could together. Luis, on the other hand, was the charming and confident one He was openminded and bold, always ready for an adventure. He dreamed of becoming a journalist and traveling the world Despite their opposite personalities, they were drawn to each other Elizabeth was fascinated by Luis' charisma and intelligence, while Luis was captivated by Elizabeth's intelligence and passion for knowledge They soon became inseparable, spending every moment they could together. As they grew older, Elizabeth and Luis remained close friends, even though their paths diverged. Elizabeth went off to study science at a prestigious university, while Luis pursued his dream of becoming a journalist But they always made time for each other, meeting up during breaks and catching up on each other's lives

One summer, Elizabeth received a letter from her uncle, who lived in a grand mansion in the countryside. He had invited her to spend the summer with him, as he needed her help with some scientific experiments. When they arrived, the mansion was a grand and imposing structure, with tall towers and dark, creepy corridors As they entered the mansion, they were greeted by creaking doors and eerie whispers. They brushed it off as their imagination and continued exploring However, as they delved deeper into the mansion, strange things started happening. Objects moved on their own and they could hear footsteps following them Elizabeth and Luis tried to rationalize it, but deep down, they knew something was not right As soon as they arrived, Elizabeth and Luis could feel a strange presence in the air But they shrugged it off as their imagination playing tricks on them. Soon, they started experiencing strange and disturbing visions Elizabeth saw a woman in a white dress, while Luis saw a man in a top hat. They both knew that these were not just hallucinations The mansion was haunted, and they were being possessed by the spirits.

They fought against the spirits, using their knowledge and intelligence to find a way to break free. Elizabeth's love for psychology and mystery helped them understand the spirits' motives, while Luis' bravery and determination kept them going. Elizabeth's uncle, Mr. Blackwood, was a renowned scientist who had dedicated his life to studying the paranormal. He was convinced that the mansion was haunted by an omnipresent being, and he had been trying to capture evidence of its existence for years Elizabeth was fascinated by his work and eager to assist him.

As they settled into their rooms, Elizabeth and Luis couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched As they stayed longer in the mansion, the angrier the being became, it started making loud noises and breaking walls, they could sense that it was incredibly mad That night, they were woken up by a loud noise coming from the corridors. Elizabeth grabbed her lantern, and Luis followed behind her as they ventured out to investigate. As they walked down the dark, creepy corridors, Elizabeth's lantern flickered, and then it went out completely She let out a painful scream, and Luis quickly lit a candle. He saw Elizabeth’s face and it was a terrifying disaster The strange haunting had whipped its claws against Elizabeth’s soft face and blood was rushing down her body like a flood, making the floor deadly red When Luis turned chills were sent down his entire body... He got dizzy and started to throw up all while Lizzy’s screams got worse He snapped back and tried to help his girlfriend by ripping off a part of his shirt and wrapping it around her whole head, covering her before she could bleed out and die.

They found themselves in a room with no windows, wounded and hurt The door behind them had mysteriously closed shut In this moment Luis and Elizabeth both had lost hope, thinking that their end was near and that death was literally smiling at their faces Just then, they heard a voice whispering their names. Elizabeth and Luis were frozen in fear as they saw a shadowy figure creeping towards them; adrenaline took over their whole body, making them almost faint and lose consciousness It was the being that Mr Blackwood had been trying to capture all these years. The being spoke to them in a deep, eerie voice, warning them to leave the mansion before it was too late because they were disturbing its peace. Elizabeth and Luis stood there all frozen and nearly dead listening closely to the being speaking to them One single wrong step would lead them to death. They knew that there was no chance of standing against it so they figured that leaving that horrible place would save their lives.

As Elizabeth and Luis left the mansion, they knew that they had experienced something truly terrifying and extraordinary. Elizabeth was immediately sent to a hospital where she stayed for one month On the other hand, Luis had suffered serious trauma because of what he went through and saw

Elizabeth and Luis got married, as anticipated by all their friends

On October 13, Friday at 4pm Elliot was born. Full of joy, Elizabeth and Luis couldn’t wait to meet their son As the nurse was walking towards them she had an odd-looking expression on her face. She didn’t say a word she just put the baby down in the hospital cradle and left spooked Confused and questioning, Lizzy and Luis looked at each other. They leaned over to look at Elliot when suddenly, the baby opened its eyes and All they could see was horror and terror within Elliot’s dark red eyes with fragments of black dust in them Was the baby demonic? Or maybe possessed from all they’d been through? Or maybe the haunting got in Lizzy’s blood? Was it in Luis’s? We really don’t know….

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Risto Grujovski, Director

SOU Taki Daskalo-Bitola

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American Corner Bitola