The Ghostly Secret of Shadow Hollow

By Nick Thornton

When Oliver's family relocates to the remote and eerie town of Shadow Hollow, he is filled with a sense of unease and curiosity. The mansion they inherit from a distant relative looms ominously on a hill, shrouded in mist and surrounded by a dense forest that seems to whisper secrets of its own. The townspeople are friendly but vague, exchanging nervous glances whenever the mansion is mentioned.

As Oliver explores the sprawling estate, he discovers hidden passageways, dusty attics, and an ancient library filled with books on folklore and ghost stories. One night, after discovering an old diary, he becomes captivated by the tragic tale of her life and disappearance over a century ago.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nick Thornton
• Release date: Sep 27, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227021007

Book preview

Chapter 1

Oliver stared out the car window as the trees whipped by, their branches twisted like skeletal arms against the cloudy sky, clawing at the air as if trying to reach them. The road to Shadow Hollow felt endless, a winding stretch of asphalt that seemed to curl and twist like a serpent, drawing them deeper into the countryside with every turn. His stomach churned with a tumultuous mix of excitement and dread, a feeling akin to standing at the edge of a diving board, unsure whether to leap into the unknown. Moving to a new town was one thing, a fresh start and new faces, but moving into a creaky, old mansion? That was a whole different brand of weird—an eerie thrill that both intrigued and terrified him.

Are we almost there? Oliver piped up, his voice slicing through the heavy silence that had settled within the confines of the car, laden with unspoken thoughts and bubbling anxieties.

His mom glanced back at him from the front seat, her eyes sparkling with a hint of enthusiasm that felt a little too forced, a veneer of cheerfulness plastered over the uncertainty of their new life. Just a few more minutes. Isn’t this exciting? Our very own house, and such a big one too! She beamed, a hopeful smile stretched across her face as if her optimism could somehow reassure them all.

More like our very own haunted house, Oliver’s older sister, Lila, muttered from the seat beside him, her voice laden with sarcasm. She had her headphones on, a colourful mess of tangled wires and earbuds that she’d often retreated into during their drive, but that hadn’t stopped her from launching snarky comments since they left their old home. I looked it up online, you know. People say it’s cursed.

Cursed? Oliver frowned, his mind racing as he considered the implications of her words. Mom, is that true? The mere thought of their new home being cursed sent a shiver down his spine, and he turned to his mother, searching her face for reassurance.

Their dad, who was glued to the steering wheel, let out a hearty chuckle that bounced off the car’s cramped interior. Don’t listen to your sister. It’s just an old house with some history. Every place like that has a few spooky stories, but they’re just stories. He attempted to downplay the atmosphere, but the way his eyes flickered toward the rearview mirror showed he might not be entirely dismissive of the tales himself.

Oliver wasn’t convinced, however. Deep down, curiosity warred with fear, and he found himself unable to shake the image of darkened hallways and dusty corners lurking just out of sight. Moving to Shadow Hollow had been a surprise for the entire family—a shock that had turned their lives upside down without any clear warning. Their great-uncle Henry, a figure draped in obscurity, who they had never even met in their lives, had left them the house in his will. A mansion, the lawyer had said with a flourish, as though it were the promise of endless adventure. Oliver’s imagination had soared with possibilities, conjuring visions of grand staircases bathed in sunlight, secret rooms filled with forgotten treasures, and echoes of laughter reverberating off the walls.

But now, as the trees grew thicker and the sky darkened into an ominous shade of grey, all he could think about were creaking floorboards that whispered stories of the past and shadowy corners where something unseen might be watching him. The excitement that had once danced in his heart was now entwined with a creeping sense of foreboding that made him shudder. Shadow Hollow, with its secrets waiting to be uncovered, suddenly felt like less of a destination and more of a riddle waiting to unravel. As the car continued down the twisting road, Oliver couldn’t help but wonder what awaited them in their new home—the kind of curiosity that often beckons adventurers toward danger, and yet, he was powerless to resist.

We're here! his mother proclaimed with an air of excitement as the car gracefully manoeuvred around the final bend of the long, winding road. Oliver's heart raced, caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of what lay ahead.

The mansion loomed at the end of an extensive gravel driveway, its formidable presence partially obscured by wild, overgrown bushes intertwined with thick green ivy. It was much larger than Oliver had ever envisioned, standing a formidable three stories tall with weathered grey stone walls that exuded an aura of both majesty and decay. The tall, narrow windows, some dusty and cracked, appeared to scrutinize him with an almost sentient curiosity, like silent, ghostly eyes observing a newcomer to their domain. The front door, a grand wooden structure, was flanked by two imposing stone pillars that looked like ancient sentinels, while a wide staircase, its steps cracked and worn by the passage of time, leading up to the entrance, inviting yet foreboding.

Welcome to your new home, Oliver's dad announced with a broad grin, expertly steering the car into the gravel lot before coming to a stop beneath the looming shadows of the mansion's facade.

Lila, his older sister, yanked her headphones off, disbelief etched clearly across her face as she surveyed the dilapidated structure. This... is where we're supposed to live? she questioned, her usual sarcasm momentarily evaporated by the eerie ambience surrounding the mansion.

Yup! his mother exclaimed, jumping out of the car with contagious enthusiasm. Isn't it amazing? So much potential! She gestured at the house, her eyes sparkling with hope and dreams of a restored home.

Oliver, however, felt a knot of uncertainty tighten in his stomach at the mention of potential. The house had an air of neglect as if it had been forgotten by time itself. The front yard was a wild tangle of weeds, and several of