The Corpse's Cries: A Haunting Revelation

In the dead of night, a cold wind howled through the decaying mansion that once stood as a beacon of elegance. Its grand columns, now overgrown with ivy, whispered tales of a forgotten past. The mansion, now abandoned, had become a local legend, its name a mere whisper on the lips of the townsfolk who dared not speak of the horror that had befallen it a century ago.

Among those who dared to tread upon the mansion's forgotten grounds were four friends: Alex, the adventurous leader; Lily, the skeptical historian; Jamie, the tech-savvy photographer; and Zach, the curious but cautious one. They had heard tales of the mansion's eerie cries and, fueled by youthful curiosity and a penchant for the supernatural, decided to investigate.

Alex led the group through the overgrown hedge, the brambles scratching at their clothes and faces as they ventured into the unknown. The mansion's front door hung loosely on its hinges, ajar as if inviting them inside. They stepped through, the air thick with dust and the scent of decay.

The interior of the mansion was a labyrinth of shadows, each room more dilapidated than the last. They moved cautiously, their flashlights casting flickering shadows on the walls. The mansion was a relic of another time, its grand halls and opulent rooms now mere shells of their former glory.

As they made their way to the mansion's attic, the air grew colder. The whispers of the mansion seemed to grow louder, a low, haunting moan that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. Lily, who had always been the most skeptical of the group, shivered and gripped her flashlight tighter.

They reached the attic, and there, in the center of the room, stood a grand, ornate mirror. Its frame was ornate with intricate designs, but the glass was cracked and smudged, the reflection a distorted, twisted vision of the room. Lily hesitated, but the others pushed her forward.

As she approached the mirror, a chill ran down her spine. She reached out to touch it, and at that moment, the mansion seemed to come alive. The air was thick with a presence, and the mirror seemed to hum with energy. Suddenly, the mirror's glass shattered, sending shards flying in every direction.

In the chaos, a figure stepped forward, cloaked in darkness, face obscured by the shadows. "Who dares to disturb my rest?" the figure hissed, voice like a banshee's scream.

Zach, ever the brave one, stepped forward, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "We mean no harm," he said, his voice steady despite the terror that gripped his heart.

The figure advanced, and in the flickering light of their flashlights, the face became clear. It was a woman, her eyes hollow and her skin as pale as the moon. She extended her hand, and to their horror, the air seemed to ripple, and the woman began to dissolve into a mist.

Before the mist could envelop her completely, the group turned and ran. They fled the attic, the mansion's whispers growing louder with each step. They stumbled down the grand staircase, their flashlights flickering wildly as they made their way to the front door.

As they burst out into the night, the mansion seemed to shrink away, the sounds of its cries growing fainter. They stumbled into the town, their hearts pounding, and the mansion's silhouette fading into the distance.

Days passed, and the friends spoke little of their experience. But as the days turned into weeks, strange things began to happen. They found themselves drawn to the mansion, unable to shake the feeling that they were being watched. Lily's research revealed the mansion's dark past: a woman who had been wronged by her husband, who had taken his life and then taken her own, her spirit trapped in the mansion, forever mourning her lost love.

The friends knew then that they had released the spirit of the woman, and it was seeking to claim her husband. But the spirit had chosen them, and it was their fate to be her vessel. One night, as they lay in their beds, the cries of the mansion echoed in their minds, and they realized that they were no longer free to leave.

The Corpse's Cries had become a haunting revelation, one that would change their lives forever. They were trapped in the mansion, bound to its fate, their spirits entwined with the tormented woman's. The mansion, once a place of elegance and grandeur, now held them captive, a ghostly reminder of the past's reach into the present.