Whispers of the Coagulated Dead

The night was shrouded in a thick mist, and the moonlight struggled to pierce through the fog that enveloped the small town of Eldridge. Inside the dimly lit living room of the Johnson residence, four friends huddled around a small, flickering laptop screen, their breaths visible in the cold air. They had gathered for a peculiar purpose—an online séance, an attempt to communicate with the dead.

Alex, the organizer, adjusted the webcam, its red light casting an eerie glow on the faces of her friends. "Alright, let's get started. We're going to use this app called 'SpiritLink' to connect with the afterlife."

Sarah, the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "This is just a bunch of hocus-pocus, Alex. But I'm game if you are."

Tom, the tech-savvy one, nodded. "I've read about this app. It uses advanced technology to enhance our chances of contacting spirits. It's worth a shot."

Lila, the nervous one, clutched her fingers together. "I just hope it works. I've always felt like there's something... off about this house."

The app's interface was simple, a dark screen with a small, glowing circle in the center. Alex clicked the circle, and the screen flickered before displaying a list of potential spirits to contact.

"Let's start with the Coagulated Dead," Alex suggested, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and fear. The Coagulated Dead was a legend that had been whispered about for generations in Eldridge. It was said that a group of soldiers had been buried alive in a forgotten cemetery on the outskirts of town during a fierce battle. Their spirits had become trapped in the soil, coagulating into a formless, vengeful entity.

"Alright," Alex typed, "contact the Coagulated Dead."

The screen went dark, and a chill ran down Lila's spine. She could feel the weight of the house pressing down on her, as if it were alive with an unseen presence.

Suddenly, the screen lit up with a strange, pixelated figure. It was a ghostly soldier, his eyes hollow and his face twisted in rage.

"Who are you?" Alex asked, her voice trembling.

The figure's lips moved, but no sound came out. Instead, the screen displayed a message: "Revenge."

The room fell into an awkward silence. "What does that mean?" Sarah whispered.

Tom's eyes widened. "It could mean they're still here, somewhere in this house."

Lila's phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and gasped. It was a photo of the Johnson house, but the image was distorted, with a shadowy figure standing in the doorway. The shadowy figure was a soldier, just like the one on the screen.

"Look at this," Lila said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alex's eyes widened. "That's the Coagulated Dead. He's here."

Tom's face turned pale. "We need to leave. Now."

But it was too late. The house seemed to come alive around them. The walls creaked, and the floorboards groaned. The air grew colder, and the shadows seemed to dance just outside the periphery of their vision.

The soldier's figure reappeared on the screen, and the message changed: "Uncover the truth."

Alex's heart raced. "What do we do?"

Sarah's eyes were wide with terror. "We need to find out what they want. We need to uncover the truth."

The friends ventured into the house, their flashlights casting flickering shadows on the walls. They moved through the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen, their footsteps echoing in the empty spaces. The air grew colder with each step, and the shadows seemed to close in around them.

In the basement, they found an old, dusty box. Inside were letters, photographs, and a journal. The journal belonged to a soldier named Thomas Johnson, the same name as the house's current owner.

As they read the journal, they discovered that Thomas had been the leader of the soldiers who had been buried alive. He had written about their last moments, their fear, and their desperate attempts to escape.

In the final entry, Thomas had written, "We will never rest until we are avenged."

The friends realized that the Coagulated Dead was not just a ghost; it was a vengeful spirit, trapped in the soil of the cemetery, seeking revenge for the injustice done to their fallen comrades.

They knew they had to find a way to break the curse, to release the spirits from their eternal prison. But time was running out, and the house seemed to grow more malevolent with each passing moment.

In a desperate bid to save themselves and the spirits, the friends returned to the living room, where the soldier's figure still hovered on the screen.

"Please help us," Alex pleaded.

The figure's lips moved, and the message changed: "Seek the truth within the walls."

The friends understood. They needed to find the truth about Thomas Johnson's death and the events that had led to the soldiers' burial alive. They needed to confront the past and break the curse.

They returned to the basement, where they had found the journal. They opened it to the last page, where Thomas had written, "The key lies within the walls."

The friends followed the journal's instructions, searching the walls of the house. They found a hidden compartment behind a loose brick in the kitchen. Inside was a small, ornate box.

The box was filled with photographs and letters, all related to the soldiers' final moments. They realized that the soldiers had been framed for a crime they did not commit. They had been betrayed by their own commanding officer, who had wanted to take credit for the victory.

The friends knew that they had to confront the commanding officer's descendants and reveal the truth. They had to make amends for the past and break the curse.

As they left the house, the shadows seemed to fade away. The air grew warmer, and the house seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

The friends had faced the Coagulated Dead and uncovered the truth. They had saved themselves and the spirits from their eternal prison.

But the journey was far from over. The commanding officer's descendants still needed to be confronted, and the truth needed to be told.

As they walked away from the house, the friends knew that they had been changed by their experience. They had faced the supernatural and uncovered the secrets of the past. They had learned that some things are not just legends, but truths that needed to be addressed.

And so, the friends of Eldridge set out on a new journey, one that would change their lives forever.