In the quiet town of Elmswood, where the streets were lined with ancient oaks and the air was perpetually tinged with the scent of damp earth, there existed a legend that few dared to speak of. It was the tale of the Mouth-Gagging, a horrifying entity that preyed on those who spoke too much, or too loudly, in the dead of night.
Sarah had always been a chatterbox. Her friends often joked that she could talk the leaves off trees. But Sarah took pride in her ability to spin stories and share her thoughts. One evening, as the moon hung low and cast eerie shadows on the cobblestone streets, Sarah decided to take a late-night stroll. She had just finished telling her best friend, Emily, about a strange dream she had, where a dark figure seemed to be following her, its mouth grotesquely wide and silent.
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Emily had said with a nervous laugh. ¡°It¡¯s just a dream. Besides, the Mouth-Gagging only comes for those who speak in the night.¡±
Sarah dismissed Emily¡¯s words as mere superstition. After all, she had grown up hearing these stories, and they had never seemed real. But as she walked alone, the silence of the night began to weigh heavily on her. The trees seemed to whisper secrets, and the shadows danced like dark spirits. She couldn¡¯t help but hum a tune to break the oppressive quiet.
Suddenly, she felt a chill run down her spine. She stopped in her tracks, her heart pounding. There was a rustling sound behind her, as if something was moving through the underbrush. Sarah turned around, but saw nothing. She tried to convince herself it was just the wind, but the uneasy feeling persisted.
She quickened her pace, eager to get home. But as she walked, she heard it again¡ªa faint, almost inaudible sound, like someone dragging their feet. Sarah¡¯s mind raced. It couldn¡¯t be the Mouth-Gagging, could it? She shook her head, trying to banish the thought. It was just her imagination playing tricks on her.
But then, she heard a voice. It was low and guttural, almost inhuman. ¡°Silence,¡± it hissed.
Sarah¡¯s heart nearly stopped. She spun around, but there was no one there. The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Panic surged through her, and she began to run. Her breath came in short, ragged gasps, and she could hear the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears.
As she neared her house, she felt a hand clamp over her mouth. It was cold and clammy, and she could feel something sharp pressing into her skin. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. The hand was like a vice, squeezing the life out of her. She struggled, but it was no use. The grip tightened, and she felt herself being dragged into the darkness.
When Sarah¡¯s friends found her the next morning, she was lying on the ground, her mouth wide open in a silent scream. Her eyes were wide with terror, and her face was frozen in an expression of pure horror. They never found out what had happened to her, but the townspeople whispered that the Mouth-Gagging had claimed another victim.
From that day on, the legend of the Mouth-Gagging became more than just a story. People in Elmswood were careful to keep their voices down after dark, and those who dared to speak too loudly often found themselves waking up in the middle of the night, their mouths covered by cold, clammy hands.
If you ever find yourself in Elmswood, remember the tale of Sarah and the Mouth-Gagging. Keep your voice low and your thoughts to yourself, especially when the night is at its darkest. And if you hear a voice whispering ¡°Silence,¡± run. Run as fast as you can.
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