The Corpse's Promise: A Ghost Story's Animated Oath

The moon hung low in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the dilapidated mansion on the hill. The wind howled through the broken windows, whispering secrets long buried beneath the dust of time. In the heart of this haunted house, a girl named Mei sat huddled by the fireplace, her fingers tracing the outline of a portrait on the wall. The portrait was of a man, his eyes hollow and his mouth twisted in a sinister grin.

Mei had moved to the mansion with her parents, drawn by the allure of the old, the mysterious, and the untold. Little did she know that the house was a vessel for the restless spirit of a man who had met a violent end years ago. His name was Li, and his death was shrouded in mystery, a story that had faded into legend.

The legend spoke of Li's last moments, his promise to rise from the grave and seek revenge on those who had wronged him. His spirit had been trapped in the mansion, his eyes forever fixed on the portrait that hung above the fireplace. It was said that no one who looked upon the portrait could escape the mansion alive.

One night, as Mei sat by the fire, the portrait's eyes seemed to burn into her soul. She felt a strange compulsion to touch the frame, to feel the cool metal beneath her fingertips. As her fingers brushed against the cold surface, a voice echoed through the room, a voice that was both familiar and alien.

"Little girl," the voice said, its tone smooth and sinister, "I need your help."

Mei's heart raced. She looked around, but the room was empty. She had heard tales of the mansion's ghost, but she had never believed in such things. Now, she wasn't so sure.

"I need you to perform an animated oath," the voice continued. "Only then will I release you from this place."

Mei's curiosity got the better of her fear. She had always been a dreamer, a girl who believed in the impossible. She stood up and approached the portrait, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I will perform the animated oath," she said, her voice trembling. "But what is it?"

The voice was silent for a moment before it spoke again. "You must draw a line from my eyes to my mouth. If you do it correctly, I will free you from this place."

Mei took a deep breath and reached for the charcoal. She drew the line, careful not to falter. As the line connected the eyes to the mouth, the portrait seemed to come to life. The man's eyes moved, his lips twisted into a more sinister grin.

"You have done well," the voice said. "Now, you must leave the mansion before the sun rises. If you do not, you will be trapped here forever."

Mei turned and ran to the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the spirit's presence behind her, a dark force that seemed to drag her back to the portrait. She pushed the door open and stumbled out into the night, the cool air rushing over her.

As the first light of dawn painted the sky with hues of pink and gold, Mei realized that she had escaped the mansion. She ran to the edge of the property, looking back at the old house, its windows dark and silent.

The spirit had kept its promise, and Mei was free. But she couldn't shake the feeling that the mansion was still watching, that the spirit was still there, waiting for its next victim.

Weeks passed, and Mei's life returned to normal. She continued to live in the mansion, but she never dared to look at the portrait again. She knew that the spirit was still there, waiting, and she had no desire to test its patience.

One evening, as Mei sat by the fireplace, the door creaked open. She turned to see a shadowy figure standing in the doorway. Her heart raced, but she managed to keep her composure.

"Welcome back, Mei," the voice said. "I have a new promise for you."

Mei's eyes widened in shock. She had thought the spirit had left her alone, but it seemed to have returned with a new plan.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her.

"I need you to perform another animated oath," the voice said. "This time, it is for a different soul."

Mei's mind raced. She knew that the spirit was manipulating her, using her to fulfill its twisted promises. But she couldn't turn her back on the mansion or the other souls that were trapped within its walls.

"I will perform the animated oath," she said, her voice filled with determination. "But I want to know who you are helping."

The spirit chuckled, a sound that was both terrifying and sinister. "I am the Corpse's Promise, and I will not be denied. The next soul to suffer will be yours if you do not comply."

Mei's heart sank. She knew that the spirit was serious, and she knew that she had no choice but to continue. She took a deep breath and reached for the charcoal, her fingers trembling as she drew the line from the eyes to the mouth.

The portrait seemed to come to life once more, and the spirit's voice echoed through the room. "You have done well, Mei. Now, you must leave the mansion before the sun rises. If you do not, you will be trapped here forever."

Mei ran to the door, her heart pounding in her chest. She pushed the door open and stumbled out into the night, the cool air rushing over her.

As the first light of dawn painted the sky with hues of pink and gold, Mei realized that she had escaped the mansion once more. She ran to the edge of the property, looking back at the old house, its windows dark and silent.

The spirit had kept its promise, and Mei was free. But she knew that the mansion was still there, waiting, and she knew that the Corpse's Promise was still watching.

The Corpse's Promise had left its mark on Mei, a mark that would never fade. She knew that the spirit was still there, waiting for its next victim, and she knew that she had to be ready. She had to be strong, to face the darkness that lived within the mansion, to face the Corpse's Promise.

And she had to survive.