The Cursed Shack
In a desolate village, a poor man named Jack lived in a dilapidated shack. One stormy night, as he huddled by the fire, he heard a strange knock on the door.
"Who's there?" Jack called out.
No answer.
The knock grew louder, and Jack's fear intensified. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a gust of wind extinguished the fire.
In the darkness, Jack felt an icy presence surround him. A faint whisper echoed in his ear:
"You'll never be poor again."
As the storm subsided, Jack discovered a chest filled with gold coins in the corner of his shack. But his joy was short-lived.
Every night, the knock returned, and with each passing day, Jack's body began to wither away. His eyes turned sunken, his skin pale, and his hair fell out in clumps.
The villagers avoided him, whispering that Jack had made a pact with a malevolent spirit.
One fateful night, the knock ceased. Jack's shack was found empty, except for the chest, now filled with his own bones.
The villagers realized that the spirit's promise had come with a terrible price: Jack's soul.