Ellie had heard plenty of peculiar rumours about Norwood Primary, but never anything like this. Most kids joked about ghosts roaming the halls after class, or the mysterious noises in the attic above the library. Yet none of those stories prepared Ellie for the screaming locker.
On a rainy Wednesday morning, Ellie wandered the empty corridor towards classroom five, her wet trainers squeaking on polished linoleum.
She halted abruptly, startled by a sharp, piercing cry echoing through the hall.
Eyes darting around, Ellie realised the shriek was coming from locker number 317. The shrill sound was agonisingly human, raw and terrified as if someone were trapped inside.
Her heart pounded furiously as she stared at the rusty locker. Gathering courage, Ellie approached cautiously, fingers trembling.
Slowly, she reached out, pulled the handle, and swung the locker open.
Instantly, the corridor filled with an ear-splitting scream of pure horror, sending Ellie stumbling backwards in fear.
Norwood’s Dark Secret
Norwood Primary, located on the edge of Brookshire, was an old red-brick building known for its sprawling fields, friendly teachers, and quaint charm. However, beneath its cheerful surface, Norwood hid darker mysteries.
Students joked about legends, teachers vanishing without a trace, classrooms freezing inexplicably, and doors locking themselves during detention hours.
Despite the whispers, most adults dismissed these tales as childish fantasies, until locker 317 began its horrifying cries.
Locker 317 sat in the corridor between the history room and the seldom-used gymnasium, a relic painted dull green and chipped around the edges.
Older students warned newcomers not to use it, hinting vaguely at its 'haunted past', though none could explain exactly what that meant.
Teachers scolded students for perpetuating silly stories, insisting lockers could not scream, yet secretly avoided assigning locker 317 themselves.
Ellie, who had transferred to Norwood only weeks before, never gave these rumours much thought, until the day she opened the screaming locker.
A Cry Echoing from Within
News of Ellie’s encounter spread quickly. Her classmates, Tommy and Izzy, cornered her at lunchtime, desperate for details.
“Did you really hear the locker scream?” asked Tommy eagerly.
Ellie nodded gravely. “It wasn’t a joke. It sounded...real. Like someone terrified was inside it.”
Izzy shivered. “We should investigate tonight, after school. See what’s really going on.”
The trio agreed, curiosity overriding horror. At twilight, the empty halls seemed far gloomier than usual.
They crept silently towards locker 317, flashlights flickering along dark walls lined with faded school photos. Ellie’s pulse quickened as they approached the metal door.
Tommy stepped forward bravely, gripping the handle tightly. He yanked open the locker. Immediately, an agonising cry exploded outward, reverberating painfully through their skulls.
This time, though, there was something else, a brief glimpse of pale, grasping fingers extending from deep within, vanishing as quickly as they appeared.
Izzy shrieked and staggered away. “Did you see that? There’s something alive inside!”
The locker door slammed shut violently, causing the entire corridor to tremble.
It Knows We’re Here
Days passed, and the haunting escalated. Locker 317’s anguished cries now echoed regularly, heard clearly by teachers and students alike.
Yet no one could bring themselves to open it again. Even the janitor refused, mumbling cryptically about disturbances from years ago.
One evening, Ellie, Tommy, and Izzy stayed late, researching old school yearbooks and dusty newspaper clippings in the library archives. There, beneath layers of dust, Ellie uncovered a yellowed clipping from decades past.
“Student Mysteriously Vanishes at Norwood Primary”, the headline declared.
“Look here!” Ellie whispered urgently. “Thirty years ago, a boy named Edward Crane vanished during gym class. His belongings were later found in locker 317.”
Izzy paled. “You think Edward never left?”
Suddenly, the lights flickered ominously. A cold, clammy draft brushed Ellie’s neck, sending chills down her spine.
Books toppled off shelves, crashing to the floor. The trio scrambled towards the exit, realising something had awoken, aware of their meddling.
Face to Face with the Locker’s Horror
Unable to endure the tormenting cries any longer, Ellie convinced Tommy and Izzy to confront the horror directly. Late one evening, armed with torches, they approached locker 317 with trepidation.
It was silent now, disturbingly calm.
Tommy swallowed nervously, reaching for the handle. As soon as he pulled it open, the screaming erupted fiercely, resonating painfully through their bones. But this time, the locker revealed its true horror.
Within its cramped interior lay an impossible, distorted space, a swirling, dark void from which a ghostly figure emerged slowly, painfully thin and pale.
Eyes wide with sadness and torment, the spectral child stretched out a trembling hand towards them.
“Help…me,” the ghost murmured weakly.
Izzy gasped in terror, frozen in shock. Ellie forced herself forward, sympathetic despite the overwhelming fear.
“How can we help?” Ellie whispered, voice quivering.
The apparition’s sorrowful eyes met Ellie’s. “Set me free…please.”
The locker slammed shut abruptly, ending their encounter. Breathless, the children stared helplessly, their minds spinning. They had glimpsed true horror, and it begged for their help.
A Haunting Set Free
Ellie researched tirelessly, determined to help Edward’s trapped spirit find peace. After poring over countless records, she learned that Edward had tragically been locked inside as a cruel prank decades ago, forgotten and lost forever within the darkness of locker 317.
Finally understanding what needed doing, Ellie, Tommy, and Izzy returned one final night.
Standing solemnly before the screaming locker, Ellie placed Edward’s photo, found in the archives, gently inside the locker door, and whispered softly:
“You’re remembered, Edward. You’re not forgotten.”
Instantly, the screams ceased, replaced by a profound, peaceful quietude. The oppressive darkness receded.
Ellie felt warmth touch her shoulder gently, gratefully. As the locker door swung slowly closed by itself, Ellie knew Edward was finally at rest.
Yet as they walked away, relieved and thoughtful, they couldn’t shake the lingering unease.
Norwood Primary had harboured this horror for decades, unnoticed. Ellie shivered, wondering uneasily what other forgotten terrors might still hide, silently screaming for release somewhere in the shadows of the school.
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