short story

THE SCREAM

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ankush roy

Once upon a time, in a small town nestled in the heart of America, there lived a young man named Edvard. He was an artist, known for his peculiar paintings that portrayed the horrors of the world in a way that was both captivating and frightening. People often referred to him as the "painter of screams". He was a man with a troubled past, haunted by memories of his childhood that he could never quite shake. Despite his success, he felt incomplete and yearned for a deeper sense of purpose.

Edvard lived in a secluded cottage on the outskirts of the town, surrounded by dense forests and rolling hills. He was a recluse, who kept to himself and rarely ventured into the town. The villagers whispered amongst themselves, speculating about the strange happenings that surrounded the artist and his home. Some even whispered that he was a sorcerer, capable of calling forth the demons of the night.
 

One day, as Edvard was wandering through the forests he stumbled upon an ancient manuscript, yellow with age. He was strangely drawn towards it, he though he heard the manuscript whisper to him in a mysterious voice. It spoke of a powerful artifact, a painting known as “The Scream”, that was said to have the ability to bring one's deepest fears to life.

In his hands the manuscript appeared to mould and contour grotesquely. Edward dropped the withered book in and watch in horror it contour to form a dark figure. The figure was shrouded in a cloak of shadows, and its eyes were two gleaming orbs that seemed to glow in the dark. Despite his fear, Edvard was drawn to the figure, and as he approached, the figure spoke to him.
 

"Painter of screams, I have seen your work. I have come to offer you a gift," the figure said, its voice like a whisper on the wind.
 

And so, the figure offered Edvard a canvas, a canvas unlike any other he had seen before. The canvas seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, and as Edvard gazed upon it, he felt a wave of fear wash over him. The figure told him to paint what he saw, to capture the fear that lived within his heart.
 

And so, Edvard began to paint. He worked day and night, driven by a force that was beyond his control. As he worked, the painting seemed to come to life, the shadows shifting and twisting, the eyes gazing out at him with a malevolent gleam.
 

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and still, Edvard worked on the painting. He became a shell of his former self, haunted by the fear that lived within the canvas. His friends and family began to fear for his sanity, but still, he painted, driven by an obsession that was beyond his control.
 

Finally, the painting was complete. Edvard stepped back, gazing upon his creation with a sense of horror. The painting was a representation of all the fear and terror that lived within him, and as he looked upon it, he felt the fear grip his heart.
 

And then, the painting spoke to him.
 

"Painter of screams, you have done well. But your work is not yet finished. I have one final task for you." And with those words, the painting reached out and pulled Edvard into its dark embrace. He was never seen again, but the painting remained, a testament to the horrors that lurked within the heart of the artist known as the "painter of screams".
 

Years passed, and the painting remained, its dark energy pulsing with malevolent power. People whispered about the painting, speaking of the strange happenings that surrounded it. Some even whispered that the painting was cursed, that it held the power to unleash the fear that lived within the hearts of all who gazed upon it.
 

And so, the painting remained, a warning to all who would dare to delve too deeply into the horrors of the world. For within its dark embrace lay the screaming terror of the artist known as the "painter of screams".

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