Everyone in town said the house on Grayhill Road was cursed. But Tom didn’t believe in ghost stories.
He made a bet with his friends — he’d spend one night there. Easy money, he thought.
But once the sun went down, the house gave him the creeps.
The floorboards groaned. Whispers came from the walls. A door slammed shut behind him, even though no one else was there.
“I’m not scared,” he said aloud — but his voice cracked under pressure.
He turned a corner and saw a figure — pale, hollow eyes, floating slightly above the ground.
Tom tried to run, but his legs wouldn’t move. “What have I gotten myself into?” he whispered.
He pulled out his phone to call for help, but of course… no signal.
“I really bit off more than I could chew,” he muttered.
As the figure floated closer, Tom made a break for it. He ran for his life, not stopping until he was back on the road.
He never went near that house again.
Idioms Used in the Story
1. Give someone the creeps
Meaning: To make someone feel nervous, uncomfortable, or scared.
Examples:
- That abandoned building gives me the creeps.
- Her doll collection really gives me the creeps.
2. Crack under pressure
Meaning: To fail or show weakness when facing stress or fear.
Examples:
- He cracked under pressure during the final exam.
- The suspect cracked under pressure and confessed.
3. What have I gotten myself into?
Meaning: A question you ask yourself when you realize you’re in a difficult or scary situation.
Examples:
- Halfway up the mountain, I thought: what have I gotten myself into?
- When the job turned out to be a scam, she asked, “What have I gotten myself into?”
4. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on a task that’s too difficult.
Examples:
- He bit off more than he could chew by agreeing to finish the project alone.
- She bit off more than she could chew when she adopted five dogs at once.
5. Run for your life
Meaning: To escape from something very dangerous or terrifying.
Examples:
- When the bear appeared, they ran for their lives.
- The villagers ran for their lives when the volcano erupted.
