creative•MICROFICTION

The Photograph

Some photographs are better left undeveloped.

The Pathak
The Pathak@pathak
•
Sep 14, 2026
•
1 min read
The Photograph

He found the photograph while cleaning his grandmother's house.

It showed his family sitting around the dining table.

His mother was there. His father. His younger sister. And him.

He smiled at first.

Then he noticed the date written on the back.

Tomorrow.

He laughed nervously and put it back in the drawer.

That night, his mother called everyone to dinner.

They sat around the same table.

His father complained about the food. His sister was looking at her phone.

Everything was exactly like the photograph.

Except for one thing.

In the photograph, there had been five people at the table.

He counted them again.

His parents. His sister. Him.

And the empty chair beside him.

He slowly looked at the chair.

Someone was sitting there.

He just couldn't see them.

#Horror#Microfiction#Mystery#suspense
The Pathak
The Pathak@pathak

Lead Software Architect, Writer & Thinker exploring Technology, Science, Code, Ideas, and Words.

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Sep 15, 2026
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Sep 15, 2026(edited)
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