THE SMILE
A Psychological Horror Story
Written by Sumit Salmuthe
Language: English
“A
smile can end a fight. A smile can calm anger. But sometimes… a smile can destroy a life.”
The Smile
Sumit Vishnu Salmuthe
Copyright © 2026 by Sumit Vishnu Salmuthe. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical reviews or certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
First Edition – 2026
Language: English
Written
by
Sumit Vishnu Salmuthe
About the Author
Sumit Vishnu Salmuthe is an emerging writer with a passion for psychological horror and suspense storytelling. His work often explores the darker side of human curiosity, technology, and fear, turning ordinary situations into deeply unsettling experiences.
He is the author of The Smile, a psychological horror story that explores how a simple online interaction can lead to something far more terrifying than expected. He is also the creator of The Weight of Silence, another work that reflects his interest in dark themes, mystery, and psychological tension.
Through his writing, Sumit aims to create stories that slowly build suspense and leave readers thinking long after the story ends.
When he is not writing, Sumit enjoys exploring creative storytelling ideas, learning new technologies, and developing his skills in web development and digital creativity.
The Smile
Asmile is something that can end any fight. A smile is something that can calm even
the angriest person. A smile is not just a word; it is a path that leads a person’s life toward peace. People say that bringing a smile to the face of someone who is crying is one of the greatest good deeds.
But what if that same smile destroys someone’s life?
What if that same smile starts to haunt you?
That is exactly what happened with Sam… a boy who always smiled.
Sam was a simple and calm college student. He was a cheerful boy who stayed happy himself and also brought smiles to other people’s faces. Because of this, everyone in college called him “The Smiling Boy.”
Sam lived alone in his apartment. He liked living alone because there were some problems in his life that he couldn’t share with anyone. He came from a middle-class family, and he always tried to help his parents in some way. That was why he constantly searched for ways to earn money online.
One day, while Sam was surfing the internet, he received an anonymous email. The email said:
“If you want to earn money, click the link below.” Before opening the link, Sam replied:
“Who are you? And what is this link?”
Sam was a smart boy. He knew about online scams. Many frauds on the internet lure people with money, collect their personal data, and later blackmail them. So Sam wanted to know who this person really was. Sam asked the sender to prove his identity. In response, the person sent his contact number, email address, and a video meeting link. It looked legitimate. Sam requested a video call. Soon the video call started. On the screen was a man wearing professional clothes, looking like an employee of a company.
He introduced himself:
“Hello sir, my name is Rob, and I work in an international company as a Recruitment Manager. I saw your application where you were looking for opportunities to earn money.”
Sam replied:
“Yes sir, I applied because I want to earn money.” Rob said:
“Don’t worry. Our company provides online work to students like you. Once you start earning, we take a small amount from your earnings as our service fee.”
Sam asked,
“How much money will I earn?”
Rob replied,
“According to your application, you seem like a good writer and editor. So your starting salary will be ₹25,000 per month.” Sam was surprised.
“₹25,000 per month? Will I really get that?”
Sam felt happy because he had never earned money before.
He asked,
“How much will you take from that?”
Rob replied,
“Only ₹2,000 per month. That means ₹23,000 will be transferred to your account.”
Sam thought that even if they took some money, it wouldn’t matter. So he accepted the deal.
Rob said:
“If you accept this offer, click the link below and fill in your email, contact number, full name, and address so we can create your record.”
After that, the video call ended. Sam filled in all the details. Then he received a link to download an app. As soon as Sam installed the app, it secretly gained access to his mobile phone and laptop. But Sam had no idea about it. A few days later, Sam received another email.
The message said:
“Please open this link to accept our regards.”
Sam opened the link. On the screen, a gift box animation appeared. When he clicked on the box, a smiling toy popped out.
Below it was a message:
“Thank you for your service. Your gift will arrive soon.”
The next night, Sam found a gift box placed outside his door. He brought it inside and opened it. Inside was the same smiling toy.
“Hmm… cute,” Sam said.
There was also a small note in the box:
“Place him where you spend most of your time.”
Sam placed the toy on his laptop table, where he spent most of his time. Sometimes while working, his eyes would automatically move toward the toy, and he would feel a strange chill down his spine. But because of the money, he ignored these feelings.
The next day, Sam tried to call his friend Harry. But Harry’s phone was switched off. Even the phone at Harry’s house was off. Sam thought they might have gone somewhere.
Everything seemed normal for a few days. But after a month passed, Sam still didn’t receive any salary. So he emailed the company: “Sir, it has been a month, but I still haven’t received any payment.” A reply came instantly:
“He is watching you and smiling.”
Sam was confused. He replied, “Sir, I am asking about my salary.” Another message arrived:
“Where is your friend and his family?”
Sam was shocked. How did they know about his friend?
Then another message came:
“This happened because of you, Sam. You are responsible.”
After that, the replies stopped. At that moment, Sam received a call from Harry’s number. As soon as he answered, he heard only a distorted rubbing sound.
Then a faint voice said:
“Sam…”
Sam quickly cut the call. When he looked at the toy, he noticed that its smile seemed slightly bigger than before. Worried about Harry, Sam ran to his house. But the house was empty. No locks. No signs of anyone. Even the neighbors knew nothing. That night, at 11:47 PM, Sam returned to his apartment. The room was silent. Only the ticking clock and the glow of the laptop screen filled the room.
Sam looked at the toy on the table. This time, he clearly noticed that its smile had grown wider. Sam suddenly remembered another note from the box. He searched the trash and found it.
It read:
“Keep him where he can see you smile.”
At that moment, the laptop turned on by itself. A new message appeared.
“Why aren’t you smiling today, Sam?”
Sam’s heart started beating fast. Another message appeared:
“Don’t worry… he is watching for us.”
Sam slowly looked toward the toy. His blood froze. The toy’s face was now turned directly toward him, even though he remembered placing it facing the other direction. Sam quickly grabbed the toy and locked it inside the cupboard.
The room became silent again. Five minutes passed. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Sam’s phone vibrated.
Unknown message:
“You shouldn’t hide him.”
At that moment, a scratching sound came from inside the cupboard. Like tiny fingers scratching the door from inside.
Then a whisper:
“Sam… smile…”
Sam froze. His throat went dry. Gathering courage, he slowly opened the cupboard. The toy was sitting there quietly. But its smile had become even wider. Its eyes looked dark, like deep shadows. In the toy’s hoodie pocket, Sam found a small folded paper. He opened it.
It read:
“1 Smile Received.” Suddenly the TV turned on by itself. A news report appeared: “Last night, a college student named Harry and his family mysteriously disappeared.” Sam felt his body freeze. His phone vibrated again.
Message:
“Every smile has a price.”
Another message followed:
“Now it’s your turn.”
Sam spent the whole night searching the internet. Different forums. Dark websites. Old posts. He discovered that many people around the world had experienced the same thing. They all received the same job email. They all received the same smiling toy. And someone close to them disappeared. Then their lives were destroyed.
Suddenly, a final message appeared on Sam’s laptop.
“Send the invitation.”
Below it, small text said:
“Send the invitation to someone else… or disappear yourself.”
Sam looked at the toy. It seemed to be waiting for his decision. After a long silence, Sam created a new anonymous email account. He searched for a random student’s email address. Then he typed:
“If you want to earn money, click the link below.”
Sam sent the email. The room became completely silent. The toy’s smile slowly grew wider. The next morning, Sam woke up. The toy was gone. But on his laptop there was a message from a new account. The profile name was Robin. Robin was the person who had received the toy before Sam.
The message said: “Send me to someone else.”
A few hours later… In another city, a college student opened his laptop. He saw a new email.
From: Sam R.
Subject: Opportunity for Students
Curious, he clicked the link. A message appeared on his screen:
“Thank you for your service.”
Later that night, a gift box was delivered to his door. Inside the box was the same smiling toy. But this time… The toy’s face looked like Sam’s face.
And below it were the words:
“SMILE NEVER ENDS.”
“Not everything you see on the internet is real. Sometimes a simple click can open the door to something far more dangerous than you expect.”