I dared not turn back. All those know-hows from the horror movies have made me know one thing for sure. Don't ever turn back when you feel an energy. Especially, dark energy. Alright. Careful now.
I bend to wash my face in the basin. At least pretend to do so. I turn the handle of the tap and water comes. Ok, this sound would keep me focused on it and not on the out worldly phenomenon. I hear some water clogging sounds from the water pipe and something pulling at my leg.
The flashbacks from the dream rush in my mind. Oh my goodness, why do I have to remember it all now? Without looking, I jerk my leg to chase whatever culprit was victimizing me to fear. Maybe a rat? Or...that cat? Oh yes! The cat!
I searched around for it but it was nowhere... Ah, it must have run away. 'Cause I knew I wasn't merely seeing things. The cat probably was alive and what we saw back in BPRO was some other cat. C'mon there were so many cats in the world with identical appearances. Also, even it was a ghost. What would it do to me?
I heard a meow. Where? From where did it come from? Meow, again. Oh, where?! I then looked under the basin. The cat was there. Sheesh.
"Are you playing hide and seek with me?" I sighed, as I calmed my rapidly beating heart and sat on my toes. I adjusted my hair, pushing a section of the side bangs back. I heard something and my hand stopped. It was close. Where? How close? What was it that I heard? Did I hear right?
I knew it was close. Close enough for the cat to stare at the source of the sound behind me. What was it? Just water flowing? Clogging sound? The wind? Some voice? Were the girls coming here? Is that what I had heard?
No. It was anything but those. Not those things which I had speculated. It was the sound of a breath. Raspy breathing. Someone was breathing right next to my ear. And I could make out vague features of the figure next to me... stale breath...and...hair...grey long hair... I didn't let out a breath nor a sound.
Okay, don't panic. Be as natural as you can, Marigold.
I quickly braid my hair. Rule number one, as per horror movie experiences is to never let your hair loose. And although I had a rough idea of something leering over me, I knew I shouldn't dash for the exit. Rule number two, don't rush or panic, the door always seems to get locked automatically or just doesn't open if one panics, according to my memory of those movies. And while I have many more rules to abide by, those don't apply in my situation, appreciatively.
"Ah, Ashley c'mon stop scaring me..." I sprung up and turned to rush out as naturally as I could. My heartbeats... I could hear them loudly in the gushing water as my background music. But there was none. No one around. Well, I knew this. Coward ghosts. Can't face me but can dare to sneak up behind me and give me a scare, huh.
"And you, Mr. Dead Cat...wherever you are don't try me. C'mon. Like, I dress up like a banshee...all scary and whatnot...but damn. You tryna scare me? Don't you know I'm one of your kind? I'm a ghost too. How dare you betray one of your own?"
I laugh maniacally as I see a few girls enter the bathroom and give me weird looks.
Whoops. My bad. I might now be branded as a weirdo. Well, I'm all too aware of that. Ash calls me crazy and the others too. My classmates...Emma, Stephanie, Ava, Ella, and Sophia; specifically. Ah, but we're all great friends.
I hopped my way back to class. My two braids swaying as I bump into someone. Owwie. Man, why am I so clumsy?
My ghostly incident on Halloween wasn't as terrifying as I anticipated. Ah, but I might just forget this 'cause nothing vital had happened.
Well, not yet.
"Uh, sor- Ashley!" I wrap my arms around her neck into a huge bear-hug.
"Lego...Marigolff.." Ashley said in a muffled voice and I moved back, blinking cluelessly at the girl behind Ash. Whoa... the cool weird girl..., right?
I waved at her as she put on her headphones and black hoodie, nodding to my 'hi', and walked past me to the bathroom. My eyes sparkled. Why did they sparkle? She was so beautiful and that stand-offish personality of hers was just so...captivating.
"Are you in love, again?"
The annoying face zoomed in front of my face. Ah, Ashley...damn...she doesn't understand what a squish is, does she? Sheesh.
"Ash! Did you know I had a nearly paranormal encounter in the bathroom? Like, I saw the dead cat Of Miss Olivia's and...!" I paused and drew my breath, "I think I caught a glimpse of the girl in my dream. Do you think our fates might be connected? Like, wow!"
Waving my hands desperately in the air, I began explaining the incident to Ash but she was busy sorting her bag as we went to the café for lunch. Urgh, where's Emma and Ava...? They'd listen to me, but Ash is so hard-pressed with record-making that she won't listen to me. Yeah, just nod, ok. Even if you didn't grasp what I said just now.
"Well, even I had times when once I had seen my brother's friend in my dream and the next day he was there with him..., with Kevin. So maybe you do have some connection but not spooky, hopefully, no."
I puffed my lips and sat back sulkily in the chair as Ash took a moment to look up at me, from her work. She broke into a grin and offered me her bag of waffles. I ignored it, tried to...
"Take it, I know you can't refuse junk food."
I twisted my mouth and took the bag like it were mine. She then got focused on her phone, now... Ava would at least pay little attention to me but ....urgh.
"Listen to my-!"
"You know, for me... I can't listen or watch this scary stuff. Errr...," She showed that she felt like trembling, "...so, no. If you did see something scary...you know you watch a lotsa scary stuff so, maybe. Else if it's real...," she gulped, pausing to lay down her coffee on the table, "You should bring some holy materials or just talk to Ava. Maybe she'd know how to ward off evil...brr... I dunno."
With that, that was the end of our convo. Hmm, so where's Ava? Is she stuck in something? Some classwork? Well, I'm the only one who's always free, ain't I?
"Ok! I'm gonna go search for her!"
I said as we headed toward the school gate in the going time. Wow. Time really flew. Although when in school, each second feels long, like stuck in a time-warp.
"I still can't believe this..." Ash voiced out as she dumped her books inside her bag as we walked back home.
"Believe that you exist as human when in fact you should be a honeybee or a mosquito?"
"Shut up. I meant I can't believe you answered the question like that. You could have just said that you don't know the answer instead of saying that..."
She snorted, pushing a wisp of hair away from her face. I sighed, folded my arms, and put an arm around her neck.
"Look, Mr. Steven asked me about the reason for the start of the French revolution. It's not even a political science question. And we were being taught History...like, okay...I do like History. But, it was World History, and also my mind was wandering off," I scratched my head and popped a lollipop in my mouth, "Ert...So'w..., when ye'r ash'king..." Ash pulled the lolly outta my mouth and beckoned me to speak now. "Phew. So, why shall I answer a question I have no interest in and also it's not even related to me...then...why shall I even be asked..unless...he wants me to understand something...which would be useful...later..."
I trailed off. The sudden thought dawned upon me that if I saw a dream which had no connection to me whatsoever, and even though it was frightening....then it was only because it was a prophecy or maybe a warning or an insight into the future which made me have the dream as a manual for later, more important use......, right?
"...and of course, Sir would do it for the lessons but you didn't have to answer, 'Maybe 'cause people wanted to start the revolution, they did'. Seriously? Hey...? Hey! Are you listening?"
Ash pulled me back to the ground. Whoa. Seriously...what am I thinking? Just 'cause I had a nightmare like that and an experience of the paranormal in the bathroom, I think it's 'cause something is linked with reality, huh?
"Hey, I'm gonna drop a 'hi' at your place and return home real quick, alright?"
"Yeah...but are you gonna say hi to the walls and furniture? Mom and Dad are with Kevin at his...ah...some...creative quiz or...whatever, I dunno." Ash threw her bag on the Bean Bag and jumped onto the three-seater sofa.
"Ah right... Almost forgot. So, See ya'."
"Hey, wait here until my cousin comes...please. I'm kinda scared staying home alone." She pleaded but I knew I shouldn't grant her any mercy.
"Ah well. Only till she comes...also...when are your parents gonna come back? Aunt Susan and Uncle still have no news of their return... Do you think someone kidnapped them..? What if aliens abducted them? Do you think aliens exist, though? What about ghosts? Ash?"
I blabbered on. But this woman, this little woman fell asleep. Ash snored. Great. I'm gonna leave you alone. Go meet with ghosts and aliens. You little pipsqueak. I sighed.
Alright, time to explore the fridge. I'm gonna raid your ice-box, Ash. I threw my jacket away. Why did I even wear one? 'Cause I wanted to? Maybe. Or maybe 'cause I didn't know what else to wear. And, c'mon it was August.
I walked to the kitchen and peeked inside the fridge. Broccoli? Green veggies? Radishes? Girl, why do you have all the leafy veggies when you don't really eat them? Okay! I grab a Barbara's Cheese Puffs from the kitchen cabinet and couple it with a glass of Coca-Cola.
I slump on the armchair in the living room, which is a few feet away from the hall in which Ash is asleep in. So, even if she sees a poltergeist dancing to entertain her and screams, I'd definitely hear the scream...loud and clear. I switch on the T.V and flip channels to find some anime or something comedy. Ain't got mood for horrors. Too preoccupied with nightmares as is already. So finally, some show comes on...Sabrina the teenage witch. Isn't it cool being a witch?
My eyes drooped. My head kept falling on my knees and I tried to stay awake. C'mon, how's that possible? Keeping awake after some tough school hours...
Ah but a noise distracted me. I'm not sure what it was but maybe it was similar to a clang...something metallic fell, I guess...somewhere. The first thought I had was the kitchen. Does Ash have mice in her house? Brr. No. I can't tolerate mice and bugs the most. So I attempted to ignore it at first, trying to fall asleep but I heard another sound. Some spoons falling off the kitchen slab, maybe.
Sheesh. Whoever the culprit is, mouse or ghost, you are gonna have it, baby. How dare you disturb me from my nap? This perpetrator, wanted attention, whoever this troublemaker was.
I picked a big shoe from the shoe rack which probably belonged to Mr. Ricardo and put them on. The mouse might flee, hearing the sound of these heavy footsteps. I held a mop in my hand and carefully peeked in through the door held half-open. There was some woman in the kitchen doing some cooking.
Phew. I sighed with relief. Damn. Mrs. Ricardo, you scared me. When did she return though?
"M-," I began but quickly glanced at my footwear. She'd laugh at me if she saw me wearing her husband's shoes. I hurriedly rushed to the passage and placed those shoes back in the rack.
"Mrs. Ricardo! When did you...come...," I asked out loud and looked inside the kitchen. Uh, where did she go? Like, don't tell me she could teleport and be playing pranks on me... Besides, that peach-colored sweatshirt was hers, undeniably. Or...has some thief snuck up inside the house and is trying to fool me with...oh no...Ash had mentioned it quite a few times about robberies in her area. Shit. I gotta lock all the windows, backdoors, mouse-holes [if any] and call 911.
I paused to think. Rationally. Ok, gotta fetch some military hardware first. Ash is asleep. So he may try to blackmail me with a pen-knife as sharp as a razor and place it across the poor girl's throat. I need to wake her up then.
I moved a step. Then I heard a voice. Someone was talking on the phone...I took out my cellphone and tapped 911 but before I could get to make the call, I recognized the voice and my breaths became normal again. It was Mrs. Ricardo speaking to someone on the phone. I seriously think she's a psychic, man.
"Hey, Mrs. Ricardo! You there? Shall I come upstairs or...," I called out, walking up the flight of stairs when I didn't hear her reply. Must be due to my low voice or the distance.
I walked a few steps, the adenoidal voice of hers dawning closer to my hearing range and getting louder. Who was she speaking to? Was I eavesdropping? Should I retreat? Somehow, I felt this was a bad idea.
I heard faint music. Okay...this was getting creepy. It was the sound of a violin playing. The music was smooth, undisturbed, and eerily discomforting. Where was it coming from? From the stairs above? No, don't tell me... I couldn't maintain my calm. I should probably dash and not look back but something held me in place. Something about the music made me not move. What was it?
"Marigold...," Ash yawned, appearing from the hall and sleepily rubbing her eyes, "...come, we have to go...to the Halloween party. It's nearly 5 pm. Why are you there, stuck like a...," She paused to come closer to me. I gulped. I swallowed and leaped from the 4th stair to cuddle with a human presence.
"Ash," I breathed and pursed my eyes and opened them, "Is your mom back yet? Were you lying when you said that your parents weren't home?"
"Huh? Why would I lie? C'mon what's with you..." She brushed me off and casually went to the basin to wash her face.
"Hey, I heard your mom's voice upstairs..." I dropped the bombshell but it didn't blast. Ash didn't react at all.
"Ok. Ok. Did you see her as well? C'mon, your jokes are a little outdated."
She wiped her face with a towel and walked to the kitchen for some sandwiches, maybe. I snorted angrily and followed her. Am I the one who cried wolf, huh?!
"I did! I saw her, with...with those...peachy sweatshirt and sweatpants...and I was gonna talk to her...but," Ash looked at me, narrow-eyed, "but...she wasn't there when I came back and..also, the...voice..."
"Alright. Alright. You may be speaking the truth. Like, c'mon...I'm scared to death of these scary kinds of stuff but despite that, I'm telling you if it's real, then it is all 'cause of our encounter with the BPRO. Like...haven't all things gone wayward since we returned from the case-solving? Even I feel creeps and..." she shivered a bit, biting deep into a Happy Chef mayonnaise-dressed sandwich.
I think this is scarier than what I encountered. How can a person eat that cheesy sandwich? Not me. I liked the chocolaty sandwich better.
Rambling off-topic again. Yeah, I also do think so but...
"Ash, I also heard a violin playing!" I protested, stamping my foot on the tiled floor as we walked towards her room and she turned to give me a look like I was a crazy homeless woman begging to send me to Venus.
"Violin..."
"Yes! You believe me, right?!"
"Yes, my dear silly baby girl. I do." And she took out her Samsung Galaxy Note.
"Is this the time to bluff how expensive it was but you still bought it 'cause you liked it?"
"No, idiot," she played the music I had heard just before she had woken up. The eerie violin music. "...you had set my alarm tone as this song..., remember? And that's what woke me up. Kalafina's song..."
And the realization dawned upon me.
"...Oh my God."
"Yes. Now hurry and get ready. If we don't hurry, the girls are gonna bring the guys over and it won't be as much fun..."
Ash threw her shirt and looked at herself in the mirror, stretching her vest and admiring herself. Why doesn't she think there might be something ghostly here that I had experienced? Or maybe she's just too scared to accept the fact of them residing where she lives alone. Alone? No.
"Hey, your cousin didn't come..."
"Oh yeah. She said she had some work to do so she won't come. She messaged me. And I didn't say anything since you were there anyway..."
She laughed and I narrowly looked at her. She duped me. This manipulative little... Ah, but I don't how the boys are gonna ruin our fun if they're invited over. I mean, won't it be triple fun? Don't tell me...there's someone Ash crushes on and...
Ooh, girl, I get it now. Ah, but why do you love someone? I mean, I too did...for a while but lately, since a while, I don't have any lingering feelings...why I wonder. Feelings aside, not a priority. I needed to know if there was some ghost lurking upstairs...if yes, I would need to ward it off. Damn, I forgot to ask Ava about these paranormal phenomena. She might have an idea...well, I'll just bring holy water and spray it upstairs in Ashley's parents' room.
By the way, how's holy water made? And how do I acquire it?
"Hmm...should I text Ava and all, for help? Nah, they're gonna be busy at the party and would think I'm tricking them. Today's Halloween and the peak time for ghostly domination..huh," I murmured to myself, as I washed my face and tried redoing my make-up. I couldn't do it, again. So, Ash sighed and helped me. She kept going on about how it can be some kids from the neighborhood who might have come inside her house and played pranks. But I ignored her. These explanations didn't satisfy me.
"Hey, let's just check once?"
I pleaded as we were about to leave after dressing up. Ash exhaled noisily to show how annoying I'm. Yeah, ok...I know.
"Fine. But I will stand behind you and you should tell me if there's something in there before acting on it, ok?"
I grinned. So, you do believe huh. But maybe you're scared. Ah, I know. It's fine. I too would be.
I take a glass full of tap water and add salt to it, stir it well, and take a cane stick from the umbrella stand to be equipped for both paranormal and criminal encounters.
"What are you doing? Hurry up."
Ash whispered like some intruder would hear us and flee or maybe attack.
I slowly crept up the stairs and Ash held my arm tightly. Girl, I'm scared as well. I opened the door, very quietly and threw the holy water all over as soon as I stepped in, without opening my shut-tight eyes.
"What?" Ash asked with her hands on her hips and staring at me like an angry mom.
"Uh...," I looked around. Ok. No presence. No spiritual nor humanely presence at all. I mean, why is my life a horror movie cliché now? It's like the victim experiences something spooky and says that to her mates but no one believes her and when she thinks she has the proof, it's all a fluke.
"But...ya know, it can all be the ghost's trick."
"C'mon now. I know you were gonna say that."
Ash dragged me by my arm down the stairs, "Oh but if there really is something there then, my theory is that it isn't harmful or if it is...then, carry holy water, alright?"
I nodded excitedly like I was going on an adventure.
****
The enormous mountain before me made me frozen in shock. Just how big was that tree, decorated with scary pumpkins? It was a pine tree, right? Or maybe some other plant, plastic...I believe...
We had taken a bus to our school, as usual, and from there, all girls had got onto another bus which was provided by one of the girl's mom who had suggested the place for our Halloween party. And, teachers hadn't really turned up at the time due to their busy schedules and family parties so there was a man who becomes our leader, more like, guide. He was our physics teacher's assistant, maybe or some trusted employee of the school. Where we had headed was an old farmhouse of the girl's grandmother, who had passed away and left the farmhouse without any will and it had been unclaimed by anyone so far.
"Whoa, Emilia sure runs a fortune..."
Ava snuck up behind me and tried to scare me but got startled instead seeing my face. I laughed and we got to our usual fighting and stopped only when Emma and Ash interfered.
"Hey, about this guy...uh...Alison...no, Alphonso...Albert...I dunno..ugh. this Al guy and his counterpart, they had fought right?"
I sipped a bloody Mary-themed drink at the Food N' Drinks counter. It was hard to imagine how rich Emilia was to manage this party and host it for us.
"Uh, don't mention them...," Ash said with disgust written on her face like I spoke about shit, "Alfred and Rick...., Patrick. I dunno about their fight but why did that thought cross your mind?"
"Simply. Dunno. Yeah, Alfred and Rick... no, it wasn't Alfred. It was Alfren. He made sure that he liked an 'n' in his name, not a 'd'."
I widened my eyes in surprise at how good my memory was. I had carried a pen, in case I got an idea for my novel and forgot... but I would just write on my palm. Ain't got any paper though.
"I see..., you remember these...huh," Emma whistled and the other girls in our gang gave me weird looks. I classify those looks as weird even though they looked at me like I was speaking fluent Japanese after years of hard work.
"Well, haven't you people invited those dudes from BPRO as well?"
"Uh, why should we?"
I adjusted the frills on my dress. My stomach hurt. I wanted to enjoy this party and why these cramps...? I excused myself from our group after a lot of playing around and having variant greeny and slimy foods made purely from the creativeness of the artistically minded seniors. We had to pay alright. And, I had some of my pocket money from Aunt Susan left while Ash had received some recently from her dad.
It was about 11 pm now. According to the list of activities we were gonna do, now was time for story-telling. For our class, at least. I don't think the other girls would care to join us as well. I mean, we were the newbies...9th graders. The first step to high school and it was the first time we were spending our Halloween on a farmhouse. A creepy old one too. In my opinion, these people were only asking for spiritual trouble. Just wait until something goes wrong.
Ava sat down as most girls from our class had come with us inside one of the cozy bedrooms on the first floor. Ella particularly chose this since she alleged she had heard the seniors speaking about the first-floor bedrooms being haunted.
"Hey..., I think I'll go...," Ash slinked close and gave me the frightened look on her face. I sighed and nodded, " I'd be there in the...uh, drinks counter, ok? Call or message me as soon as you are over. And don't go to the washrooms alo-"
I cut her off. Why's she lecturing me, again? I shooed her off. I knew she would dare not participate in this. Like, c'mon I'd bet on this and win a million dollars. I checked the time on my phone. 11:20pm. Alright, if this goes for more than about an hour, I'm out.
I tapped on an unknown number on my phone from which I had received a text message from. It said, 'hello'. And that's it. In normal circumstances, I would take it to be a mistake from the sender or some long-lost friend trying to meet again but now... No. Just focus on the story, no more delusions, and no more wild thoughts.
"Okay so...anyone who's scared, please leave or lemme word it right... Anybody who's scared but still wishes to stay is the companions of the dark now." Sophia declared and revealed a malicious smile. Two girls in the far back of the room were giggling and didn't have a care in the world about what we were doing now. "We might also try out some experiments like the bloody Mary in the bathroom and the Charlie-Charlie summon or even the Ouija board... we might use them. So beware."
Why even was I here? And Bloody Mary washed over my mind something unpleasant from yesterday. Rick. Al's Prick.
"Well, I'm gonna narrate a fictional story so..." Ella folded her arms as Ava fought to sit at the front. Emma began lighting a candle to bring in the feeling. Other girls were waiting eagerly for their turns. Wow.
The room was dark and the windows had been bolted shut with curtains and draperies covering every speck of whatever little light came through till the small cozy spooky room was lit by only candlelight.
"There was once a girl who lived at this mansion about 2 decades ago. She lived here with her aunt...," Ella gave an evil smirk and I gulped. Aunt? Sophia nudged me and showed her creepy smile. Guys, I love scary shit. Why try to scare me? "...She had been a very sweet and simple girl who didn't communicate much with the outside world. And the townspeople said the aunt kept her very well. They had believed that any person who enters the mansion of Madam Kylie would be purified ' cause that good were her manners. All was fine and the girl fell in love with a factory worker and they had married and lived happily ever after."
Sophia applauded. What? Seriously?
Everyone was whispering and murmuring about the not-so-scary-story.
"Well, here comes the twist," Sophia added and sat beside Ella who winked and left the room. They're up to something. Probably a Halloween prank.
Obviously. If there ain't a twist then it is not a scary night.
"These were the talks of the townspeople. Although the reality wasn't so great after all. The aunt was a cruel woman who had locked up her niece for years and would only let her out when there were guests over to show how reputed she is. And the girl had never fallen in love with a factory worker. She had planned to act like she were in love and trick the woman who had imprisoned her and flee. But things didn't turn out so well. Her aunt had caught her and locked her up in the basement and moaned when the townspeople asked about her niece saying she has fled and also taken away all of her possessions. But she had not and was instead barred in the dingy, smelly, and plagued with rats. She tried to escape but every time she did, her aunt would find her and put her back in place. She cried for help but none heard her. Everyone thought she had died and her spirit was haunting the house. And even after years, after the demise of her aunt, people had stopped caring about the ownership of the mansion. Even after her body was discovered later, her cries were still heard and yet no one knew of her story of suffering. To this day, her voice echoes. Alone, crying for help in the basement."
There was a silence in the room and only the sound of rain beating softly against the windowpane was heard.
"Um, if no one knew of her story then how do you know?"
A girl in the back asked and I realized she wasn't from our class. Cool though. Soph must have an answer, right?
"Uh...I...uh...er...well...I dunno."
Everyone began laughing. These girls know well to turn fun into worse. Sheesh. She could have told something like...
"That's 'cause the crying girl told her."
Wow. Who voiced my thoughts? The door opened and the seniors stepped in. One, two...three. Okay, so get ready to be bullied by three girls. Senior bully trope on repeat.
The tall girl with a cheerleading costume with bloodied make-up walked in and her sidekicks closed the door behind.
"Well, not directly at least. Who told you, sweetheart?" She curved into a smile and Soph looked at Ella.
"Uh, we made it. Why do you ask?"
"Did you really?" She scoffed and guffawed, "Then who was it who had got lost while searching for her sister after arriving here and had accidentally come across something which contained the story of the crying girl? I mean, weren't you super scared and got even more paranoid when you spotted us three lurking about in the corridors?"
"Uh, fine. The story was written on a tablet in the place I fell when I thought Soph might be there. Yes, the...basement but it wasn't scary." Ella confessed and I knew immediately where this was gonna lead to. There are three things I'm gonna forecast and believe me I am not a soothsayer but these are gonna happen.
Number one, The story said by Soph isn't true or isn't complete and there are even more frightening parts.
Number two, The story isn't fictional because they mentioned 'tablet' and 'basement' and 'mansion' and which pretty much resembles the structure of this farmhouse.
Number three, The story is real and something will happen. Something scary. And real soon.
So, I derived this and I know I should stay on my toes according to the list of clichés I prophesized.
"Girls, I'm Emilia. I have hosted this party and I hope you guys enjoy it. So, regarding the rumors about my grandma and house will and all that is simply rubbish. And I think I made an active decision to buy a haunted house; not only was it infinitely cheaper, but it gave me the ability to capitalize on the haunting with a YouTube series and an incredibly active Twitter account." A girl spoke, twirling her blue curls and posing a complimentary smile as all the girls stared at her. "Oh, don't give me those looks. I didn't buy it. My mom did. I begged her so she did."
"And as for the story, it wasn't the moans of the girl heard in the basement. Didn't you guys wonder why there was no news of her aunt in the story after the girl's disappearance? It was because..."
And I, very stupidly, interrupted. Bad decision.
"Lemme guess...the girl killed the aunt or maybe trapped her in the basement after she had died and returned as a spirit...for revenge."
"Ah yes. But do you think the girl really died?" Emilia asked adding an air of sinister feeling.
"Look, I only see two possible explanations. Either she died or she went to Disney for vacation."
Everyone in the room laughed. And I knew before anyone else had, that I had screwed up, pretty badly too.
The lights flickered. Wait, we hadn't even switched them on. This ghost girl is really something eh... or I dunno who the ghost is, honestly. But whoever she is, had a passionate dream of becoming an electrician. Man, the way she tampered with lights.
Alright, jokes down the drain. First, I need to find Ash or the main hall full of people dancing to creepy songs. I searched around for my friends. Ella, Ava, Soph, Emma...where are they?
Probably somewhere safe since it was me who made fun of the ghost and she's probably aiming for me.
I stepped into the hall and ran to Ash but there was darkness, once again. How? Shit. I grabbed my phone. Alright. Charged fully. Didn't play around and great network coverage. Easy WiFi. Now, gotta call someone before switching on the flashlight and spotting a skull or a scary face popping up.
I called Ash. And wow, this girl had to keep her phone on silent mode. Are we in class or something? And I knew I should just call someone. Anyone. Any stranger too. Can't believe none of my friends were receiving my calls. Or maybe it was the evil ghost working her wicked magic. Or the power of some ghost cliché.
Wait, stranger? I did have a message from someone early on, didn't I? I dunno who the hell you are, even a stalker is better than a ghost right now.
"Hello? Hi, can you hear me? Hey..., uh...Help. I'm in the Carnage Barn..., farmhouse and there's no light and..., hey... hello!"
There was some noise. Some static one, like an old radio and pop! Lost connection? Nope, the person on the other hand wasn't responding...or more like, he had been just suddenly drugged by some evil force stopping him from knowing my situation.
What more, I didn't even know the person on the other side had heard me or not. Uh, don't tell me...it was not a person whom I spoke to but...the ghost...? Damn, the decisions I make...
I looked at my phone cause I dare not look anywhere else and have my mind playing tricks on me. The battery was slowly diminishing applying the theory of general relativity...
Where was I? Why couldn't I hear any sound? Any voice? And why did the scene before me, seem so familiar?
I walked into a room that I saw was brightly lit by the light flowing in through the windows. But wasn't it nighttime? How then was there light?
I open my mouth to speak but my voice is held back. What. Why...Am I dreaming again?
Pinching myself wouldn't help since most dreams seem too real and if I pinched now it could be in the dream or real. Whatever. I should just proceed. Either look for the exit which I know where it is or look for my friends or just people. Human beings. The latter was a bad idea, personally I feel since I could end up getting lost and become food to the hungry ghost so, let's escape this escape room.
I shone my flashlight across the room and walked, tried to but alas, my feet didn't move. Was I paralyzed? I heard a noise in the room where I was, transported magically into. Ok. I know it is from this room, from the closet to be specific but I should not ask, 'hello? Is anyone there?'. In case, it wasn't a prank but a real ghost which I feel would be more like it since there was so much 'magic' I had gone through just now. I should turn and dash for the exit. I knew I had to turn back and walk about 30 steps to reach the main door. I hadn't counted it, just an estimate.
But the thing was, I was stuck, and couldn't move. It was hella scary. There seemed to be some kind of thing in which I stood, like a plastic bag, a transparent one, and I could see and feel things from inside. And no matter how much I tried to move, I couldn't. again, supernatural powers. I kept chanting in my heart, 'save me, lord' on a repeat.
I stood still and heard the doorknob turn. My heart slowly died a little. I should stay as quiet as I can. Thankfully, the magical forces have paralyzed me and also muted me for which I should be angry about but I'm too preoccupied with being scared.
There was a whisper. A whisper. It grew louder as it neared me. I couldn't make out the words, nor wished to but the slow-growing clarity of it made me frozen in fear. Ironical indeed.
My ear felt a cold breeze then a warm blow of wind like a soft and moist breath. Breath? My hair moved a bit near my ear and I could feel something was approaching my face. Something cold but warm at the same time. And I don't know why, but I thought this presence might be the same one that I had encountered in the bathroom.
The door behind me opened and shut, it opened again and shut itself again. Open and shut. Open and shut. It was probably the wind but the wind wouldn't be so cautious about the same timing and measured 'open's and 'close's.
The breathing grew faster and I could even feel the wheezing and the sound of someone suffering from asthma. But this was way scarier.
"I like...you."
The raspy voice breathed and I gasped. I was finally able to move. I didn't look for anything. I just threw away the plastic cover which I was barely covered with and ran. I knew I shouldn't have done that. I could get lost. I could maybe fall or trip, if not because I'm a klutz but because someone would push me and I wouldn't know who did that, or I could even just be dragged in the air by force but I just did what I could and ran until I was out of the damned farmhouse. Now, what? Alone on a deserted road? No cars? Isolated place? And a scary as the shit scarecrow in the yard which wouldn't scare the crows but me right now.
I called Ash and she picked up rather immediately like she had been waiting for my call.
"Hey! Where are you?! Everyone's been looking for you!" She screamed, panting hard. There were some noises in the background that I heard too.
"Ash...I'm...outside the farmhouse, ok? Can you please come with our group here and also bring something like a weapon. I think I'm in trouble."
I breathed, gulping hard and staring at the mansion before me which was dark and had no lights just the sound of heavy footsteps approaching me from behind and a faint sound of moaning and screaming from the house.
I tried to breathe normally. I should head for the house or the yard or the road where there's no one and wait for morning?
"Hey! What are you saying? I'm switching to video calling now so don't hang up! And wait, we are coming!"
Ash scolded and even though I wanted her to not do so, I couldn't voice it.
Was I in another timeline? The cold air turned frostier and I looked into my phone. It was 11:45 pm. What? Was there so little time that had passed by?
The footsteps quickened and stopped abruptly. I froze. The voice, I heard it again.
"I like..you. Kill her...She killed me..."
I widened my eyes in shock and doubt. And looked at my phone screen again. It wasn't me who I saw reflected on the screen. It was the short-haired girl from the dream. I was her.
I realized Ash wouldn't come nor would I be able to escape as the saw cut through my neck and blood oozed out. The culprit of it was behind me and I couldn't turn. It was a woman with dry auburn hair and grisly green eyes with hollowed-out mouth and scars on her forehead.
I couldn't feel the pain. Or maybe I could. I didn't know. But whatever it was, I had either died right when my story had begun or had slept.
"Mom..." I let out. Why did I whisper that? I should've called for Aunt Susan or my uncle, why mom...when she's not even in this world?