SO, THE GIRLS WERE STANDING THERE, looking around the mansion with these wide-eyed expressions, like they couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was a mix of amazement and, let's be real, a healthy dose of fear.
Meanwhile, I was huffing and puffing at the bottom of the stairs, my heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. The girls were still gawking at me, probably wondering where the heck I came from and why I was acting so spooked.
"Thank you," I managed to say, trying to keep my voice steady. And before they could say anything, I just threw my arms around them both and gave them a big ol' bear hug. I mean, I was so grateful they hadn't ditched me outside, and now that they were here, this place didn't seem quite as lonely.
They kinda awkwardly patted my back, and when I let go, they said, "You're welcome."
The one who wasn't too keen on helping me glanced around the mansion and said, "Wow, this is a really nice place."
"Thanks," I replied. "It's my parents', but they're away dealing with some important stuff. Hey, make yourselves at home; I'll be right back."
And with that, I sprinted through a doorway and into the kitchen. But the second I stepped inside, something felt off. My eyes darted around the room, trying to pinpoint what was wrong.
I gotta tell you, the place had gone through some serious changes. It was like I had stepped into the future or something! "Unbelievable," I gasped, taking it all in.
The old stove and cabinets? Gone. In their place were these sleek, shiny appliances.
I heard this low humming sound coming from a tall metal box in the corner, and curiosity got the better of me. "What the heck was that?" I muttered, approaching it cautiously.
When I opened it up, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. It was filled with all kinds of colorful fruits and veggies — stuff I had never seen before! "No way," I breathed, peering inside. "I had never seen anything like these!"
I picked up this small, round, orange fruit that looked like a tiny pumpkin, turning it over in my hands. "What an odd little fruit," I murmured. "I wonder if it tastes as weird as it looks."
And that wasn't all, folks. On the counter, there were bottles of these bright, bubbly liquids that looked like some kind of newfangled tonic. "Fanta? Coke?" I read the labels, shaking my head in confusion. "I had seen passers-by drinking this tasty stuff from my window where I stood peering outside the world every day, but somehow I had never gotten a chance to taste them!"
As I continued to explore, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had stumbled into some kind of alternate universe. It was all so strange, yet so fascinating.
So, I left the kitchen and started wandering through the rest of the house, and let me tell you, the whole place had had a serious makeover! It was like I was walking through some fancy, futuristic museum or something.
"No way," I gasped, taking in the sleek, shiny tiles that had replaced the old creaky floorboards. "The entire house has changed!"
Sunlight poured in through the windows, illuminating wide-open spaces that used to be dark and cluttered. I couldn't believe my eyes!
The walls were smooth and white, covered in these crazy modern paintings that looked like something out of an art gallery. "I had never seen anything like this before," I murmured, shaking my head in amazement. "It's so different."
When I stepped into the sitting room, it was like I had entered another world. Gone were the heavy curtains and stuffy old furniture, replaced by chic, minimalist sofas and chairs that looked like they belonged in a designer showroom.
And get this—on the wall, there was this huge, flat, black rectangle that was playing moving images, like some kind of magic window. "What in the world?" I gasped, reaching out to touch it.
There were also strange devices scattered around the room, with glowing screens and weird symbols. They looked like fancy books, but I had never seen anything like them before.
"This was so weird," I muttered, setting down the tray on the fancy new glass table.
I pointed to the tray of drinks and snacks I had brought in. "Here's your favourite," I said to the girl who had been reluctant to help me with a little smile.
She blinked, looking at me like I had grown a second head. "My favourite?"
"Yep," I confirmed, trying not to laugh at her confused expression. "You know there's also this other one, the one you love with the stick that has a bar on top."
She burst out laughing, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "Oh, you mean a lollipop?"
"Yeah, that's the one!" I exclaimed, relieved that we were on the same page. "And there's Fanta, too—I know you love that stuff."
She chuckled again, shaking her head in disbelief. "How did you know I'm a sucker for lollipops and Fanta?"
So, I ran my fingers through my hair—an old habit I couldn't seem to break, especially when I was nervous. "Well, you see, I had kinda been watching you from my window every morning," I confessed. "I had noticed you always cycled to school with a lollipop in your mouth."
She raised an eyebrow, looking at me like she couldn't decide if I was cute or just a little bit creepy. "You've been watching me?"
I felt my face getting hot, and I quickly tried to explain. "Not in a stalkerish way, I swear! It's just that you had got this whole routine, and it was pretty hard to miss."
To my relief, she laughed—a sound that was starting to feel like music to my ears. "Well, I guess I'm a creature of habit," she admitted, grabbing a Fanta from the tray.
I couldn't help but grin, feeling some of the awkwardness melt away. "Maybe a little bit, but that's what makes you unique."
While she was busy enjoying her drink, I figured I should probably pay some attention to her friend, who had been pretty quiet up until now. She was just sitting there, kinda smiling to herself and playing with her hair.
"Hey, you want some Fanta or maybe one of those weird fruits?" I asked, trying to make her feel welcome. "Or I could grab something else, if you'd rather."
She shook her head, still smiling shyly. "No, thanks. Fanta's great."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and stuck out my hand. "I'm Snow-white Van Hellsing, but you can call me Casper. Snow-white's more of a nickname, you know?"
The girls both nodded and smiled, and the girl busy enjoying her Fanta spoke up. "Snow-white suits you," she said. "It matches your pale skin."
I couldn't help but grin, feeling my cheeks warm a little at the compliment.
"I'm Winter," said the girl who had saved my miserable life earlier. She had this whole mysterious vibe going on, with these deep, expressive eyes and a calmness that made her seem older than she probably was.
Then the other girl, the lollipop lover, the one who hadn't been too keen on helping me at first, chimed in. "I'm Scarlett." She had this delicate, almost doll-like face that was hard to look away from.
As we all settled in, sipping our drinks and getting to know each other, it felt like the beginning of something special.
Just when we were all getting comfortable and everything seemed to be going great, Winter hit me with a question that kind of sucked the air out of the room: "How did you even get locked inside the house, and why didn't you just phone someone for help?"
My heart started pounding like crazy because there was no way I could tell them the truth — that I had been trapped in this place for a hundred years, give or take. But I had to protect them from that reality, so I did what I had always done — I used my mind powers to steer them away from the subject.
"It's really not important," I said, trying to sound casual, even though my emotions were all over the place. "Trust me, you don't want to know. The main thing is that you guys helped me, and I'm okay now."
For a second, they just stared at me, and I was scared that maybe my little mind trick hadn't worked this time. But then Scarlett laughed, and it was like the tension just melted away. "Yeah, you're right," she said, turning to Winter. "It doesn't really matter now, does it?"
Winter nodded slowly, still looking a bit confused, but I could tell she was letting it go. Scarlett, too, seemed to relax, and the conversation moved on to lighter topics.
Winter kind of blushed and went, "Yeah, sorry for prying."
I just grinned and shook my head. "Don't worry about it," I said, feeling pretty relieved that my mind-mojo had done the trick.
Honestly, I was pretty grateful for my powers in moments like these. It let me protect my secrets and keep my crazy life under wraps.
As we chatted away like old friends, Scarlett and Winter shared their stories, their voices filled with a mix of wonder and confusion.
Scarlett, with her soft, doe eyes and gentle demeanour, leaned forward, her black curls tumbling over her shoulders. She spoke in a hushed tone, her voice dipping a few octaves as if to underscore the strangeness of her experience. She told us she had walked this street countless times, but never once laid eyes on the mansion until today. Yet, as soon as she stepped inside, something stirred within her—a sense of familiarity that made her skin prickle.
Winter, on the other hand, exuded an icy calm. Her sharp, piercing gaze seemed to pierce through the mansion's secrets as she confessed unlike Scarlett she'd been seeing the mansion ever since she arrived in town.
I couldn't help but pretend to be awestruck.
But then Scarlett checked her watch, and her eyes went wide. "Oh no, Winter! We're going to be late for film night with the girls!"
Winter sighed and nodded. "She's right, Casper. We should probably get going."
I could tell they were both a little bummed about having to leave, and honestly, so was I. It had been a pretty fun day, but hanging out with these girls had been the best part by far.
So, we swapped these things called phone numbers and promised to keep in touch, which made me feel a little better.
As we were heading for the door, I was already missing their company and dreading being alone in this crazy mansion again. But when I opened the door and stepped outside, it was like I'd been hit with a blast of fire. The sun was freaking scorching!
I threw my hand up to shield my face, but it was too late—the sunlight was already sizzling my skin like I was a piece of bacon on a frying pan. I let out a hiss of pain and quickly jumped back inside, feeling my skin heal almost instantly.
"Dude, are you okay?" Scarlett asked, looking totally freaked out.
I nodded, trying to act like it was no big deal. "Yeah, I'm just super sensitive to sunlight today," I explained, forcing a weak smile. "Guess I'll just hang out here for now."
They both give me these concerned looks, but I can tell they're buying my lame excuse. And honestly, I'm just glad they didn't see the whole steam-coming-out-of-my-arm thing. Because that would've been a whole other conversation.
So, we say our goodbyes, and they promise to come back and hang out again soon. I'm actually kind of stoked because it's been forever since I've had friends to chill with.
As they ride off on their bikes, I can't resist poking my hand out into the sunlight one more time. And yeah, it still hurts like crazy. But even though my skin's sizzling, I can't help but grin like an idiot. Because, hey, I made friends today!
With my Fanta in hand, I take a stroll through the mansion, admiring all the fancy furniture, paintings, and stuff. But then, out of nowhere, my joints start feeling all stiff and achy. My legs are like jelly, and before I know it, I'm face-down on the floor.
I try to get up, but my body's just not having it. I'm shaking like a leaf, and it's like all my strength has been sucked out of me. When I look down at my hands, they're all wrinkled and old-looking, like they belong to someone way older than me. And my whole body feels rigid and stiff, like I'm turning to stone or something.