Chapter 1: Haunted Manor

Haunted Manor

The decaying manor stared at the 16-year-old Chloe with two big windows. She felt a chill or maybe it was just the winter winds.

"Do we really have to go?" She asked.

"Cone on, don't you want to see if the stories are true?" John said, wearing an orange jumper jacket and struggling to keep his feet on the ground.

As Chloe entered through the gate, she felt as though the ground was trying to eat her like quicksand. A statue with a commanding moustache and long hat stood in the middle, its cane broken and fungus growing on it.

"This is Sir David," said John. "The owner of this manor. They say that he stares at you in the night." John waved his hand and even jumped but no reply.

"Maybe there are more interesting things inside," said Chloe. John shrugged and stretched out his hand. Chloe sighed and started walking.

"This is not what I meant when I said we should go somewhere different."

"But this place is different," said John, pacing up with her.

"I meant besides that stupid restaurant. Not the most haunted manor in the city."

John frowned but didn't speak. Chloe looked back, and her eyes widened as she saw Sir David staring at her. She quickly grabbed John's hand.

"I thought—"

"Shut up."

They entered the manor, with a broken roof and moonlight shining in. Two stairs went to the second floor.

"They say that the black tiles turn white in the moonlight," said John, but Chloe looked unimpressed. So, John left her hand and started walking, hoping something would happen, but to his disappointment, nothing happened even when he reached the right staircase. He waved his hands in distress. Chloe looked at the tile In front of her and stepped on it. A beam of moonlight shined on the tile, and it turned white. Her ears went red as she stepped on another tile, and it turned white. She started running and collided with John.

"Woo, slow down. Guess this date is finally paying off. Should we return to my—"

"Believe me, it's not what you think."

John's eyes drifted toward the white and he said, "Look at that. It really does turn." John bent down to look more clearly, but then he said, "Wait a sec." He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight. All the tiles were white; they just looked dark at night.

"Oh, come on, just one, you know, just one could be true."

"Come on, let's get outta here. It's getting dark."

"Yes, we could have some—"

"John, after this I have to rethink our whole relationship."

"Don't be like—" A screeching laughter spread through the manor like wildfire, and John's face lit up. "It's coming from up there."

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"No, we are going home."

"Please, we're already here."

"Fine. But we'll go straight home after."

"Deal," said Johan and he grabbed her hand, and ran up the stairs.

They entered a long hall with red carpets and sofas beside the walls. The walls were carved with golden patterns, and Chandler lit the room in a golden hue. There were several paintings of royal women dressed in lavish clothing. One of them had a thin face, a long nose and sharp eyes. Dressed in all red and had a candle beside her.

"Ah, it's just that Xenophon," said John, pointing to a large Xenophon at the end of the room. "But who turned it on? Chloe?"

Chloe's eyes were stuck on the lady's painting. "Elizabeth," she whispered, and the candle in the painting started to flicker.

"Her? How do you know?

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she stared at Chloe, and she stepped back. Elizabeth smiled as Chloe's eyes widened in horror.

"Chloe…" Elizabeth whispered in her misty voice, and the candle flickered and everything went dark. Chloe screamed at the top of her lungs and ran away.

"Chloe! Stop!" John shouted as the lights went back up. He went after her and found her standing outside the manor.

"Chloe, it was just a flicker, you didn't—"

"That was the worst date I've ever been on," she snapped, pointing her finger at him. "I don't know what twisted prank you were trying to conjure up there."

"It was not a—"

"I don't care. I'm going home."

"Okay, let me—"

"Thanks! But I can find my own way home." She frowned and walked away.

John sighed as she went around the corner. He turned around to make his way home when his phone rang.

"Hey, sorry, John, I couldn't make it. There was an emergency."

"Wait, who's this?"

"Chloe."

 

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