It starts on a snowy afternoon, and four people are driving to a special place.

"Are we there yet?" asked Garroth. Garroth is a young blond haired man who is not one with patients.

"No," Jianna answered. You might want to remember Jianna, she's an expert with potions.

Thirty minutes later.

"How about now?" Garroth asked.

"No," Jianna answered. She was starting to get annoyed.

Thirty minutes later.

"How 'bout-" "Garroth, you have been asking for an hour. Stop!" Jianna yelled.

"Are we there yet?" Belle asked. Garroth and Belle laughed.

"Belle, don't encourage him. Oh, Lia can you believe them?"

"What? Oh, sorry I put my earbuds in like an hour ago. When you first asked." Lia answered.

"Are we there yet?" Garroth asked in a deeper voice.

"Aug! Belle switch seats with me!" Jianna demanded.

Five hours later...

"We're here guys," Lia said.

They arrived at what appeared to be an old log cabin hotel. They unloaded the car and got a good look at the outside of the building.

"Well here we are," Garroth said.

"This place is a-" "total dump." Jianna said, finishing Lia's sentence.

"I don't understand. Our parents said this place was fantastic," said Garroth.

"Judging by the look of things, this place was fantastic, but that was years ago. Ugh. See why I thought this entire thing was fishy?!" Lia said.

"It did sound too good to be true, Garroth." Belle added.

"But I don't know, it sounded awesome getting paid to vacation." Garroth said.

"Garroth, we are not vacationing! Our parents said to fix things up." Lia said angrily.

"Well nothing a few potions can't take care of and- wait. Where is my potion bag?!" Jianna asked.

"I didn't see any other bags in the car. Maybe you forgot to bring it." Belle said, after Lia and Garroth searched the car.

Back at Jianna's house, her cat was playing with it.

"Mmmmrg! There's no way I forgot to bring it. I probably put it on the ground and forgot to pick it up somewhere. Yeah." Jianna said.

"It's okay, Jianna. We can get you a new bag." Garroth said.

"Ugh, that's not the point. My wand and potions are in there." Jianna said.

"Is it hard to make potions? Where would you even go to get the ingredients? I didn't see any stores on the way here." Belle said.

"I'm sure I can find what I need to make some potions, but it won't be easy." she replied.

"Regardless. Jianna, I've heard about your cleaning potions that you got from Dante', and I'd rather we not use those here. I want to fix this place up ourselves, and not have everything disappear and then reappear in the neighbor's backyard." Lia said.

"But"

"Garroth, I'm here to earn something for someone I deeply care about. Those things aren't given, they're earned." Lia added.

"Oh fair point."

"Still, I feel naked without my wand or potions," Jianna said, shivering.

"Maybe we should get inside. It's getting really chilly." Belle said.

"Right." They walked over to the door and came to a bit of a problem.

"The door's locked." Garroth said.

"Didn't your parents give you a key to this place?" Jianna asked.

"Uuuh, no." Garroth answered.

"Are we going to freeze to death?" Belle asked.

"Hehe, no worries. I'm great with getting doors open, just watch. Stand back everyone." Garroth was about to push the door when...

"Levin put a key here," Lia said.

"Oh. Okay." Garroth was upset that he didn't get to kick down the door. They opened the door and saw a total mess.

"Wow, this place really is a dump," Jianna said.

"I'm sure it's not so bad once the lights are on. Here let me get them and... Th- the lights aren't working. We're going to die!" Belle yelled.

"Now now Belle, no one died from a little darkness." Garroth said.

"Ugh, the circuit breaker must be out." Lia said.

"Which means everything is out as well in this place." Jianna added.

"Any idea where the circuit breaker is?" Garroth asked.

"They're usually in a basement or the garage, but I have no idea here. Looks like we're gonna have to search for it." Lia answered.

"In the dark?!" Belle asked loudly.

"Unless it's outside." Garroth said.

"Oh great then it must be out there. I'll go check while you guys check in here, just in case." Belle said.

"Want me to come with you, Belle?" Garroth asked.

"What?! Pt nah I'm good. You guys just search in here. No use in all of us looking outside. Hehehe. Be right back." Belle said as she walked out the door.

"Hmm, odd behavior," Jianna said.

"Ugh, just let her check. It couldn't hurt," Lia said.

"I've got a better idea, let's just ask our parents where everything is. Let me give them a call and... Huh? No service?" Garroth said.

"Ugh, we'll have to get the phones working too. I guess that means we have to go look around for ourselves, then." Lia said.

"Hmm, looks like this is an indoor fireplace," Jianna said.

"Maybe we can start it. Anyone got a match?" asked Garroth.

"I don't even think that would work. I mean this thing looks like it runs off of a gas. We could probably turn that on next to the fuse box. Maybe one was placed up a bit." Lia said.

"Right, but, uh, maybe we should wait for Belle to finish looking around outside in case the fuse box is outside." Garroth said.

"Sounds like a good idea. Don't want to wander around in the dark for nothing." Jianna said.

"Right. I wonder what Chris is up to. Man I miss him so much already." Lia said to herself.

In the city, Pixle was getting ready to meet up with Lia.

"Are you sure you have all the essentials?" Chris asked. Chris is Garroth's little brother and Lia's boyfriend.

"Yep, positive." Pixle answered. Pixle was a security guard at Circus Baby's Pizza World, before it burnt down along with their neighborhood.

"Do you have winter clothes?" he asked.

"I have enough of them," she answered.

"Hmm, not good enough. I'm going to lend you one of my sweaters just in case." he said.

"Hahaha what are you, my mom?!"

"I might as well be! The last thing I need is you going up to the mountains catching a cold, and then dying." he replied.

"Hahahaha! I'm not going to die, Chris! And I think you're thinking way too into this."

"Hm. Well be that as may I care about you. So, take my sweat shirt!"

"No!"

"Take it!"

"Nooo!"

Arf Arf.

"See." Arf Arf 

 "Even Pixie doesn't want me to take it." Pixie is Pixle's dog.

"Oh how convenient, using the dog to ignore my gift. Speaking of dog, are you sure you don't want me to watch your pets?" he asked.

"Furbabie's, Chris, and don't worry about it. I'm sure they'll be perfectly fine with my cousin and Bria, but if you wanted to, you could always go check on them."

Arf Arf

"Perhaps I will."

"Excited that Garroth's gone?" Pixle asked.

"Yes! I was tired of him and his exercise." 

Just then the door bell rang.

"Huh? Who could that be?" Pixle asked.

They went downstairs only to find two people in uniforms at the door.

"Well hello there. Long time no see." said the man with the green shirt.

"Are you selling cookies?" Chris asked.

"Why does everyone think that?!"

"Pardon my brother here, but I'm Levin and he's Malachi. Uh we helped you move into your houses back when your, uh, neighborhood exploded." said the man in the blue shirt.

"Oh of course, I remember you now. Can I help you guys with something?" Chris asked.

"Actually yes. We're looking for Lia Skill Shadowbick." Levin said.

"Well I'm afraid you've already missed-" "Hey what's going on here?" Pixle asked.

"Oh good she's here, Malachi."

"Good. Wait wasn't she your girlfriend before? And didn't she look different?" Malachi asked.

"I'm sure you've gotten her confused for someone else," Chris said.

"Hahahaha! Oh yes I'm totally his girlfriend. Just look at me. Aren't I a dreamboat?" Chris slapped his face. 

Pixle was making herself look like a fool. She was trying to make Chris look like one.

"Didn't you used to walk around with your shirt open?" asked Malachi.

"She ends up looking like this in the winter because she eats too many cupcakes. Hehehe." Chris answered.

"Hey!"

"Aw young love."

"Either way Miss Lia we have important business with you about a recent property purchase your uncle made." said Malachi.

"What?! Why? Is everything okay?" Chris asked.

"What, he made a purchase. That's unlike him. Please come in." Pixle said.

They walked in, but someone wasn't too happy.

"Pixle, this is my house!" he said.

"Oh, but they think I'm Lia. So technically this is also my house. Mwahahahaha."

"Argh you jerk! This is about the cupcake comment I made. So what did you guys want to talk about?" Chris asked.

"Well we sure are glad we were able to catch you before you left. Hahaha, there are some things you should know about the Lodge." Malachi said.

Back at the Lodge, Belle was still looking outside for the fuse box.

"Hmm. It doesn't look like there's anything out here. I mean I didn't completely go around the house, but-" Hooooooowl!

"Eeek! This place is just creepy. Why did I agree to come here? Oh that's right I forgot Lia and Garroth dropped these. I should really give these to them." Hooooooowl!

"Huh, I should've just stayed home all day, where I could have my internet and my food-" Hooooooowl!

"Aaaaaaah! That's it, I'm going back inside!" Belle ran inside as fast as she could.

Back inside, Lia, Jianna, and Garroth were waiting on Belle and looking for the fuse box.

"It definitely doesn't look like the fuse box is going to be here. We should split up into teams to find it." Lia said.

"Yeah, it's just this place is so big it's intimidating." Garroth said.

"Aaaaaaah! G-guys, it's really cold and scary outside!" Belle yelled.

"Well yeah duh. I was wondering why you wanted to go outside." Garroth said.

"It's because I, uh, am NOT a huge fan of the dark." Belle said, correcting Garroth.

"Well not many are, by the way did you happen to see the fuse box out there?" Lia asked.

"Umm, n-no. I don't think it's outside." Belle answered.

"Ugh, then we'll have to stick to the plan." Lia said.

"All right, Belle and I will search this way." Garroth said.

"Got it. Jianna and I will check the other side." Lia said.

"Guys, I don't know if you can feel this, but there's something odd about this place. It feels weird." Jianna said.

"In a bad way?" Lia asked.

"I'm not sure. I can't really put my finger on it, but as a warning I think everyone should keep on their toes." Jianna answered.

"This seems like the setup for a horror movie where someone is going to pop out and kill us!" Belle said.

"Haha, Belle calm down. Nothing is going to do that." Garroth said.

"Come on, I know this place is old, but it's not that bad. Let's get going." Lia said.

They split up and looked around, but when Garroth and Belle passed a painting it changed. Something orangish red appeared on it.

Back with Pixle and Chris, Malachi and Levin told them everything.

"Huh, so that's why Lia's uncle asked her to go up there. I didn't realize the property was new." Pixle said.

"Oh no no no no no no the property isn't new by any means. In fact it's quite, really, very, mostly-" "Old. It's old." Malachi said, finishing his brother's sentence.

"I see. So they want Garroth and Lia to clean it up for free. Wait! Why didn't they ask me to go?!" Chris asked.

"How old is this place exactly?" Pixle asked.

"Very old." answered Malachi.

"Is the property safe?" she asked.

"Uuuh, probably?" Malachi answered.

"I, uh, I'll level with you. The house was owned by someone, but then they suddenly vanished. And it's been abandoned ever since." Levin said getting off the couch.

"What?"

"The property was, uh, given to us. Hehe." Levin said.

"We needed to sell it fast to get the best possible value for it." said Malachi.

"What value? You got it for free!" Chris said.

"Either way, we can't guarantee the property is safe. We informed both families before selling it to them." Levin said.

"Mm-hmm, and I'm pretty sure they told their children. Or at least I saw the fathers writing something down while they were giving them the details of the house." Malachi said.

"Ugh, I hope they're aware of that." Pixle said.

"Don't worry Pix'. I'm sure everything is fine." Chris said.

"Did we tell them about the boiler?" whispered Levin.

"I'm not sure. Either way we've taken up enough of your time. We'll be on our way." Malachi said.

"Wait, what did you say about the boiler?" Pixle asked.

"Oh nothing." Malachi answered.

"It's not like it could explode or anything." Levin said.

"It could what?!"

"Whoops."

Back at the Lodge, they were still looking for the circuit breaker.

"Ugh, this place is huge. I don't even know where we can begin." Jianna said.

"We divided and only conquered the first floor." Skellington said.

"Um, oh wait that's right. I forgot when we got out of the car you guys had dropped these letters. I think they're from your parents." Belle said, pulling out two pieces of paper.

"Oh those. Yeah our parents gave us those when we left." Lia said.

"Let's see. Oh it's from dad! Dear Skellington, if you are reading this, rip up Lia's note from her dad. Lia, can I rip up your note?" Skellington asked.

"No," she answered.

"Fair enough. Skellington, I'm sure you noticed by now, but even though we're friends. The Shadowbick's and the Bone's are often very competitive." Skellington read.

"Lia, I know the property is secluded so there's no signal up there, but I need you to fix up the place. We'll be sending you notes to help, also there might not be internet up here. We didn't want to tell you before because we thought you wouldn't have gone!" Lia read.

"There's no internet! We're going to die!" Belle yelled.

"Oh don't be such a drama queen." Jianna said.

"The first thing you're going to want to do is turn on the power and the boiler. It's located in the garage." 

"The garage!" they yelled.

They ran over to the garage and found the fuse box next to the boiler.

"There it is." Skellington said. 

Lia turned on the fuse box and then the lights turned on.

"Great, we have power!" Lia said.

"Oh, this makes things a little better," Belle said.

"What about the boiler?" Skellington asked. He walked over to the boiler, but when he turned it on, it exploded.

"Aah!"

"Skellington!" Skellington wasn't badly hurt; he was just covered with ash.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken." he said.

"Oh Skellington, let's get you back inside," Belle said. Everyone got inside, but before they did, Lia found a green enchanted gem.

"What's that?" Lia asked herself. She picked it up and went inside.

Outside, a pack of wolves howled in the night with a human male.

Thanks for Reading.

Next: Chapter 2 - Unexpected Visitors.

Hope you enjoyed it, we'll see what happens next week.