Local library was a tremendous building in the center of the town. The clock at the top of it was slowly tickling, showing the time. The columns at the entrance made it look even more elegant and welcoming. It was charming enough to make people wish to come in and check the inside, which looked astounding. Hundreds of alleys full of books. For such a small town this library was like a palace. A hiding place. In her hometown she could find only half of the positions that were on the shelves in here.

With so many alleys she had no idea where to start looking. She loved books, but not when she felt so lost in the giant room full of them.

"Excuse me?" She walked towards a lady, who was placing the books on the shelves in an alphabetical order. "I'm looking for books about the house, which as I believe, is called around here the Bloody Mansion."

The girl suddenly got excited as if haunted places were incredibly interesting.

"Sure! We have a whole section about the Bloody Mansion."

Hailie blinked a few times. She thought that Shane joked, but this library actually had a separate section for materials about her house.

"Can you show me where?"

"Mhm, this way." She put the book on the shelf and showed her down the corridor. "I've heard that someone new moved into this house. I feel so sorry for them. That's a really unfortunate place." She had a worried face. "Anyway, here it is, good luck with your research, although I have to warn you, we don't have anything about the beginning of this house. I'm not sure why, this might be both because of the lack of records from that time or because of the fire that took place in the library shortly after it was built."

Hailie slowly nodded.

"Okay, thanks," she said, waiting for the lady to leave.

She looked at the magazines and books, stacked in the perfect order. Hailie thought that there would be more material, but apparently the library had this section mostly because the Bloody Mansion was here, in this town, just as if that was something they could be proud of. Their very own haunted building.

Hailie didn't know where to start, so she just took everything that could be interesting. She put it on the table, where no one was sitting. That was her way of finding out more about the place she was living in. The truth written on the paper. Maybe asking demons wouldn't be a bad option, but definitely it's harder, hearing it all and trying to keep a straight face. Besides, she was a little bit concerned about the things she could learn. And it wasn't unreasonable, because the first thing she read about the house was the death of an entire family, who was living there in the 19th century. Jumping from one record from another, the deaths kept multiplying. Death because of the plague, because of the overdose, because of the murder, because of the ritual sacrifice... She read about the girl, who wasn't eating until she starved herself to death. Then about a couple, who couldn't sleep and because of the hallucinations they've killed themselves. The woman cut her hand and leg, because she thought that something was living in her body and the man drank whole bleach. There was also a soldier case, who committed suicide at the attic. And a fourteen-year-old girl shot dead by her alcoholic father, who then shot himself.

After one hour of reading about the most horrifying and original ways to die, she had enough. Then again what was she expecting? She was living with demons, not friendly helping ghosts. People were dying in this house. Probably the deaths she read about weren't the only ones, because a lot of them were undiscovered.

How come that she was still living?

With an inconsolable look on her face, Hailie put the books and magazines back on the shelves. When she was about to go, one title got her attention. She blinked a few times, not sure if her eyes weren't lying.

The book was called The Miracles of the Bloody Mansion.

She slowly took it out and looked inside. One hopeful book in the ocean of scary positions. People loved haunted places, even if they were saying they're scared of them. Unsolved crimes and bizarre murders – there were plenty of books full of those descriptions, but only one about the good things.

Hailie peeked inside and flipped through the contents of the book.

The mother with two children, who managed to escape from the father. The guy was beating them, and they were too scared to say anything until one day he drank too much and fell off the stairs. After that the family moved out and found courage to tell everything to the police.

The man, who was miraculously treated by an unknown doctor at the beginning of the 20th century. Back then, this cure wasn't commonly known. 

The police agent, who somehow lived through an assassination attack. His wife hired two murderers to kill him, because he wanted to fight her in the court and win full parental authority. The murderers didn't make it, but he did, and his wife ended up in the jail.

She didn't know, but in the Bloody Mansion there was a fire set once. The twins, along with their parents, woke up at night and managed to escape, even though it seemed impossible.

There was also a history about the author of this book. She found happiness in the house and wrote a book about the hauntings and miracles. 

Hailie wanted to read more, but suddenly someone knocked the book out of her hands. She sighed indignantly and looked at the arrogant person, who acted so mean.

"Oh, shit."

"Nice to see you too." Declan smirked and leaned on the shelf.

He changed since the last time they've seen each other. His dark hair grew longer and he got more tattoos on the body. The skull and bones on his right hand and knife on the other one was just perfectly suitable for his character or rather for his attempts to show himself as a hot bad guy. Amy always babbled about his dangerous aura of a sweet macho man, but Hailie just couldn't see it. Declan was a troublemaker and a wannabe, that's all.

"Seriously I don't care why you're here and it'd probably be best if you leave me alone. Whatever connections you have with Debra, that's your business, as well as Amy, who by the way is furious. What I want is to never see your ugly face again."

Declan laughed.

"And do you know what I want?"

She slowly started walking backwards.

"Once again, I don't care. I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to see you."

He shrugged, like it didn't matter. Something wasn't right. Declan was way too happy about their meeting in the library.

"What about me, sweetheart?"

His voice made her petrified and unable to move. She was too scared to look behind, hoping it was just a bad dream and she'll wake up soon. But it wasn't a dream, and she knew it way too well. For a moment it felt like she was too weak to stand on her legs. Her entire body wanted to give up out of fear circulating in her organism. Shivers were on her skin and the tension filled her eyes. It seemed unreal until she slowly turned around to see him standing there with a cruel, joking smile on his lips.

"No," she whispered barely audibly.

About Declan it was easy to say that he changed, but Jayson? Not really. He was looking exactly like she was seeing him in the nightmares. Those cold blue eyes with a spark of self-confidence and short black hair with a lot of hair gel. Even though he probably wasn't a sportsman anymore, he still had the athlete's muscles. He was much worse than any demon she has seen, because apparently even demons living in her house were able to spread some good. And she couldn't say the same thing about Jayson. For her he was a living Hell. The worst person on the Earth.

Fear was trying to take her down and the bruise on her arm started itching. She wanted to touch it, but then Jayson would know what she was thinking about. And that for sure would give him satisfaction.

"Damn, Hailie, you look even hotter than you used to," he said covetously, gazing at Hailie from up to down.

"It's not a compliment if it's from you," she said quietly.

From his lips it sounded more like a warning of what he might do.

"Speak up, Hailie. I can barely hear you," he laughed, like it was all just fun to him. "I might even think you're worried to see me."

It wasn't easy to stay cold-blooded and Hailie knew that there was no point in hiding that she was scared of him. Jayson probably could smell it.

"Why wouldn't I? You were a crappy boyfriend and your buddy over here," she pointed at Declan, "paid someone to hit me lately."

She took a peek at Declan, but he didn't show any sign of remorse.

"Oh man, that's really not cool, Declan." Jayson shook his head in disapproval, while his friend showed a surprised face.

"I never said I did it."

What Hailie wanted the most was to leave this place, but it was impossible. Declan stood on her right side, while Jayson blocked the way on the left. They've got her cornered, but she didn't feel scared. There were plenty of people at the library. If she had screamed, then everybody would come here and see what's happening.

"Lying again, Hailie?" Jayson seemed like he was having great fun. "First me, now Declan?"

It was a clear reference to the lost trial. He was mocking her. Hailie couldn't let him disgrace her like that.

She smiled with a smugness.

"I can see you're in good shape, Jayson. That leg of yours, it heals well? Which one was it? Ah, yes, both of them." She looked at his legs, but she wasn't far away from the truth. Even if the sports career was over for Jayson, it was undeniable that he came back to health. "What are you doing now, with your plans crushed? You were never smart enough to run the family business, but hey, now that your parents are dead, you have a perfect chance to ruin it all, just as you ruined your sports future."

She shouldn't have said it. The mocking look on Jayson's face disappeared, changing into stone. He tried to stay calm, but she had seen him like that before. It was like unleashing his dark side. Jayson was trying to keep calm, but the anger inside him was rising. If they were alone, he would probably try to attack her, but here there was nothing he could do.

Suddenly Jayson laughed, but Hailie could tell right away it was a fake laugh. He pointed at her and looked at Declan as if she just told a funny joke. Then he stopped at once and stepped closer to Hailie, making her withdraw, until her back met with a shelf. Her heartbeat became faster, while he was just standing there and looking her in the eyes with a warning. In her memories she came back not only to the funhouse, but to every moment, when she felt hopelessness, because of Jayson's actions.

"Well, at least I'm not the one who has to keep watching their backs. How was your year? Have you thought about me a lot?" He raised his hand and touched Hailie's hair. "You probably did."

"Leave her alone!" Amy, who suddenly walked into the alley of books, pushed Jayson away from Hailie and stepped in between them.

"Amy." Declan's eyes got wider as if he still had feelings for her. Hailie doubted it. After all, he cheated on her. There was no explanation for such a behavior.

And Amy just ignored his ex-boyfriend, not even looking at him. Her eyes were set only on Jayson.

"What the hell, Jayson? Don't you see that-"

"Amy!" Declan tried to get her attention.

"Hailie doesn't want to talk with you just as I don't want to talk to this pathetic idiot, who dares to call himself a man, while he's just a lying cheater and manipulator!" She turned around and practically spit those words at Declan.

Hailie had no idea what was happening and why Amy was here? Moreover, why did she stand up in her name?

"How sweet, the four of us back together again." Jayson indeed moved further away from Hailie. "Like the old times."

Amy seemed furious and she didn't hide it.

"It's nothing like the old times," she hissed, gasping angrily at Declan.

The tension between them was dense and getting worse.

"Really? Since when are you and Hailie besties?"

"We're not," Hailie denied, but nobody paid attention to her words.

"What happened with calling Hailie a psycho? Now you believe her side of the story instead of mine? You're changing sides quickly."

Amy raised her chin with a courage that Hailie was lacking.

"I'm not picking sides. I'm just observing, and the real mystery is, why would you bug Hailie, if she was an obsessive, dangerous liar? Kinda funny, huh? I thought that you don't want to see her ever again after she attacked you and hurt you."

His muscle has twitched.

Amy was stupid, but not that stupid. Deep down she actually knew the truth all along, but it wasn't until now that she decided to finally pick Hailie's side instead of Jayson's. It probably had something to do with the fact that Declan cheated on her. And maybe there was much more to it. Hailie didn't know what was going on after she broke up with Jayson and left the popular group of kids in her high school.

"After all those years," Jayson said, like he couldn't believe that Amy turned on him.

"Yes, after all those years I finally understood that neither you nor Declan has ever cared about me. I was a bad friend to Hailie, but then again, you were ever worse as a friend to me. I'd call it an achievement of yours, because believe me, it's hard to be a bigger bitch than I am."

It was nothing new that Amy called herself like that. Back in high school she prided herself on her viciousness. Acting like a mean girl was her motto.

"I hope you won't regret it." Jayson nodded at Declan, who wasn't able to look Amy in the eyes. Hailie could almost hear in her mind Amy's voice, while she was calling him a coward. "See you soon, honey," he said to Hailie, who wanted to throw up every time he called her that.

Both of them left, letting Hailie take a big breath of relief. She didn't like Amy, but her presence wasn't terrifying.

"I owe you dinner," she said, taking out a small mirror from her purse.

Hailie was pretty sure that it should go the other way around, but she wasn't going to complain. She didn't think that they had anything to talk about, but apparently Amy thought differently. 

***

I just wanted to tell you all that lately I've won the 1st place in:

✨ The Frosty Awards ✨

✨ The Golden Writer Awards ✨

I'm so happy about it! ❤️