I'm soaking wet, drenched by the rain. Maybe I should have taken the bus instead. I saunter down the hallway and pause in front of my locker, opening it up to take out my books.

Something is happening. My sixth sense can tell. There's a group of people gathered at a corner not too far from me. The popular kids. It's so obvious they're talking about me because of the ten times Mia has glanced my way, smirking. She's so terrible at gossiping.

The bell rings and I make my way to English class. The day was moving like molasses. But I made it out unscathed.

I wade through the gaggle in the hallway, being inconspicuous as possible. Then I abruptly trip on something, falling flat on my face and when I look up there's a small crack on my glasses and a pair of legs in front of me. A cheerleader's definitely.

"Hello there," Natalie chimes as though she didn't just send me plummeting to the ground ."What do you want?" I ask, getting to my feet, being as placid as nature can allow.

"A favor."

There are better ways to ask for a favor than tripping someone over your foot. "Sorry, I'm kind of busy right now."

Her brows draw together. "What?" Unfortunately for me, her airhead boyfriend, James is already marching this way. Guess there's no escaping now.

"James. Explain to her the favor we're asking," she states. He turns to me with a smug smirk. "Here's what's gonna happen." He lifts his phone and shows me the poster on his screen.

"Our end-of-the-year party is taking place soon and our venue might just be Moorwood Mansion."

"So?"

He rolls his eyes and stuffs the phone into his pocket. "We're going to use you as bait for whatever's in there. If you come back alive, it's safe. If you don't, we change our venue."

Ah yes, the reliable chair.

Maybe they see me as a chair and not a living creature.

Concerning this haunted mansion, I once had a seatmate, Eddy. He was all about proving there was no danger residing in that house. According to the rumors he went in and never came out. I don't want to believe that.

"Okay," I nod. It's not like I had a choice.

I notice Darren— A friend of James' marching towards our direction with a pistol firm in his grip. The way people carry guns around in the open here should be illegal in any other town. "Did she agree?" he asks James.

"She had no choice," he replies and snatches my bag, tossing it aside.

It doesn't take long before I become their hostage, walking down Willow Lane. The muzzle of Darren's Springfield is firmly pressed against the back of my head ready to blow with the slightest of my misbehavior. We pause and take a moment to stare at the dilapidated house, the rain giving me an ominous feeling. The cracked and uneven stone pathway that leads to the front entrance, the wrought-iron gate, rusted and askew, struggling to hold up its dignity, the exterior, once adorned with intricate stone carvings and ornate balconies, now covered in layers of dust and moss. This is Moorwood mansion.

My eyes catch a blurred shadow standing unnaturally still behind a curtain on the first floor. Could that be— "Hey!" I snap out of my thoughts, gripping my chest as my heart beats in my throat. "Wear this." James gives me a hat, leaving me puzzled. "It has a camera and a microphone so we can see what's going on inside," he clarifies.

"Now go in... and don't you dare try anything stupid," Darren growls beside my ear, pushing me forward.

I swallow my saliva and push the door open immediately getting caught in some cobwebs. I recover from the one-second heart attack and wave my hand around, brushing them away. As I step into the room a chill tiptoes down my spine. The door slams shut without me even touching it. I reach for the doorknob, twisting it open. It's locked. "James the door is locked," I tell him through the microphone, hiding my overwhelming panic.

"Yeah, yeah we'll deal with that later. Just keep moving." Seems I might die today.

I turn to face the living room and it's quite a haunting sight. Dust covers every surface, creating a thick layer that obscures the room's former glory. The windows are cracked and covered in grime, allowing only slivers of feeble sunlight to filter through. In the center of the room, a chandelier hangs precariously from the ceiling, its crystal pendants dulled and tarnished.

What happened here? "Go in already!" Darren yells.

I roll my eyes, taking slow steps, some floorboards groaning under my feet as I do so. "There's nothing here," I tell them. "Then go upstairs and make it quick!"

"You don't have to yell," I mutter and turn to the corner of the room spotting the meandering marble staircase. Here goes nothing. I ascend the steps to the first floor and uncover a realm frozen in time. The air is thick with dust and faint rays of sunlight manage to penetrate through the dirty windows.

The hallway stretches out before me lined with doors, some hanging askew on their hinges. Slowly I approach one of the rooms and push the door open. I gasp when I see a corpse and take so many steps backward that I nearly plummeted to my doom if not for the banister. I hold on to it with one trembling hand while the other is clasped over my gaping mouth. My heart right now is fighting for a way out of my chest after that horrific sight. I have to get out of here or I'll—

"Keep moving," James growls. "Keep moving? Isn't a corpse enough for you to realize this place isn't safe!" I snap back at him. "Hey hey... move closer to that body for a moment," he says.

"W-What why?"

"Just do it!"

I heave a sigh and take slow steps towards the body. "Isn't that Eddy?" he asks. "The Eddy that went missing from school," he adds. I take a moment to look at the boy, identifying the blonde hair and a very familiar band tee. It is Eddy. His face was just too decayed for me to realize it at first. So this is where he was the whole time. "I'm leaving," I state and stride to the stairs. "What do you mean you're leaving!" Darren barks.

"You can shoot me as many times as you want with your dumb pistol, but I refuse to die in here."

"C'mon just open one more door... and I promise we won't bother you till next semester."

I look back and sigh. "Fine, fine." Having them off my back for an entire semester would be very rewarding.

I stride towards the next door and push it open to reveal a dusty yet luxurious bedroom. The walls are painted black and the windows are adorned with dusty silk curtains. I walk towards the window and spot the three of them patiently waiting downstairs. Wait... isn't this where I saw that shadow? My breath hitches and my body goes stiff. Just leave, leave, just leave

I race to the door but like the one downstairs it slams shut, leaving me trapped in this eery room. "James! The door just trapped me in!" I cry out, struggling with the doorknob. "Just calm down and turn the knob like a normal person would." I take a deep breath and start twisting the door knob. But from the corner of my eye, I spot something moving. My fingers start to vibrate as I squeeze the knob fully realizing I'm not alone.

Slowly I turn my head to the side and spot the study corner of the room. Sitting in the chair is a boy marveling at the globe in front of him. His back facing me and his head tilts from side to side as though it's swaying to a beat. I cover my mouth, staving off a scream. The door is locked and I can't get out. "Hmm... a guest?" he mutters and gets up, slowly twisting his body to face me. The moment I get a glimpse of his face a wave of familiarity washes over my brain. I've seen this guy somewhere. His curly black hair, his deep blue eyes. I know him, I just know I've seen him before. He languidly walks by me eyeing me from head to toe, then he casually leans on the door and folds his arms over his broad chest.

"Welcome to my home... how do you see it?" he asks, his eyes lingering on the ceiling. "A bit out of shape right? Sorry, I haven't had the time to clean in a while."

I stare at him, stupefied. Who is this guy and why is he talking to me? "Who the hell is that creep you're talking to? Just get out here already the place seems safe enough," James says, his strident voice bouncing off the walls. "Sorry... I have to leave now," I mumble and attempt to get past him and out the door. But he stays put, looking down on me with his monotone expression. "That's one of the people that brought you here?" he asks.

"What are you talking about?"

"Those people standing outside... aren't they the ones that brought you here?" How did he even know that?

"I- I-"

"I've been watching four of you since you came here... you wandered around a bit... encountered one of my victims... Ethan was it..." Victims?

"E-Eddy?"

"Yes, Eddy... thanks for reminding me... he came in here without even knocking... I hate people that lack manners," he sighs. "As I was saying anyway... you were about to turn around but you didn't..." he continues and shifts his gaze to me. The moment his dead eyes catch mine it sends an electric sensation down to my toes. "Why make such a foolish decision for people who treat you like trash-"

"Please I just want to go home" I state. "I'm sorry I came in here without knocking... I just didn't want to get beaten up or even killed... I just- I had no choice," I defend. "Hey, klutz! What do you think you're telling that guy? Get out here right now!" James demands.

He gazes at me with the same expression he's had since I saw him. Maybe I should jump out the window. This floor isn't so far from the ground. I swiftly swing my head in the window's direction but change my mind when I realize I have nowhere to put my glasses. Then I turn back to him. Where did he go?

I ignore that and attempt to open the door again but it still won't budge. "James it's still not working! I'm stuck!" I yell as I try to ram the door down with the side of my arm. "What do you mean you're stuck? That's it I'm-" A loud bang blasts through my ears. "Natalie! What did you just-" Suddenly he's quiet. "James... James!" I call out, but he doesn't answer. I grab the hat and toss it out the window, fraught with exasperation.

At this point, I just really wish I listened to Gaia.

"Sorry, I didn't introduce myself earlier..." I jump, spinning on my heels to face the boy. How did he do that? "My name is Ace... Ace Finnegan... and I kill people for a living."

Did he just say that? He stretches his arms out and curls up his fingers as though he wants to strangle me but something is holding him back. "I want to kill you too... but you see..." he pauses to rake my body. "That would be a waste."

My breath catches in my throat, and a shiver courses through my body, paralyzing me with fear. I'm struggling to comprehend the unearthly presence before me, my mind reeling with dread.
How can he just say all that like it's normal?

He steps aside for me to pass through, leaving me shocked, relieved, and confused at the same time. "Go ahead," he says. "Or you want to stay?"

I hesitate, forgetting how to use my legs for a second. Then without wasting another second, I dart at the door. "Oh wait..." he adds. His voice tightened my skin with goosebumps. "Do you plan on turning me in?" he asks.

Of course I do you psycho!

"No, I would never."

He nods. "Don't bother though... I'm not even alive," he says, fading into nothing. I grip my chest, fighting for my consciousness to stay put. He just vanished. He just vanished but that's okay. I'm sure this is all just a dream. A very realistic one that will end once I wake up in my bedroom. I exit the room and descend the stairs, still convinced I'm in a very deep sleep.

The moment I step out the door a tinge of happiness mixed with horror fills my chest.

James and Natalie are lying prone on the floor, dead. Their blood still seeping onto the pavement, the rain spreading it around. Then I spot Darren's gun and notice that it is the murder weapon used. Why would Darren do this?

Wait

It was Ace.

I immediately recall the moment Ace disappeared was the same moment James stopped talking. I run down the street, wincing from the rain, trying to erase the last 30 minutes of my life. Then I look around me and notice the street is empty. Blood-stained tar and dried up plants, weeds growing on the walls of every house. The Christmas lights are up year-round. There's something off about this place.

I have a feeling everyone here was killed.

Killed by Ace Finnegan.