Chapter 5: Mort’s Black Hole

Chapter 5- Mort’s Black Hole

“Hey guys, why don’t we stop this silliness right now and head back to Fenella’s house to watch some movies instead?” Scarlet suggested.

“We can’t turn back, Scarlet.” Darcie said. “Not now.”

“Don’t worry. Nothing bad has happened.” Cleo spoke.

“Nothing yet. I really have a bad feeling about this. And when I get a bad feeling, it usually results to something worst later on.” Scarlet rationalized.

Darcie didn’t mind. She continued to walk ahead.

“Wait you guys!” I-I c-can’t see clear—aahhh!!”

“Scarlet!” Cleo and Darcie called.

They turned around and saw Scarlet clinging to a loose plank nearly falling into an infinite depth. “Help me!”

“Stay there and don’t move!” It looks like the floor gave up by Scarlet’s weight. She and Cleo slowly approached their anxious friend. They were nearly at the top floor of the mansion now, and falling down sounded unpleasant.

“Careful! The surface is flimsy at this part. The three of us may fall.” Scarlet warned.

“I’m going to get Scarlet. You tug us out Darcie.” Cleo directed. “You weigh heavier than me.”

“I do not!”

“Yes, you are.”

“Are you saying I’m fat?”

“Guys! This is not the time for any weight issue! Need a hand here!” Scarlet shrieked as the floor cracked a bit. “Hurry!”

“Okay, okay. You get Scarlet.” Darcie agreed. “But it won’t be my fault if we all fall because you said you were lighter.”

“Don’t point the finger of responsibility at me.” Cleo criticized.

“Guys!” Scarlet called for attention.

“Okay, sheesh.” Darcie surrendered. “Now go!”

Cleo gently headed towards Scarlet. Scarlet held to Cleo’s outstretched arm and with all her might pulled her friend up. The floor gave up but before they could fall, Darcie yanked them to a sturdy ground.

“That was close.” Darcie said breathlessly.

“Thanks, Darcie.” Scarlet gratefully said.

“Told you.” Cleo taunted.

“No problem. C’mon were almost there.”

Cleo winced. “Nearly where? This place seemed to stretch out to infinity.”

“The topmost part of the building.”

Chapter 4: This is Where it Begins

Chapter 4- This is Where it Begins

Later on that night, the six of them decided to meet at the old willow tree, in front of the Mort manor. They were already there except for one.

Darcie glanced at her watch. It read 9:30. “Where’s Fen? She’s late!”

“Maybe she backed off?” Zea asked.

“There was a deal. She would come.” Cleo said.

As if by word, Fen showed up. She was catching for her breath.

“Sorry I took so long to get here. Long story.”

“Okay. Here’s the agreement. Since this house is far too big for us, we’ll explore it in two groups. I, Fen, and Keely are in one group while you Cleo and Scarlet are going with Darcie.”

“We’ll meet you guys at the top floor. C’mon, let’s go.” Darcie and the others sprinted to the back of the house.

“Okay. I sure hope you guys won’t stumble upon a ghost!” Zea scoffed.

“Let’s go.” Fenella said.

The Mort’s residence’ old gate stood high and sturdy through the cracked pavement. Its once white paint turned yellowish with some part dried and faded. It creaked as Fenella opened it imparting an awful cry. The trio then went through the grass that was left uncut through the years.

They proceeded to the brown door that remained well-built. Its intricate design showed it was constructed ages ago. There was a sculpted head of tiger in the middle, its mouth opened wide revealing a piece of metal ring. Fenella reached for the door and turned the knob. It didn’t budge.

“Let’s try getting in through the windows.” Zea instructed.

“I’ll look for a piece of wood to bash through it.” Fenella said.

The minute they turned their backs at the door, it suddenly opened with a creaking sound.

“H-how--?” Fenella uttered.

Zea gulped. “Okay, looks like we’re invited.”

Her friends dared not to speak. They went inside the building. It was dark and they couldn’t see anything.

“I’ll try the lights!” Zea said as she scanned the walls for any switches. She then found one, so she turned it on. Their eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness of the old room.

“Whoa. This house seriously needs a lot of cleaning.” Fenella examined.

They were standing through the grand entrance with a large space spared for any of the celebration. There were portraits lined in the walls covered with washed-out wallpapers. The chandeliers still possessed its majestic likeness as is hangs on the ceiling. There were pieces of odd-looking figurines placed on black wooden tables. At the center of the huge room was where the luxurious staircase located. Almost everything was covered with dust and cobwebs. Some floors were loose and may give up anytime.

“Whoa. Serious wealth.” Zea muttered under her breath.

The light flickered then went off leaving all of them in the darkness.

“What happened?” Fen freaked out.

“I think the lights not working anymore, considering how old this house is.” Zea explained. “But I have with me a flashlight.” She shone the small beam of light to the floor. “Keep close to me. This house may have holes in the floor.”

They followed Zea which led the way.

Chapter 3: Hunger for Escapade

Chapter 3- Hunger for Escapade

The next morning, Zea, Fen, and Keely squeezed their way through the congested cafeteria. The scent of mac and cheese filled the air. Some students were laughing at the corner, others were chatting with their buddies. The line to the food court was endless, some were even getting impatient of the slow service. They found their friends in a table nearby.

“Hey guys.” Keely greeted. “We finally found you.”

“We’ve reserved you seats.” Cleo offered.

“Thanks. The canteen is always full of people. We barely survived!” Fenella cracked a joke.

“Pass me the tacquitos.” Zea requested as soon as she sat down.

“Hey Zea, what happened to your arm?” Fenella noticed.

“Some crazy cat in your street did it.” Darcie said and shoved a mouthful of corn chips in her mouth.

“Mort’s present.” Keely said as a matter-of-factly.

Zea fingered the small cut. “It’s nothing really. I’m okay.”

“I’m bored. And school is not helping either. “ Darcie said out of blue.

“How about a movie marathon at Fen’s place after class?” Scarlet suggested.

“We always do that. And I’m tired of movies. Let’s do something extraordinary!” Zea proposed.

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Keely doubted.

“I know!” Darcie suddenly flicked her fingers. “Let’s go for an adventure…”

“At the Mort mansion!” Zea continued.

“Whaat?” Keely and Scarlet cried in chorus.

“Guys, keep it down.” Cleo told her friends.

“Nah-uh. I’m not going.” Scarlet shook her head in disagreement.

“I’ll double that.” Keely seconded.

“C’mon you guys. It would be fun. Consider it as a memorable experience!” Fenella protested.

“Yeah, it would not be the same if the whole gang is not complete.” Cleo pleaded.

“It’s okay. These weaklings are not going with us. They’re afraid of ghosts.” Zea smirked.

“Yeah, they’re scared. Don’t worry, they are going to miss a day full of excitement.” Darcie teased.

“We are not weak. We are not cowards if that’s what you think.” Keely encountered.

“And ghosts do exist.” Scarlet opposed.

“Well, prove it. Go with us inside the haunted house.” Zea challenged.

Keely heaved a deep sigh and nodded.

“Okay. Bring it on.” Scarlet declared.

Chapter 2: The Mysterious Black Cat

Chapter 2- The Mysterious Black Cat

Ten minutes had passed still no vehicle was in sight.

“C’mon guys. I think the jeepney won’t pass on this road considering this time of the night.” Zea decided. “We’ll wait for our ride at the end of this street.”

“Whaat?” Scarlet squealed. “A-at the… end of this street?”

“Yeah. What’s the matter with you?” Darcie wondered by the abrupt reaction of her friend.

“Well guys, if you haven’t noticed, the end of this road will be the Emerald Street. And that’s where the Mort mansion is located.” Cleo explained.

“It’s like waiting for a ride in front of the haunted estate!” Keely reacted.

“Don’t tell me you believe that silly story?” Darcie asked back.

“You two chickens?” Zea challenged. “If you want to stay here and wait for an eternity to pass by, then suit yourself. I’m going home.”

“C’mon. You two won’t find a ride here until morning. Let’s go. There’s nothing to be afraid of.” Chloe soothingly told her friends.

“Wish it was that easy.” Keely muttered.

The group started to trudge along the cemented, dark path, their sneakers pounded through the hard road. The lights from the posts casted an eerie glow enough for them to make out the house’ silhouettes. The trees loomed in the shadows, its frightening branches appears like long bony hands. The air was moist. The moon shone in the dusky sky. Everybody was fast asleep for no soul was in sight.

A black cat then suddenly springs out of nowhere which caused them to scream.

“What the --- hey, it’s just an animal!” Zea clarified.

“I…I was scared to death!” Scarlet related, panting from the unexpected outburst.

“H-hey guys. I know where the cat came from.” Keely uttered.

“Where?”

“Oh, my. Look at where we are standing.” Cleo pointed at the run-down house. Through the gloomy lights that the streetlight gave, they can still make out the dilapidated and shabby mansion of the Mort family.

“So what if a cat came from it? It may be a stray animal and this is where it lives now.” Darcie explained.

“Uh. I don’t like it here. I wanna go home!” Scarlet wailed.

“Shut up, Scarlet! Stop acting like a five-year-old.” Zea asserted. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“Zea, Scarlet is just scared. I mean, all of us were.” Cleo explained.

“I’m not scared at any black cat.” Zea mocked.

The cat purred piercingly and jolted up to Zea, burying its tiny paws in her arms. Zea howled in pain. Darcie pulled the cat away from her friend and threw it to the ground. Keely tossed a stone which caused it to run away.

“Are you okay?” Keely rushed to Zea.

“Yeah.” Zea replied. “Its juts a scratch. Stupid cat.”

Scarlet spoke up. “It’s like…the cat is possessed or something…I really wanna go home!”

“It was just an abandoned animal gone wild.” Darcie said. “Nothing to be afraid of.”

A sigh of relief was heard when the sound of a jeepney coming to a halt broke the silence. They all got in, Zea was the last. From the distance, she observed the same black cat, its green eyes full of hatred buried unto hers.

“C’mon, Zea!”

She turned around to have one last glance at the cat but it disappeared in the darkness.

Chapter 1: The House Residing Emerald Street

Author's Note:

First horror story. Tweaked as of 011509. Strongly recommended for kids. :)
PLAGIARISM strongly disallowed.
All rights reserved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1- The House Residing Emerald Street

Characters:

Zea
Fenella
Keely
Cleo
Darcie
Scarlet
Narrator

“It was a stormy night. Eleanor’s parents went on some business party so she was alone inside the house. It was fun at first, doing what she wants to do & eating her heart out. But it was getting late, so she started to worry. All of a sudden, there was a power failure which left her in the darkness. Eleanor heard some creaking sound behind her. And then...”

“And then what?” Scarlet asked.

“What happened?” Keely inquired.

“Then a ghost suddenly jumps out of nowhere scaring Eleanor to death.” Zea cut in. “Right, Darcie?”

Darcie shrugged. She was the one who was telling the story to her friends. They were currently munching on some chips at Fenella’s house, their favorite place to hang out. “I was just gonna say that it was just her parents that got home.”

Scarlet winced. “What kind of a scary story was that? It wasn’t even entertaining.”

“Who says anything about a scary story?” Darcie shot back.

“Maybe because the story has a creepy beginning.” Chloe answered.

“Puh-lease.” Darcie rolled her eyes. “Can’t you guys take a laugh?”

“That’s enough you guys. Let’s finish this project so you all can go home. It’s getting late” Fenella finally said.

The group then settled to finish their work. Cleo was in front of the computer with Keely. Scarlet was cutting out some pictures in old magazines. Darcie and Zoe were designing their paper while Fenella was bringing the dirty dishes to the sink.

“Do you guys really believe that?” Keely suddenly asked. She was not paying attention to their research. “That ghost exist?”

“Of course not! They were just created by the rich imagination of writers like us, Keely.” Zea replied. She was always the frank one.

“Why not, Zea? I mean, who knows really?” Scarlet reacted.

“Don’t tell me you believe them?” Darcie asked back.

“I do.”

“Scarlet! What’s that behind you?!” Zea suddenly exclaimed.

“She turned around but nothing was there. “Ha-ha. Very funny Zea.”

“I believe in ghost when I see one.” Darcie proudly announced.

“That’s a harsh statement Darcie. Wouldn’t you be afraid if you come face to face with one of them?” Cleo remarked.

“Then, we’ll be scaring ourselves.” She laughed hard, her golden curls bouncing back and forth.

“Are you guys talking about ghosts again?” Fenella came back with some sandwiches.

“We don’t have anything to talk to, Fen.” Keely stated. “Besides it’s just for fun.”

“I know. But it’s no more fun when you had experienced one scary encounter.” Fenella said seriously.

“You mean you had stumbled upon a ghost?” Keely asked, her hazel brown eyes went wide.

“No. Stumble is not the word. But I heard true stories about them.” Fenella laid the sandwiches on the table. With that, her friends settled beside her.

“Like what?” Scarlet urged.

“Well, have you seen the house by the Emerald Street?” Fenellea asked her friends.

“You mean the abandoned house residing at the end of this road?” Cleo answered.

“The ones occupying almost one block?” Zea pondered.

“Yup. That’s it. Many spooky things had happened in there. And, I also know the story behind that residence.” Fenella’s voice almost sounded as a whisper.

Keely gulped down a glass of water. Somehow, the room got colder. The tiny hairs at the back of her neck tingled.

“It was on the 30^th of November, 10 years had passed when a tragedy on the Mort family happened. They were the one who owned the mansion. Galton was a stern and vicious man. His wife, Margaret was the exact opposite of him. She was a calm and gentle woman. They had a daughter named Kameko.”

“Kameko was a modest lass. She was simple and she remained humble even if she owned plenty of fortune. She met Patrick, a deprived country boy and fell in love with him. But, their relationship was forbidden by her father. So, one night, with the help of Kameko’s friends, she and Patrick decided to elope.”

‘Then, what happened?” Scarlet asked. She had been holding her uneaten sandwich for too long. She didn’t want to miss out any word of the story.

“Galton found out. He had a plan. He met with Patrick secretly and he told the lad that his daughter doesn’t really love her and that she was just playing with a poor boy like him. Patrick felt devastated learning Kameko was never serious with him. And so, he left. Some said he was run over by a car. Nobody really knows what happened.”

“And so what happened to Kameko?” Keely wondered. “And their plans in eloping?”

“She didn’t know. She thought the plans would still go on. And so, on the night of November 30^th, Kameko waited for Patrick by the old willow tree. She waited and waited. But Patrick didn’t come. Her heart was filled with grief. And by that tree, she committed suicide.”

“The next morning, Margaret found the lifeless body of Kameko and a knife on her hand. Losing her daughter, she died with anguish and sorrow. And as for Galton, I don’t really know. His body wasn’t found yet and the real cause of his death.”

After Fenella told the story, everybody else in the room was silent. No one dared to speak.

“What a sad tragedy to the Mort family.” Keely muttered under her breath.

“Tragedy? I bet it was just a story made up by some crazy people in your street, Fen.” Darcie spoked up.

“Yeah. I agree with Darcie here. And a story will always remain to be a story. Bet I can make a more frightening one of your house, Fen.” Zea agreed.

“I don’t know what to believe but we better be safe than sorry.” Fenella stated.

“Well, that’s a scary story, if it was.” Keely replied.

“Yeah.” Scarlet nodded.

“Anyway, let’s all put that behind our worries. It’s getting late. I think you all should be on your way home.” Fenella finally stated.

“Yeah. And I should be on my way home now. You know how strict my parents are.”

“Okay then.” Cleo said as she was cleaning their small mess.

“We’ll all be back at your house tomorrow then.” Zea proposed.

”Do I have a choice?” Fenella teasingly said.

“Darcie and I placed the unfinished project at the top of your computer desk.” Keely explained to her friend.

“Okey-dokey. Careful you guys.”

“Bye, Fen. See you tomorrow!” Darcie and the others waved goodbye.