It was a cold November morning, the clouds are gloomy and the sun was hidden. Jaycee was preparing to move into a new house with her husband and two kids. She was beyond excited to start a new life with her family after a tragic event. Jaycee had just lost her twin sister, Kaycee, to domestic violence. She was brutally murdered by her boyfriend, Houston. Jaycee couldn’t imagine her life without her twin sister, she was the best sister she could ever have. Little did she know, she was going to endure more trauma.

“Kayla and Layla, please grab your bags and go with daddy to the truck so we can leave.” She said to her kids. They grabbed their bags and shot out the door in excitement. Jaycee’s husband, Dave, smiled as the girls came out the door. All she could think about is what a great father he is to their babies, she loved Dave more than she imagined. Once they all got in the car, they were on the road for the next four hours to San Antonio, Texas. “Mommy!” Layla shouted. Jaycee turned her head and smiled. “Yes sweetheart?” Kayla was asleep in her car seat already. Layla has always been the most active. “When we get to our new house, can I go play with my friend?” Jaycee was confused because they never lived in San Antonio. “How could she possibly have a friend?” She thought. She didn’t quite understand, but what she did know that Kayla and Layla were only five years old. At a young age, kids tend to have their own imagination.

“Sure baby.” She responded. “What’s their name?” Layla went silent for a moment, like she was thinking.

“Julie.” She responded. All Jaycee could do was smile, she loved her kids more than anything in the world. They reminded her of Kaycee, especially Layla. The next thing she knew, Layla had fallen asleep too. Then, she fell asleep too.

Two and half hours into the roadtrip, Dave stopped to get gas. The girls and Jaycee was still sound asleep. Eventually, Jaycee woke up in sheer panic.

“What’s wrong?” Dave rushed to the truck. Jaycee was still catching her breath.

“Nothing, just a bad dream.” She explained, it scared her. Dave was relieved, he expected worst because of how much she has changed since her sister’s death. However, that wasn’t the end of it.

The next two hours, they arrived at their destination. “Mommy and Daddy,” Kayla said. “Where is the house?” The driveway was long, and the trees surrounded and blocked the view of their house. They grew more excited, as if it’s a surprise. After what felt like forever, they finally see their new life ahead of them.

“EEEKKKK!” Both girls screamed. They just could not help themselves. “I like it.” Layla said. Jaycee and Dave was glad their girls were happy with their new home. It was always important to them.

As Dave unloaded the their moving truck to move all their things inside. Jayce and the girls went to look around. Kayla and Layla immediately went to find their rooms upstairs. Jaycee could hear their giggle echo through the house. She followed them up the stairs, and she watched them look at the different rooms.

“I want this room, mommmy.” Kayla said as she pointed to her right. “Come look, it’s pink!” Jaycee followed Kayla with Layla behind her. When she walked into the room, she saw why Kayla wanted that room. “You love the color pink,” Jaycee said. “It fits yours perfectly.” She smiled. “What about you, Layla?” She turned. Layla pointed across the hall. “I like this room, mommy.” She said. “And so does Julie.” Jaycee laughed and walked into Laylas room. The room was pastel purple, she just went along with what made Layla happy. Even though, she was confused about her satisfaction with Julie. She didn’t quite understand it, but it didn’t matter as long as Layla was happy. She walked around upstairs, to explore other bedrooms for her and Dave. She came across the master bedroom, she was in love. She loved how aesthetic it was. It was her dream bedroom. Not only that, her dream home.

“Girls, you want to come see mama and daddy’s room” she shouted across the hallway. Then, she hears little footsteps running towards her. “Yes, mommy!” They said excitedly. They rush into the room, then all of a sudden Kayla trips and fall. She wailed and cried. Jaycee picked her up and comforted her, even though it was a small fall. “Your room is beautiful.” Layla said. She had a big smile on her face as she looked at Jaycee.

They went back down stairs to Dave, he was almost done unloading the truck. “Hey babe,” Jaycee said. “The house is beautiful, you should come see and explore the rest with us.” Dave smiled and stopped to take a break. Jaycee showed him Kayla and Layla’s rooms that they picked out. Next, she showed him their bedroom, and he was amazed. “You know what’s just right, honey.” He smiled and Jaycee. They proceeded to explore the house. There was a total of four bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs. They decided to use the last bedroom as Kayla and Layla’s play room. When they came downstairs, they saw the kitchen and an office. “Here is your office, honey.” Dave said. Jaycee knew that he knew what he was doing when he bought this house for them. “Oh yeah?” Jaycee laughed. She loved that her husband was not only a good father but a great man and husband. They came across the back yard, and Jaycee had a sense of something bad happened in this backyard she’s standing in. She did not like the feeling, but she brushed it off. The further she walked into the land, she came across a Willow tree with a wooden swing. Kayla and Layla immediately went to the swing. Dave followed them, Jaycee stayed behind. She just couldn’t get over the feeling she keeps having. The closer she got to the tree, the more she felt. “It’s getting dark, you guys should come inside and get ready for dinner.” Jayce shouted so they could hear. Dave brings Kayla and Layla back towards the house.

As they prepare dinner, Jaycee gave the girls a bath and put them in their pajamas. Dave had already set up their room, so Jaycee let them go play in their rooms while she headed to the kitchen. “Dinner smells delicious.” She said as she smelled the chicken brewing in the air. “It’ll be ready soon, hon.” Dave chuckled. Jaycee poured a glass of water, and she sat at the table. She could hear them giggling upstairs. All of a sudden, she hears something crash. She ran upstairs to Kayla and Layla. “What was that?” She shouted. That’s when she saw the broken vase in the hallway with flowers scattered on the floor. “Girls, who did this?” she asked. “You’re not going to be in trouble.” The girls just looked at her, they didn’t know what to say. Dave rushes up the stairs. “What happened?” He asked. Jaycee sighed. “One of them broke the vase, I thought they were in their rooms.” “Julie did it.” Layla said. “Honey, Julie isn’t here.” Jaycee said. “Yes she is, mommy.” Layla looked down. “We were just playing and it just fell.” Jaycee brushed it off and reassured them it was okay. She couldn’t be mad at them. She just wanted them to be careful. “Dinner is ready.” Dave said. They went down to eat dinner and then got ready for bed after a long day.

Jaycee couldn’t sleep for awhile, she didn’t understand why. When she finally fell asleep, she woke up to the sound of footsteps. She got up and cracked the door open, no one was in the hall way. She checked Kayla and Layla’a room, they were sound asleep. She checked downstairs, no one was there. So, she went back to bed and fell asleep again. Two hours later, she heard Kayla scream.

“MOMMY!” she cried. Jaycee flew out the door and into her room. “What’s wrong, baby?” She asked as she ran to comfort her. All Kayla could do was cry for the next ten minutes. “There was someone in my room,” Kayla sniffled. “I knew it wasn’t you or daddy.” Jaycee was confused. She didn’t know what to say. She just comforted Kayla until she fell asleep. Then, she went back to bed and was able to sleep the rest of the night.

Early morning came, Jaycee got up first to make breakfast. She let Dave and the girls sleep, she knew they were tired. “Goodmorning beautiful.” Dave said as he was yawning and stretching. “Goodmorning.” She said and gave him a kiss. She woke up early thinking about the last night. It was very odd and unusual. “Did you hear anything last night?” she asked. Dave was confused, he sure didn’t hear anything at all. “No, why?” he asked, confused. Jaycee sighed. She swears she’s going insane. “It’s nothing.” She responded. Dave brushed it off, he did not think anything of it. Just as breakfast was done, Kayla and Layla were coming down the stairs. They were grumpy. “How unusual?” Jaycee thought. “How did you guys sleep?” Jaycee asked. The girls did not respond. So, they left it alone and let them be. Afternoon came, Jaycee started to feel tense as she watched Kayla and Layla play in the back yard. Jaycee did not quite understand the feeling, so she explored further than she could yesterday. Something about this tree has gotten a grip onto Jaycee. She didn’t understand what it was about this house, so she decided to lay her hand on the willow tree. It was not what she expected. Jaycee instantly collapsed onto the ground. “Mommy!” Layla hollered as she ran to Jaycee. Jaycee was knocked out cold, no one knows what happened. However, Jayceee does. Then, she woke up. She had no idea what that was about, but she sure did not feel safe in their new home. Dave sat Jaycee at the kitchen table with a glass of water. “What happened?” He asked. “That was very unusual of you.” Jaycee couldn’t seem to find the words to explain that the tree made her have harsh vision. She did not think she could tell Dave without him thinking she’s going insane. “Nothing, I did not eat breakfast like I should have.” She said quietly. She was still in shock about the vision. That’s when she started doing research on the house. She had no idea what she going to find, but what she found was petrifying. “Dave, come look at this.” Jaycee shouted across the house to get his attention. Dave came into the room within a matter of seconds. “What’s up?” He asked. Jaycee looked like she had seen a ghost. Dave has been confused as well. He’s not understanding what’s really wrong with Jaycee. “Did you know that a family was murdered here?” She asked. Dave’s eyes grew big and wide. He had no idea. “No, i didn’t check for history of the house.” He responded. Jaycee just let out a sigh. “Read this please.” She saidz Dave began to skim over the article. He was baffled by the article. Once again, he had no idea. He just closed the computer, and asked Jaycee to follow behind him to their bedroom. “Jaycee, what’s really going on?” he asked with concern. Jaycee hesitated. “Something weird has been going on,” Jaycee said.
“I think the house may be haunted.” Dave grew more concerned, he did not believe in non existing entities. He has always thought it was silly, but so did Jaycee until they moved into the house. “Sweetheart, I think you need to lie down.” He said. Jaycee hesitated, but she laid down and fell asleep, She woke up once again in fear. She had another dream. When she opened her eyes, she looked to her right. She saw a woman in a white dress, her face was a blur. However, as soon as Jaycee blinked, the woman was gone. At this point, she grew more concerned. She went down stairs and grab the laptop. She made her way back to the room, and she felt a push. “OW!” Jaycee hollered as she was wincing in pain. She fell on her knee, which began to bruise very fast. Dave comes running to her rescue. “What’s the matter?” He asked. Jaycee just stared at him. “Nothing, I just tripped.” She responded. “I am okay.” She got up and proceeded to the bedroom. She was feeling a hot spot on her back, as if someone touched her with something hot. So, she went into her bathroom and pulled up her shirt. “What the..” she said and stopped to see what it was. It appeared to be a handprint right below her shoulder on her back. “This is very weird.” she said to herself. She had no idea what just happened and had no idea how she was going to explain to Dave if he sees it. Jaycee continued to read the article. She read that the husband of the woman murdered her and her three kids. The more she read the article, it became more disturbing. However, she had the same vision that fits the description of the article. “Harrison Kai murdered his family of four, his wife and three children. Kate Kai (the mother) was brutally murdered in her bedroom, and their three children were hung side by side on the tree in their backyard. It had appeared to be he killed Kate first by strangling her to death. Their three children, Kolby, Hailey, and Julie, were found hanged in a willow tree behind their home.” _ _Jaycee stopped reading. “Julie,” she thought to herself. “Is this the same Julie that Layla told me about?” She proceeded to read the article. “_Harrison was imprisoned, he eventually took his own life two years later after he confessed to murdering his family. No one knows to this day why he did what he did.” _ __ Jaycee was terrified. The article confirmed that a family was murdered in this house she’s sitting in. She understood then why she was having visions and very specific dreams. It also explains why she saw a woman in a white dress and where the name “Julie” came from. She knew, even in a short period of time of being there, that there was definitely some entity in the house. By the time she closed the laptop, she had a much bigger problem. “Dave, what are you doing?” she asked as she watched him stand in the doorway. He didn’t move. He didn’t make a sound. He just stood there. In a blink of an eye, Dave charged at Jaycee. “DAVE!” She screamed as he was attacking her. She was fighting for her life. Kayla and Layla came running into the room. “DADDY!” Kayla cried. “Don’t hurt mommy!” Layla was terrified. As innocent as they are, there is no way they were able to stop Dave from hurting Jaycee. After what felt like a long fight for survival, Jaycee kicked Dave off her. She quickly grabbed the girls and locked them in Layla’s room. Kayla was crying, and Layla did not make a sound. Dave came beating on the door, it was breaking into pieces the more he pushed on the door. “Dave, stop!” Jaycee cried hysterically. “Why are you doing this?” She got no response, he was still trying to break the door. Jaycee had to get help. She dialed 911, hoping they would get to her in time. “911, what’s you’re emergency?” The operator said as she picked up the phone. Jaycee was scared, she could not find the words to explain the situation.” “Please help me!” She cried. “My husband is trying to kill us.” The operator asked Jaycee to stay locked in the room. “I got your location, police will arrive in 10 minutes.” Dave was still trying to break the door, but the door was coming down fast. She opened the window and made Kayla and Layla stand on the roof. That was the only way she could keep them away from Dave’s rage. Eventually, Dave stopped. It got really silent, not a echo went through the house. She pulled the girls back inside the room, and she made sure they stayed behind her. She quietly opened the door, and she looked both ways. Dave was gone, she had no idea where he was. “Girls, listen to mommy,” Jaycee said quietly. “The police will be here in less than five minutes.” Kayla and Layla nodded their heads. Even though they were terrified, they trusted Jaycee. “We are going to quietly walk down the stairs,” Jaycee whispered. “When we get to the door, run as fast as you can.” The girls nodded their heads and remained silent. As they quietly walked down the stairs, Jaycee noticed Dave in the back yard with a hammer. He was walking towards the back door. Jaycee opened the door quickly. “Run!” She shouted. Kayla and Layla ran towards the drive way, they did not look back. By the time Jaycee could run after them, Dave grabbed her by her hair. “Let go of me!” She screamed on the top of her lungs. Dave would not let go. As soon as he raised the hammer, sirens were going off. It was the police. He let go of Jaycee, and she ran to the officers who were holding Kayla and Layla. That was all she cared about, her kids being safe. They immediately arrested Dave. Jaycee knew she should of went with her gut the first night. She knew the house wasn’t as anticipated. She wished she would have seen it coming sooner, but she had no idea this would be the outcome. Years later, Dave confessed he attempted to murder Jaycee and their two children. Later, he committed suicide just how Harrison Kai did. Jaycee did not understand what came over her husband and the father of her children. Yet, she never thought that she would come close to death the same way her sister died.

All I can hear is the crunch of the dirty old gravel as I make my way up the drive towards the delapadated old manor. I have no interest in being here, this place holds too many memories of childhood. A time I’d rather forget. I’m here to meet the realtor and finally get this place shifted off the estate’s books. In and out, that’s the plan.

As I turn the key in the lock I feel a sudden chill run up my spine. Against all of my instincts telling me to turn and run, I push open the old door. Dust fills my nose as I enter the foyer. I’ll wait here, I think to myself, no need to venture any further than I have to. I stare around taking in how much the place has changed from the days of myself, Lou and Mol tearing down the stairs, through the dining room and out the kitchen door onto the back lawn that led down to the woods.

The woods. A small gasp catches in my throat as I think about the woods and the last time the three of us ventured there. Only one to return.

I shake my head trying to clear the haunting remembrance. In and out. I’m not being pulled back to 20 years ago now.

Then I hear it. Footsteps upstairs on the landing. “Hello?” I call into the echoing empty house.

The footsteps continue across the floor above me.

Ok, I think, I’ve seen enough horror movies to guess where this is going. I decide to wait outside for the realtor. I turn to pull the door open but it’s not cooperating. It’s an old door, I think, it’s just jammed. I give it a good push and then a pull…. Nothing.

More footsteps. Louder.

The kitchen door, I decide. I have a key for that on the keyring with me. I make my way briskly through the dining room, my gait more unsteady than I’d like given the sudden rush of adrenaline. I am trying not to take in more of the space than I have to in order to make my way to the kitchen. I pull open the kitchen door and I’m out on to the back lawn.

The bright sun hits me hard as I step on to the grass. Everything looks the same. Nothing seems to have changed. The grass is cut. Hedged manicured. Even the old shed looks kept just as it was.

Then I see something that makes my blood run cold.

I see Lou standing at the edge of the tree line of the woods staring at me. She holds my gaze for what feels like an eternity and then turns and runs into the thick wood.

Before I can even think of what I’m doing, I’m running after her. Just like I did on that day. I’m panting, swotting back tree branches and flies as they obscure my view of Lou winding her way through the trees. I bash back a large leafy branch and burst into a clearing.

Molly and Louise sit stoic on a fallen tree trunk, their eyes dilated and fixed. Then in unison they lift their left arms and point towards a hallowed out tree.

“Get in” they say together in monotone.

Oh god I think, not again.

The little girls sat on the roof together of the old manor. Their legs dangling down. One the age of 7, the other about 12. The younger one looks over and says, “Oh I don’t think that’s a good idea Bella. I would get in big trouble.” The other girl named Bella looks at her. Her face is as pale as porcelain, her eyes look sunken in and drowsy. “But then it would just be me and you Sylvia. Forever.” Bella replied in a sad voice, as sylvia handed Bella an object she had stolen.

As Sylvia walked into the kitchen, her mother preparing her a snack, she cried out. “Ow! Mother I think I have hurt my leg on the roof!” Her mother walked over, “I told you to stop going up there! Sit down, I’ll have a look at it.”

As Sylvia sat down upon the chair, her mother asked her why she is always up there. Sylvia responded simply with, “Because when we moved in Bella told me it could be our hide away. Bella’s always right because she’s older than me.” Her mother looked at her and said, “Aren’t you a little old to be having imaginary friends still Sylvia?”

And just like Bella came from behind Sylvia’s mother and stabbed her in the back. She screamed but as quickly as it happened it was over. There was blood all over the kitchen tile and Bella spoke in a voice that was demonic,

“Now we can be together. Forever.”

I watch my children play in the manors grounds through the barred windows of my Kitchen. There faces glow with joy as they chase eachother through the flowers and trees. Sally’s dress blew in the wind as she dribbled through the slender trees. Then I saw her.

There inbetween the bushes a pale face hid. Peaking out beyond the daffodils and roses a young girl. Her black hair draped over her face partially covering her sinister stare. Her smile spread wide as we locked eyes displaying rotted teeth as blood spewed out. Her skelton like hand reached out to grab Sally.

#1 Creaking, creaking, creaking, Stairs, doors and floorboards. Whistling, howling, whispering, The wind with a mind of its own.

The torch flame goes out, Surrounded by darkness. They all begin to doubt The wisdom of this jaunt.

Tentatively stepping forth, They begin to move as one. Up the stairs and heading north, Looking for some light.

#2 Spooky and creepy They haunt the living with joy Feared by almost all

#3 Mourning their own death Missing their living family Indefinitely sad

“These are rubbish,” Mr Jones looked up as he threw down my book in disgust. “Five weeks to write three pieces of poetry around the supernatural and all you can come up with is 3 terrible poems that look like they’ve been written by a 5th grader, not an A-level senior? Care to explain yourself?”

My heart sank. I knew the poems were rubbish but after the horrendous couple of weeks I’d had, I’d only had time to scribble something down at 2am this morning. And after what I’d experienced, I didn’t know how to even begin to describe what my friends and I had witnessed over at the abandoned McWilliams mansion. What we saw, what we went though, defied both belief and explanation. But I guess unless I wanted to fail English, I had to try.

“Well,” I began, “It’s a long story…”

** I started out writing the poems as something different with this topic. I then found it quite difficult and thought it would take forever for me to reach my 200 word goal. So I ended up incorporating it into the start of a story. I don’t think I’d use this exact topic or story but I like the idea of a story starting with something that isn’t the expected story start. Let me know what you think :) **

Foxplot Manor had stood vacant on the outskirts of the village for most of living memory - most that is, save for Granny Minnow, although it was common knowledge you had to take what she “remembered” these days with a whole shaker of salt.

She had always been prone to exaggeration, but now age had long since begun to cloud the edges of her memory, so you really had no idea if what she was telling you resembled any form of the truth.

“Barely older than yourself,” she had croned, the old porches worn boards creaking as she settled into her chair, pausing to sip at her lemonade. Paula looked out at the street, the summer sun hung low in the sky refusing to end the day, and waited for Granny to resume her story. “13 or 14 maybe” eyes fogged as she gazed into her past “but I still remember it, clear as if it happened yesterday” Despite doubting this, Paula hung on Granny’s every word regardless, as was she drip fed the story.

Granny, who just went by Lucy in those days, slowly told of the skinny pale girl, whose hair clung flat to her scalp, who would sit at the back of class a phantom. Eventually even the teachers began to realise it was fruitless trying to draw participation from her and, since she wasn’t disrupting anyone, found it best to just leave her to diligently get on with her work. So Granny couldn’t say how long that girl, Alice or April or “something like that” she was sure, had been absent from school before anyone, including the staff, took note. Due to this the three bodies were quite cold when the front door of Foxplot Manor was broken down by the local police.

(Not exactly based on prompt)

Lucifer's Assurance

       Moonlight guiding my way, brisk autumn wind on my face, drifting from shadow to light and from corner to corner. While my feet were gliding on the ground, my eyes gazed at the stars in their place. The very same place they were the night before, oh how they always returned. I wished others were like that, although I was a lost soul in the world, I always came back to my friends but their doors were always shut, and seemed to be a little harder and colder each time I knocked. I wonder if they forgot me or if they don't care or if they too are lost in the world. But pleasantries aside, I had made a deal with a man, a man who introduced himself as Lucifer. He knew what I needed, money, and he knew what he needed, a murder with no confederates. At the time, I had completed my mandatory military training. How did this man know? I could not tell how, but what I knew was that this man had lucre. So I accepted the offer. He had given me the names, equipment, addresses, and necessary numbers. I was to perform the deed before the sun had risen but before I proceeded, I needed to clear my mind and soul, empty it for this man's pain to be echoed into my body. For this, I turned to the stars. I had killed only one man before, a man better not killed.

      As I strode down Patria Lane, a sudden resolve sparked in me. In a definitive move, I ducked into an alley and, while briskly progressing my way towards the resting place of the victim, opened the satchel bestowed upon me by that man. Inspecting the contents, I saw the gun was good, the scope precise, and I had no worries. I then stopped behind the building and equipped myself. Once equipped, my heart disturbingly sound, I began my ascent up the back of the house. Employing knives in my hands and spikes on the shoes, I made my way towards the balcony. Upon my step on the cedarwood balcony, a creak escaped the wood, a testament to the fine stature of the balcony, as it must have seen many users and many days. Almost immediately upon the creak, there was a startling sound as an unknown item, a body I later found, fell in the room with a groan. Knowing the longer I waited the more likely I was to be caught in the act, I immediately put the gun to my shoulder, poked it through the window, and into the room and looking through the sight, I saw the body slowly getting up.
      BANG!

I pulled the trigger, releasing an ultimate punishment upon this soul. The next thing I did, in an almost instinctive fashion, was drop the gun and run.

      "Lucifer?" I called into the empty shop.
      "Fidus Achates, is the deed ione?" inquired Lucifer as he appeared from behind one of his statues.
       Oh, his statues were something, beasts of uncanny design, displayed with no artistic intent, pure accuracy and horror. All of their colors and textures were that of a descendant of the devil himself, a servant to the ultimate evils. And their eyes of fire, oh eyes of burning fire, but not a passionate affair of romance, no, a hard fire, cold to the touch, but burning to the skin.
      "Of course. I did the deed with no witnesses other than the stars," I replied.
      "Excellent. The payment is this way, if you will."
      "I assume I will be paid in full?" I asked, wary of a double crossing from such a disturbing man taking a bit too long to pay.
      "Indubitably," Lucifer reassured.
      He led me through his endless maze of demon statues, until he stopped in a small clearing. He then gave a malicious little chuckle. And then the demons surged at me, eyes wide in joy, seizing me with their talons and claws. Then despite my shrieking, thrashing anger, threw me to the floor before Lucifer.
      "My friend," he pronounced, "Those who follow my path receive my reward."
      But Lucifer promised! His black eyes, those obsidian diamonds, sparkled as I was held. A sort of cruel amusement glittered in his diamonds, his creatures pulling me down straight through the cobblestone pavement of the shop. And suddenly, with a shriek of utter terror, I was completely submerged under the street, lost in an endless blackness. Then with a dramatic fade, the blackness gave way to a rolling fireland, populated by creatures each one more horrid than the next. Small, slimy, green, and batlike, these creatures hung from the stalactites protruding from the cavernous ceiling of this vast cave, only it was endless to all my sides; there was a ground and a ceiling but no walls. I could not see any end, wall, or barrier except the castle and beside it a plateau. But oh, the castle. It was sprawling across the land, a burning edifice, an encompassing forest, greater the world's entirety itself. Then the burning started. A sensation I live with to this day, it's an internal fire, eating at my intestines and muscles and bones with no end. I could taste the burning flames in my mouth. I lost myself then and there, screaming, pulling my hair out, suffocating myself, trying to die. But nothing worked. Being carried by the goons, I remember nothing more of that time other than the excruciating agony, so much so that I could never find peace again, not in heaven nor in hell, the place I seemingly was in.
      Many days later, it seemed, I.found myself back to my senses, a painful thing though, and saw I was in a galley, men in torn clothes all around me slaving at the oars, to my surprise, I was instinctively doing the same. I attempted to get up, yet as soon as my movement deviated from the rowing motion a different beast pulled back his iron whip and crashed it down upon me, blood now pouring out of my back, I resigned to my fate for now. And I did the same for as long as my life would allow.

      Thirty-two years later, I walked from my labors and came to to a cedarwood door, one that gave me the strange sense of deja vu due to its resemblance to the balcony from all those years ago. Lucifer stood alone by the door, hand on the knob. I had barely the strength to stand after my trials in the galleys.
      "We have a gift, an old face you might remember. A young trailblazer, you knew him well and you'll be happy to meet him again," Lucifer began to my unsure and narrowing eyes.
      Signaling to his demons, he opened the door in a swift movement and the demons threw me in before I could see anything. I was thrown into the room, landing with a thud on a surprisingly soft and cushiony surface, then letting out groan. I stayed still resting for a second, and then slowly began to rise. I began looking around, scanning my surroundings. Then looking up, I glanced at the barrel of a gun slowly poking through the window, then everything went black.

I never felt poor until I entered this house Where in the shadows Lurked a scary air Of superiority

A person of the people I walked into this mansion Resentful that this wealth Isn’t available to the majority

More rooms than they could count Filled not with furniture But with cobwebs, egos and secrets In each room You could see your breath In the chill

I thought I was above it all But then all the sudden The garishness became glamor That chair is guilded! That portrait is grand! Ascend the social ladder I will!

Oh shoot I thought I was stronger than this With wealth I never thought I’d get Obsessed

But once the beauty of money was exposed You know how it goes I didn’t just buy into it I was possessed

She sits, a cup of tea in her hand. Staring out of the window to an early morning. The sun shining in, making the wobbly glass look like rainbows on the wall. She calmly sips her tea, enjoy the morning when suddenly she feels like shes being watched. She turns around, seeing nothing yet still skeptical. She feels something creep closer, inch by inch. She turns around to find a gigantic beast. It's drool pooling on the floor, sharp teeth, sharp bloodied claws, large body, white fur with black spots scattered all over, ruined with blood. Dried and fresh blood. It stares down at her, then growls. "good morning Jerry" She says calmly, unfazed by the creature. The creature gives a disappointed expression then suddenly transforms into a young ghost, looking about 23 years of age at most. "Bah! I almost got ya Marie!" Jerry says smirking. "Next time for sure! "Next time for sure" She agrees, knowing it wouldn't be next time. But what's a little encouragement?

Darkness closes in- Screams ring out.

Windows swing open. Doors slam closed.

Steps creak upward- Feet run downward.

The wind howls in the trees and through the house. Skeltons scratch beneath the house, looking with endless black sockets.

Within the house, there lie a secret ready to unfold. A lady in her rocker and a cat on her lap.

Sit and stay- wait while. Let the wind sing a deadly melody and the dead chant haunting spells.

When the clock strikes midnight, watch blood pour from the skies, the fire will diminish in its stone place.

Hear the old lady cackle and the cat yowl. The house will shake and shudder, invisible feet will pound the basement staircase.

Welcome to The Manor, where the dead will wake and the cheery become somber. The strong become weak…

It’s the Manor Manners!