“Say good bye now.” Was all my dad, Dr. David Cural, could say as we walked away from the old house. “Alrighty now, is every one out? Let’s hit the road Jack!” Just for the record, I don’t have a brother name Jack, or know of anyone whose name is Jack; it was just another one of those expressions dad used to say when we’re moving.

“Hit the road Jack and don’t ya come back no more no more no more! Hit the road... Hey, Mary don’t be such a party pooper!” Sally, my very creative and annoying little 6 year-old sister, was as always a baby in many ways. “Isn’t that right Ollie? She’s such a big meanie.” Ollie is our 3 year-old beagle who was always quiet no matter what Sally said or did, and was the only friend I ever had.

            “Oh shut it Sally.”

            “Mommy! Mary said the “S” word to me!”

            My mom comes around the back of the car still clinging on to a couple of boxes, with her honey hair tied up in a birds nest flying all over the place. “Mary! You know we don’t use that kind of language in this house.” And as always she’s clueless as ever. Sometimes I even believe that I was adopted.

            “Oh you mean the house dad just locked up? Or did you mean the other houses in every other state? And last time I checked we aren’t even in a house right now.”

            “Mary,” she said in a low and serious voice. “I don’t want to hear that kind of attitude in this house young lady, or that kind of language. Now be a good girl and help me.” She once again disappears behind the van that has now sunk down to the ground as if some one has taken a hammer and smashed it into the earth. I reluctantly shut the book I was pretending to read and got up from the top porch step, half dragging my feet to my helpless mom. She used to be a nurse in some hospital but when Sally started getting failing grades in school; mom thought it would be better if she just stayed at home to help Sally. My dad on the other hand is a very talented and well known doctor. And not to mention very kind and giving, which makes him have jobs offered all over the place and he wanting to help everyone in the entire world, accepts them. This is why we are constantly on the move. Dad tries too hard to help everyone around him. This time he was given a job all the way down in some uncharted place called Readevil, Oregon. Which strangely can be pronounced in two different ways. And our family, of course, had an argument during dinner on whether to pronounce it as Reedville or Readville, who knows for all I know it could be called “looser Ville”.

After having packed all our luggages into the small mini van we tried to squeeze ourselves in too. Then we were off on a wild and long journey. It took us about a thousand years to drive from Ohio to Oregon, due to my dads “driving by the speed limit” on the highway, and Sally’s “every three mile bathroom stop”.

But surprisingly the car ride gave me time to think about my past life and try to figure out what my feature was going to be. I’m in my junior year of high school and time was running out before I was to go to college. I didn’t know what to be or even what I wanted to be. Ever since I was little dad’s job had always made us move all over the country. 

Eventually we did make it to Readevil, Oregon which gave me the surprise of my life. Readevil was not only a very nice and small modern town, but it was normal and not what I had expected when I heard the name of the town. And the only out of place thing in town was the old diner that looks as if it’s been there since the 1960’s, with a big wooden sign that said “BB’s Diner”. It’s was a good thing it’s located near the school though, because no matter where I am I can’t stand the taste of cafeteria food. I thought I might actually like it here. After passing through the crowded streets filled with school kids walking home, I ducked my head trying very hard not to been seen by any of them as they stared at the sluggish beat up mini van. Unfortunately my efforts were useless when a boy who looked about my age saw me and waved with a benign smile. At once my heart started to melt, and I tried to memorize his angelic features. I kept staring at his short sandy hair, warm hazel eyes, and creamy tan skin, until we wondered out of the town and into a more rural and desolate area. The grass was so yellow with the early morning dew still clinging on to the wilted stems it reminded me of French fries with extra oil. And the trees had drooping autumn leaves that rocked gently with the mellow wind. Despite the fact that the sky was full of ashen clouds, the colors of the leaves illuminated in the dim light and seemed almost on fire like torches.  I then thought I saw a faint light in the midst’s of the dense forest, when my dad took an extremely sharp turn, making me knock my head against the car door window.

“Sorry girls, I almost missed the turn.” Dad said, our condition being the least of his worries.

“I think you barely missed my brain.” I complained while rubbing the tender bruise on the right side of my head.

“Ok ladies, welcome to your new home.” Dad announced as we passed an ancient rusty gate that had a sign resting on it in bold caps saying “DESRUC MANOR.” By hearing all these strange names I started to acknowledge the conception that there is some meaning behind all the strange names or some loony couldn’t think of anything else.

Sally like an excited little puppy on its hind legs begging for a treat, was sitting on the very edge of her seat, stretching her skinny neck out in order to see over dad’s large shoulders. “Oh wow! It’s so big!” she swooned.

“Oh honey its perfect!” mom chimed in. “Oh Mary stop being stubborn and take a look at the house.” Reluctantly I did, only to find my heart jumping in side my chest.

The “manor” was as Sally said large, with four white columns two stories high. There was a dozen big crystal glass windows that seemed to shimmer even with the slightest bit of sun, in fact the whole house seemed to glow. The door was antique and arched, and the wood a dark crimson red almost like blood. And for a garage there was a narrow wooden shack that was hidden on the left of the house. The lawn that surrounded the house was the only cheerful color present, along with some other lush green bushes growing along side the house. We parked the car in the little circle around a huge dried up fountain placed in the middle. As soon as the car stopped, Sally with Ollie tailing behind her, was up and out of the car before anyone else had time to unbuckle their seat belt. I joined my parents who were embracing each other in a bear hug while walking up to the house on a little rocky path made out of gravel. Sally was already at the door and was peeking in through the windows. Soon as I reached the door dad pulled out an antique looking key and unlocked the door.

The inside was like a stage set to perfection. We were welcomed in by a circular satin red carpet that covered most of the foyer with a huge chandelier some 20 feet above the floor. Its crystals pointing downward and jagged like daggers sent cold shivers down my spine. There was a stair case on the left that lead up to the balcony which brood over us like an intimidating cobra. Below there were multiple narrow hallways leading in different directions. And after exploring the hallways I found out that the hallway to the far left lead to the kitchen, the three in the middle lead to the ball room, dinning room, library and private study which would eventually turn into dad’s office. The last hallway to the far right lead out to the patio and garden, and an old fashioned music room. The bed rooms were located on the second floor and again were divided out by narrow hallways. I would get lost every where I go if it wasn’t for the doors connecting one room to the next.

After settling in to my own room facing the back of the house which leads to a blanket of trees, I made my way down to the kitchen. Mom was already settling in there, unloading all the silverware and cooking materials needed. Stashing them into cupboards and drawers trying to fill up the abundant space we had. The smell of spice and cinnamon swirled around me like a small hurricane. While mom was running around, Sally sat on a very high stool in the middle counter top, munching nosily on a sugar cookie.

“So? How do you like your new room Mary?” mom said while putting away a pot.

“Its alright I guess. I’m just afraid Sally’s going to get lost with all the rooms and stuff.”

“I will not get lost! I already know my way around the house unlike you who still doesn’t know where her own room is.” Sally protested.

“Oh shut up Sally I do too know where my room is.”

“Now girls be nice. It’s late why don’t you two get ready for bed. Your father and I can unpack the rest of the stuff. Try to get a good night’s sleep because you both start school tomorrow.” After kissing mom good night I followed Sally to her room and found my room at the same time. I pulled on some grey sweats, a tight comfy tank top and flopped myself down on the bed. My body sank into the fluffy comforter and squishy pillows embracing me in luxuriant warmth.

While lying down in bed I observed the strange ceiling, and the unfamiliar smell of fresh paint with the hint of wet leaves, nothing like the old house we used to live in. When ever we moved it was always difficult for me to sleep on the first night in a new home, and often times I would stay up until four o’ clock in the morning. If I’m really lucky, and exhaustion gets me then I would fall into a deep and soundless sleep. And as I started to doze off thinking of the next day and school, I was awoken by the sound of a slight creaking and moaning of the bedroom door being opened. At once I jolted up to see who it was but then the door was quickly closed shut as I got up. I was confused on why I was over reacting to something so small, but no matter how much I tried to calm down my heart kept thumping. I jumped out of bed and ran for the door, I came out into the dim light of the hallway nightlight and could barely make out the shape of a figure walking silently down the hallway. Thinking that it was an intruder I grabbed the bat from inside my room and ran back out. But the figure was gone. Instead of turning around and hiding under the covers as Sally would do, I ran in the direction the figure was last scene. The doors to every room were open and I passed through each one with the bat raise to my head ready to swing. My quick footstep made loud pounding noises against the floor, or was that actually my heart? Either way I could hear a loud thumping, and as I passed through each open door, the thumping would get louder. Finally coming back to reality and observing my surroundings I found that I was in the kitchen and my mom was already in bed. I waited and paused as if the whole world was holding its breath. When suddenly it was broken and there was the clang of a metal pot from the basement.

I span around to face the basement, the door was wide open and a small dark figure stood in the doorway. My eyesight was then blurred by blotches of red and black and the salty smell of blood reeked in to my nostrils. I let out a deafening screech which brought both my parents running down the stairs to the kitchen. I didn’t stop screaming until the lights went on and my mom’s firm hands were shaking me frantically back and forth. Finally stopping from my hysterical screaming I calmed down and was gently cradled in my mother’s arms.

“Mary, honey every things all right. You’re alright honey. What happened? Here drink some water.” Mom handed me a glass of water and I drank it all in one gulp. After drinking a second glass my mom interrogated me once again. “Mary what happened?

My throat was scorched and as I drank the cool water it sizzled deep inside my throat. Taking another sip of water I croaked in a crackling voice, “I saw someone in the house, walking. So I followed it and I ended up here. And then there it was in the...” I turned my attention back to the basement door which was now closed. I started to remember last series of events that had past starting from the shape of the dark figure, the blotches of red and black and then the smell of blood.

“Honey the figure you saw must have been Sally.” My body went cold and I felt an invisible wave of freezing water crashing against my body. “We heard you screaming and Sally was just standing in the kitchen half asleep. But don’t worry honey your father is bringing her up to bed right now. Do you want another glass of water before you go to bed?” I shook my head in disbelief and my mom interpreted it as a no, so she hulled me up off the floor and helped me back to bed like a wounded soldier. Once back in bed I fell asleep right away, my throat parched and burning.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of my bedroom door being opened. I shot up like a rocket and grabbed the closest object near me which turned out to be my alarm clock.

“Wow. Mom wasn’t kidding about your insanity last night. I bet all the neighbors think we’re freaks now all because of your screaming.” Sally stood in my doorway with a sly smile smeared across her face. I dropped the alarm clock and picked up a pillow and pounced at her.

“You little!” was the only and last words I was able to say before my voice went out like a light. After chasing Sally through the house waving my pillow and silently cursing at her I had to change and get ready for school. Dad first dropped Sally off at her elementary school which was 3 blocks away from my school, then he dropped me off in front of my own school.

“Now Mary I’m going to be home a little late but your mom is at home and has the other car. So when school’s out be sure to call mom, alright? And honey please try to make friends and have a good time I know how hard it is for you but please do it for me?” I mouthed the word fine and then he drove off almost running into another car. School was like all the other schools I went to. Except this time whenever the teacher tells me to introduce myself I try to find the simplest sign language to tell them that I had lost my voice because my dumb little sister was sleep walking through the house and I got a little scared so I screamed and lost my voice. Unfortunately everyone just laughed and the teacher with no clue at all tells me to sit down while they start the lesson. When it was time for lunch I wandered around town looking for the “BB’s” Diner I saw the other day. To my surprise it wasn’t hard to find since almost half the school went there too, and cars were parked bumper to bumper all wanting to eat at the diner. I then walk into the diner crowded with young teenagers all laughing and stuffing their face with hamburgers, hotdogs and other mouth watering foods. I went to the front counter with tall metal stools and a big plump lady in a dirty white apron cleaning up some grimy dishes.

“Hey sweet heart go ahead and take a seat. I’ll be with you in a sec.” she said to me with a sweet honey voice, compared to my croaky frog like voice. She then disappeared through two swinging doors which lead to a cramped kitchen. I sat down and scanned the menu, my mouth almost drooling while reading all the variety of food.

“Find anything you like sweet heart?” startled I jumped out of my seat causing a salt shaker and couple of other items to fall off the counter.

My lips mouthed the words “I’m so sorry” then I started to pick them up and found myself face to face with the boy I saw the other day. I stopped dead in my tracks, my mouth open like a gawking bird.

“Hey” he greeted me with a dazzling smile and a voice soft as velvet.

“Oh Nick! I didn’t see you here, when did you come in?” the lady behind the counter asked the boy down on the floor beside me picking up a salt shaker.

“I just got here Betty, and starving. I’ll just have the usual.” The lady named Betty once again disappeared behind the two doors as he stood back up and I was still on the floor looking up at him like a complete idiot. “Oh do you need help?”

Realizing how stupid I looked I stood up quickly and placed the other fallen objects on the table. I opened my mouth to say some thing but of course it was no use. Instead I took out a piece of paper and scribbled: no I’m fine thanks. I’m Mary Cural, I just moved here. I showed him the piece of paper, and watched his face light up so bright as if he had a halo around his head.

“Oh I see. I had a feeling you were new. But it’s alright everyone knows everyone in this town. You’ll fit in no worries. So where do you live? I saw you walking here earlier from school. Don’t you have a car?” he sat down in a seat next to mine, close enough so that he could see what I wrote on the paper. He than backed away a little as if I was crazy and gave me a puzzled expression. “Whoa there. You live in the Desruc Manor?” I nodded.  “You’ve got to be kidding me. My grandmother told me ghost stories about that place. She said that place is haunted and not to mention creepy. That’s why nobody wanted it.” Puzzled I was about to scribble a question of my own to ask him but then I got distracted by the large plate full of french-fries and a big chicken sandwich that Betty brought out and placed in front of Nick. “Would you like to share? It’s pretty big for a little guy like me. But it’s the best chicken sandwich you’ll eat in the world. Betty makes it especially for me.” He then cut the sandwich in half and gave one half to me which I thanked him properly for, on the sheet of paper in the middle of us. As we sat and nibbled on our sandwiches he talked and I would listen then I would write in reply back. I told him about how my life was and my little sister’s sleep walking incident, which he thought was a little amusing. We had such a great time smiling and laughing with each other that we lost track of time. Nick then offered me a ride which I happily accepted hoping that our time together could last forever. And instead of calling my mom which my dad forgot I couldn’t do, due to my loss of voice,  I text messaged her on her cell phone telling her that I got a ride home and that all she needed to do was pick Sally up. I was surprised I was able to make a new friend let alone a “guy”. But I was even more surprised when he motioned to his “ride” which turned out to be a sleek black motorcycle that could fit two people. It felt like wings flying to heaven, as I clung to his back with the wind in my face. And couple minutes later when we got to my house I almost didn’t let him go.

“Wow. Grandma was right. Some things just never change.” He murmured to himself under his breath so that I could barely hear. I waved good bye as he left, and the roaring of the engine was still ringing in my ears.

I was about to go into the house when I heard Sally’s voice coming from the back of the manor shouting, “Ollie! Hey Ollie come back!” As the older sibling of Sally I went around the house to see what was going on and as I turned the corner I caught a glimpse of Sally running toward the dark misty forest. Not wanting to get in trouble with my parents I started to run after her. We went about a mile or two away from the house when Sally finally stopped at a deserted cabin. “Hey Mary, who do you think lives in there?” shrugging my shoulders I walked over to Ollie who was sitting right in front of the cabin and picked him up. Then walking back to Sally I grabbed her hand to lead her back to the house, but she wouldn’t move. She kept staring at the cabin as if she was hypnotized, and she even started to walk towards the cabin. I yanked on her hand to go but she still ignored me, and kept walking, like a zombie, or sleep walking. She even opened the door and walked inside, while I stood at the doorway holding Ollie in my hands.

The cabin was small and had only one bed. Beside the bed were a wooden desk and an oil lamp, a chest of toys and some paper and crayons. Cobwebs in every corner and dust lingered on the window. Its thick wooden walls reminded me of one of those padded rooms for the insane. And I once again started to feel the same wave of freezing water. But this time even colder, which made me shake like crazy. Sally then sat at the table and picked up some crayons and started to draw. I wanted to get out of this place but something was holding me back. I felt this loneliness fill inside me and a painful emotion that I don’t understand swell up inside. All at once I started hearing the same thumping. Being driven mad by all these emotions, feelings and sounds I tried to scream again. But my voice would not pull through and I felt like exploding just when Ollie jumped out of my arms and bounced out of the cabin. Finally everything stopped, the thumping, feelings and emotions altogether. As if I came back to normal world once again.  When I went to get Sally I found her sleeping soundly on the little bed. And for some strange reason I felt as if the bed was made for her. And not only the bed but everything else. But before I let all those feelings take over me again I scooped Sally up in my arms and rushed out of the wooden cabin and headed for the house. At home mom was in the kitchen preparing dinner, so I sneaked up to Sally’s room and tucked her into bed. Still static from what just happened moments ago I went to wash it all off in a nice hot shower. And after I did my homework and ate dinner I went straight to bed, still a little shaken. What just happened back there? And what is going on? First Sally starts to sleep walk at night time and when she’s awake which she hasn't ever done in her entire life. Second we find an abandoned cabin left out in the middle of no where, no supplies of food or water. Plus the fact that these strange things are mostly having to do with Sally…

Ever since we came to this town time seemed to speed up. My time with Nick talking to each other, when I finally got my voice back, were the best part of my days and I always look forward to it. Over all I felt happier than I ever felt before and I made other friends other than Nick too. I also became one of Betty’s regulars just like Nick and half the town. And I was so happy with my new life that I totally forgot about Sally’s life.

It was Saturday, November 13 and I was getting ready to go into town with Nick to go hang out with some other friends at BB’s. As I was about to walk out the door the phone rings.

“Hello?”

“Yes Hello this is Miss Dolsen. Sally’s teacher. Well I just wanted to ask if Sally’s going through any kind of emotional pain or something. Because she’s a sweet little girl it’s just that she doesn’t seem to get along with the other children and you know how young kids are making up imaginary friends, can understand that. I mean she’s not the first kid who had an imaginary friend. And…”

“Wait you said she had an imaginary friend? That can’t be Sally she’s always happy and cheerful even if someone died. And sure she’s creative but not creative enough to think up an imaginary friend. I mean she always had friends at school so she never needed one.” I denied some of the information of being unreasonable, but the teacher kept talking on and on about a Sally I don’t know. She said Sally was always standing alone and all the other children seem to be afraid of her. But the Sally I knew was always friendly and even had more friends than me. I thought it was impossible for her to not have friends. Although she has been acting strangely at home here. She sleeps walk a lot and always end up in the kitchen or in the kitchen basement.  Then realizing the time, I had to end the conversation since Nick was waiting outside. After that I put all of Sally’s problems aside.

At the diner Nick and I ordered our usual and before Nick could say another word I asked him.

“Do you think Sally’s acting odd? I mean from your point of view do you think she’s emotionally sad or depressed?” he gave me a puzzled look and took a few sips of his coke before he answered me.

“Well to tell you the truth at first I did think Sally was emotionally depressed about some family issue. And since you never brought it up before I thought that you wouldn’t like to talk about it. But that’s just how I thought it was.” His politeness made me half smile but I was still confused. Why did everyone think Sally was depressed? What do they see in Sally that I don’t?

To keep my mind from exploding with all these burning questions I brought up a different subject.

“So what are you planning to do for the history project?”

            Clearing his voice in order to make it sound more cheerful Nick replied. “Well I don’t know for sure, I was thinking that maybe after we eat we can go to the library and try to find a building to research on.”

            “Oh great idea! I need to find a building too.” We paid for the lunch then drove down to the center of town. The library was four times as big as any mansion and had long narrow stained glass windows with pictures of angels, flowers, demons and fire. It had similar columns like the Desruc manor but grey and cracked.

Once inside the library Nick and I skimmed through many books of mansions and buildings. With no luck I logged onto a computer and googled for some mansions in this area knowing a couple of other mansions other than my own, and among the names I found the Desruc Manor among the names of other mansions. Out of curiosity I clicked on the link which brought up some kind of ancient article. It had a sketchy black and white picture of the exact same house we were living in and a picture of a man and supposedly his wife. I then read from the article:

Charles Edward Desruc and beloved wife Elizabeth Mary Desruc died in their own mansion date November 13, 1960. Former servant and cook of the Desruc, Betty Butler, witness to the tragedy, states that the house burned down merely by accident. Although accident was the respectable case chief officer John Benedeck reports that blood and another corpse of what looked to be as a child was found among the ashes. But hospital records have no record of the Desrucs ever having children. With further investigation Benedeck interviews close neighbors. The neighbors, whose name remains anonymous, claims to have heard screaming from the house just before the house was seen to be in flames.

Shocked and speechless I scrolled down to see another article with the picture of the house burned down. And another picture of the place where the three corpses was supposedly found which was right in the center of the house. And frighteningly as I squinted my eyes more in order to focus them I did see the shape of another figure. But as I looked at the third picture I almost fainted. There standing with handcuffs in what looked like a court room, was Betty. She was much younger and a bit thinner than she is now but still plump. The only real difference with the Betty in the picture and the Betty I knew now was that in the picture she looked like a mess. Her face was whiter than anyone else and I could see shades of grey under her eyes like a raccoon. Her hair was like a pile of twigs and sticks. And she wore the most sorrowful expression I had ever seen, other than my own. As I looked at the picture it almost made me cry. After wiping away a tear that escape from my eye I started to read the article.

Betty Catherine Butler was sentenced to trail for the murder of the Desruc couple. Chief Officer John Lancing Benedeck presents to the court the written proof of the anonymous neighbor, picture of the unknown body and states that Miss Butler had deceived the press and said that the house burned down by accident. As evidence to what seemed to be burned or dried blood was found near the corpse and a knife as well that was salvaged from the fire. Court officials have yet to decide of Butler’s future.

“Find something interesting?” I clamped my hand over my mouth in order to stop myself from screaming of fright. Nick was leaning over my shoulder his hand clamped over his own mouth but to stop himself from laughing.

“Jeezes Nick, don’t do things like that.” I hissed as he took in three deep breaths to claim his sanity again.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be sure to let you know I’m here before I ask you a question.” He again broke out in a quiet laughter and I gave him a small punch on the shoulder.

“Hey can we go back to BB’s diner? I need to ask Betty a couple of questions.”

“Sure, ill drop you off and then I’ll go run a quick errand if that’s alright with you. I promise to be back to pick you up.” We were outside the library now and were putting on our helmets. I paused, tickled at his courteous manners.

“Nick, you’re so good to me. Even before we meet. How can I ever make it up to you?”

“Well, there is one thing...” He started, his face starting to flush.

“What is it?” I asked impatiently, clueless of everything.

“Well, you can officially be my girlfriend, but I understand if you don’t want to I know you...” I put my pointer finger against his lips stopping him in his tracks.

“I would love to be you girlfriend.”  I whispered in his ear, and he gave me his angelic smile that I first fell in love with.

Remembering our busy schedule we raced back to the diner, where he dropped me off while he went to run his errand. Betty was the only one in the diner putting the closed sign up as I walked up to her.

“Well hello there deary. What can I do for you? I’m sorry but I already locked the kitchen up. But if you want a bite to eat you can upstairs with me to my place.” She greeted me with her honey sweet voice.

“Oh no I’m not here for food, thanks though. Well,” I paused then continued hesitantly, “ actually I was here to ask you, if it’s not rude to ask about the house I’m living in now, you know the Desruc manor?” after saying the name of the manor she froze and there was a deathly silence. “Umm I’m sorry that was rude of…”

“No sweet heart, it’s alright.” She interrupted me but her voice hinting the edge of crying. “Why don’t we go upstairs, we’ll catch our deaths out here.” She then turns and walks to the side of the diner and climbed up a narrow rickety stairway leading up to the second floor. In side we sat at her kitchen table. Her home was very tight and compact but no where near messy. Everything was well organized and spotless. She had a nice couch with TV and a bookshelf filled with books neatly packed together. In her kitchen I could still smell her last night’s dinner which was supposedly steaks. And after making two cups of hot chocolate she sat down at the table across from me.

“So what would you like to know sweets?”

I took a gulp of hot chocolate and let it slide down my parched throat. “Well if it’s not too rude, I would like to know the truth about how the Desrucs died. I already read the articles but then I wanted to hear from your side of the story. It can’t be true is it? And what was the third body? Why was there a knife? How did it burn down and …?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa calm down sweet cakes.” She put her pudgy hand lightly on top of mine which I found choking the cup to death. She took a sip of her hot chocolate and began her story. “It all started back in the year1960. I was a cook and most trustful servant of Charles Desruc. He trusted me with everything. He had been living with his wife Elizabeth for about twenty years. And in the middle of those twenty beautiful, romantic, loving years Elizabeth became pregnant.”

“But I thought the hospital said they didn’t have children?”

“That’s true sweets. Because she never gave birth in a hospital, she gave birth right in that house.”

“But why? Isn’t it safer to have children in a hospital and weren’t they wealthy enough to…” I was cut off again by Betty’s light tap on my hand and sweet smile.

“Charles was so happy about the baby and thought that he was going to get everything he wanted. Until, when the baby was born, he found out his wife had a phobia of children.”

“Phobia of children!” I almost shouted bewildered.

“Yes child there could be a phobia of anything. Now I was the only servant present at that time and boy when she saw that baby she went insane. She started screaming at the baby calling it a demon, devil and other nasty words which I dare not say. So in order for Charles to have both his wife and new born baby girl he had a cabin built two miles away from the house in the forest, and a secrete passage way connecting the house and the cabin so that when the child grew older she could come into the house at night when the mother was asleep.” She started to hic up and I passed her a tissue which she blew her nose on and then continued. “And for a while his plan worked, until that one dreary November morning. Charles was just coming back from a business trip out of town and his beloved wife, that dear young, bright, marvelous, intelligent lady wanted to stay up to wait for him. And it was only of habit did that innocent child walk right into the kitchen when Elizabeth and I were cooking some snacks. As soon as she saw that poor girl she went insane she ran after her, knife in her hand. Screaming yelling...” tears started pouring down Betty’s eyes and she was crying so hard she couldn’t continue. But I went and sat beside her and stroked her hair and cradle her just like a child, hoping to calm her down so she could continue. And eventually she did. “The poor little bird just took flight as soon as Elizabeth pounced at her. And I stupid stupid me…I …I left the stove still on high so the food started to burn and smoke the room up. So before I ran after them I opened the window above the stove and the curtains caught on fire. I tried to put it out but I heard that poor girl screaming and ran out of the room hoping to stop Elizabeth’s insanity. But as soon as I came out into the foyer I saw her  ...” Betty stopped dead and took a huge breath. “I saw Elizabeth…’ inhale “I saw Elizabeth Desruc… stab her own daughter.”

“Oh my god!” I jumped out of my seat as she burst out crying.

“And that’s not all.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes, her face now red and wet. “Charles just came home and saw it too. The poor lad opens the door just in time to see his own wife kill his own daughter. And...And the worst part…is...that Elizabeth. She...she started to...laugh.”

“Laugh!” I shouted and she broke out crying again.

“Yes laugh, while  ...poor, poor Charles holds his little baby…one last time. And I...I just ran. The whole house was almost completely on fire and I had to save myself I tried to make Charles come out but he refused and so died that very day all as one. And I had to lie to the press because the day the little angel was born Charles told me to swear not to tell anyone, because he didn’t want people to think of Elizabeth as an insane person.” I paused speechless and soaking it all in. I finally came to understand. Everything except one thing.

“What was the little girl’s name?” she stopped sobbing and whipped her sticky face with another tissue.

“Annabelle Salina Desruc. Her father was so happy about her and he named her himself of course.” Tears kept streaming down her face but she wasn’t choking to death from crying.  We then fell in a pit of silence trying to calm our minds when suddenly someone knocked on the door. I went to go answer it and found out that it was Nick.

“Hey sorry I’m late, you ready to go home?” he apologized and brushed me lightly on the lips with his.

“Oh yes we were. Um Betty are you going to be alright?” I asked looking back at her in the kitchen.

“Yes, yes deary I’m fine you go on and run home honey.” She said her voice all crackly and croaky. But just before I closed the door she hollers, “Beware of the anniversary!” and then her voice is cut off but the click of the door. Curious of the time I looked down at my watch and almost tripped on the stairs.

It was past seven, past my curfew. Before I could explain to Nick we rushed out of the diner and headed back to my place. Once at home mom gave me the curfew lecture and then I went to bed, while she and dad went off to go to a charity dinner.  My mind was in a jumbled mess trying to take in what Betty had said to me, when I was woken up by footsteps in the hallway. Knowing that no one was in the house other than Sally and me, I knew at once it was Sally. So I got up and check the hallway, and for sure it was her. This time when she heard me come out of my room she looked at me with wide round eyes. The white around her pale blue eyes seemed to pop out of her eye sockets. And her face was almost transparent.

“Sally? What’s wrong go back to bed.” My voice echoed in the hollow hallways, but she just turned around and kept on walking. I then followed after her planning to catch up to her and drag her to bed if I had to. But her footsteps were swift and graceful as if she was floating, compared to my heavy elephant like stomps on the hardwood floor. And no matter how fast I tried to run to catch up with her, she was going at an abnormal speed, therefore making it impossible for me to catch up. She lead me down the stairs and into the kitchen basement where she opened an unknown door one that I have never seen before. Surprisingly I didn’t need a flashlight to find my way through the passage, because there were torches lit in a blazing serpent like channel of fire leading the way. The crunch of leaves under my feet startled me as I entered the dim tunnel. The smell of earth and dirt was overpowering and made my dizzy. Cobwebs and large holes which I guessed belonged to tarantulas were scattered here and there along the wall. I jogged about 2 miles down the passage before I came to a small set of stairs leading up to an opening. I approached the stairs with caution and slithered my way up towards the light. As I let my eyes adjust to the light I scrutinized my surrounding.

 Horrified I found myself in the little cabin that Sally and I found in the middle of the woods. Sally was now sitting at the desk her head hunched over the table and her hand scribbling something on a piece of paper. Scanning the room I saw pictures of people and animals drawn in a childish fashion that only children would draw. And at the bottom of each drawing was a signature, Annabelle Salina Desruc, and the date November 13, 1960. As I read the name over and over again my heart started turning and twisting. I was petrified. My body started to shake violently when I remembered the date. It was the date it was the day, the anniversary. The only words that ran through my head around and around like a merry-go-round was the name drawn all over the wall in red crayon. I swirled around and looked back at the desk only to find that Sally wasn’t there anymore and the trap door was hidden once again. All at once I started to panic, I turned towards the door almost knocking into a figure that was standing behind me. I let out a blood curdling scream when I saw my sisters face. She was no long my little sister Sally, no, she was... Annabelle. Her features were just the same as Sally’s but I knew, I knew that wasn’t Sally.

“Give it back.” She moaned at first. “Give it back! You took it from me! Give it back!” she started shrieking and inching closer and closer to me. Stunned I started to back away until I hit the desk and couldn’t go any further.

“No Sally! It’s me, Mary! Your sister! Please remember me! Please don’t do this! Sally! I can help you! Just come back to me Sally please!” my words were of no use against her like talking to a brick wall, because she kept coming. Her night gown blowing as if some draft was present, her hands out stretched, fingers curled like cats claws. I then reached for the chair and swung it at her hoping to delay her while I attempt to escape. To my horror the door was locked so I threw myself at it, my weight crushing the ancient wood. As I stumble on the twigs I look back up at her, standing in the cabin doorway. Still pursuing me. I ran, ran like hell, screaming till I could taste the blood inside my throat. But I kept screaming, kept running, running for my life, running away from the hideous monster that was my dear little sister.

The forest enclosed on me as I ran away. All at once the forest got darker and the moon started fading farther away as I kept running. I can no longer feel my feet, but I can feel the warm liquid blood streaming out with each step, along with the stabbing twigs and sticks that was speared into my bare feet. But trying to ignore the pain I kept running desperately. My eyes were once again seeing the red and black blotches, just like the first night I stayed here. The smell of blood from the soles of my feet was swept into my face with the chilling wind blowing against me as if I was swimming upstream. Tears kept flowing out of my eyes like molten lava out of a volcano. Then there was a spark of hope when I saw the ghostly structure of the mansion, glowing hauntingly in front of the moon.

I went through the back door that I also broke using my body, leaving my body all cut up from the fallen glass. Still screaming I climbed up to my feet only to fall again and knocking down a lit candle that my parents used as knight lights. As I ran out of the room I glanced behind me only to see the faint glow of the beginning of a fire eating away at the crimson cotton curtains. It wasn’t until I was in the center of the foyer when I stopped and looked back behind me once again, only to be a little relaxed when I saw that she was not there. I stopped screaming only to catch my breath and listened to the silence. All of a sudden the door bell rings and my body goes cold. I didn’t go to it for fear of what lies behind it. The door then opens all on it own, and there stands Sally. Knife held in her hand, with the only light coming from the glow of the moon. Her face half hidden by the darkness that surrounded her and seemed to follower her where ever she goes. But I knew in the center of that dismal face was a demonic grin, which wants to kill me. She walks towards me again this time before I could scream I felt a cold, icy object plunged into my stone body spilling more warm broiling blood all over my body.  I fall to the ground like the falling November leaves. And melt away with the satin circular rug. My life ever since the day I was born flash in my mind, every moment, every time, every memory up until the present, was blown away like the passing rain.

The last object I feel, was the cold steel knife in my chest. The last taste I will ever taste was the saltiness of my tears. The last smell ill ever smell was the aroma of blood. The last thing ill ever see, was the burning fire. And finally the last sound I’ll hear forever was my sister’s fiendish laughter.