Don't Scream

Chapter 3

✦ Chapter 3 ✦

I held my breath waiting for the absolute worst to happen. The terrifying sounds had stopped leaving the dark room shrouded in a tense and dark silence.

"How about we quit waiting around to die and get the hell out of here," Aaron's voice broke through the silence just as a bright light illuminated the room. Everyone jumped. I squinted to see that the almost blinding light came from his iPhone. That's why Aaron was the smart one. Why hadn't I thought of that?

As if taking cue the lights in the house came on. I squinted against the sudden onslaught of brightness. I then heard the familiar purring sound of the generator.

"The generator kicked in," Aaron said. "About damn time", he added in a mutter while pocketing his phone.

"I'm sorry but are we just going to ignore what the hell just happened? Something is in this house!" Carmen yelled. She looked around at everyone. Her eyes were wide open in disbelief.

"Actually I was kind of hoping we were just going to pretend nothing happened," Andrew said scratching his head. "It's not something I want to talk about."

I looked at Sharon and Mark who seemed too spooked to even attempt to speak. Carmen grabbed a hold of Aaron's arm and pulled him towards the door. "We're leaving. This house is obviously haunted."

Aaron looked back and shrugged at everyone. He then looked directly at Mark when he spoke, "You guys can sleep over at my house."

Mark sighed, "Maybe we--"

"What the hell is that?" Carmen shrieked making everyone in the room still in fear. Aaron pulled her behind of him and took a step away from the door.

There was a look of disbelief on his face. He shook his head slowly and then his eyes widened. His mouth slowly opened then closed and his head whipped around in my direction. Everyone else in the room followed his gaze and I shifted uncomfortably. "What?" I snapped after a short moment.

Aaron looked at me accusingly and I took a defensive step back. He shook his head slowly as if in disbelief. "You didn't throw it away did you?" he asked in a very low and serious voice.

Getting very irritated and slightly defensive I stalked towards him and pushed him aside to look at the door. My eyes widened in instant familiarity and I felt all the blood drain from my face. My breath clogged in my throat and I covered my mouth with my hands. My legs trembled as I took a hasty step backwards.

Sharon, Andrew and Mark came up beside me and gasped at the symbols carved deep into the wooden door. There was a deep, red liquid seeping out from the small crevices of the symbol carved into the wood.

Blood.

"You didn't throw away that stone did you?" Aaron questioned me again. His voice was angry and accusing but I was too distraught to even respond. The symbol carved into the door was the exact same symbol that was on the stone.

The same stone that was currently sitting around my neck and expertly hidden beneath my jacket. It was at that very moment that I regret not listening to my friends when they had told me to get rid of the stone. I cried out in surprise when I was pulled aside, Sharon's eyes searched my face and I glanced away trying to avoid her inquisitive gaze.

She gasped. "Cassie how could you?" Her grip on my upper arm was firm and the look in her eyes was one I never thought would ever be directed at me. Disappointment. It was far worse than the angry, betrayed looks I was now getting from my other friends. I opened my mouth then closed it again. I wasn't sure what to say. Something told me 'sorry' wouldn't be enough.