The Curse of Taloncrest Manor

Chapter 2: A Ghostly Reception

The five teens sat around the dining table and talked about their day. Elijah asked Ricardo what he thought about the new mansion, and what he was going to do with it after their trip was over. 

"I don't know, to be honest....it seems really overabundant to grant such a large estate to a single person...." Ricardo mused. "Maybe you can make a business out of it instead! You don't have to live in it yourself; you just have the ownership rights. People could pay you to take up residence here, and you could earn a lot of money!" James suggested. 

Ricardo admitted that it sounded like a good plan. However, Rose noticed something. "Anyone realize that this mansion was literally empty when we got here? No one came to greet us; no servants, groundskeepers, nothing. We even had to persuade Cooper to go out and buy us dinner." 

"Now that you mention it, that does seem a bit off....." James commented. "By the way, Cooper only volunteered to leave the mansion briefly 'cause he's a scaredy cat who can't stand paranormal activity," he teased. 

"No! I just....wanted to get some fresh air, of course!" Cooper protested, having no choice but to hastily come up with a defense. "Riiiight.....anyways, I'd imagine that's enough of that. They have a lounge room on the second floor. Billiards, foosball, some television.....anyone up for it?" Ricardo suggested. 

"Whoa, I haven't played billiards in a long time...." Elijah remarked. "Are you supposed to sink the solids or the stripes first?" 

"No worries, we'll teach you. First one to lose a round has to clean everyone's bedrooms tomorrow morning!" James called out. "Hey, no fair, I'm still a little rusty!" Elijah said, before the crew tossed out their garbage and headed upstairs. 

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Bart and Thomas materialized again in the dining room after everybody had left. 

"Master!" Thomas exclaimed excitedly. "I'm certain that it's her! What do you think? Did you get a good look?" 

"Hmmm....she does bear a striking resemblance to my wife.....still, we shouldn't be so quick to intercept them." Bart responded. 

"But....Master, this is our chance to be free! The curse that was placed on us.....upon all of those innocent party guests all those years ago....they may finally have a chance at being released---" "I want nothing but freedom for the spirits of this house, Thomas, but we must take caution. If what you have told me in the past is true, we should be careful. Making the wrong choice could spell devastating consequences....." Bart ordered. "I'm trusting you on this. You did say you were the last person alive before the curse took effect, did you not?" 

"That is true, Master. What is your plan now?" the butler asked. 

".....We shall go at once. We introduce ourselves to them tonight, in the main lobby, when the clock strikes 11:00." Bart instructed his aide. 

"Yes, my Master." Thomas replied in accordance as the two specters faded from view once again.

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The sound of revving chainsaws and power tools filled the air of the sealed basement. Stationed along the walls were numerous operating tables, on which there lay several hideous monstrosities few could ever bear to stomach the sight of. 

One of these aberrations was abnormally bloated, its guts freely spilling out of a large cavity on its chest. Its body was laced with numerous strands of stitches, some of which had ruptured slightly and caused the monster to begin leaking fluid. Its body shape was bulky and had a big frame, but its legs were disproportionately small compared to the rest of it. It had four arms; two where a normal person's arms were meant to be, and two extra ones jutting out of its back. Its teeth were rotting and some spaces were even bleeding. As it began to move and haphazardly shuffle off the bed, a familiar, glitched, mechanical-sounding voice spoke to it.