The Castle in Burbank

New Ideas

* October 31st

My expedition of accounts has been a bit tiresome. I was granted a few interviews but the rest of them were either angry with me or refused to talk. Which is extremely inconvenient and frustrating when you're attempting to generate the story of a lifetime. The interviews I have had however, were...helpful? It's the same pot of bull sh*t that they tell all the kids. 'He was a murderous demon from hell' And the more I hear it, the less I believe it. I feel in my writer's intuition that this isn't the truth. That there's a lot of variables to consider, and it's as if I've only scratched the surface.

In my discouragement I trudged back home. I slammed myself down in the kitchen seat and buried my head in my hands.

"How'd investigating go?" My mom asked. I slowly lifted my head and stared at her. She chuckled to herself and sat down in front of me.

"They're all saying the same thing. That he was a horrible 'being'," I complained.

"And do you believe that?"

I thought before I spoke, "No? I mean, how could one person just be so awful? I feel like there's something I'm not finding out but I have no clue how to find it- or what it is I'm trying to look for. I'm this close to giving up on this. That I know," I huffed and rolled my eyes.

"Absolutely not. You're not giving up on this. You'll find a way, I know you will. But don't give up on it," she urged.

"How about you take Jonathan trick or treating? Get your mind off it. You have that super cute wedding dress we got at the thrift store," she smiled and walked off.

I had planned on going as a bride for Halloween but after today, I didn't even have enough energy to think. I contemplated for a while and when I came to the strenuous decision to go, I forced myself out of the chair and into my room. Once I was dressed I walked into the living room, only to see my mom gasp before me.

"What?" I questioned.

"You look- just like her," she slowly covered her mouth.

"Like who?"

"Your grandmother. She had a dress similar to that. It was a really special dress to her, but she never told me why," I cocked an eyebrow.

"Do you have it?"

"You know what....I think I do," she motioned for me to follow her.

After rummaging through her closet for a couple minutes, she jerked out an ancient box. Carefully removing the top, revealed a white dress. I noticed something on the collar and knelt down.

"What is that?" I questioned while picking up the dress to get a closer look, "It looks like blood or something," I suggested in disgust.

"Yeah, I'm not sure what it's from. That stain has been impossible to get out. Maybe you can wear this?"

"You'd let me wear it?"

"Of course, I'm not sure what all you'd be doing to ruin it. I trust you," a smile grew across my face and bolted to my room to change.

I admired myself in the mirror. Brushed through my red locks a couple more times before I heard Jonathan summoning me to the living room.

"You look beautiful Jess, grandma would love to see this," she marveled. I gave her a small smile and left with Jonathan.

We were only out for 20 minutes before my mind was reverting back to the endless strain and stress of my essay. I kept eyeing the castle. What's going on in there? Could someone be looking at me right now? I would never know. A group of Jonathan's obnoxious friends came charging for us, forcing me to regain composure.

"You wanna go with us?" they asked him.

"Can I?" Jonathan begged. While in my decision, my eyes fell upon the castle and an unforeseen scheme rushed into my head.

"Yeah sure, just wait for me at the house at 9:00, or mom will kill both of us. And make sure you call if there's an emergency," he nodded his head and ran up the street with his friends.

I stared at the castle a little longer and thought. I knew the risks, all one million of them, but I knew that if I wanted a real account of Edward I'd have no choice but to meet him myself. If no one else in the neighborhood was going to be honest. Or maybe they were being honest and I was writing my own death certificate.

I casually walked through the neighborhood until I got to the bottom of the hill. I examined the streets to distinguish if any nosey neighbors were attentive to my whereabouts. I conquered everyone was busy at front door steps and made my run for it. I thought through everything but this. I was not prepared for that journey up the mountain.

"Few more steps," I would lie to myself, installing any sort of strength in my failing legs. After a treacherous 5 minutes, I made it. I forced open the gate and slid through the small opening I made. My breath was taken back by the topiaries just within the garden. A hand, a serpent, an elk or....something? How could any of this be here if Edward didn't exist? Amidst my gazing, I peered up at the castle. This ominous, black, intimidating structure standing over me. A dark shadow flew past the window.

"Hello?" I spoke aloud. My heart rate was beginning to accelerate, and second thoughts were storming. I gave in and walked to the door. I disjoined the door that was flush to the frame; I used my shoulder to pry it open. A blast of cold air hit my legs and materialized goosebumps throughout my entire body. My arms naturally held themselves, but were soon let go of when I noticed the interior.

A sinister long stretched staircase; stone steps, machinery scattered everywhere. Hasn't been touched in decades. A macob setting for a so-called 'gentleman'. As I was spectating the decor, I heard what sounded like snipping coming from the top of the stairs. I'm not sure if my curiosity was growing or the fear of being cut to death was talking, but I followed regardless.