6. The Darker Side

Chapter Two

Ashlan MacKensey was confused. They were in a simple room, nothing scary, no one in costume. Just a couch and a few chairs. Rielle started to sit on the couch but Jason yanked her up before her bottom could touch the old distressed leather. “Hey.”

“Sorry, just remembering a story I read where the couch would eat people.”

Rielle rolled her eyes. “You read questionable literature.”

Jason glanced over his shoulder. “Where’s Chris?”

Courtney sneezed. “He was right…” She sneezed again and started coughing.

Ashlan looked over at her and made a face. “Stinks in here.”

Jason found it hard to breathe and he saw a door but it seemed to be so far away. He shoved Rielle toward the door. “Go.”

“Not leaving.”

Jason’s head was hurting as he dragged his sisters to the door. He shoved Rielle through and then grabbed Ashlan’s hand, her eyes were watering and she looked even more confused. He pushed her and then Courtney through the door. 

Courtney held onto his hand and tried to pull him through with her but suddenly, he pulled free and the door slammed shut. Courtney pounded on the door but couldn’t find a doorknob. “Jason! Chris!”

Two tall men in black came around the corner. “Going to have to ask you to continue your exit and return to your vehicle, ma’am. Do not disturb the other guests.”

Courtney felt sick and doubled over, coughing. Ashlan went to her sister, holding her shoulders but her stomach was roiling too. She shuddered. “We got separated from our parents and our brothers.”

“They’ll be out shortly.”

Rielle shivered in the cold night air and eyed the man who’d spoken. The other man led them around the corner and they found themselves on the road outside the haunted house, their SUV still parked on the grass across the road. 

Since her older sisters both looked ill and she didn’t feel too good herself, Rielle marched over, found the magnetic key box and unlocked the SUV. They got in and turned the heater on. Courtney sagged in her seat. “Feel awful.”

“Maybe you should go to the ER. You look a little green.” Rielle wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling a bit nauseous herself. She looked at Ashlan. “You too.”

“I think it was whatever was stinking up the room. Must have been some sort of gas. If we had stayed…”

Rielle frowned. “Jason is still in there.” She swallowed hard. “What are we going to do?”

Ashlan swallowed hard, still feeling sick. “We call Gramps.”

***

Malcolm MacKensey was in a good mood. His favorite college team, UMass Minutemen were winning, twenty-five to seventeen and with his popcorn and beer, he was enjoying himself. He was in his recliner, already in his pajamas, his sock feet propped up. “You stupid ref, that was not out of bounds, you need glasses.”

“Malcolm.”

“They’re winning, second quarter, they’re gonna wipe the AstroTurf with the Spiders.”
“Malcolm, it’s Ashlan. She sounds…strange and upset, almost incoherent.”

In that instant, Malcolm fell back on years of training. “Where is she? Are they at a party?”

“Not what I can make out, they all went to that new haunted house in Salem, the one out on Liberty Hill Avenue across from the cemetery and Liberty Hill Pond.”