The Curse of Dreadgrave Manor

CHAPTER THREE - DREADGRAVE MANOR

"According to the legend, almost a century ago Count Montgomery Dreadgrave lived in this very house. He was a cruel, old man and it was rumoured that he practiced the darkest of black magic. One Halloween night, driven to insanity by demonic forces, he murdered everyone who lived in his house. His servants and family never stood a chance. When the townspeople of Fading Hope discovered what had happened the next morning, they found the whole house drenched in blood and all the victims' bodies were missing their hearts. The police searched for months, but they never found out what happened to Count Dreadgrave. The house has been abandoned ever since, except for the ghosts from that fateful night. They still wander around the rooms, desperate to find their missing hearts because only then can they pass peacefully to the other side..."

Lewis shuddered. "That is just a story, right?"

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. All good legends have to come from somewhere." Kris shrugged her shoulders. "That's what you're going to find out tonight!"

They were huddled together on the uneven garden path that ran alongside the western side of the house. Poison ivy and thornfilled bushes had overgrown onto the cobblestones, hiding the Dare-Doers from view. It was half-past seven, and the sun had already begun to set, turning the sky into a foreboding shade of blood red. Both Max and Kris had slipped out of their houses while their parents prepared dinner.

"Can we hurry up?" Max asked shivering, wrapping his arms across his chest. It was getting cold in the early night air. "My parents are going to notice I'm missing any minute. If they do, I'll be grounded for months!"

"Whatever." Kris rolled her eyes dismissively. She turned and looked directly at Lewis. "Let's begin with the rules of this dare. You have to spend the whole night in the house. If you leave the house during that time, even for a second, you will never be allowed to become a member of the Dare-Doers Club, got it?

We'll swing by at eight o'clock tomorrow morning before school to see if you've lasted the night. If you have, then you're in the club. Are you ready?"

Lewis nodded, trying to hide the anxious expression on his face.

"Yeah... I guess."

"Good!" Kris crouched down and pushed against a broken knee-high window frame. It opened inwards from the bottom with a piercing squeal. "You'll have to go through the basement window. The front door has been locked up tight for years. There's no other way in."

Lewis wordlessly complied and awkwardly dropped into the pitch-black room beyond.

"Are you okay in there?" Kris called out into the darkness.

"I think so." His voice squeaked in reply.

"As I said, Max and I will be back for you at eight o'clock tomorrow. Good luck and watch out for the Count!" She laughed. With the dare now set in motion, they both dashed home.

Max had trouble sleeping that night. He tossed and turned whilst imagining all the horrible things that could happen to Lewis.

What if he falls through some rotten floorboards? What if he gets trapped somewhere and can't get out? What if he gets seriously hurt... and dies?

As soon as the first ray of daylight filtered through his curtains the next morning, Max leapt out from his bed. He pulled on his school uniform and checked his watch. It was a quarter to seven. It's early, but I have to make sure he's okay.

He sprinted as fast as he could to the house and was surprised to see Kris already there, sat on the front porch. She stood up as soon as she noticed him, her face worried.

"I think I've made a huge mistake. I went way too far with this dare. I just wanted to scare him, that's all." Her voice was laced with concern.

"Kris, what's wrong?"

"I didn't sleep at all last night because I was so worried about Lewis, so I came here as soon as I could. I've tried knocking all over the house, and I'm not getting an answer from him anywhere."

Max froze. Kris was genuinely frightened and her whole body was shaking.

"Maybe he didn't last the whole night?" Max suggested doubtfully, trying to reassure her. "He probably got bored and went home. We'll see him at school, surely?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Kris dried her eyes with her sleeve and smiled weakly. "That has to be it. Yeah... We'll see him then. Can we wait here until school starts just in case, he turns up... Please?"

But from when the bell rang at the start and end of the school day, Lewis' seat remained empty.