They didn't know what was behind that door, but it's essence lingered like a fog on wet, chilling morning.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Come on! It's not that bad. All it that happens is a few cliché jump scare, that's it." Rowan-Keith marched far ahead, his head held high with confidence. He wasn't terrified like the rest of them. He wore his 'Hawkins high' stranger things jacket with pride, its dark green colour contrasting with his bold, purple jeans.
"Yeah right. Last year I heard a boy from our year, yknow Felix, shat himself because he was so scared." A suppressed chuckle escaped from Maple's lips, she knew it was wrong to spread around something so awful but she couldn't help herself.
"Poor guy. Must have been so embarrassing for him." Isobel walked alongside Maple, their footsteps syncing every so often as they constantly moved forward in the queue for the ride. Eventually they were at the front of the queue and they piled their money onto the counter and entered the house, the door slamming shut behind them.
"There's an arrow pointing that way." Rowan-Keith pointed with his index finger in the direction they were supposed to go. "But maybe we should take a detour." Swivelling his whole body in the opposite direction, he strode towards the kitchen area of the haunted house, the other two trailed behind him.
The dank aroma of the house was chilling and the fact that it was so dimly lit didn't relieve the feeling that they were being watched. The only light that glimmered a tinted yellow was the only thing to guide their way through the unknown. Old antique furniture cluttered the wide halls and the house looked like a broken fragment of the past.
"I don't like this. Not one bit." Isobel linked arms with Maple, afraid she'd run off in a fright. She looked at her and her hazel eyes darted around the room, on high alert for any danger and her lip quivered ever so slightly. By the time Isobel looked up, Rowan was gone.
"Where has he gone to?" An exasperated whisper shot out of Maple's mouth They were now deep into the house and it was almost pitch-black this far in. "Stop messing about, you're scaring us." They stared attentively into the abyss of the dark hall until two familiar faces appeared. A tall boy with short, jet hair stood beside a girl with short, light brown hair and glimmering green eyes.
"Thijs! Abigail!" Isobel ran up to them and threw her arms around them, their faces contorted into a bewildered expression. They could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she hugged them.
"What's up?" Thijs tilted his head, he didn't understand why they were so panicked.
"We've lost Rowan. Can you help us look for him?" Maple pleaded, she thought they'd be safer in a larger group. She was contemplating leaving right then and there but she knew she couldn't leave Rowan, he was her only brother.
"I suppose so. Where did you last see him? Abigail asked, her arms folded. She found it typical how often Rowan got himself into these messes.
"He was right here. We looked away for just a second and he was gone. It's like he disappeared into thin air.." Isobel's voice trailed off.. she feared the worst.
"Follow me. I reckon I know where he's gone." Thijs looked at the pair of them and smiled reassuringly, his chestnut eyes shimmered with the little confidence he had. He had watched every horror movie out there. If anyone could find Rowan, it was him.
He led the others to a narrow staircase which he started to climb, every time they shifted their weight to another step, the floorboards would creek unsettlingly and the rail to the staircase looked infested with all sorts of germs. Needless to say, none of them touched it.
"He probably went into the master bedroom. That's the best room in this place." They continued walking until Isobel checked behind her and noticed that Abigail was gone. She shrieked as loud as her lungs could handle as she clutched onto both of their wrists fearfully.
"STOP SCREAMING OR I'M GONNA SCREAM." Maple said in a hushed whisper. Her eyes were wide with panic and her breathing had become heavy.
"Try not to panic. We'll find them." The now trio stood idly outside the door to the master bedroom, not daring to move, not daring to blink or even breathe. Rumbling beneath the door, a low growl echoed in the master bedroom. They all inhaled sharply and exchanged terrified glances. Like a deer in headlights, they stood too petrified to move until the door started to open until it was ajar. Screaming like headless chickens, all three of the scattered and shot down the stairs and out of the door like a bullet out of a gun. Even Thijs who swore he wasn't scared.
"That room was so cool!" Abigail exclaimed as she stared up at Rowan who nodded in agreement.
"Yep. I wonder where the other's went?"
