Tales of Gloomsdale #1: The Hidden Attic

Chapter Three

Willow gasped in surprise while both Matt and Kyle groaned. Did everyone here play the same joke on the newcomers?

"Cut it out, Rach," Kyle quipped. "Do you have to scare everyone who's new here?"

"We already heard about it," Matt added. "Do you do this to every new person here as a welcome to the town joke?"

"Of course not," Rachel protested. "It's the truth. Everybody knows the stories of this town."

Kyle groaned. "I heard enough of them, thanks to you. I barely got any sleep last night."

"That's because you're a wuss," Rachel teased.

Caroline became serious, the smile disappearing off her face. "Cut it out, you two. You know they're just myths. I've lived here all my life, and nothing weird has happened to me." She paused. "Well, weird things have happened, but not because of the myths. Weird things happen to everyone, I guess. Like that time when I was at the mall and—"

Rachel groaned. "Caroline, can't you ever stop talking?"

"Right. Sorry," Caroline apologized while Matt rolled his eyes.

"My dad said something about that," Willow admitted. "He said the stories were so frightening, he didn't want to scare me. But I wouldn't be scared."

"Are you sure?" Kyle asked. "The rumors can get pretty scary."

"For a wuss like you, maybe, Kyle," Rachel quipped. Kyle shoved her. "But if you really want to know..."

"We don't need to know," Matt added. "Come on, Willow. Let's go."

"No way," Willow protested. "You can leave if you want. I want to hear more about this town."

"What house did you move into?" Rachel demanded. "Did you move into the house in front of the woods? I really hope you didn't."

"Why not?" Willow asked.

"There's something strange about the woods. Very strange," Rachel explained. "In fact, some people think strange creatures live there. Like a werewolf."

Kyle groaned. "Stop scaring them."

"We didn't," Willow said. "We didn't even know where the woods are. It's just a story, isn't it?"

"Oh, that's not the only story," Caroline added. "Even a place as normal as the mall has eerie rumors. Even places near the town. Did you hear of Sunrise Hotel, the hotel nobody has stayed in for years?"

"Would you cut it out?" Matt snapped. "You're just trying to scare us, right? This is a joke you play on all of the newcomers."

"It isn't," Rachel insisted. "Well... okay, maybe it is. But it isn't a joke. It's all true. Just ask anyone else in town. You can even ask your parents, and they'll tell you the same thing."

"My mom wouldn't," Matt insisted. "She's not stupid enough to believe such dumb stories and myths."

"Hey! Are you saying my dad is?" Willow protested.

Matt jumped as he felt a light drizzle. He glanced up to see that it had started raining again.

"Oh, great," Matt muttered while the others drew their raincoats and jackets around themselves. "Well, we better get going. Unless you have more stories to scare us about our house?" he asked sarcastically while starting to walk off.

"Depends. What house did you move into?" Rachel called.

Just as they arrived home, the drizzle had increased to a slight downpour. Mr. Davis was in the living room, setting up a large television.