What Remains

Prologue

It happened for a reason.

It started with a dare. It was innocent, lighthearted, really. We were all at Justin's house, bored with nothing to do, when he made the suggestion to get out of the house. After some speculation and what not, the topic came up about going to a 'haunted house'. I actually hate haunted houses, even those stupid kiddie ones at fairs. One time, a pop-up cardboard witch jumped out at me and I immediately bolted right out of the place. My friends tried to call me back so I wouldn't waste my ticket, but I completely ignored them. They went through it on their own while I stared daggers into the exterior. I will never live that day down, especially not because they keep bringing it up and teasing me about it. Soon enough the suggestion turned into a dare, and that into a 4v1 with them against me. I gave in; surely this 'haunted' house wouldn't really be anything of the sort. I guess I kind of believe in ghosts, the concept of them really, but the thought that they walk amongst us has never really been a thing in my mind.
After a stupidly long drive, too long for what we're doing, we pull just shy of the main driveway to the house— no, Justin is a liar— the mansion. The dirt road turns to dusty stone, then to near pitch black nothing as the car's white-ish yellow headlights shut off.
"We're here." Justin says from his place in the front seat. A small 'click' sounds as the doors unlock.
It seems like everyone hesitates— out of fear or anticipation, I don't know. I hope it is fear; more than anything I want to go back to Justin's house and watch a movie or something.
Danielle takes a breath, catching everyone's attention, "Do we have everything we need? Flashlights?" She sounds like a mother before her child's soccer game. Unfitting.
"We have waters too!" May chips in, all giddy-like and energetic as per usual.
Danny begins to crawl out from the depths of the far back seats, wrenching his way up to the second set out of impatience, "You're going to drink it all before we even get to the front door."
May opens her door to escape him, "What, like you ate all the pizza? Fatass." She hops out, followed by Danny who dusts himself off all proper.
"A gun wouldn't have been a bad option." I suggest, opening my door slowly. I earn a scoff from Danielle and chuckles from the rest. Fulfilling, maybe, but my words didn't seem to get my real message across. I walk to the right side of the car, shying away from the pitch blackness and instead to May's side. "You lied. This is not just a house." I remark the sheer height of the place. A manor, really, it's too fancy looking to be called a mansion. Although it does pique my curiosity, I have to admit.
Justin turns on his flashlight and brushes up to Danielle's side, "Does this place not meet your standards? Or are you just scared?"
I snicker in a breath, "Oh, it definitely meets my standards."
May laughs before taking a sip out of her water bottle. The moonlight catches it, becoming warped with the texture of the thin plastic. The moon is full and bright— in truth, I didn't really think we needed flashlights in the first place. But I can't complain, it is comforting. Maybe I'm wrong anyway.
We all begin to walk after a calm pause. Over and done with is going to be what I live by this night forward. Explore the creepy house and go home. Over and done with.
May must have noticed my slow, trudging steps, as she prods my shoulder with her flashlight to catch my attention, "Take your time, Quinn." She teases. The light is turned on, so when I look her way to meet her dark brown eyes I'm blinded for a good few seconds.
"I don't have to listen— put that thing down, you're blinding me." I swat the light away with a loose chuckle.
"The light of god. It will save you and take you away from this such wretched place... since you wanna act like a big baby, that is." Danielle shouts mockingly from somewhere behind us. I imagine she threw her arms up to gesture to the sky as she said this.
It is followed by a whisper of 'blasphemy' from me.
My eyes curiously flicker about my surroundings, but it seems the universe is mad at my caution, as with a few more steps I spot a dead bird on the road. A big old raven.
"That's disgusting." Danny groans.
Danielle gives a curt scoff, "It's dead, Danny, it's going to be gross. Thanks for your input."
"You're disgusting." May adds. We step over the limp corpse then.
"Why this place anyway?" I am eager to change the subject. My eyes draw to the old abandoned manor looming over us. It's terrible— the closer we get, the scarier and more horror movie-like it becomes. God, I bet the place can breathe on its own. The arches between pillars are worn, almost breaking to form what looks like sharp teeth. The pillars are holding up surprisingly well, they're able to maintain the weight of the shingled roof above. The place looks like a mini castle, all with the exaggerated decorations and frames of the windows. How old is this place? Generations, likely.
A breeze pushes through the trees, swiftly gushing through the wooden manor in its path; I could have sworn I heard a solemn whistle draw out from the hollow walls.
It feels like now, the minute I let my mind explore, the reality of our situation really sinks in. We're in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night, surrounded by miles upon miles of pure forest. Our reception is shit (as remarked on the way here by an utterly whiny Danny).
Perfect setting for someone to die in a horror movie. Stupid dare.
"I heard about it from a friend of a friend." Justin answers vaguely.
"What? Your rich-as-shit neighborhood 'friends'? Sure. Sure thing, Justin. I bet none of them have even tried to be out of the house for years." Danny scoffs, earning a scolding 'Danny' from Danielle. He slows his pace to match May's and my own, leaving Danielle in an utterly petty way.
"No, actually. Some guy took his girlfriend here. They couldn't even make it through the front door before they ran back to the car." Justin gives a curt nose-breath.
"Something probably scared them off; I think we should just go back." Despite my pleads for mercy, I only earn some snickers and laughs. "You guys think this is funny. Watch one of you get possessed— guess who's not going to help."
"You'll be fine." Danielle replies, earning a scoff from me.
"Would it lighten your load if we pitched in some moolah? I'll donate 20$— think of it as charity work." May suggests, giving a 'reassuring' smile. Charity work.
"For what you want me to do? You'll have to try a little bit harder than that." I mirror her smile with a more skeptical one. I figure, why not milk them for their worth? Make this worth my while if they make a dumb suggestion.
"Fair enough. I'll pitch in another $20 Bucks." Danny announces, dark hair bouncing as he steps in front of me.
I scoff, turning. Now behind me, the mansion makes a loud moan whilst another breeze passes through its hollow-sounding walls. I shiver uncomfortably.
"Unless you two want to pitch in as well, I'm not doing shit." I face Justin and Danielle, my eyes flickering between the both of them.
"I'm broke, man. You know that." Justin says (which is a terribly obvious lie, he has the most money out of all of us), crossing his arms and staring at Danielle with grey eyes.
I trace his gaze, looking at Danielle expectantly. "I'll give an even fatter $40. I'm just that cool." Danielle smiles triumphantly, stepping forward and squeezing my arm. She bats her dark brown eyes in a familiar way that says 'I've got your back'.
Where any of them found the money, I've got no idea. Oh well. More for me, I guess.
"She's my favourite." I laugh, turning and starting off to the manor once again.
"Hey! I thought I was." May shouts, trotting after me.
"You think you're her favourite after you called $20 fat? That's sad." Danielle calls out from behind May.
"20 bucks is 20 bucks." I shoulder-check May with a wink.
Danny lets out a slight snicker and pushes past us, jogging to the grand front door. I scoff and look at Danielle, who's wearing a bright smile on her face. May crosses her arms jubilantly, quickening her pace to catch up with Danny.
The five of us make it to the front door. We're staring at it awkwardly, waiting for something to happen.
"You guys remember the first Scream movie? This is how that farmhouse would look if it were a full on mansion... And abandoned, I guess." Justin starts, crossing his arms stiffly. The mansion, in reality, does not have much resemblance to that farmhouse— actually, it looks nothing like it. Dark wooden exterior, arches that are more intimidating and sophisticated than elegant and nice. It is just a scary mansion. Him and his awkward small talk.
"Knock it off. We're offering Quinn too much money for her to do this." Danny exclaims, whipping his head towards Justin with offended dark brown eyes. I shoot him a narrow-eyed look.
"I'm just trying to start a conversation while we all stand here." Justin says, pausing, "Quinn, open the door."
"Me? Hell no. It even has a 'Do Not Enter' sign." I throw my hands up, backing up a step.
"You're the one getting paid! Open it." Justin replies, turning towards me.
"That does sound fair..." Danielle says, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"You've just been downgraded, you bum. May, you're my favourite again." I announce unenthusiastically.
"You're not getting out of it that easily. All in favour of Quinn opening the door..." May laughs, putting a hand up.
And of course, everyone else follows.
I scoff, looking at everyone's raised arms. "Fine. But only because I'm making 80 bucks off of you suckers." I step forward, reluctantly putting my hand on the door knob. I feel Danielle's hand slip off my shoulder, and I shiver at the sudden cold breeze that replaces her warmth. Inhaling deeply, I turn the rusty knob.
"Hurry up, I'm kind of excited." Justin exclaims, stepping to my side.
"She's taking baby steps, Justin. It's like she's learning how to walk, you have to be patient." Danielle says, giving Justin a punch on his arm.
I groan annoyedly at their banter and turn the knob completely, shoving the door open. With a loud creak, it flings open, giving us a startle. The atmosphere immediately changes into something more eerie and dreamy, like water overflowing a dam.
"Sure, baby steps!" Danny takes a loud step back.
"Get over it. I'm going in!" May raises her hand, shining her flashlight into the eerie darkness.

With that, the four of us follow May into the dark mansion interior.