Chapter Two
Sharon stood on her toes, still not quite at eye level with Markl, but a fierce fire was burning in her eyes, saying she wouldn't back down. "Well you better watch then!" she said, turning in the direction of the house's porch.
Sharon then began running, through the tall grass, past the scary looking trees and up to the porch. She touched the door and turned around, flashing a grin at them. "Nning!” she said, making the sound she always did when grinning. “Get over here you sissies!" she laughed, putting her hands on her hips and glancing over at Markl, who knew perfectly well she was trying to provoke him.
Markl grinned and ran up on the porch to join her. “Who's a sissy?” he asked.
Sharon was looking back to Joshua, who was hesitantly taking his first step, but stopped right at the edge of the grass.
"C'mon Joshy, since we're here, let's go inside. Don't ruin all the fun. Lighten up, I'm sure nothing bad will happen!" Sharon said daringly.
Joshua flinched. The nickname Sharon had for him was one of the few things that could make him angry. He forced a smile.
Sharon seemed quite pleased to see her older cousin's distress. She loved teasing people, and found it “stupid” that he was always so calm and quiet.
She knew though, that when he was truly vexed that he would explode violently like a bomb, and at those times she could have some real fun. The hard part was getting him to that breaking point.
“Sounds like a plan,” Markl grinned broadly, waving Joshua over.
Joshua sighed and nervously walked up to them, not climbing the stairs to the porch though. He crossed his arms and frowned disapprovingly. "I don't think this is a good idea," he said. "Do we have to? It could be dangerous inside. What if a floorboard breaks and we fall into the basement? What if-"
“Really?” Sharon gaped, her eyes wide with excitement. “Then let's go! I’d love to see the basement of some creepy old house! We haven’t been treasure hunting in the basement for a while, we should do so again soon,” she exclaimed, spinning around to face the door.
Please let it be locked, please don't do anything stupid-Joshua thought. What will my parents think if we go inside, sure we might be popular amongst the kids in having proven the house isn't haunted at all but the adults will not be so pleased with us....
Sharon reached out a hand for the doorknob. She turned it slowly, jumping a bit when it squeaked and then there was the hollow clicking sound of something being locked.
“Damn,” Sharon sighed.
“I wanted to go in,” Markl said. “Guess there's no helping it.... Maybe-”
“Maybe things are better this way,” Joshua said simply, earning a frown from his friend and cousin.
Sharon stood frozen with her hand on the knob. Her head was being filled with strange visions; with memories that were not hers.
They were all blurry and came at once so she could not really tell them apart, but the few things she saw clearly were odd.
It was like watching TV on one with those old antennae you had to fiddle with to get a better image. She could only hear bits of things amongst the roaring in her head.
It was overwhelming for her and she could not move from shock. It was as if something was controlling her.
Images kept flashing before her inner eye.
YOU ARE READING
Ashes
Mystery / Thriller"Once a being has been named, it has power. Be sure to take care of yours. I'd know how important it is, because I lost mine." Joshua is always fretting over the "what ifs" in life, but never trusts his gut feeling because it's always wrong... at...
