Project Chaos: Disneyland

Chapter Four

Blunderbuss cleared his throat, and Teddy rolled his shoulders.

"Lead the way," he said, heart beginning to pick up pace at the thought of meeting a whole new group of people. People who called themselves Spooks and Ghouls, and chose to live in a place labeled as haunted. And then he remembered he was soon to be one of those people.

It was a quick walk up the path and past the cluster of buildings to the tall gates of the mansion. They were shut tight, refusing to give when Teddy gave them a shake. Blunderbuss didn't stick around, quick to return to his own ride, but Teddy doubted he knew how to get inside anyways.

Just as he was about to attempt climbing the fence, he saw a dark figure materializing in the fog that seemed much thicker on the grounds of the mansion than across the park. A man faded into view silently, walking swiftly towards Teddy and the gate.

He looked to be in his early 20s, looking stern behind slim glasses despite his wispy dark hair. As he came to a halt on the other side of the gate, drawing a ring of old keys from within his black coat, Teddy was startled to see that he had deep red eyes.

The man unlocked the gate silently, swinging it open to admit Teddy onto the grounds of the mansion.

"Welcome, young sir," the man said stoically, the keys disappearing back into his coat after the gate was shut and locked once more. "I am Janus, the butler of the mansion."

He led Teddy up the curving path towards the front porch of the grand house. They passed what appeared to be a hearse wagon, hitched to an invisible horse, and Teddy jumped when the reigns flicked and something rocked the carriage back a measure.

"Most day-to-day activities and the smooth running of the household are handled or organized by me," Janus was saying. "Any questions or concerns may be directed to me. The master of the house is not bothered with such things."

Teddy followed the butler up the couple steps, past the pillars supporting a second-story balcony. The double doors seem to open of their own accord when Janus approached, and Teddy came to the conclusion that a lot of things were not as they seemed here.

They stepped into a small entry hall and then straight through another pair of doors that opened for them. Odd paintings lined the walls here, portraits of various people in imminent states of doom.

"This is the gallery," Janus said. "Before the magic, it was an elevator down to the loading area for the ride. Now, things tend to shift around in the mansion. It takes some getting used to, but eventually you'll develop the ability to control where each door goes. For now, you'll be assigned someone to walk you through life in the mansion, as well as a roommate."

Janus had led Teddy through another door and into steamy room with glass walls, plants thriving in the controlled atmosphere.

"The Conservatory," the Butler said. "We grow the pickiest of our crops in here."

There was nobody in the room at the moment, and Teddy vaguely wondered how late it was.

"The Haunted Mansion is a nearly self-sufficient ride," Janus continued. "By the Master's wishes, various crops are tended to and harvested, a well was dug, and an agreement for fresh meat was organized with Sam the Trader from the Jungle Cruise. We use the hearse for that."

The ghost of a smile flitted across the butler's previously stoic face, prompting Teddy to smile awkwardly in response to whatever joke amused Janus.

"Every Spook is expected to help out with the chores of the mansion, which include gardening, cleaning, cooking, and the occasional exorcism."

Teddy stumbled.

"What?"

Janus' lips twitched again.

"The details of these tasks and your schedule will be explained to you by your mentor, who will arrive outside of your room in the morning."

The butler opened another door to a long hallway. Set into the wall at the end were two busts, and each watched Teddy with skeptical expressions, turning their heads to follow him around the corner. Up a small set of stairs and they were in another hall lined with doors.

"There are some rules of the house," Janus said quietly. Teddy noticed that he was now caring a candelabrum – he must've picked it up somewhere while Teddy was distracted. He was grateful for the extra light – the hallway was quite dim.

"Bring candles or some source of light with you wherever you go in the mansion," Janus was saying. "Never leave your room after midnight, which means you must be safely inside your room before then."

As they passed a mirror hanging on the wall, Teddy turned to catch a glimpse of his reflection, and his eyes popped nearly out of his skull. There was only a floating candelabrum beside Teddy's head - Janus had no reflection.

But before Teddy could say a word, there was a weird shifting of air, a breeze that whispered back and forth, and a sigh that almost sounded like... Laughter.

The butler cleared his throat and lifted the candles higher. His reflection appeared, looking immensely unamused.

"The mansion plays tricks after the sun has gone down," he explained tonelessly. "Follow me, we are almost to your room."

Teddy pulled his attention away from the mirror and his reflection, thoughts lingering now on his appearance. He looked to be perhaps 22, and his hair was brown, messy, falling over his forehead into brown eyes. It was an odd experience, to have no memory of what you look like but knowing instinctively that it was your face in the mirror.

Janus came to a sudden halt at a door right beside an old grandfather clock. Teddy craned his neck to see the time, but the butler pulled out a pocket watch from his coat.

"It is nearly 10 o'clock," Janus announced, then he turned to Teddy. The candles billowed in the momentum, the fire reflected on Janus' glasses.

"There is one more rule, the most important of them all. Never wander the house alone, especially after dark. The mansion changes with no warning. You could walk into the conservatory one moment, turn around through the same door a moment later, and find yourself in a part of the mansion you have never seen. And no one will see you again. The mansion is alive, and preys on those who wander alone."

Teddy shivered at the warning but Janus was as emotionless as ever. With a lingering stare, the butler then turned and knocked on the door.

The kid who opened the door a second later had to be Teddy's age, with longer, black hair that stuck up at odd angles. He had a pair of biker goggles hitched lopsidedly up on his head, and an impressively bored expression.

"Master Hayato, your new roommate," Janus announced promptly. Hayato blinked, his attention turning on Teddy, observing him lazily. Wordlessly, he turned around and disappeared into the room, leaving the door open.

Janus, completely unperturbed, looked at Teddy.

"One last thing. What is your name?"

"Teddy."

The butler nodded and gestured to the room.

"Welcome to your new life as a Spook, Master Teddy."