Cherry Visits the Haunted Mansion

chapter 5

The way to the bedrooms was just like the Beauty and the Beast, only more awkward.

"So, what're the rules?" Cherry joked, still thinking more and more of Beauty and the Beast. "Is this place our home now and we can go anywhere we like except for the West Wing because it's forbidden?"

Ramsley seemed to only look at her, confused at why she would ask him that.

"I tried..." Cherry looked to Atticus, Mo, and Patch.

Ramsley seemed to push that question away and just continued to show them their way to their bedrooms. Cherry released a soft sigh as they were all separated.

"You ready for bed?" Drell asked.

"Not really." Cherry replied dryly.

"Well, then what do you wanna do?" Drell asked.

"I usually go on my laptop right about now..." Cherry scooted back on the bed and held her knees. "I don't know."

"Why not start writing?" Drell asked.

"I guess..." Cherry shrugged. "What're you gonna do?"

"Do push-ups." Drell said.

"Have fun with that..." Cherry leaned back against the bed, trying to get comfortable. "I can't believe Forte was scared to come to this place, I mean, he's Forte..."

"You really don't know why he was scared of this place?" Drell asked.

"I don't know why he would be..." Cherry shrugged. "He doesn't seem to be scared of anything."

"This place, you will soon find out why he was scared." Drell said.

"I take it you know this place in a past life?" Cherry glanced at him.

"Yes, I do." Drell nodded.

"Oh, boy..." Cherry rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to think Forte is more fun than you are."

"The guy rarely smiles." Drell said.

"Forte used to frighten me when I was younger..." Cherry replied.

"Why do you think that was?" Drell asked.

"I... I dunno..." Cherry shrugged. "He just seemed so... Scary..."

"Or maybe he was trying to keep you to himself back when he was a villain?" Drell guessed.

"What was with that anyway?!" Cherry sounded hysterical now as she remembered how Forte used to be when she had first met the court composer. "He was a total creepazoid!"

"His dark side just got to take a little too much control over his body." Drell said.

"Gee, ya think?" Cherry deadpanned. "I had nightmares about what he tried to do at midnight for years!"

"Well, luckily for you, he's no longer evil." Drell said.

"Or is he?" Cherry narrowed her eyes.

Drell narrowed his eyes back. "Oh, you are sailing for a wailing!"

Meanwhile with Atticus, Mo, and Patch...

"I knew this was going to happen..." Mo put her hands to her face. "This feels like a scary campfire story come true!"

"Same here." Atticus said before noticing Patch was starting to lightly scratch on the bedroom door. He looked over.

"Do you need to go outside?" Mo asked Patch.

"No, I'd like to go see that Edward guy." Patch said.

"Should we let him?" Mo asked, a little worried about Patch wandering off on his own.

"Yeah, besides, he's a strong pup and besides, if Ramsley gives him any trouble, he already knows how to handle that old geezer." Atticus smiled.

"Plus this will be able to let me find out more about this house so I can help Atticus with the case." Patch smiled.

"Okay, you remember where to find us now, ya hear?" Mo replied.

"You got it, now, uh, one of you get the door for me, please?" Patch nodded with a smile. He then remembered that he could stand on two feet now and hit himself on the forehead for forgetting that.

"Uh, I better get that anyway," Atticus walked over to the doorknob and opened it. "You kinda need these..." he then gave thumb's up.

Patch stood up and showed he had thumbs too since he was a familiar now as well.

"Wait, when did you get thumbs?" Mo asked the puppy. "Salem or Mephista don't have thumbs."

"The fourth finger for us familiars is our thumbs." Patch told her.

"Well, okay..." Atticus shrugged.

"Be careful." Mo warned.

Patch nodded and went off to find Edward. He began to run around the mansion to see if he could find Edward, unknown to him, he was walking right to him as he unknowingly made his way to the library in the mansion.

Atticus then came over to Mo's bed and sat next to her. "Are you okay?"

"Fine.. Just a little spooked..." Mo admitted softly. "My life has been crazy, even before I met you, Atticus... But... I'm glad I met you, you're the best guy I could ever know... I just wish we could've known each other sooner than later."

"Were most of the guys you met dumb or a jerk?" Atticus asked.

"Pretty much..." Mo said. "Plus, it was tough to meet a trustworthy human after mine and Angel's issues with foster families."

"Well, I can promise you this, if any of those jerks you met before me shows his face, I'll give him a knuckle sandwich." Atticus said.

Mo chuckled lightly to that. Atticus smiled to her laughter, he loved how it sounded.

"Atticus, I'm glad you came into my life..." Mo leaned against him, looking like she was falling in love with him, in fact, she was.

Atticus held her close to him and tried to ignore the sound of thunder from the thunder storm outside. Mo and Atticus then seemed to cuddle together.