Beneath The Mask

29. Coast Is Clear!

Hey there, so here's the next chapter! Yippie! I would like to dedicate this to my best friend-slash-new reader vaishnavi_kanthan Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! I hope you enjoy it and break your head as usual! :p

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How could this be? This can't be happening. How was it even possible for a single house to exist in that lonely place just like how it was in my dream? But it's appearance was different. There was a large black metal gate blocking the full view of the house. But through the gap, I could see that the house was made of wood and it looked a little bit antique.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked with concern.

"W-What?" I asked absentmindedly.

"You look like you just saw a ghost. Is this a haunted mansion or what?" Michael turned around and examined the house. He continued to talk but my mind was occupied with fear to listen to any of it.

"Let's go inside." He walked towards the gate. Those words brought me back to reality.

"What?" I gasped.

"I said let's go inside and check out the house. It will be interesting." He lifted the padlock on the gate and huffed. "It's locked." He shook the gate in annoyance. "Who in their right mind would build a house in the middle of a desert?He must definitely be a fool." He placed his leg on the gate and started to climb on it.

My eyes widened and I jogged towards him.
"What the hell are you doing?" I whisper yelled at him.

"Going for an adventure." He chuckled and continued to climb up.

"Get down here!" I shook his leg.

"Nope." He said, popping the 'p'. "You can't stop this beast once it has decided to do something." He smirked and jumped over the gate, landing perfectly on the ground. He dusted off his pants and turned around to face me. "Tadaa!" He grinned and bowed down.

"You're gonna get caught! Somebody must be inside." I hissed.

He bent down to touch the dying plants next to the gate. "I don't think so. This place seems too lonely for someone to reside here."

"Come back here Michael!" I banged the gates.

He shook his head. "No, you come here! I can assure you that nobody will be inside."

I shook my head and stepped back from the gate. "But he will be there!" My heart started beating fast. Sweat dripped all over my face. I was too scared to go back alone and at the same time I couldn't go inside either. What if he really was there and my nightmare becomes a reality? This can't be happening. I can't go through all of that again! My chest rose and fell quickly.

"Who will be there?" Michael furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"H-He w-wil-ll b-be t-there. H-he h-he wil-l be-e." I stuttered unable to slow down my breathing.

"Catherine, what's wrong?" Michael looked worried.

"Mi-Mich... H-He..." I tried to bring words out of my mouth but I couldn't.

"Shit!" Michael muttered and jumped over the gate. He rushed towards me and held both of my cheeks in his hands.

"Cath, look at me." He commanded. I shook my head, still trying to catch my breath. He tilted my chin, making me look at him. "Now take a deep breath and release it." He demonstrated and I followed him. He made me repeat it again and again. After a few seconds, my breathing became normal again.