Darkness Devours

Part 1

Mark stepped out of his car in front of the large iron gate to Blackwood Manor.  The iron gate was wrapped in thick metal chains and had old crime scene tap hanging off of it.  The Manor itself looked like an old dark Victorian.  The yard was overgrown and had autumn leaves everywhere!  The place screamed Halloween haunted house!  Even to the point of being out in the middle of nowhere!  The old caretaker stepped out of his own car when he saw Mark.  Approaching him to ask curiously.  "Mark"?  Mark nodded and shook his hand, saying.  "Ya, I'm sorry I'm early. My friends and I just wanted to have a look around in the daylight".  The caretakers face was emotionless as he replied.  "You'll be staying the night. When you arrive and who you take is your own business".  Mark chuckled saying nervously.  "Oh no! We won't be staying the night. We just want to record a few rigged scares for our fans and leave".  The caretaker let out a small chuckle, heading for the gate as he told Mark over his shoulder.  "I hope you succeed. To be honest, you couldn't pay me enough to pass this gate".  Mark chuckled uneasily, asking playfully.  "Why did someone die in there"?  The caretaker unlocked the gate and pulled the large chain off, seriously saying.  "The better question is who hasn't died in there. I don't know what's in there... but it sure isn't friendly. On the Brightside, at least it cleans up after itself. Makes my job easier".  Mark swallowed down his fear, asking hopefully.  "You're just yanking my chain, right? Being Halloween and all"?  The caretaker turned away from the gate to stare at Mark a moment.  He must have seen the fear in his eyes, because he smiled warmly answering.  "Scared ya, did I? No one says you have to enter".  Ken leaned over from the passenger seat of Mark's car, saying cheerfully.  "Not chickening out now, are you Mark"?  Felix chuckled from the backseat saying out loud.  "I bet you fifty bucks he won't even make it to the door, Ken"!  Mark puffed up his chest faking his confidence as he told the caretaker.  "I'm not scared. I can take anything this place dishes out"!  Now it was Ryan who made the others laugh by saying out loud.  "Unless it has mannequins"!  Mark shook his head at his friends, before climbing back into his car and driving through the gate to the house. 

The caretaker watched them drive through the iron gate, then closed it back up slowly, saying out loud.  "There. Are you happy now? I did my part. Now where is my grand daughter"!  The large faded Gargoyles that sat just outside the gate, turned their stony heads in his direction.  Their eyes going from a solid grey to a bright red.  The caretaker pointed to them in turn, panic in his voice as he tried to rationalize to them.  "Look, you promised that If I lured in fresh blood that you'd give her back to me!  Now where is she"?!  The gargoyle to the right of the man grinned a little to heartlessly for the caretakers liking.  Then to his horror, blood started to pour from between the gargoyles teeth like a dog with a drooling problem!  The caretaker slowly backed away toward his car watching the blood stream to the dry ground before the gargoyles stone feet.  Suddenly, the second gargoyle started to hack like a cat with a fur-ball, throwing up a mix of small splintered bones!  Quickly, the caretaker raced into his car and sped away to the sound of the gargoyles deep sickening laughter.

The Manor was much farther from the gate then Mark had thought it was.  When they finally pulled up before the steps, Matt and Ryan were the first to jump out and immediately start recording the house.  Ken followed telling Mark casually.  "Well, it sure looks pretty clean for a haunted house. Although, it still has that creepy style going for it".  Felix smiled, playfully asking them all.  "Do you think they deliver here? I'm starving".  Mark looked around the area at the surrounding forests and open fields for miles, before answering casually.  "Something tells me that no one even knows this is here".  Ryan panned the camera in on Mark, prodding him playfully.  "Scared, Mark? Be honest. All your fans desperately want to know"!  Mark shot Ryan a sarcastic look, telling the camera.  "It's just a house".  Matt chuckled, pulling bags out of Mark's trunk telling Ryan.  "I guess he's going to play the disbeliever in the skit"!  Felix picked up his backpack, telling Mark seriously.  "So, where did we want to start"?  Ken quickly piped in casually.  "I think we should explore the whole house and then pick the best rooms to rig up".  Ryan pointed to Ken, proudly saying aloud.  "I agree with, Ken".  Felix puffed his chest out, mumbling out faking being offended.  "Fine, bitches. We'll follow Ken's plan".  Ken patted Felix's arm saying smugly.  "You're just salty because you didn't think of it".  Mark felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out to look at the caller ID.  When he saw the name, he told the others dismissively.  "Go on it ahead of me. I got to take this".  Felix swatted Matt as he passed by him, saying smugly.  "Three guesses who that is".  Ryan quickly climbed up the stairs after them, answering just as smugly.  "Do you have to ask? Mark only stops everything for one person".  In complete unison, they all answered 'Jack' at the same time.  Laughing they entered the house, while Mark flipped them the finger and answered his phone.  The second Mark heard Jack's voice the uneasiness he felt from the house washed away.  "Mark? Wow, I didn't think you'd get reception out there. I just called to say that I'm getting ready to turn in. Did you still want me to call you for the skit"?  Mark leaned back against his car door, telling him sweetly.  "Ya, if it's no trouble. I think the fans would get a kick out of it".  Jack's voice turned apologetic as he replied then.  "Alright. I'm sorry I couldn't make it there. I just had some family stuff come up and-".  Mark cut him off to say with understanding.  "I completely understand, Jack. We can get together again at another date. Listen, can you call me in about an hour"?  Jack's voice piped back up to it's cheer self as he answered back.  "Sure, I can do that. I'll let you get to it. Love you".  Mark smiled to himself, replying back warmly.  "Love you too".  To Be Continued...