The Cursed Victim

Chapter 1

I'm sure we've been driving for years. Just passing road signs with my earbuds stuffed into my ears, My Chemical Romance blasting at full volume. The whole town was surrounded by dark creepy woods, so I kept my gaze where I always do, glued to my horror novel. I have always loved the fact that I could read and not be distracted by my music or my annoying little sister. I finally came to my favorite part, the reason why I read this repeatedly. The end where no one gets their happily ever after. But to my amaze, before I finished we pulled up into the driveway of an old abandoned house that looked as if it was about to cave into itself at any moment. I looked over to my mother.

"Yes Lucy?"

"This is the amazing surprise? This is the amazing house? This is such a disappointment." I ripped my earbuds out of my ears and opened the car door.

The house was huger then you could ever imagine. It was covered in dark wood and peeling paint, the windows were cracked, and it didn't even look fit to live in.

"Listen. Your great-grandfather left me this house. You know I wasn't close with him. He left me his home. So, here we are." My mom, a tall thin blond with huge blue eyes and more makeup then was necessary, stepped out of her van. Her high heels dug into the gravel.

My dad pulled up next to our car in his pickup truck. Him and my older brother, Dean, started walking towards us. It was obvious they weren't too thrilled about our new living arrangements either.

"Hey." My older sister, Carrie, said as she put her arm around my shoulders.

"What." My eyes met hers and she made a face.

"God. Your emo is showing again." She pushed me out of the way and met my mom at the trunk. I pulled my bag out of the front seat and onto my shoulder. The neighborhood was nice, I guess, though something in the neighbor's window caught my eye. A boy, maybe my age, was staring at us. I mean. I would be too, we must look like a bunch of lunatics moving into this place.

"Lucy, help your sisters with the bags." I heard my father yell from the truck. I turned and went to go help against my will. If I didn't they might take my earbuds, again. Last time it was for not being social at school. I'm sorry for not wanting to be social with the jerks that happen to be getting the same education as me. My dad is tall guy, he has light brown hair and we both have the same green eyes. He disapproves of more than half the things I do and wear, like how 'wearing too much black is affecting my brain' and how 'rock music doesn't go well with a college degree so I should stop now.' I grabbed the bags from him and followed my brother into the house. I was greeted by the horrid stench of rotting food and what seemed like a dead animal. The furniture was rotting. The paint was falling off the walls, and my bedroom was the size of a janitor's closet.

I started unpacking when all the bags were inside. My bureau was dark and old, it takes a little longer to open the drawers, but I guess I can manage. And it turns out there is no electricity so if we want to use Wi-Fi or charge our phones, we must go to the café. The one that's 3 hours away. All my clothes were now stuffed into any place possible and I sat down on my dusty, creaky twin bed.

"Water doesn't work!" Someone yelled from, I'm guessing, the bathroom. I sighed as I got off the bed and towards the window. My curtains were open and I can see it was getting dark. Part of me didn't want to, but I looked back towards the neighbor's house. It was a bright blue and the windows framed in bright yellow. Someone walked past, the boy maybe. He could go to my new school, possibly, and maybe I could be friends with him. New people I don't know in a small town that has sucky Wi-Fi. Maybe I'll make a lot of friends. Maybe this will be different. Someone walked past the window again, someone much shorter and fatter. Old too. Maybe his grandmother? I climbed onto my end table to get a better look. The person came back and faced the window, she was old and had dark starring eyes. Almost dead like. She turned she head along with her white tangled hair and made eye contact with me. My heart started to race and I almost fell off the table, she was so creepy and just stared into my eyes almost like she could read my thoughts. I jumped off the table and closed the curtains tight.

"Note to self. Never look out this window again." I rushed out of my room like a little kid does when they don't want something to grab them from under the bed. I was so shocked from the old lady, I almost ran into my mother.

"Lucy! Jesus, you scared me!" How ironic. She looked at me with an annoyed look. "You need to stop reading those horror books. You've been way too jumpy lately."

"No I-"

"Do you want to go to the market, we're all heading there now."

"No. I'll stay." She sighed and walked towards the living room.

"If you leave don't wonder far, last thing I need is to draw attention." My mom and the others left me and the house alone. I stood in the hallway and watched the car pull out of the driveway and down the street. A floorboard squeaked behind me and I swear I heard someone breathing. There is no way I'm staying here by myself.

After the car was completely out of sight, I came outside and started walking down the neighborhood. Although I didn't dare look at the creepy old lady's house, I did take my time alone to check out the other houses. They were so modern and gorgeous I couldn't wrap my mind around how my grandpas place was where it was. Miniature mansions lined the streets and towered over their perfectly manicured lawns. Fountains and reasonable sized statutes covered the front of the homes. Three-car-garages on every lot along with a smooth stone driveway. There was one home, though, I really took fond of. It had beautiful plants in the front and the grass was perfectly green. I could even make out a nice pool out back.

"Scoping the place out?" I turned to face a tall pale boy. He had chestnut brown hair and light gray eyes, his hands were stuffed into his black hoodie and he had an annoying smirk on his face.

"Well yea, I got to see which branch to climb and what window to break." His lips formed into more of a smile. He stepped closer and held out a hand.

"Erin. I live right next to you." I opened my mouth but then slammed it shut. Now that I got a better look, I realized this was the boy that lived in the old lady's house. Stepping back, I thought of the best way to get away from this guy. He seems nice and all, but any kin of that lady are no friend of mine. He dropped his arm, confused.

"What's the matter?" He stepped towards me and I went backwards.

"I-I have to head home." I tried to walk past him but he grabbed my arm.

"Did I say something to offend you?" Erin asked, still holding onto my forearm.

I wouldn't say offend, more like scare. My eyes widened and I tried to pull my arm away from him, his grip only seemed to get tighter.

"Let go of me." I said, trying once again to pull away. He let go and stepped back.

"I'm sorry for anything I said." I opened my mouth and faced him once more, not able to stop myself.

"Was that your grandmother?"

"Huh?"

"That lives with you. White hair, short." I motioned my hand to hover a couple of feet over the ground.

"Uh yea. Did she, come over your house or something?" He asked, the smile long gone.

"Oh no. Never mind." I turned on my heel and started walking. My eyes started to water and I wasn't looking up, I just kept rushing towards home, I should have never left. I should have never started talking. I was so afraid and I just wanted to go back home. Crossing the street, my vision only seemed to worsen and my heart pounding. Bright lights filled my view and loud beeping made me stop and look up to a blinding bright light. A car was rushing my way, but I couldn't move, I was frozen.

***

"Scoping the place out?"

I turned around and the smirk was back, he was back. I blinked hard and my heart started to speed up. Harder this time. It was lighter out and I was back in front of the house.

Wait, what. I looked around and I felt my hands getting sweaty and then urge to say something witty.

"W-well yea, got to see which branch to climb and what window to break." I put my hands in my pocket and dug my nails in my skin. It hurt, but this must be a dream. Erin held out his hand.

"Erin. I live right next to you. "This time, I took his hand and shook it. My eyes still wondering the scenery around me.

"Lucy, it's n-nice to meet you." His smile grew larger as a car flew past.