Tell Me A Story

Chapter 31: Unveiled

Panic began gripping my heart. The odd feeling that formed inside me since my arrival only strengthened. Regina was baffled and scared; she hadn't experienced any paranormal events. Nothing could have prepared her for this. The music continued to play and we didn't know what to do. It was melodic and just loud enough for us to hear.

And then it stopped. Just as abruptly as it had begun. Regina was breathing heavily.

"Did you hear it?" she asked, sounding fearful.

I nodded my head.

"That was her favorite one, the note that was played!"

Before I could reply, the lights in the room began flickering, producing a sound like that of bees buzzing. We turned our head all around. The atmosphere outside had darkened. Whenever the lights went out, we were immersed in complete darkness.

And then the music continued. Regina let out a squeal of terror and I got up. Unlike the last time, this time it sounded like a screech, as if the one who was playing it had gone mad.

"What's it?" a gruff male voice asked from behind.

I turned back to see Kevin standing at the doorway. Mom was standing behind him, her face lost in utter bewilderment.

"Someone's playing Megan's keyboard. I'm af-afraid someone's broken in..." said Regina.

"I'll check it."

He strode off to the hallway alone, asking us to stay behind.

"Be careful," Regina warned him. 

The moment he stepped into the hallway, the power went out completely and there was only darkness around. I looked at my watch. I couldn't exactly figure out what time it was but I was sure that it wasn't so late for the sky to be this dark.

I peeked out of the nearest window and saw that dark clouds had formed a thick layer above. A chill ran down my spine.

Suddenly the sound of the laughter of a little girl filled our ears.

"Megan?" Regina asked. She tried to get up and mom immediately went to help her.

There was the sound of a door being slammed shut followed by the bloodcurdling scream of Kevin.

"Kevin!" exclaimed Regina.

"Mom, I'll check what it is," I said and
ran to where Kevin had disappeared into. Mom called behind me to be safe.

The lights in the hallway began to flicker as I entered. At the end was a door that was shut. I made my way slowly toward it. Hoarse whispers broke out all around me, that became louder as I neared the door. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead as I twisted the doorknob.

I swung the door wide open and the whispers died out. Inside was the keyboard, placed against a wall. On the middle of the room, Kevin's body was sprawled in a pool of blood. I took a step closer to it although my brain told me to run away

Seth is here.

Mom's scream from the living room snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Mom!" I cried and hurried into the hallway. The lights were flickering furiously and the whispers broke out again.

Mom was clutching her heart and her eyes were wide with horror.

"What happened?" I asked as I scanned the room. "Where's Regina?"

"S-she ... She was right here," whimpered mom. "I was about to check on you and ... She was just behind me. I don't know what happened!"

I turned all around. There was no sign of Regina. A bulb in a corner blasted suddenly, and all bulbs began blasting around one by one. Glass shards rained on us. I squeezed my eyes shut and raised my hands over my head.

A few shards were thrust into my hands. I let out a moan of pain. When it was over, I opened my eyes and let my hands down.

Mom was looking at me. "What's going on?"

"Mom, I think we should go back!" I said as I plucked the shards of glass out from my hands. Thin jets of blood ran down my elbow.

"What happened to Kevin?" asked mom.

A clatter prevented me from replying to her. We turned our heads around only to find a crutch on the floor. It was smeared with blood.

"Oh my!" exclaimed mom.

Something fell on top of the crutch, making us both jump a foot in the air. It was Regina. Or rather, her lifeless body. Her eyes were full of horror, her lips parted to reveal blood coated teeth. A thin line of blood ran across her neck.

The fifth victim!

Mom was so horrified at the sight that she couldn't let her voice out. I stood there motionless.

The photo on the wall began rattling and after a few seconds, it fell down along with the veil.

I knelt down and picked it up. The red veil slid off it as I tilted it. A line of crack ran across it, the aftereffect of the fall. In the photo was a young Megan, with twinkling eyes and a cute smile. But somehow, the face seemed familiar.

My heart skipped a beat as the realization gripped it. The realization that how Megan looked like when she was older. How Megan reminded me of Anna.

Oh. My. God.

I dropped the photo from my hand and mom, who was observing my every move picked it up.

"Isn't this Anna?" she asked, her eyes narrowed. "What's her photo doing in here?"

I stared at the wall opposite me, unable to draw a breath. Something began appearing on the wall. In blood. Drops of blood oozed down from the words already formed.

               Irene is my sixth victim