The Cornwall Mansion

Summer Vacation

   It's been 20 years since the Cornwall family died in the fire. 20 years since anyone has stepped foot into the forsaken house. The mansion still sits on the old World War II battle ground, sad and forgotten remembered only by the stories told by the people in the town only a mile or so from the house. Though these days no one believes the stories of the Cornwall Mansion. No one believes the stories of the family that killed themselves out of grief. Maybe this is what drove this small group of friends to do the stupid thing they did. Maybe they wanted to see if the stories were true.
   In the town just a mile below the old mansion, a group of five friends sit outside in the grass outside their high school waiting for the bell to ring signaling summer vacation.
   " Hey guys, say hi to the camera!" Alfie, the second most responsible in the group pulled out his video camera and started filming his friends. Alfie never went anywhere without his video camera afraid of missing a film worthy moment. He pointed his camera at his friend Andy who threw his hand up and laughed.
   " Come on Alfie summer vacation hasn't even started yet and your already filming us?" Andy chuckled at his blonde friend. Andy was the complete opposite of Alfie. Anyone who new Andy knew him as a troublemaker, he always got his friends into mischief. If you see the look he gets in his dark blue eyes when he has a plan, best to just turn the other way and keep walking.
   " Of course I've already started filming, I'm not going to miss a single moment of all of us being together."Alfie said polishing his camera lenses.
   " Can you at least wait until the bell rings for it to officially be summer vacation?" Asked Jessie , or as everyone called him Jess. Jess was not as responsible as Alfie but, not as much of a troublemaker like Andy. One thing Jess is though was hot headed, you had to be careful of what you said around him so as not to set him off. Though Jess is hot headed, he is loyal, he always has your back and never leaves a friend behind.
" I could but, I couldn't deny the beautiful miss Jo of being filmed by my expertise." Alfie replied with a smile.
" What's that suppose to mean? That I ask to be on camera?" Jo, one of the girls in the group and Jessie's girlfriend said. Everyone was surprised that Jo and Jess got together, they are complete opposites. While Jess was hot headed, Jo was calm and collected, and hardly ever got angry at anyone. Though she always loved a good adventure, and a little trouble now and then.
" You may not ask to be on camera but, I know your always ready for your close up." Alfie teases Jo with a poor girlish impression. " Though your not the only girl I'd film. How bout you Luna, ready for your close up?" Alfie turned his camera to the last person in their group Luna. Though it seems as she didn't here him as she stared off into the distance. "Luna?Luna." Alfie called her trying to get Luna's attention.
Her head snapped around to Alfie, her beautiful, light blue eyes staring into his. "Sorry, did you say something?" She asked her voice as soft as an angel. Luna was the most responsible out of the group, she was like a mother always keeping them out of trouble. She was kind, loyal, and fearless though looking at her you'd think she was scared of everything.
   "Are you okay?"Alfie asked concerned.
   "Yeah I'm fine I was just thinking of a story that I was told about The Cornwall Mansion, you know that old mansion about a mile from here?"
   Alfie looked away a moment in thought, "Yeah I know what your talking about."
   "Do you guys think the stories are true?"Luna asked looking at all of her friends.
  "No of course not, those stories about that old mansion is a bunch of bull. I think people came up with those stories to keep teenagers from going up there and vandalizing it." Andy scoffed, " I bet if I went up there right now I could come right back, I mean what's going to get me? A ghost?" He mocked.
   "You never know, Mr. Cornwall might actually still be alive , and living in that old, burnt house killing whoever shall enter." Jess joked with Andy while the others sat around and just watched them. "What are you guys staring at?" asked Jess.
  " That's not funny guys, Mr. Cornwall and both his children burned to death in that house." Luna scolded her friends. She felt bad for the family for the children who both lost their mother, and Mr. Cornwall who lost his wife. She felt bad that the children's lives were cut short, and they never got to live.
   "Relax Luna, it was just a joke. Hey, we were looking for something to do this summer, why don't we go up to the old mansion and check it out. You know see if the stories are actually true." Andy said. All he got back were silent stares except for Jess who was with Andy one-hundred percent. " Come on guys don't tell me your scared, especially you Luna your suppose to be fearless."
   " I'm not scared Andy, I just feel that its wrong to explore a house where a family died, and what if the stories are true?" Luna shot back at Andy's attitude. Andy just rolled his eyes at her question, " What if we do go exploring, and we don't come back like the stories say?"
   " I get it Luna okay? But come on, it would be so cool to explore the place, and Alfie it would make for a great summer video." Andy said trying to persuade Alfie into agreeing with him. Alfie slowly looked up at Andy with a mischievous grin on his face.
   " It wold make for an awesome video Lu, come on just this once let yourself do something a little reckless" Alfie nudged Luna by her shoulder, tempting her to give in. Luna looked back at Alfie as he gave her the puppy dogs eyes, he knew she couldn't say no to the puppy dog eyes.
   " What do you think Jo?" Luna turned to her brown haired friend hoping that she would help talk the boys out of this crazy idea.
   " It sounds kind of fun I think we should do it." Jo replied, the boys doing a silent cheer next to her. Luna sighed and looked around at her four friends, she groaned as she finally gave in to them.
   " Fine, but if we die I'm bringing us back to life so I can kill you all again." Luna said with a playful glare. Everyone laughed and began talking about where to eat dinner as the bell rang signaling summer vacation. Alfie immediately took out his camera and began to film his friends as they left the school grounds, all of them laughing and making faces at him. Although Luna strayed to the side still not sure if going to explore the mansion was a good idea. Maybe she should have listened to her instincts and talked her friends out of it. Either way, this will be a summer they'll never forget.