Mysteries of the Past

Chapter 2- The House

She wasn't alright, okay. Addison thought just after she said it.

As they continued on their trip, Addison's mind had focused on what the lady said to her 'You have to be careful of everything in that place. Do not ask questions out of curiosity, girl. Do not stoop around. There are things that are meant to be hidden'. As Addison being the curious one in the family, she tried to decipher what the lady meant. But it seems like her brain's too tired to function. Without noticing, Addison slowly fell asleep.

"Addison, wake up, we're here." She heard her mother's voice say to her. Groggily, she opened her eyes and saw that everyone-her relatives and cousins were already there by the doors of the house. She scanned over their familiar faces and saw her Cousin-Jessie standing by the porch. Upon seeing her, Addison went out to the car.

"Mom, I'm gonna go to Jessie." She said to her mom.

"Yeah, sure. Wake Ryder up and bring him with you, okay? I'm going to talk to your aunts." Her mom replied.

Addison went back in the backseat of the car to wake him up.

"Ryder, wake up. We're here, kid." She said, shaking him. Suddenly, Ryder grabbed her hand and looked at her with wild eyes, same as the expression of the cashier earlier when they bought the food.

Shocked, she asked him. "Ryder, you all right?"

Ryder stared at her "She's here, she's near."

Confused, she asked him "Who's here?"

Ryder blinked and looked up at Addison "Addie? Oh, are we here?"

"Uhh, yeah" Addison replied, shocked by his strange behavior earlier. Huh, why would he act like that? Hmm, maybe he's just tired. She thought to herself.

"Anyways, your bestfriend/ cousin, Xavier is here." She informed him.

"Oh! Really?" He brightens.

"Yep, come on. Let's go to them" She replied. Together, the siblings went to their cousins and relatives.

"Hey Addison, it's been so long. How are you?" Olivia, who was around 23 and was the oldest of the cousins, went over to hug her.

Soon enough, hugs and kisses were spread around. Soon the group of cousins started to gather, and as what they would always do since they were kids, starttalk about the things that each cousin missed out on. It seemed as if everything was back to normal. But it wasn't. There wasn't anyone who would offer the warm cookies, no one to give them the warmest welcome. No one. Because that person was gone. The thought itself saddened Addison. But almost suddenly she felt a chill down her spine.

"Did you feel that?" she asked. Everyone looked at her weirdly.

"Feel what?" Jessie asked her back.

"That chill." Addison answered.

"Chill?" Mason, another one of her cousins, who was a year older than her, asked.

"Maybe you're just tired from that long trip here" Olivia said.

Addison looked at Olivia and said "Maybe."

As if nothing happened, the cousins went back to their conversations. Until Aunt Noelia, Olivia and Carter's, the nineteen-year-old of the cousins, mom called them out to go in the backyard for the start of the funeral. Everybody then went silent and started to go to the backyard. With the odd structure of the homey house, they had to pass in the house to be able to go to the backyard.

As they entered the house, Addison observed every detail and recalled every memory she had of how her grandmother was. As they went out to the backyard for the funeral, tears started to fall and memories started to collide.

One by one each family member delivered a speech for their grandmother, recalling their memories of her. Tears and laughter were shared. Slowly, it seemed like everything will be okay.

After the ceremony, everyone went back to the house. Addison, lost in her thoughts, didn't notice them leaving until her name was called. Addison jumped shocked, and looked up, she saw a dark figure flash through the woods ahead. Curious, Addison made her way to the forest until her name was called out again by her mom.

"Addison! Come on!" Her mom called out.

"Coming!" the sixteen-year-old girl replied and started to make her way back. As she ran toward the house, she turned around and saw the figure disappear.

Addison entered the house through the front door and saw food being served, immediately she realized how hungry she was during the trip. As she sat down on the chair before her, her mother went to her.

"Please go find Ryder first dear, the kid's been playing hide-and-seek with Xavier earlier and it seems like Xavier is so hungry to find your little brother." Mrs. Ryland told her with a laugh.

Smiling at her cousin's antics, Addison replied "Sure, mom"

As she set out to find her little brother, Addison passed through the different rooms of the house.

"Ryder!" She called him. But it seemed like he was not in the under the counter, the bed or in the different rooms of the house. Hmm, where could he be? She wondered, looking through the different parts of the house. As she passed by the old attic door, she heard a little giggle. A giggle seemingly similar to her brother's.

"Now where could that kid be? I wonder. Maybe I should just give up searching" She wondered out loud playing with her brother who she was sure was behind the attic door. It wasn't exactly an 'attic' it was basically a storage room with a space connected to the actual attic. It was where they had to pass to get to the attic. When they were younger, confused by the two storage rooms in the house, they had decided to call this one the 'atic'. The giggle she heard the second time around confirmed it. Slightly opening the door, she saw her brother's face looking ahead.

"Boo." She whispered close to his ear. He squealed, opened the door wide enough for him to slip out and ran away from her to the dining room.

Smiling slightly, Addison went back to close the door. But she was left shockedand curious when she saw what was inside the attic.