Unhaunted Mansion |A Daring Halloween|

Unhaunted Mansion

They said the mansion opens once a year. And that is on Belinda's birthday.

Stories were told about the old mansion constructed years ago when I was still three. They said it was an abandoned house, but immediately got back on their words when the doors were first held open during October 31st - the day when Belinda turned one. Since then, the family only publicized themselves during that specific day.

Thirteen years ago, I was a young brood back then, knew nothing of scary witches and fleeting ghosts in haunted houses. But I remembered playing with the most beautiful girl I know during Halloween.

With a human's capacity to remember at such an early age, I clearly remembered her pale face, the color of snow, complementing her blue dress with white apron tied around her waist. Surprisingly, her image never left my memory; she was the real-life Alice for me.

Despite the words of the townsfolk, it had never come across my mind that Belinda was a scary girl. Everything about her was normal.

Until I visited her once more during her eighteenth birthday.

—•—

That night, the moon was completely round and strangely brighter than usual. I walked down the familiar street with my friends, in our silly costumes with pumpkin buckets. I was Batman, my favorite hero of all time, and my friends wore Indiana Jones and Tiger Lily costumes. Other superheroes, villains, monsters and ghosts were roaming around as well, stopping by houses with orange flags and receiving handfuls of sweets. In our town, orange flags meant treats were available for giveaways.

"Look! Another orange flag over there," my Indiana Jones friend pointed at the stone house located just around the corner. Then he added, "Hey, Kace, where's the famous scary mansion they said in stories?"

I gave him a puzzled look. "Don't give me that look," he said and then he gave me a slight nudge. "You know this place more than I do. You lived here for eight years!"

That's when my senses heightened. Ever since she wore Alice and I became tiny Batman, we had never contacted each other nor played with each other.

I quickly turned my head and glanced at the towering chimney of the supposed scary mansion.

"What's wrong?" Tiger Lily asked me. I ignored everyone, even my girlfriend, and strode off towards the mansion as if a mystical force was forcing me to visit it. My recollection of what happened next was very vague. I only recalled standing in front of the colossal dwelling.

The four-story mansion loomed prominently in front of the majestic full moon, an archaic beauty in a period of modern architecture. Unlike the usual imagery of haunted mansions, the house was well kept; its slate roof and stained glass windows were still in good shape and crevices were unnoticeable. The gray stone walls remained sturdy and cold by dint of remarkable masonry works.

Moments ago, Indiana Jones was all buoyant and valiant to enter the house. With all pretense lost, he screamed frantically when the indoor lights turned on and the door slowly twisted outward. A faint wind suddenly brushed past us like feathers, bringing tingling sensations all over our bodies, and gradually building up a spooky atmosphere.

"I have to go in," I told my friends.

Lily looked at me with fearful eyes. Behind her, Jones was trying not to look at the mansion, apprehensive about seeing supernatural beings.

"I'll try to be quick. I promise." I gave Lily a hug and patted Jones which startled him a bit. I inhaled deeply and gathered up all the ounces of courage I had left. "Don't worry. It's her birthday today. I'll greet her and leave."