the abandoned house: the mystery

The bus stop’s old display board was plastered with saddening posters of sorrowful images of missing people, a significant number of them being vulnerable teenagers. A bitter mixed feeling of melancholy and exasperation flooded Amy’s heart, fueling her unwavering determination to unravel the mystery. As a failed freelance journalist, she believed she would decipher this enigma to pen an article that could open a pathway to a prosperous career. With all this motivation, she went straight to a nearby bar for dinner after leaving all her stuff at the motel.

Accompanied by the depressing rhythm of daily rain, Rosewood accommodated a huge number of inhabitants despite its petite size. Most locals exuded an air of unkemptness, their clothes filthy, their demeanors unwelcoming, and their fixating gazes penetrating. Amy folded her umbrella before entering the bar, which coziness eased the unsettling feeling in her chest. The friendly waiter took her order as she glanced at the TV. The news was about the opening of the town’s mayor’s new house.

“Bullshit,” she said to herself in a moderate volume. “That’s what I think too. His people and him don’t even give a damn about this town,” said the young slender guy sitting not so far from her. Then, they introduced each other. Amy told Henry why she was in Rosewood, and he told her his best friend had also been missing for several days and that the family alerted the police, who did nothing but blamed them for not taking care of their son. Caleb and Henry were both 17.

Henry explained to Amy how Caleb went missing. He went to the abandoned house on the outskirts of town for some crazy adventure and never returned ever since. The house had a sinister reputation for being haunted. Caleb was not the only one who mysteriously disappeared near the haunted house. Henry thought there would be a link between the house and people’s disappearance. Feeling intrigued, Amy suggested going to the abandoned house the following afternoon and bid Henry an early goodnight as she needed some rest.

It was 3 p.m. Henry picked her up in his car. After a 10-minute drive in the drizzle, they got to the abandoned house. Amy had her phone ready to record. Exuding an aura of decay, the old forsaken house with darkened windows, casting a shadow of terror and lingering desolation stirred an unsettling feeling of unease in Amy and Henry. The door squeaked, and the floor creaked as they entered the house. The air carried a rotten scent and dust. As Amy was coughing, Henry spotted Caleb’s cap in the middle of the dusty living room.

“BANG!!!!!!!” Despite Amy shouting to get out of the house, Henry followed the sound coming from upstairs. She followed him. It was just an open window. As they paced back downstairs, Henry noticed something in the living room. He rushed down and fell forcefully through the staircase at the midpoint due to its age. Amy hurried to check on Henry, who passed out on the floor with dust and piled-up old wood. While dialing the emergency number, she noticed a red blinking light in the living room’s upper corner. Suddenly, she was hit in the head from behind. Her vision became blurry as the emergency line answered.