The Horror House

• Zoha Aslam, Grade 6, Al Faisal College
• Short Story
• 2017

Excellence Award in the 'Write Here Write Now 2017' competition

There was a long “whirr” as a small boat pulled up beside the mansion. Four young children stepped out, holding backpacks and sleeping bags. Through the mist, you could see the sneer on the oldest ones face.
“Tony you can go now, “said Christian over the noise.
“Yeah baby brother, but watch out – this place reminds me of a graveyard,” replied Tony.
Soon the three friends were sound asleep, in the lounge room of the mansion. They didn’t know what treachery would take place.
The next morning, Christian woke with a start, he heard noises – whispers. 'Probably just John and Alex' he kept saying to himself – even though he knew they were sound asleep. The day passed, evening came. They had explored the whole house solo when John heard Christian scream. He follow the noise to the attic steps. He entered one of the three attics and saw Alex and Christian, though Alex was on the floor, lifeless and bloody. John gasped. Christian couldn’t take it anymore. He ran. It was night again but Tony hadn’t come yet. The sleepover seemed dull without Alex, and John was really curious, he soon convinced Christian to come and see where Alex was, even though they knew what had happened. They slowly climbed the steps to the attic, waiting for the shock. But when they opened the attic door, Alex wasn’t there. I cold chill ran down John’s back, he turned to run, but Christian stopped him.
It was then, he saw the bloody footprints on the rusted floorboards. John knelt down to inspect them, and said “who could’ve done this?” a reply came too soon.
“Me,” said a ghostly voice, and then, they saw her- a woman in a pale dress hovering above the floor. For the first time in his life Christian scram, he cried. The ghostly figure disappeared. Christian and John holding hands, ran, all the way to the lounge room. But when they got there, the lounge room was occupied .Tony.
“Ha ha!, scared you" he said.
“You could’ve killed us,” replied Christian in an angry tone.
“It was pretty easy especially the red paint, I convinced Alex into it,” continue Tony.
John had a grim expression on his face, “but guys then what about that lady?” They turned and ran. They swore to never go there again. Visit someday, you’ll probably never come back. And this was just the beginning of all the horrors they were to see.