Payment

Entering the dark entrance hall through the front door of the house, they felt instantly cold. The sound of creaking floorboards under their feet made them feel alone yet watched at the same time. Bella and Samantha held each other’s clammy hands as they headed up the wooden staircase. “Careful,” hissed Bella as Samantha’s foot went through a stair tread. Helping Samantha up, Bella could hear Samantha’s breaths were short and raspy. “Are you OK?” Bella said in a whisper. “Yes,” replied Samantha, although Bella wasn’t convinced. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to you know. We can go home,” Bella said hopefully. “I don’t want all the other kids to think we are scaredy-cats,” said Samantha. “OK,” said Bella nervously. Clutching each other tightly, they continued to ascend the stairs.
As they reached the top, Samantha grabbed hold of Bella even more tightly and pointed to the walls lining the hallway in front of them. Bella didn’t have her glasses on so couldn’t see that clearly, but whatever was there made Samantha even more nervous. Drawing closer, Bella reached into her pocket and pulled out her glasses. She could see on the walls paintings of people. As the wall came into focus, Bella could see what Samantha was nervous about. The pictures. They had no faces. Lining the hallway were more than 15 paintings of what appeared to be a family line of succession, starting from 1671 all the way to 2019.”
Suddenly the front door slammed shut and the sound of a lock bolting was heard. “Run!” Yelled Samantha. In a panic, both girls sprinted to the end of the hallway where a door with a plaque mounted on it was partially open. Bella read it aloud: “Enter if you wish, but the payment will be half to enter and half again to leave.” Bella and Samantha glanced at each other. The sound of a slow shuffling could be heard at the other end of the hallway. They had no choice. Bella slowly pushed open the door and both girls entered the room.
Feeling her way across the room, Bella felt a sudden heavy thump through the floorboards. Bella screamed and reaching around for the wall, Bella felt her hands touch something sticky. Carefully drawing her hand to her nose, Bella sniffed. She instantly pulled her hand away and suddenly felt very dizzy. “We have to go now Samantha!” Yelled Bella. “Samantha, where are you?” Hissed Bella frantically.
In fear, Bella stepped back and fell over something lying on the ground. In horror, Bella realised she had just fallen over Samantha. Bella screamed and bolted from the room. Bella could hear a voice in her head: “Payment will be half to enter and half again to leave.” Bella turned then everything went white...

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