Tickle Monster

Chapter 5

Jade's POV

After Dad was no help, we decided to investigate if Willow suspected anything more sinister inside the house.

"No, nothing weird has happened to me." She shrugged but avoided my eyesight as Teegan stood beside me. She twirled a piece of hair around her finger a bit absentmindedly.

Willow had picked the only room in the house without wallpaper so her walls were all white. There also happened to be no windows in the room. A bright light shined a painfully white beam around the tiny room. Unpacked boxes still littered the space.

"Come on, we know there's something weird going on so just tell us what happened." Teegan spoke up.

She just stared back at us before replying slowly, as if thinking each word through carefully, "The other day I woke up in the middle of the night, something that isn't too weird for me. What isn't usual is that I couldn't get back to sleep when I suddenly heard giggling. I thought it was just you two chatting but it just sounded so... unnatural. About once every minute until I somehow got up and turned on the light. Then it stopped and I was able to go to sleep but not until after some... weird feelings."

I nodded and glanced over at my twin, who had a furrowed brow. She then opened her mouth as if she were going to say something then closed it again.

Willow tilted her head slightly and said, "Did anything weird happen to you guys?"

Teegan again opened her mouth and closed it as if fighting with herself about something. I nudged her arm and forced her to look into my eyes.

She sighed quietly, "The other day I had a dream in which I woke up in the middle of the night, like Willow. So I went to go get something to drink from the fridge and on my way back through the hallway, something pulled me back. And then I heard giggling, it just sounded weird and unnatural as Willow described. Then I started running and never reached the end of the hallway when this voice said..."

I raised my eyebrows but understood why she was acting so weirdly the other day, "We should show Willow the picture."

Teegan glares at me and practically drags me out of the room. Willow sending a curious look after us.

After yanking my arm out in getting me to the hallway, Teegan crosses her arms and looks at me like an angry mother.

"What?" I ask, crossing my arms in the same position.

"She's 13!" She whisper/yells at me.

"We're 15. So?" I ask a bit dumbfounded.

"That picture from the Polaroid scared the living day lights out of me and I don't want to do that to her."

"Please I already told her about it and she deserves to know!" I argue back at the same volume.

Suddenly Willow pokes her head into the hallway, looking at us with the same curious look, "Will you guys just show me whatever it is you're talking about?"

I reply before Teegan does, "Sure."

I get a death look for that one.

I lead them both into our room, looking into the drawer of the little nightstand near my bed for where I shoved the photo.

"It's not there." I say suddenly, turning back to look at the confused two.

Eventually it turns into tearing the room apart, looking in the closet and even asking Taylor if he went into our room.

Suddenly Teegan lifts up her pillow and her face is pure, unfiltered terror. Her hands shake as she slowly reaches onto the mattress and picks up what looks like the photo we're missing. I rush to her side and gently lift the small photograph from her hands. She barely protests.

Teegan is the only thing easily viewed in the picture, which is odd as everything behind her is dark. It seems as if some sort of light source is just focused on her on the ground, mid-yell.

Her hair is as wild as her eyes and there are long, pale fingers wrapped around her mid-section that seem to be pulling her back. Behind her left shoulder is a similar face to the one that was in the photo we were looking for.

It's beady black eyes staring into the camera and the carved smile. There was no question in my mind as to why this photo freaked Teegan out, I could already feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead from just looking at it.

Willow appeared behind my shoulder, having to stand on tip-toes to see the picture. Her hand flew to her mouth and a gasp escaped her throat.

"Was this y-your dream?" She whispered with her hand still covering her mouth, turning to Teegan.

She nodded, her shaking hands rubbing together slowly. It was a move she only started doing when she was feeling a lot of emotion and if this wasn't it, I didn't know what was.

I didn't know what to say so I just looked slowly at both, studying their faces and then sitting on my bed.

"So the thing likes to leave evidence." I suddenly blurt out, surprising even myself and shattering the quiet of the room.

They turn to look at me and Willow nods slowly, "So it probably l-left something in my room."

She looks as if she's about to cry and I know if she starts, I won't be able to stop her.

"Willow it's ok. We just need to figure this thing out. It's not even that big of a deal, maybe it's Taylor just playing a prank on us as a homing present." I force a smile and I can't even tell who I'm trying to convince.

I continue quickly, "But if you want to check your room, we can. I'll help you look."

I nudge her shoulder and she sends me a weak smile. But she nods and we start towards her room, her small hand gripping mind.

By now, every box has been searched and each pillow unturned. The room looks as if it got its own personal makeover by a small tornado. We all stand side-by-side, staring at the closet we'd been strategically avoiding the entire time.

It would make the most sense for any "evidence" being placed there. The sound came from it.

While searching, we all sent the others silent dares to open it and look. Not the silent dares to do something stupid like kiss your crush or lick the floor but something that may potentially have consequences. Now we're all hyped up and staring at the white door with the peeling paint.

The golden door knob is unnaturally shiny, taunting us to use it. Suddenly they both look at me and I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

I'd been expecting to be expected to do it, I'm just that type of sister. I open my eyes and stare at the door which seems to suddenly be much bigger.

I take another deep breath and reach out a hand to touch the door knob.

The icy coldness of it reaches my brain before I realize what I'm doing as I slowly twist and pull.

Thanks so much for over 100 reads! That's like insane guys and sorry for the cliffhanger. I had to have one at some point as all horror stories must. I'll try to update soon to not keep anyone waiting too long.