Summer

Summer 1997

Nobody neither claimed the house nor tried to claim it until it fell in disrepair. Stubborn shrubs and grasses grew all over it and the people had forgotten all about it until two weeks ago.

"You brought the flashlights, Ciel?" Peter asked.

"I've only managed to bring three." Cielo answered, tapping her purple backpack while pedaling her own bike. "Mum might get suspicious." she added.

Cielo's purple highlighted hair stood out under the moonlight. She was the girl who was never afraid to try new things. Like her hair, for instance. That night, I remembered seeing her in a black lacey dress. Cielo likes black and all things goth.

I looked sideways at Ivan who was riding his bike in silence.

Ivan Jacobs was as the same age as me. Seven. He was a quiet boy and we never asked him for anything because he doesn't give a straight answer. At first I thought he was mute but when he asked me about my dog, I figured out that he wasn't. He was just shy.

I shook my head. I won't get anything from him so might as well have a go at that creepy place and run for my life in case we encounter something. Am I expecting to see something? A monster perhaps? Yes. Living in this part of Pennsylvania ever since I was born, there were things that other people dismissed as hoax that we actually believed. Like the presence of that cursed house. Other people might simply see the disappearance of Denver and Jason as coincidence. That the other kids may have heard them talking about going to the cursed house but they actually didn't. They're mischievous kids after all.

This isn't a good idea, I thought. The cold night air hit my face, giving me goosebumps instead of relief from the sweltering weather. The trees made creepy-looking shadows that move along with the wind. I shuddered.

The entrance to the Pennsylvania Community Cemetery suddenly came into view. The tall white gates shone under the moon light. The huge angel statues made grotesque-looking shadows that looked like midnight phantoms. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I was not supposed to be in there. Whatever was in that cursed house, I think we should leave it alone. The townsfolk had, until Denver and Jason.

Nobody ever spoke as we pedaled our bikes inside the cemetery. I shivered, just seeing the marble-white tombstone with letters engraved on them. Some have dried flowers in them, others have vines growing around them. It wasn't as frightening as I can imagine but trust me, when you ge the feeling that something's watching over you, the heebiejeebies comes next.

That bicycle ride inside the cemetery was the longest ride I'd ever had in my life. Ivan and I had to share my bike because I was the one with the flashlight and one can barely see a thing without having one. He left his bike near the entrance and rode on mine which was actually a good thing.

I closed my eyes during the ride, afraid of what I might see. Ivan never said a word, it made everything eerie. I wished I brought my walkman with me but I was too giddy about my stationery hoarding.

A wild dog hooted from a distance. I shivered.

"Scared, Hannah?" he asked, his voice sounded amused.

"Shut up and keep moving." I hissed.

"If I keep moving, we're going inside the house in a bicycle." he said. "Stop being such a pussy and open your eyes. We're here."

I hate being called a pussy so I did what he said. I opened my eyes and saw the house standing in front of me. Nana was right, it was huge. The walls that used to be pristine white were covered in moss, shrubs and thorns. I've never seen something so creepy and beautiful at the same time. If I weren't in Pennsylvania, I wouldn't have believe that this house took the family that once lived in here. And also, Denver and Jason's lives if the rumors were proven true.