My Upstairs Secret - BTS

CHAPTER ONE PT - 1

"BONKERS!"

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BACK WOODS COUNTRY ILLINOIS

AS the snow swirled and blew, piling up in drifts on the front porch, the old 1800's farmhouse (crumbling in disrepair) began to take on an eerie, unnerving personality all its own.

Past the peeling, faded black door, the only indications of life inside were a collection of cheery red balloons whipping in the unrelenting wind, along with a colorful sign reading the strange quote from 'Alice in Wonderland' . . . 'I'M LATE, I'M LATE FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE!'

Pushing closer to the front, four young BTS members huddled against one another, stomping snow from their wet shoes. Being stranded had not been on their agenda that day. They should've already been warm and snug in a hotel room on the way back from the Chicago concert venue in. Now, not only freezing they were hungry. Desperation was setting in.

Despite the near blizzard conditions, the odd party paraphernalia proved there might be people and FOOD inside. Did they dare take a chance and ring the bell?

Nudging a hesitant Jimin in the ribs V urged, "Come onnnn, knock already, I'm turning blue here," impatiently blowing into his hands to keep warm.

Wanting to comply, Jimin frowned. RM was not with them. What if something happened sending them even further away from their other members? "HELL NO, this is creepy. I'm for heading back to the car. This storm can't last forever." Rubbing his grumbling stomach, he turned his back on the others, one foot already headed down the icy step. He could hold out.

"You can't go alone!" JungKook hollered, his large eyes widening. "Aigoo, we came this far, it's just a freaking farmhouse." Nervously running cold hands through his dark shock of hair, he added, "Geezzz, surely they have a land line phone."

Jin held his cell in the air above their heads checking one last time for any indication of a connection. "We've already determined there's no cell service out here and what makes you think anyone's coming to save us out here in the middle of nowhere anyway?" he reminded them.

Squeezing to the front, V gave in shoving the doorbell numerous times to announce their arrival. "So, the rule is we stick together. A warm house, a little food . . . yep, I'm in."

15 MINUTES EARLIER . . .

IT was nearly time to celebrate. Eyes intense, 21-year-old, Sumre Whyte crouched low, studying the collection of male dolls lined up in a row at the base of the large Victorian doll house.

With so many to choose from, why was this such a difficult decision YET again?

Picking up one in each hand, she rose banging the first one's head on the edge of the wooden rooftop before turning to the others, grumbling with finality . . . "Guess he can't come to the party now. He has a headache." Dropping him into a miniature, hand-made bed on the 3rd floor, she scratched into her teased updo thoughtfully.

Last night she dreamed the upcoming birthday party would be a huge success, with all her suitors in attendance. But, upon awakening, it occurred to her . . . several of them didn't deserve to share in the happiness of she and sister Sundae's special day. So, creeping downstairs in the dark (past her favorite 'Alice' portraits and wedding photos of Granny and Pop) she proceeded to sit in quiet contemplation over the assortment of male dolls, hoping to decide before morning, who was IN and who was OUT.

Now, as the time drew closer to the appointed hour, sister Sundae suddenly appeared, dressed in her usual mundane party attire looking ghostly in cream and brown.