Hey, in case I make it? Please... love me normally

Prologue

New Brighton, Pennsylvania

August 15, 1934

1:34 A.M.

The streets laid bare with traffic, no noise except for the rustling of wild animals and the rolling Beaver River. Near 3rd Avenue rested a brick building, an ominous thing in the deep of night. Tall and dark, held an air of mystery around itself. Since the owner's death, whispers of hauntings and freak accidents swirled around; subsequently, contributing to people avoiding it all together-letting the building rot instead. Yet that didn't stop groups of kids daring each other, forcing others to go inside.

"Don't get cold feet now Bertie! It's just a building." Hushed laughter filled the night air as three boys crouched in a bush. Richard's finger jabs into Albert's shoulder relentlessly as Edward shoved a flashlight into Albert's trembling hands.

"What's your problem anyway?" Edward ruffled Albert's hair before shoving him. "The ghost stories ain't even real. You got nothin' to worry 'bout"

Albert grumbled his protests out reluctantly as the grass rustled beneath his feet when he rose. "I'm not gettin' cold feet, it's just eerie alright? You can't blame me for being wary." He didn't move towards the building; however, he remained glued in place-his weight shifting from foot to foot as the warm summer breeze ran through his locks. "It's just... There's..." He sighs. "Something isn't right guys. Can't you feel it too?"

Richard's lithe body laid in the grass as he dug in his ear with an uninterested look. "Bertie, for the love of god just get your ass in there. Just-get a small painting or something. No one will miss it anyway"

"What? You scared Merrick's ghost will get ya?" Edward teases, 'ooh'-ing as he dances around Albert. He then falls back onto the grass with a dramatic moan. "Oh no... I think he got me guys. I feel faint," He clutches his chest tightly, rolling on the ground. "This must be the end. Mama? Can you hear me-" But his antics are cut off with Albert swiftly kicking Edward in the ribs. Richard barks out a laugh when Albert shoots him a murderous glare.

"Oh shut up! You both are terrible." Hard stomps hit the ground as Albert storms away to the building, leaving a giggling Richard and groaning Edward in his wake.

Richard yawns as he watches Albert climb through a window and disappear into the building. He then tilts his head to Edward's sprawled figure and rolls his eyes in disbelief. "You're fine Ed. Get your ass up already." His hand grasping Edward by his collar and hoisting him up into a seated position. "Quit your blubbering already."

Yet Edward shakes him off swiftly and sighs, looking at the dark building. "Think he's gonna come back soon? I'm tired"

Richard rolls his eyes and throws a pebble at Edward. "Ed, you know Bertie. Give it two more minutes and he'll be running back to us screaming like a girl."

2:15 A.M.

Edward paced back and forth in front of Richard, biting his nails bloody before Richard snapped. "For the love of god Ed stop pacing around the place! You'll burn a goddamn hole into the ground." He rises and puts a hand on his shoulder as he sighs. "Jeez man, I'm sure Albert is just pullin' our leg."

Edward's eyes flick back to the building nervously before shifting back to Richard. "I don't think so... You know Albert... He-" He looks away-fiddling with his flashlight-before sighing and locking eyes with Richard intensely. "Look it's not right, something wron-"

"Shut up already." Richard slams his shoulder into Edward and starts walking to the building. Edward quickly composes himself with a huff and trails behind him.

The floorboards creaked underneath Edwards steps, a thick layer of dust and soot surrounded him. The dark room seemed to swallow the light from the flashlight, making him shudder and tread lightly through the rooms. Richard took the other side of the building, saying 'it's better if we split up, we'll get out faster'. Edward rolled his eyes, starting to hate his antics more and more.

"Albert? Albert! Come on, it's not funny anymore." as his voice bounced through the room, he felt the eyes of the paintings on him , judging him. He shudders and turns to leave when he sees a slumped figure in the corner of the room with a painting laying beside it. A weight lifted off of Edwards shoulders as he dashed over to the figure, crouching beside it. "Bertie! Finally, let's go back home now. I'm tired of Rich-" But the words died in his throat when his eyes roamed the-seemingly unresponsive-figure of Albert. He slowly reaches out to shake Albert but rears back in shock at his cold skin.

"...Albert...?" As he desperately shakes Albert's shoulder, his head flops to one side, revealing his lifeless eyes. A thick trail of blood ran from the corner of Albert's blue lips, down onto his dirty shirt, and a dark pool of blood shimmered underneath Albert when the flashlight hit it. Edward gasps and pulls back like Alberts skin burnt him, and his body shakes as he crawls back in fear. His vision swims around him as he quickly rises on shaky legs, poorly attempting to keep the bile down his throat. He then snaps out of it and dashes through the building, desperately tracking down Richard. "Richard! Get help, Albert's dead!" He bursts through the doorway of one of the rooms and is met with a frightening sight.

A shadowy figure stands before him, hunched over Richard with a black hand down his throat. Richard convulses where he stands, his flashlight abandoned on the ground as his eyes roll back into his head and blood pours from his mouth. Wet, choked, noises splutter from his too-wide mouth as the black arm slowly pulls back. Edward stands in horror as a dark lump comes out of Richard's mouth, he then goes limp and plummets to the ground. A wet splat echoes through the room as he hits the ground and Edward's gaze locks onto the bloody heart squelching in the spirit's grasp. Blood oozes out of Richard's open mouth and his heart disappears into the spirit's grasp before it turns towards Edward.

But before Edward can run, he's frozen on the spot. His mouth is forced wide open and he's met face to face with the spirit. It holds no emotion as he feels something closing around his heart tightly, he gasps and gets a lungful of blood as he sputters uselessly. Then agony bursts through him as he feels the deep tearing of his heart being pulled out from him. Gargled screams fill the room before a sharp silence and dull thud of Edward's body falling to the ground.