[Solo] Haunted House (Chester)

[Smerdle]

Quote:

It appears only at night during the weeks that lead up to Halloween. At first people pay it no attention until they realize that much like how the Shore Mansion disappeared, a strange house appeared out of nowhere. Looking for it during the light of day is impossible because it’s never there until after sunset.

The house looks old and rickety, as if a strong wind could blow it over. Hay bales and pumpkins and spider webbing decorate the front of the house. Candles glint in the darkened windows and there is a sign on the front door.

PRIZES AWAIT THOSE BRAVE SOULS
WHO FACE THE HORRORS WITHIN!

 

[Smerdle]

It was difficult to remain oblivious to some of the strange things that happened in this town when you attended Rider-Waite. The campus generated new rumors daily, but given what Ashdown was resting on, many of them weren't actually rumors once you took the time to check things out.

Chester had always liked haunted houses in theory—the ones with quick setups between groups of guests were particularly intriguing from a technical standpoint—but he had never actually found the time to go to one. This year, however... he was definitely saving space in his educational schedule for the strange, spectral House that only appeared at night.

It seemed innocuous enough as he approached, cozy even, but when he finally opened the door and stepped inside, he knew that it was anything but. An impossible hall yawned ahead and Chester strode forward, as if determined to prove he had nothing to fear. He might have done better for himself had he paused to consider opening his flashlight app, but he only thought of that once he was inches away from the rocking chair and the lights went out. It was pitch black, he shouldn't have been able to see a thing and yet somehow he still could, a strange shadow that grew as tall as he was before his eyes. It lunged, and Chester strafed past it at a speed that would have made any coach proud, darting through the door at the hall's end.

Fear: 6/18

Quote:

ROOM ONE

It’s a hallway. There is only one way to go and you’re not sure how it even works because you could have sworn there were windows on either side that looked into a living room. A table sits to the side, a rocking chair next to it. The lights flicker and go out. It’s when they come back on that you realize you’re not alone.

Something is behind you and a door down the way creaks open.

Quote:

6 - Your shadow grows behind you, taking shape into something eldritch and unspeakable.

 

[Smerdle]

He spilled into a dim room, lit only by ominous flashes of lightning and a staticky television. A gaggle of small, strange wax people huddled around a table at the center of the room, debating something if their collective posture was any indication.

A snake sat curled at the table's center. Maybe they were talking about it.

With a sidelong glance to make sure it wasn't going anywhere, Chester didn't linger, sliding out of the room as quietly as he could.

Fear: 8/18

Quote:

ROOM TWO

Lightning flashes across the sky and you can see it through the skylights that are part of the ceiling of this room. It’s a dining room with wax figures sitting at the table and forever caught in what looks like an animated discussion of politics.

You assume it’s politics. There’s a television in the corner that looks like there’s a debate playing. It’s possibly scarier than what appears next as you turn your gaze to the door that opens.

Quote:

2 - Snek. A big snek. It might want to eat you.

 

[Smerdle]

The next space he entered was familiar in an entirely off-putting way. While he had done nothing but study during his time at MIT, others had behaved in... this manner. He had never been interested in depriving them of their fun, it just burned a little that they were probably still there and he was not.

He moved through the room without comment or action, unable to enjoy the baby animals stationed near the door to the extent that he might have otherwise.

Fear: 9/18

Quote:

ROOM THREE

... it’s a room of ghosts, actual ghosts. Except that they’re college students lounging about on couches. One of them is doing caricatures and another pair plays beer bong. You’re absolutely not interesting to them at all. There’s another ghost in the corner by the door that opens. It seems kind of pervy.

Also it’s pointing to something behind you.

Quote:

1 - A puppy and a kitten hiding under a witch’s hat. They are horribly cute and playing together.

 

[Smerdle]

The next room was deceptively calm, a foggy garden with a soothing fountain at its center. He eventually noticed there were some skeletons sitting on a bench off to one side as well, but they didn't turn, not until he heard derisive laughter emanating from beyond the trickle of water.

"Dropout," a reedy voice said. "Failure."

Chester edged around the fountain, his footfalls silent in the grass. "Excuse me?"

"We both know you want to quit. Become a magic man full time. Just do it. It would save your parents so much money." The scarecrow laughed again, falling silent after that as if it had never spoke. When he addressed it for the second time, shook it hard enough to dislodge a stick or two of dry straw, it said nothing.

Chester moved on.

Fear: 13/18

Quote:

ROOM FOUR

Somehow you’ve found yourself in a garden?! Fog rolls in and despite looking you cannot, for the life of you, find the fog machine. The moon is strangely full (even if it’s not the night of the full moon) and it’s reflection is clear in the water of the fountain in front of you.

A pair of skeletons sit together on a bench, their heads together as if they died while conversing with each other. You ignore them until you hear bones creak and they both point to the hidden doorway that leads out.

This time it’s something out of the corner of your eye that catches you off guard as you’re trying to slip away.

Quote:

4 - A scarecrow. It’s eyes glow eerily and it never stops laughing. It’s mocking you.

 

[Smerdle]

He barely registered the invisible party in the next room, striding through it in a single direction as he pondered the House's words. He couldn't leave school just to hang out in other Ashdown and perfect the noncorporeal umbrella. But did he want to?

He could see a door in the distance, obvious under its spotlight, and just as he reached it, he felt something brush his arm. A pale, ghostly nurse, face and hands covered with blood.

"SAVE ME!"

He jumped, falling through the door and onto his side with a huff, the night colder than he remembered. This was obviously outside and he was obviously safe, but Chester felt threatened anyway. He pushed himself to his feet, grabbed his candy and photo, and headed home.

Fear: 18/18

Quote:

ROOM FIVE

You enter a pitch black room. The floor seems to feel solid and flat under your feet but waving your arms touches nothing. There is music blasting and the chaotic sound of many people talking; the noises of a party. You don’t touch or bump anyone, though as you walk voices get closer and farther to your ears as if you are truly passing through a crowd.

The techno music comes to a head, there is a siren, a sudden light goes off revealing the exit. The invisible crowd cheers but something grabs you before you reach the door ...

Quote:

5 - A nurse. She cries. Blood leaks from her eyes and off of her hands.