An hour had passed and Tina was getting bored, she already took a bath and changed her clothes into black pajamas. She decided to roam around the house and stopped by the pile of dead plants on their garden.
"Guess dad forgot to burn this before he left and the greenhouse he promised me to be built was not even done...he should never have promised if he won't do it, as an 18 year old girl...I would lose trust to men because of my dad" She murmured to herself and laugh at the thought.
Suddenly, Charles image flashed to her mind and Tina smiled, "but not him I guess."
She finished roaming around but it only took her 30 minutes and she had nothing to do, she pondered on what to do next and her eyes went towards the basement door.
Whatever you do, don't go to the basement Tina, Sue's words came into her mind.
She promised but she can't get the curiosity off of her, so she went towards the door and opened it. When she came down the stairs, everything was pitch black. She went back towards the kitchen and tried to find a flashlight, she then returned to the basement and turned it on.
As she went down, she found that there are still cobwebs downstairs. But what caught her attention was the foul smell, she doesn't know where it is coming from but she knows it is just around the basement.
"So Sue wasn't lying about the foul smell, but why are there still cobwebs? I thought she cleaned the place...she should have asked for help" Tina said to herself as she scanned the area.
Suddenly, she saw a trail of what seemed like dried blood on the floor upon looking at her right. She gasped and her pulse started beating rapidly, she prayed that what she is going to do won't do her harm and followed the trail. As she came close to where the trail is ending, the foul smell became stronger. She soon stopped at an old furnace, looked around it and found that the trail stopped there.
She sigh, "it couldn't be at the furnace right?" She turned around and prepared to go back when she remembered Sue's words.
There are broken things there and lots of rats, upon remembering that. Tina shivered, she hate crawling animals the most. But she scanned the area and didn't found broken things, in reality the things hidden down the basement are still in good shape. Tina was confused, there are no broken things but there was indeed foul smell. Could Sue be lying at her?
I wonder if she is hiding something from me, she thought.
She then remembered the trail of blood, she couldn't help but get the feeling that it was connected to why Sue wanted her to stay out of the basement.
I hate this curiosity of mine! She thought as decided to investigate the trail of blood once more.
Tina took a deep breath and got all the courage she had as she went back to the furnace again, she opened it and dust scattered in the air while the foul smell grew much stronger that she has no choice but to cover her nose with her free hand. She lit the furnace with her flashlight and what she saw drained all her blood.
Inside was a decaying body of a boy, his throat was slit opened and rats came out of it. Tina screamed of fear and fell down the floor, her breathing went fast and she threw her flashlight away.
What the hell is a dead body doing on our house? But then again there are rumors of that case here, so it shouldn't be a surprise...though isn't it just rumors? Tina's mind was so confused that she doesn't know what to do.
She then analysed something, why is there a dead body when there has been no one living at the mansion for years? And the body seemed like it was just fresh. She then remembered Charles' father and his words, Charles was last seen with her and he bid goodbye to meet up with Tina the last time they saw each other. But then she wasn't able to meet Charles after that and is currently missing for 2 days now. Tina felt something was stuck on her throat, her heart pounding fast and she can't get this feeling that something is wrong.
She stood up slowly and took the flashlight that rolled out from her hand, she then went back to the furnace and got a lot of courage to look at the corpse. The body although fresh decayed faster since the furnace is sealed, but the hair and clothes didn't vanish or got destroyed. So Tina did her best to look at the color of the hair, she doesn't know what Charles was wearing if he did came at her house but the hair and eyes might give her information. She focused the light on the hair and found that the color was black, she tried opening the eyes and surely it is still there but was starting to rot. She held her breath and looked closely at the eyes, it was colored blue.
Tina felt like she was about to faint, she couldn't believe what she is seeing. The details of the corpse matches Charles very well, the last glint of hope she was expecting for Charles to be alive is slowly vanishing. She wants answers on what happened to Charles and who did this to him, the only person that she can think of was none other than Sue. Since she was the only one left at home when Tina went to town, but a part of her mind also tells her that Sue is innocent.
She seemed so kind although Tina admits that Sue sometimes gives her the creep but the Sue she knows looks like someone who couldn't even hurt someone.
In order for her to solve this mystery, there is only one solution for her. Ask Sue and confirm things, she scanned around the area again and got a white cloth. She used it to cover Charles decaying body and took one last glance at him before she closed the furnace and left the basement, Tina can't help but cry for the lost of a friend and maybe someone special.
After I finish this I will give a proper burial to you and will make whoever did this to you pay...this I promise you Charles, Tina thought and tightened her grip on the flashlight.
Tina waited until the grandfather's clock striked 6 and chimed. She waited for Sue to arrive as she sat on the sofa staring at the entrance door, she waited but no one appeared. She gradually got tired of waiting and fell asleep, without her noticing the door opened. Sue entered dressed with the clothes Tina lent to her just this morning, her hair was again down and her bangs covered her blue eyes. She walked closer to a sleeping Tina while making no sound at all, her face showed a blank expression but her eyes stared through Tina with great intensity. As she was only an inch near, Tina opened her eyes and sat straight staring at Sue with a serious expression.
"Did you sneak up on me by walking barefoot again?" Tina asked with hint of anger on her tone.
Sue noticed it and it made her smile, she still remained calm and acted nonchalant towards the question.
"Sorry...I didn't mean to...scare you, anyway I am now here. I got permission from my parents to stay a night with you."
Tina looked at her eyes trying to see whether she was lying or not, but again she was only responded by a blank stare from Sue.
"Ok, that's great...have you eaten dinner?" Tina asked with a smile but she still kept her guard.
Sue sat beside Tina which made the latter flinched. Sue noticed it and smiled even more as she replied, "I have. Did you?" Tina nodded. "Then...shall we just play a game?" Sue added.
Tina smiled, "Sure but...does this involve killing...of time?" she asked as she looked at what Sue's reaction would be.
"If you meant passing our boredom...then yes," Sue replied staring back at Tina with an innocent look.
"Very well then, let's play" Tina suggested and Sue nodded. "So what are we playing?" she asked and Sue smiled.
"It's a game that involves courage...but I am sure you will enjoy it. It is called Hide and Seek" Sue replied.
Tina was surprised and asked with a raised brow, "Hide and Seek? You mean the game every kid plays?"
"This one got a twist, ready for it?" Sue asked and Tina gave a nod.
"So first off, we choose a doll that we owned...its best if it's just a rag doll..." Sue explained the preparation as well as the mechanics of the game and Tina only nodded as a sign of understanding.
"Lastly, we should turn off all the lights as we play. The game would only last for 2 hours and then we should end it, so you should do your best to...find your doll before the time runs out" Sue added.
Tina smiled, "Sure. This game seems exciting, let us start as soon as I take my teddy bear in the room."
"Ok...take your time," Sue replied as she sat on the sofa.
Tina smiled and went upstairs, she then took her teddy bear that was just lying on her bed. This game...I wonder If its connected to the lost kids, there is something wrong with this one and I better let Sue spill everything out! Tina thought as she held the bear tighter.
While back to Sue, she listened to the footsteps made by Tina upstairs and walked slowly towards the basement. She went inside and walked straight to the furnace and opened it, when she did she gave a creepy smile.
So...she went here already.I guess it is time to end this, Sue thought and went immediately back to the living room just in time before Tina went downstairs.
When Tina arrived holding her teddy bear, Sue nodded.
"Then let us start...let us first find our base and do what I told you, it is better not to get confused on our doll" Sue explained and began to walk towards the kitchen.
"Hey wait...what about your doll?" Tina asked giving a suspicious look to Sue.
"I'm gonna get it, now why don't you find your base and I will turn off the power switch to all the lights here after 10 minutes...let's make this game fun ok?" Sue replied and left.
Tina eyed her and slowly walked under the stairs, she took her slippers off and waited for 5 minutes there. When she was sure that Sue wouldn't see her, she went upstairs and rushed towards her room. Sue on the other hand just waited on the kitchen and smiled as she heard the creaks upstairs, after another 5 minutes the lights on the whole house turned off. Tina did the preparation that she was told and went towards her bathroom afterwards, she placed the doll on the tub full of water and hid on her secret base which was the closet where a television was facing it. Tina counted up to 10 while closing her eyes and walked back towards the bathroom, she went to the tub and got her doll.
"I found you Vera," she whispered three times and stabbed the doll with a pen.
A few rice inside the doll spilled after she stabbed the doll, Tina suddenly remembered the torn out doll outside.
That doll...I wonder if it was used in this game as well, Tina thought and reminded herself that the game should only last for 2 hours.
"You are the next it, Vera" Tina whispered three times again then afterwards placed her bear on the counter and left the pen beside it.
Tina then hid in the closet and waited. After a minute or so, she got the cup full of salt water and went to the bathroom. She was surprised to see that her doll was nowhere there.
Calm down...Sue did say it is natural the doll would not be on the same place again, Tina thought.
She decided to walk out of her room and kept something in her pocket, when she came out the hallways were dark and quiet.
Just like in my dream, Tina thought.
She held the cup tighter and walked quietly through the hallway, opening the rooms near her own. She opened everything upstairs but she still couldn't find her doll.
"Just where did that doll went?" Tina asked slowly becoming impatient.
As she went downstairs, rain started to pour heavily and the wind blew strong which made the curtains danced with every blow it takes. Tina was finally down and was about to walk towards the kitchen when she noticed a figure at the sofa, she slowly went closer and her eyes widened. Her doll was there holding the pen she just used to stabbed it with a while ago, she felt scared suddenly but remained calm and spilled the doll with her cup of water.
"I win" she said and repeated for another two times and smiled.
"And that's game over..."she added.
To be continued...