Robert's Mansion

It was dusky dark when they arrived at Roberts Manor. A huge black iron gate crossed the entrance, and a long driveway. Kim reached into her purse and pulled out a brass key.

“I’m going to unlock the gate. Will you drive the car through the gate?”

“Sure,” Erika said as she nodded.

Kim and Erika had been best friends since the third grade. Now there were roommates in college. Kim had been adopted as a baby; her parents died when she was only two months old. She was shorter than Erika, but they had the same hair color, black. Kim was going to school to be a writer and she worked at the local newspaper office. Erika wanted to be a model, but she was studying computers.

The girls parked in front of the mansion. Kim's heart skipped a beat as she looked up at the mansion. "It lookes like it could be used in a horror movie."

Erika nodded in agreement.

It was a dark colored, two story mansion with tall pillars on each side of the wooden double doors. Towering windows lined the front. Stone stairs lead up to the veranda.

Erika walked into the foyer behind Kim and shut the door. The rusty hinge creaked loudly as it closed. Spider webs clung to shadows, and dust coated everything like grey snow. Dank, thick air, filled the manor.

“What is that horrible smell?” Erika covered her nose.

“How should I know? This is my first time to be here.” Kim stepped further inside bumping into a small table.

“Wow,” Erika whispered. “Do you think it’s haunted? Remind me again why we are here?”

“I don’t know. The attorney at grandfathers will reading never said anything about it being haunted. Just that I has inherited the mansion. Come on let’s look around,” Kim said as she flipped the light switch. The lights flickered before staying on. "Okay, that was spooky."

They walked into a grand hallway. A staircase contected the two floors. It was narrow and missing some the of oak banisters. Shattered mirrors hung from the walls. Heavy Victorian furniture sat lifeless except for the glittery spider web that sat waiting for its prey.

"What was that?" Erika whispered. A cold breeze drifted by her sending goose bumps up her arms and spine.

"I don't know," Kim said. "There is probably a broken window somewhere close by. Look over there, the curtain is moving.”

Kim walked over to the curtain and pushed it back. She ran her fingers along the pane, and felt no cracks. There was no breeze coming from the window. "I don't understand. The glass isn't broke or cracked."

CRASH

The girls jumped. Erika quickly rushed over to Kim’s side. "What was that?" she whispered.

CRASH

CRASH

“It seems to be coming from the stairs,” Kim whispered.

Holding each other, they shuffled towards the stairs. A black ball was falling down the stairs. It finally landed on the floor and rolled in their direction. It stopped at their feet. They looked up to see who might have pushed the ball. No one was at the top of the stairs.

"Remind me why we are here?" Erika whispered with terror in her voice.

"Because I was lucky and inherited this mansion from my dead uncle."

They slowly backed their way into the foyer.

"And what was the cause of d . . . ." Erika trailed off. "S . . . S some something just t . . . t . . . touched me."

Kim nudged Erika away, “What do you mean someone touched you? There is no one here but us. And I have been standing next to you most of the time.”

“I felt a hand press down on my shoulder,” Erika screamed.

“Okay, you don’t have to scream.” Kim paused. She looked back toward the stairs. “I’m going upstairs. Are you coming?”

“I’m not staying down here by myself.” Erika clutched the back of Kim’s shirt and followed her up the stairs.

Kim stopped one step away from the top. She spoke under her breath, “Do you see what I see?”

“If you see a ghost then I see what you see.”

“That’s what I see,” Kim shrieked.

Kim turned around; knocking Erika down. She flew down the stairs and out the front door. Luckily for Erika she was able to grab hold of the railing before falling down the stairs. She leaped to her feet and followed Kim. The door slammed shut before she could reach it.

Erika seized the door knob trying to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Sweet began to form on her forehead, and her heartbeat raced. Another breeze drifted by her. This time is seemed to linger longer than before. Goose bumps rose up on her arms again. She began to beat on the door with her fists. “Kim! Kim, help me!”

Kim didn’t stop running until she was standing in the driveway. Her side hurt from the running, and she was out of breath. She bent over with her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. Only then did she realize that Erika was not with her. “Oh my God, Erika, she must still be inside the mansion.” Kim wanted to go back to help, but her feet wouldn’t move.

Erika turned and looked toward the stairs. Her eyes almost budged out of their sockets. The ghost was hovering at the bottom of the stairs; gliding its way slowly toward her.

“AAHHH!” she screamed. She twisted the door knob again. Still no luck; it was like the door was locked. She pounded on the door. Surely Kim wouldn’t leave without her.

Kim found the strength to get her feet to move, and rushed to the door. She could hear Erika screaming and pounding on the door. Kim tried to open the door; but it didn’t open. She banged on it and screamed, “Erika.”

“Kim, get me outta here. The door won’t open and the ghost is coming closer.”

Erika turned around. She slammed her body up against the door and shrieked, “No! Get away from me. Don’t touch me.”

Then silence.

Kim tried the door knob again. It worked. The door slowly creaked open. Kim looked inside, "Erika? Where are you?"

Only silent’s could be heard. She slowly walked back into the grand hallway. “Erika?”

The lights flickered off. Kim froze. She didn’t even breath. Something scurried past her feet.

Kim took a deep breath as the lights came on.

“Aawww.” Kim covered her mouth.

Lying at the bottom of the stairs, Erika was draped with glittery spider webs.