• It started with a dare. Little did Greg and I know that that one, harmless dare would lead us on the ride of our lives.
    It was simple. We were to go into Old Man Johnson's abandoned mansion and explore every room. Legend had it that the place was haunted by Johnson himself. It was childish, and no one believed it, but we were all scared to go in and find out if it was true or not.
    Except for the dare. Dares were unbreakable for us. We had a pact. Heather had set the rules, plain and simple. We were to use my camera so that they knew that each and every room was explored. We were to stay in for at least an hour after entering, even if we finished exploring. Greg and I had so bravely agreed.
    And so our tale begins.


    "Okay, Lilli, are you ready?" Greg asked me in a fierce voice. But behind his eyes, there was terror. I sensed that and simply nodded in response, shooting him a reassuring glance.
    "Okay, you enter the house at exactly 9:00." Heather instructed us, looking at her watch once more. It was only ten seconds before we went in. I checked my camera for the battery life and film left.
    "Let's do this." I mumbled, stepping up to the door. Greg was right behind me, his hand on my shoulder. Biting my lip, I cautiously opened the door.
    I think Heather said goodbye, but I can't remember. Fright took over my mind, telling me to turn tail and run. I fought against instinct and walked deeper into the house.
    Greg seemed to jump at every creak as we went through the rooms. We saw no ghost, though we did hear a banging noise coming from the basement. I was contemplating going down when Greg opened the door to the lowest level. Sighing, I followed him.
    As we descended the stairs, the banging grew louder. I inhaled deeply and went to the source. The bathroom.
    It was dark, and there appeared to be no light. If there was one, it was hidden in the shadows. "Hello…?" I called out. I heard a moan in response.
    Greg whipped out his phone, and flashing it open, spread light across the dim room. Blood was on the floor, and on the shower were messages carved into the steam.
    I screamed, and raced upstairs, through the hall, and outside. "C-call the p-p-police." I told Heather as I curled into the fetal position on the ground.
    "You're such a drama queen, Lilli." Heather taunted. I gazed up at her, true horror in my eyes.
    "Someone's down there."