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Why did I let Kaoru talk me into this, I'll have no idea.
Haunted
Chapter One:
It seemed like forever since she had moved again. This time from the city to the countryside, yet the first time was the complete opposite. Forest stretched from the back of her house and probably beyond till it reached the next city. She didn’t know and also didn’t care anymore. Chase, 13, had left her friends behind for her father who got a new job; she, of course, had to move with him.

As she thought back on old times, she was brushing out her brunette hair, her brown eyes constantly watching her actions through her reflection in her bedroom mirror.

Glancing down at the piled boxes in the corner of her room, she couldn’t help but groan, knowing she’d have to unpack them all and soon. With that, she tossed her hairbrush on her desk, flipped the light-switch off, and fell back onto her bed.

Pondering some more, wanting nothing else but to go back to her friends…or disappear, and then preferring the latter, remembering she was already growing apart from them even before she moved.

Looking over at the clock that glowed “10:00pm” she sighed and pushed herself further back into her bed, till her head reached the pillows. Burying her head in them, she breathed in a deep breath of air and slowly let it out, letting the darkness consume her thoughts.

---

The forest grew thick and cold as booted heels dug deep in a dirt trail as they ran deep into the shadows.

Coming upon a cave, the feet stopped and stood still a few seconds before moving hesitantly moving into the cave. A hand rose to meet a wall, dragging its fingers along the rough edges. Black dried stuff that stained the walls easily flaked off, staining the hand’s own fingers. Water and mud stuck to the bottom of the shoes making it hard to walk.

A pause came…then maybe a heartbeat. There was a large area of firewood surrounded by large stones with logs positioned around it. A glance up to the ceiling showed where a large incantation circle was stained.

A rough growl emanated from behind. The feet quickly spun around to face an unexpected pair of green eyes glowing in the shadows. Lightning struck behind, lighting up a dark face that only wore a smirk on its lips.

As fast as the lightning came, it was gone, as were the eyes. The sound of footsteps started to advance…

---

Chase woke with a start to a clap of thunder and glanced around the room. Sighing in relief, she laid her head back down on her pillow and glanced at the rain pounding on the window from the outside. It seemed pretty dark outside, so she guessed it had to be night.

Eyeing down her clock, she groaned and sat up. 6 a.m. and it didn’t even feel like it, it only felt like she slept for maybe 2 hours…or less.

Slipping out of her bed, she headed out of her room. Then closing the door, a delicious smell caught her attention. Hopping over to the stairs, Chase peeked downstairs to find her dad cooking on the stove, which brought a smile to her face and had her thinking: A real breakfast for the first day of living in the new house, maybe?

Shrugging it off, she called down to her father to let her know she was up. He nodded and waved the spatula at her, then continued to work on breakfast. Humming, she headed back to her room to get dressed or at least start unpacking, she couldn’t decide which.

Her hand stopping on the doorknob, a crash from above startled her and she look back at the attic door that was ways behind her.

“Is everything alright up there?” Called her father’s voice from down in the kitchen.

“Yeah! I’m fine!”

Starting towards the attic door, Chase paused halfway at the stairs, she glanced back at her room then at the door ahead of her. A frown crossed her features and she stalked over to the door. Slowly turning the knob, she tried to push it open. No luck. Backing away, she sighed, and turned around…defeated by a door.

Stopping short of a step, she blinked at the thought. Defeated...by…a door?


Scowling, she turned and pushed her pajama sleeves up to her shoulders and she turned the knob, starting to push again. No luck, backing up a ways, she started ramming the door, not caring how much noise she made.

Maybe third time’s a charm? Chase grimaced. Highly unlikely.

Already on the run for the door, a “clink” sounded from the lock. Hearing the sound, realization hit her that she was unable to hit the brakes as the door opened to let her in. Covering her face, she finally slid to a stop, tripping on a step and landing head first on a few stairs up.

Groaning, she backed up and sat on the floor. Rubbing her forehead, she winced at the pain, not hearing her father coming up the stairs. As he placed a hand on her shoulder, she jumped and looked up at him with a surprised look on her face

“Breakfast is ready. That was a lot of racket you made. Are you okay?”

As she opened her mouth to speak, her father looked up and smiled.

“Ah! You finally got the door open! Not even the movers could open it! Finally we can move some unused storage stuff in here.”

As her father walked through the door and up the stairs into the attic, she followed closely behind. Before reaching the top, Chase peeped her head through the hole of the attic and glanced about the room. Watching her father flip the light on, she freaked and ducked down as bats screeched and flew out a broken window nearby.

Popping her head back through when all was silent, she saw her father rustling through many boxes.

Probably left by the last owners…but there are so many things here…

“Well…” Her father’s voice broke her thoughts and she looked at him, “Looks like we have a bunch of junk to get rid of before we can bring our own stuff up there.”

Coughing up a bit of dust, he smiled and walked back over to the stairs, flipping the light-switch off on his way there. Then walking past her, he ruffled the hair on her head. “Anyway, it’s time for breakfast, kiddo. We’ll do something about the attic later.”

Grimacing, Chase looked once more at the broken window and turned around, taking each step down from the attic, very slowly. She then heard her father calling up to her. “Don’t forget to close the door on your way out! Don’t want any bats getting into the house.”

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, before closing the door, Chase decided to examine the door first. Finding a key in the lock, she stared and remembered the “clink” when she was trying to open the door.

Taking the key out of the lock, she shut the attic door and locked it back. Running to her room, she opened a drawer by her bed and dropped the key in it. A smile came across her face as she ran out of her room and bounced down the stairs to breakfast.

---

After Chase had put her dishes away, she headed upstairs. Taking a once over at the door to the attic, she wandered to her room and shut the door.

As she pulled her school uniform shirt over her head and straightened her skirt, she heard a thump in the room above. Wearing an oddly confused face she looked up at the ceiling for a second before climbing atop her bed and knocking once on the ceiling in response. Biting her lower lip as seconds passed, hoping another thump would happen…nothing. Letting out a disappointed sigh, she looked down at her pillow, remembering the dream from last night.

“So much for hoping” Chase mumbled and hopped off her bed.

As soon as her feet touched the floor, a larger thump came from right above where she stood.

Great, I’m being mocked now…

Pondering the thought of knocking again, an idea sparked in her head. Climbing on top of her bed, she knocked twice. Quickly, she jumped off, opening the drawer that held the key and ran to the attic. Unlocking and opening the door, she quietly ran up the stairs and peeked her head out into the attic into the direction of her room.

Waiting…waiting…

Wincing in the darkness, she soon got impatient and stepped up into the attic, flipping on the light-switch. Her eyes widening at all the cobwebs and boxes up close, she murmured. “Wow…’

Taking it slow, she slowly walked, watching where she stepped since her feet were bare. Coming upon a box that was knocked over and random items were scattered everywhere, she sighed at the mess, realizing it was what was what made the crash earlier that morning.

Turning and headed back to the stairs, almost positive that it was just animals, she heard another thump.

Pausing, she turned her head, nervously. Upon seeing nothing, she murmured, “Are you toying with me?”

A few seconds passed before Chase assumed it was all in her head, and headed to the stairs. Walking down, she rubbed her eyes. Closing the door and locking it again, she headed back to her room. Setting the key back in the drawer, she glanced up and listened. Nothing.

“This is just another boring house, another boring city, and probably another boring school like the last one.” She mumbled while slipping her shoes on.

Brushing her hair out in her mirror, she paused seeing a blur over her left shoulder. Grasping a Kleenex, she began to wipe down the mirror. With no luck in removing the smudge, she looked over her shoulder behind her. Nothing.

“Nothing, nothing, and again...nothing. That’s all it is. Get a grip.”

A grip on what…exactly? Chase started bursting out laughing and she sat down to tie her shoes, smiling.

Crawling over, she grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulders. Pushing herself up on her feet, she dusted off her knees and headed downstairs, humming.

Grabbing her lunch from the fridge, she headed out through the front door and around the house. Hopping onto her bike, she spotted two kids already headed to school.

Here goes nothing...

With that thought in mind, she slowly started to pedal after them, towards her new school.