Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-26265833-20150401225834

So you want to know why I’m here?

I’m sure you've seen those pictures on Facebook of some creepy house in black and white, and then giant white text under it asking “WOULD YOU SPEND A NIGHT HERE FOR A MILLION DOLLARS?”

Well, something quite similar happened to me last winter, and to be honest, I’m still freaked out by it. Because I still have absolutely no fucking idea what the hell actually went down at that place.

Just to get some things straight, I will have to change up a lot of the names and locations in my story, so I’m sorry if you can’t go look for the locations of these events or get into contact with any of the people involved. Just don’t be surprised if you can’t find the Freud house anywhere in Wisconsin.

I didn't actually get an invite, it was my brother Marcus who told me about it.

Apparently, he had been at a frat party in Vermont (which is where he went to school) when some guy asked him if he knew about the Freud house. Marcus described the guy as looking like one of those socially awkward white kids that you see sitting alone at lunch in high school. He had a slight squeak in his voice, and an awkward limp on his right leg. He was wearing a Slipknot t-shirt and blue jeans ripped at the knees. Long dark hair oozed from the pores in his scalp and crumbled together to create one giant mop on his head. Marcus only went to the party in the first place because his friend Arthur had some friends there, so he didn't really know anybody.

After hanging with Marcus for a few hours, Arthur ditched to go out with a friend and a couple of girls, leaving Marcus alone at the party with a bunch of people he didn't know. He said at this point he finally realized that the people at this party were not your traditional frat bros. They all seemed a little bit sketchy, like a big group of misfits. Marcus was on his way out when the squeaky metalhead kid stopped him.

It turns out the kid was a huge fan of TF2, which Marcus was as well, so they naturally bonded and had a discussion. At some point the conversation switched up to talking about creepy places, and the kid mentioned the Freud house.

He said that the Freud house was owned by some Union general in the Civil War named Melville Freud that had received major inheritance from his grandfather, which he used to build the house. It was a massive mansion the could be compared to a castle. There was the main courtyard entrance area, the parlor, the dining areas, the kitchen, the rec room, the gardens, the towers, and the bedrooms. The only problem was, Melville lived alone. He was an extremely wealthy man, so he never found it hard to pick up a mistress or two.

Sometime in the mid 19th-century, Melville found Elvira Compton, a young teenage girl in Chicago he liked. So, naturally, he talked himself up and convinced her to come see his mansion. She thought it was so beautiful she mentioned that it would be nice to live there. So Melville convinced her to come and stay a week, without her father knowing of course. While at his house, he became very protective of keeping her there, and wouldn't let her leave even to go buy food. After the week was up, he sweet-talked her into staying longer. He did this on and on before finally he decided he would never let her leave. He kept her prisoner there, and he raped her into having two children, whom he also kept prisoner.

When the war broke out, he left and told her if he returned and she was gone, he would find her and kill her entire family. So, she stayed in fear of him coming home. She stayed in the mansion alone with the two children(the older of which at this point was three, and the younger was one). The older child was a boy named Mark, and the younger was a girl named Mable. Every now and then, some young school children would wander onto the property, and hear Elvira singing. They would see her in the window, wearing a dark green dress, looking emotionless, and she sang cold tunes of sorrow. She became a legend to the children of the area. The ghost girl in the green dress that lives in the Freud house.

Elvira eventually lost her mind as the war dragged on. She would scream at any children she saw to “get away! He might come back to see you here!”

Finally, one night, she lost it.

She took Mark and Mable into the gardens. There, she placed the young children into the fountain and drowned them. Afterwards, she climbed to the top of the tallest tower, and plunged to her death. She landed on the garden fence, which she was impaled on through the eyes and the mouth.

Children rarely ever came up onto the property anymore, and when they did, they never saw the dead residents, for the gardens were on the opposite side of the house, not in the front where they could see. When summertime came around, one of the children noticed the property smelled funny, and went to the townsfolk. A group of men(including Elvira’s father), marched down to the mansion to find the horrific sight.

Freud came back. He found out what had happened and retired into the parlor of his home. There, he sat up straight, placed the barrel of his shotgun into his mouth, and pulled the trigger. His brains found themselves all over his self portrait on the wall.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Pretty fucked up story, right?

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Marcus thought so too. He asked the guy where the house was, and he said it was somewhere in southwestern Wisconsin. After a while, Marcus went home, realizing he and the guy never exchanged names.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Two weeks later he got the email.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Marcus was scared shitless. He called me immediately and told me the whole story. I told him he should come over, so he did. I go to school in New York, so it wasn't an extremely long ride for him. We met up and went to Noodles for lunch.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan, man,” he said. “I’m telling you, this is really fucked up. I didn't even tell the guy my name.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Even for a normal college student, Marcus looked very stressed out. “Look,” I said, “show me the email, first, then we’ll talk”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">So he opened his laptop and went to his inbox. He had 53 unread emails, it seemed he must have been too scared to check his email again.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">The email about Freud house looked like this:

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">To: MSwanson@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">From: BIGBEN@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Subject: Invite to Freud House!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''Hey, Marcus! It’s Benny here!'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''I just wanted to invite you to come and spend the night at the “haunted” Freud House at 1300 NW Feckleberry street, Lutterville, Wisconsin. Everyone who participates wins a free $6,000 check!'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''I heard you would might be interested, so I thought I’d shoot you this Evite. Please email me back for more details!'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Thanks!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Sincerely,

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Benny

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“This is so weird!” Marcus said. “I asked Arthur about the party but he said the only people he knew at the party, he left with. I don’t know about this, man.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Well,” I said. “Six-thousand dollars is a lot of easy cash.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">He sat up in his chair with a look of major surprise on his face. “Ethan, you’re not telling me I should reply to this guy?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I shrugged, “Why the hell not? It’s in all likelihood a scam, so why don’t we just play with it a little, see how far this actually goes.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“You have got to be kidding me.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Look, Marcus, you just got an invite to the house which, by coincidence, is the same house you heard about at that party. This email says if you participate you get six-thousand dollars. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me. We just stay a night at a haunted house, how bad could it be? It sounds like there will be other people there, just like you and me.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“We? Ethan, don’t tell me you want to get in on this! What the hell? Be serious, man, this is scaring the shit out of me!”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Don’t worry about it, Marcus. We’ll be fine. Lighten up, man! It’s probably just a scam. Don’t worry about it. Forward me the email, and I’ll respond to it first. How about that?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Reluctantly, Marcus gave in and forwarded me the email. Unfortunately, Marcus had finals that next week so he could not spend the night. He went back to Vermont and I remembered I was missing my Literature class at the time.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">That night, after doing my homework, I read into that email again and prepared a response. It went like this:

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">To: BIGBEN@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">From: ESwanson@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Subject: FreudHouse

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Hey, Benny.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''I heard you were looking for interested people to spend the night at some haunted house in Wisconsin for some cash? Well, I’m very interested and I would like to know how I could get invited.'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Thanks!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Sincerely,

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Ethan Swanson

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I decided to refrain from telling him I was related to Marcus, even though he probably would recognize the last name. After sending the email, I prepared to start studying for my Psychology exam, but I almost immediately got a reply….it kind of caught me off guard. It seemed BIGBEN was just waiting for me to send him an email.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Anyway, his reply looked like this:

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">To: ESwanson@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">From: BIGBEN@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Subject: Re:FreudHouse

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Hey there, Ethan!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I’m very glad to hear you’re interested in staying at Freud House!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I can actually just add your name to our list if you would like to be invited.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''The house is located at 1300 NW Feckleberry street, Lutterville, Wisconsin. The date of our event is Saturday, January 10, 2015. And yes, all participants get a $6,000 cash reward for spending the night. Please let me know if you would like to be added to the list!'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Thank you!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Sincerely,

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Benny

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Well I didn't know what to do. I thought about calling Marcus, but I knew it would be a while before I got a hold of him, and I was too excited to wait that long. Besides, Benny didn't even mention Marcus’ name. I immediately clicked the reply button.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">To: BIGBEN@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">From: ESwanson@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Subject: Re:Re:FreudHouse

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Hey, Benny.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I just would like to let you know that I would like to be added to the list for an invite.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Thank you.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Sincerely,

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Ethan Swanson

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">And again, without fail, I got an immediate reply.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">To: ESwanson@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">From: BIGBEN@****.com

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Subject: Re:Re:Re:FreudHouse

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''You’re added! See you there, Ethan!'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">So long!

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Sincerely,

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Benny

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">'''P.S. Please get your brother to reply to us. We’d love to have him, too!'''

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Now I was a little ashamed. He had known I was Marcus’ brother…. Well, there’s nothing I could do now. I’d just have to show up at that house over winter break. Then I got an even more malicious idea…..I was not exactly proud of it. I called Marcus and asked him to come with me. He was real calm and collective about it

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan, for fuck’s sake, I’m not going to that goddamn house!”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Come on, Marcus, I've already gotten myself into this, and you’re already into it. He even asked me to get you to come with. Please, man, don’t make me go alone.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“You shouldn't be going at all, I don’t know why you even told that guy you would go!”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Come on, man, we get six-thousand dollars for it! Don’t abandon me, man! Let’s just go! It’s probably just a-”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“No, I’m not going! See you Christmas!”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">So after that we dropped it for the last couple weeks of the semester. I had finals so I stopped worrying about the “Freud House” until finally winter break came and I went home.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Marcus had finished his semester three days before me, so he got home first. So when I arrived, he was already there. At my arrival, my parents were happy to see me and there were hugs and kisses to go around. Marcus looked at me strangely, though. I began to think maybe this whole Freud House thing was affecting him more than I originally thought.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">After we had our big arrival dinner, Marcus and I were finally alone and we discussed my plans. I was going to tell Mom and Dad that I was going to go on a camping trip to Glacier National Park on the weekend of January 10th. I had been there previously and had some pictures left over that no one had seen, so I figured I would post them on Facebook while I was gone, to suppress any leftover suspicion from our parents. Marcus still objected to me going, but he let me go nevertheless.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I packed the usual things you would find in a camper’s backpack. A sleeping bag, a pillow, some clothes, a flashlight, phone and laptop chargers, a toothbrush, you get the idea. Marcus wanted me to bring his knife, just for safety. I told him he was crazy but I put it in my pocket to make him feel better.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Saturday, January 10, 2015 had arrived and I was off. I packed my stuff into my truck and headed onto the road. My parents’ house is in Illinois, so driving to Wisconsin was no road trip. The trip lasted only a few hours.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">When I got to Lutterville it immediately seemed sketchy as all hell. The elementary school had a giant graffiti picture of a dog and a girl having sex on it, and the church had the cross broken off of it on the top. There weren't any people walking on the sidewalks, no children playing in the streets. If it weren't for all of the other cars, the whole place seemed like a ghost town. My GPS couldn't find 1300 Feckleberry street, so when I stopped for gas I went inside to ask the guy for directions.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">When I asked him he looked at me funny. “Feckleberry street? Where the hell is that?” he said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“I got an invitation to a-” I stopped myself. “To something. And the address said it was 1300 Feckleberry street, Lutterville, Wisconsin.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Look, pal, I don’t know of no ‘Feckleberry street’ around here.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I gave up on him, I decided I didn't want to deal with this guy so I left. I thought it was a little sketchy that he hadn't heard of the street before.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I drove the area of the town for about fifteen minutes before finally I saw a sign in the town park. At the edge of the park, there was a long line of trees and shrubs with a gate to its entrance. Next to the gate was a sign that said “FREUD HOUSE ALL UNINVITED STAY OUT”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“All uninvited stay out,” hmm. Well, at least I was invited.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I drove through the gate onto a long driveway, which I assume is Feckleberry street. There seemed to be trees on all sides of us, like a massive, living, breathing forest. As it went on, the driveway got narrower and narrower until finally I was just driving in the woods. The drive up to the house took much longer than I had anticipated, which again, seemed a bit sketchy.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Finally, I reached the house.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">It was massive. The woods opened up to a very large area where what appeared to be a fortress stood before me. There was a large pointy fence leading to another gate in the foreground. I drove up to the gate, which was made of two gargoyles breathing fire at each other(I know, real classy), and I got out of the car. I walked up to the gate and looked into the courtyard. A massive marble path led the way to the giant doors of the house, as well as curved around the sides. In the middle there was a statue of old Freud himself, in uniform on his horse with his sword drawn. Not a single other person was in sight. I tried the gate, but it was locked up tight with a chain around the keyhole.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Devastated, I walked back to the car to begin the journey home.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">It was then that Kyle and Joanne arrived.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">A silver Buick drove up the driveway and parked next to my truck. A man and a woman got out. The man was tall and bulked, with dark jet-black hair and a poorly grow beard. The girl was small and stout, almost his opposite. She had luscious red curls and an everlasting smile stuck to her face.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Hey, friend! Are you Big Ben?” the man asked me.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Big Ben?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Yeah, the one who sent me the invite.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“No, I’m-uh….” I tried to remember what my name was. "Ethan," I remembered.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">The man held out his hand and I shook it. “Well, we’re glad to meet ‘cha! My name is Kyle Duncan and this here is my fiance’ Joanne Livingstone.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Hi,” Joanne waved to us.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“So I assume you two are here for the same reason I am?” I asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Well,” Kyle started. “I got an email from a guy named Big Ben saying that if we spend the night here we get six thousand bucks, I was kinda put off by it so I decided to bring Joanne along.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“So how do we get in?” Joanne quickly interrupted.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Then I said, “I would assume that since the gate is locked, we need someone with a key.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“We haven’t seen anybody else around here,” Kyle said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Neither have I,” I replied.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">So we decided to wait for a while. We gave it some time for more people to arrive, and they did. Three more participants drove up to the house over the course of the next two hours; an awkward looking guy named Thomas, a pretty girl named Kera and her friend Ellie, and an Irish psychologist named Alan Brennan.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">We all conversed and got to know each other, but over time we still saw no Big Ben.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">It got to about dinner time and we all decided to go out for dinner in town together. When we returned, there was another car there waiting for us. Everyone got out.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Who are you?” Brennan asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Our new friend got out of his car. He was slim, and he looked very young, almost like a kid. “Hey!” he said. “Sorry I’m late! I’m Benny! It’s good to see you all here on time!” He skipped over to the gate and unlocked it.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Everyone looked at each other in suspicion. Benny opened the gate, ‘please come on in!” he said in a cheerful tone. We all filed through the gate and Benny closed it behind us. He didn't lock it, and we made sure, but after we got inside I swear I saw someone near the gate.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">The interior of the house was just as beautiful as the exterior. The walls were covered with paintings, many of which were of Freud himself. There was a water fountain in the middle of the entrance hall and on either side were stairs that led to a small platform to which you could go right or left through separate doorways. In the middle of the stairways was a door to the dining area.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Now I’m guessing since I’m so late you all already ate dinner!” our guide said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Yes, but I wouldn't mind another dinner!” Kyle said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Well the dining area is stocked for whenever you need a snack!” Benny replied.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">He gave us all a short tour of the house, before leading everyone separately to their rooms. The girls that came together got the first bedrooms at the top of the stairs just to the right. Then along the hallway there were bedrooms consecutively lined up along the wall.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I was the last room in the hallway.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">My room was giant. There were statues and paintings all over the walls of all different animals and landscapes, with a king bed in the middle. I was alright with that.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">After everyone got situated, we all hung in the parlor. Kyle and Joanne went off to explore together, but the rest of us were cozy where we were. Brennan was asking a multitude of questions to Benny about all of this, to which Benny replied very cheerfully to the point where it was almost creepy. Benny to me just seemed kind of off.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">When it came time for sleeping, everyone went off to their rooms. We hadn't seen Kyle and Joanne since dinner, but no one was worried.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Well enjoy your stay!” Benny said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“You’re leaving?” Brennan asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Of course, I’m not a participant, after all. If you need anything, call me.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">He skipped on out the door. Brennan stopped me as we all headed to bed,

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan, right?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Yeah.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Look, something about that Benny character is very suspicious to me. Keep your eyes open.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“I uh- got it,” I said. Even he was starting to creep me out.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I went to my room and tried to sleep.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I woke up on my own free will only an hour after I went to bed, and it was midnight. I was about to go back to sleep when I heard it. It as like a moan, coming from the hallway. It was a woman. Her moaning was getting louder and louder. Closer and closer to my room, coming down the hallway. I got out of bed and ran to the door and opened it. There was a light at the end of the dark hallway. There was a tall, slender woman in a green dress walking the halls. I edged myself out the door little by little.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Then she screamed. It was the loudest most terrifying shriek and then she looked at me…. I sprinted back into my room and slammed the door behind me.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Where the hell is everyone else? I thought. Didn't they hear the moans?

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">There suddenly was a loud thump from down the hallway. Then another, and then another, and then on and on getting closer and closer to my door yet again. Then it stopped at my door. There was silence.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I was hysterical at this point. I was frozen standing in the middle of my room, holding my breath.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">But there came no more sounds. After a few minutes I slowly opened the door. There was nothing but darkness. No light, no woman. Darkness.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I had already had enough of this place. Six thousand or not I was getting the hell out of there. I grabbed my stuff and packed up. I turned on my flashlight and opened the door. I didn't know where the light switch was, so the flashlight was very handy. I first decided I better tell someone I’m leaving, so I knocked on the first door down the hallway from my room. No one answered. I knocked again, no answer.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Well then, to hell with you.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I began to walk out when I heard a shout. It came from downstairs in what seemed like the parlor. I was already beside myself in fear so I ran down the stairs and ran for the door when-

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I nearly had a heart attack and I screamed as I turned around to see Brennan.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Are you alright?” he asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Jesus Christ,” I said. “Haven’t you experienced any of this?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“What?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“The screams, the thumps, I mean for fuck’s sake this place is scaring the hell out of me!”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan, I think the creepy setting is getting to your head and making you experience these illusions-”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“No- no way! I’m getting the hell out of here!” I raced to the door. Brennan followed me. I sprinted across the small courtyard. It was dark, and I couldn't see a thing except for what I illuminated with the beam of my flashlight. I finally made it to the gate. It was locked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Someone did lock us in after all. Well at this point I was already scared out of my mind and so when I saw the gate was locked I tried to open it the best I could. I rustled the chain until Brennan caught up with me.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan, it’s alright it’s-” he suddenly noticed the gate was locked. “That…..that SON OF A BITCH!” He ran at the gate and smashed his body into it. We decided to try and see if we could break the chain by hitting the gate together with our shoulders. After a while, it still wouldn't budge. We got tired and decided to take a break for a while.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">So,” I said. “What the hell do you suppose we do?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Well,” he replied, catching his breath, seeming to be in even worse shape than I was. “I suppose we should wake the others, and see if we can all come up with something to do. I have no cell phone reception out here, do you?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">My phone! Why didn't I think of it earlier? I pulled it out of my pocket and I had a bar of reception. But, in addition to that, I had five texts from Marcus, which went like this:

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">6:03pm- “Hey, Ethan, how’s it going down there?

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">7:58pm- “Ethan? You there?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">8:17pm- “Ethan, man, it’s starting to scare me, are you OK?

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">8:56pm: “Look, man please answer, I’m getting really worried about you…….I think I’m gonna have to go down there. And dude, did you take my knife?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">9:21pm: “That’s it. I’m going down there to find you. Jesus, man, I’m worried. I’m getting into the car now…..please answer me, man.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I was overcome with relief as I looked up at Brennan. “My brother, he’s coming to get us-” suddenly a woman screamed from inside the house. This time, it sounded more like one of the pretty girls.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">We quickly raced back into the house. Brennan was calling “Kera! Kera, where are you?” We ran up to the bedrooms and Ellie’s door was wide open. The room was a mess, clothes everywhere. The window was wide open, letting in a cool, chilling night breeze. Kera was sitting in the corner, sobbing uncontrollably. Brennan went over to her. He pulled her to her feet and she couldn't even look at him.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“What happened?” he asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ellie- she…...she tried to…..to kill me!” She continued her crying even worse now.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“What?” I cried.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“She just starting banging on the walls, so I came over to see what was wrong…..and she- She told me ‘get the hell away from here! He might come back and find you!’”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I was losing my shit right about now, but Brennan was surprisingly calm. He lifted her chin. “Where is she now?” he asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Kera pointed out the window.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Brennan quickly walked over, and I followed him. It didn't take long to find her, she was walking on the roofing, climbing up to the tower.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Oh man….” I said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Brennan grabbed me by the shoulders. “Look,” he said. “I have to go up there and get her down, you and Kera need to find Thomas and the others and find a way out of here. I’m counting on you, Ethan. I’ll see you soon.” He ran out of the room. “Wait!” I called. But he didn't even turn to me. Now I was alone in this giant fucking haunted house with a hysterically PTSD-bound, out of control, sobbing girl. I looked over at her, she had curled up into a fetal position just next to the bed. Suddenly I heard a gunshot…. but that was the last thing on my mind at the time.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Hey, uh- Kera,” I started, she didn't notice me. “ I have to go find Thomas, Kyle, and Joanne, you stay here, okay?” Now I know what you’re thinking, why the hell did we split up? But you gotta understand there was no way in hell I was going to be able to drag that screaming girl around this giant mansion.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">So I went downstairs and into the parlor. The giant painting of Freud caught my eye. There was something on it, but it was too dark to see it. It was too dark to see anything in the room. I turned on my flashlight and was horrified by what I saw next. Thomas was there, sitting in the chair with a shotgun in his hands. He had…. shot himself. Just as old Freud did. His blood was covering the painting. I screamed and dropped my flashlight. Then I panicked and retreated into the gardens. I turned around to make sure Thomas wasn't following me. There was a shadow heading toward me. Getting closer, I could see it in the light my flashlight was making. I quickly swiveled around to try and run but I tripped and fell into the fountain. But in the fountain, I wasn't alone.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">There seemed to be three of us, all swimming together, I quickly climbed out to see-

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Kyle and Joanna had been drowned into the fountain….and there was blood coming out of their mouths contaminating the water, and worse, I was covered in it. Just then I heard a woman scream. I looked up and I could see a light in the tower. Ellie and Brennan were up there. I couldn't hear anything they were saying but, she was backing away to the ledge. Brennan tried to persuade her to come down. But then she screamed and grabbed him and threw him-

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">He shrieked as he came down. I closed my eyes and curled up into a ball on the ground. Suddenly I heard a sound. A small Slisk! I slowly looked up, Brennan was on the fence, at least, half of him was.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I started bawling, worse than Kera. I couldn't handle it, I wanted to leave, or die, or just end this nightmare somehow! Suddenly I felt as if someone was looking at me, watching me. I felt too scared to turn my head to look, but my curiosity got the best of me. Slowly, I crept my head to the left towards the door. The girl in the green dress was back, only this time, I got a real look at her.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">She had black, dark holes where her eyes should be, and her bottom lip was cut down to her chin, expanding her mouth to one giant black hole. She was staring deep into me, with her dark, mysteries eye sockets. Suddenly I saw two small figures to either side of her. Suddenly one of the children pulled on his mother’s dress. “Mo-mommy,” he said. “What are we doing in the gardens?” The green dress girl all of the sudden grew violent. Like a flame had ignited in her heart instantly. She grabbed the two children by the necks and picked them up. They squirmed for help. “Mommy, what are you doing?” the boy cried. Then she started running toward me, yelling.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I dove out of the way only to notice she had ignored me and threw the kids into the fountain with Kyle and Joanne. They were bubbling, squirming, gasping for air. She started humming a tune.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">That’s when it occurred to me. Now I understood. Now I knew why Benny had brought us out here. He wanted us to reenact what happened to Elvira and Freud. Kyle and Joanne were drowned in the same fountain as Mark and Mable, Thomas shot himself in the small place as Melville Freud, and Ellie had thrown Brennan off of the same ledge Elvira had plunged from. It all made sense.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I mustered up the courage to get up. I began to back away toward the door to the house when suddenly I walked into someone. I quickly swiveled around to see Ellie smiling at me.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Where,” she began, “is your brother, Ethan?”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I was shocked, I hadn't told anyone here about Marcus, let alone this girl who had murdered Brennan. Suddenly Ellie hit me. A square knock right in the mouth. I let out a quick “oomph” and fell to the ground. My head was hazy. I could only open my eyes in bursts. Then they were both on me. Ellie and the green dress girl- Elvira. They were staring at me and smiling. They talked to each other, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Then Elvira came down at me. She opened up her mouth wide as if she were going to eat me, I panicked, then I suddenly came to my senses.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">That’s when I realized I still had Marcus’ knife.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I lunged it right into Elvira’s mouth. The opening was so wide my whole arm fit in and I stabbed the knife all the way through to the back of her throat. She began to scream uncontrollably into my face, Ellie was screaming too. I quickly threw Elvira off of of me and got up and sprinted. I ran to the edge of the gardens where the fence was. I knew they were chasing me, I had to move. I jumped up and grabbed the top of the fence and used all the strength I had to pull myself over. I hopped over the top and landed square on the other side of the fence and didn't look back. I started sprinting into the woods.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I didn't know who was where now. I had left Kera there, but something told me that Ellie had gotten to her and there was nothing I could do. I couldn't see anything but I kept running through the woods. Branches and sticks scratched away at my body, but that didn't matter to me. My heart fell as if it would explode soon. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I was out of the woods.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I came out and I was in a ditch on the side of the driveway. There were no cars in my proximity, for I could see no light. I slowed my pace to a walk when I got on the road. I started going forward, not caring where I would end up. I remembered my phone and pulled it out. No service…..shit. Suddenly I saw a car coming. I pranced for joy, whaling my arms around yelling “STOP!” The driver did so. The car seemed familiar, I couldn't put my finger on who owned it though.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I ran around to the passenger side and opened the door to be horrified yet again.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“Ethan, Jesus!” Benny said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“You…..” I said.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">He was smiling, “Are you alright, man?” he asked.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">“You!” I yelled as I lunged for him, violently stabbing over and over and over again. He had to die, he caused all of this. I was stabbing Benny, and that was the last thing I remember.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I don’t exactly know what happened over the next few hours, but my doctor told me I drove up to the nearest gas station in my brother’s car, covered in blood and dirt, and fainted as I walked in.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">They found…..the body of Marcus in the back seat of the car.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I don’t know how any of this could of happened! I swear! I’m NOT crazy.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">That’s why I’m here, at St. Anna’s hospital for the mentally ill. But I’m telling you, I’m not insane! Dr. Jones told me that the email entitled “BIGBEN@****.com” doesn't exist, and that there is no such thing as the “Freud House.”

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">But I know there is. I know it’s real. And they’re all still out there. Coming back to get me.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">I’m scared.

<p style="color:rgb(212,212,213);">Please help me, I’m not crazy I swear. <ac_metadata title="The Freud House (Unreviewed, looking for some feedback)"> </ac_metadata>