Halloween Tales

The Vintage Armoire

"Nick," Maggie whispered urgently to her brother as they stealthily descended into the basement. "We're going to be in so much trouble."

Nick, undeterred, replied, "I don't care, Mags. I need to find the keys before Dad comes back. Quick! You start with the cabinets over there, and I'll check this table." The basement, though morning outside, remained dimly lit due to its lack of windows and ventilation.

"Do you really think Dad would hide the keys in the cabinets?" Maggie voiced her doubts. "I'm pretty sure they're not here."

"I saw him bring them down," Nick insisted, his tone filled with urgency. "Please, just help me look."

With a resigned sigh, Maggie agreed, "Fine," and moved to the cabinets, methodically searching through their contents. As she explored, her curiosity led her to examine the vintage armoire against the east wall. Once owned by their great-grandmother, it now belonged to their father.

Unable to resist, she opened its doors in a hurry. Inside, to her astonishment, lay an array of old costumes, wigs, and shoes. Clothes spilled out onto the floor, and she couldn't resist examining them.

"Nick! You have to see this. Are these Gran's vintage costumes?" Maggie exclaimed.

Nick, alarmed at what he heard, turned toward Maggie, his eyes wide with horror. "You weren't supposed to touch that, Mags! Look what you've done. We're definitely going to get caught now."

Realizing her mistake, Maggie apologized, "I'm sorry, brother. I was just curious. I'll put everything back."

"Quickly," Nick urged, his voice filled with concern. "And stay away from that armoire from now on."

Maggie rushed to collect the fallen clothes and return them to their racks. When she finished, she bent down to inspect the area beneath the armoire, searching for any overlooked items. There, she discovered a large black diamond ring with the emblem of a cicada etched on it. She attempted to reach it but couldn't quite fit her hand through the narrow gap. Seeking assistance, she called out to her brother.

"Nickoo! There's something down here. It's not your keys, but it looks like a ring. It must have fallen."

"Just leave it and keep looking!" Nick ordered.

"What if we get caught? Let's retrieve it and put it back inside," Maggie suggested.

Nick grumbled in frustration. "You keep messing things up." He approached her and commanded her to move aside. After a futile attempt to grab the ring, he made a decision.

"We need to move the armoire," he declared. "Hold that side."

Together, they managed to grip each side of the heavy furniture and slowly dragged it to reveal the fallen ring. Maggie let out a sigh of relief as she picked it up. However, Nick's attention was now fixed on the wall before him. As Maggie held the ring in her hand, a line began forming on the wall, shaping itself into a dilapidated wooden door. Like magic, this door manifested before their eyes.

"Ahhh...," Maggie screamed and jumped back. "Nick! What's happening here?"

Nick, equally bewildered, stammered, "I don't know, Mags. I'm seeing this for the first time too. Should we check what's inside?"

Maggie hesitated, fearful of the unknown. "Are you crazy? We don't know what's in there. We should go back."

"That's precisely why we should explore," Nick countered. "What if it leads to a secret room? What if Dad put the keys in there?"

"I don't think so. Let's put the armoire back and leave before Dad returns."

Nick stood firm. "I'm not leaving until we find out what's inside. Are you with me, Maggie?"