So Often Are We...

Game

Lauren had almost reached Kate's mansion when something came in between them. A tree. There was a tree that had fallen right across the long pathway leading down to the mansion. Lauren sighed in irritation and she grabbed her phone to call Kate and say that she'd be a little late. That was when another mishap decided to befall her. No cell service. This infuriated and confused Lauren both because she knew that there was a radio tower in the woods nearby that usually gave off great reception. Of course on the day she would really need her phone, that would be the day the signal decided to screw up!

"Kate will just have to be ok with me being a bit late," Lauren cursed as she put her phone back into her pocket and got out of her car, climbing over the fallen tree and continuing down the path to Kate's house, this time on foot. At least it was warm and sunny out.

Lauren didn't reach Kate's house until the evening because of how long the walk took. The storm clouds that rolled in didn't help lighten the mood either. Instead, they made things look even darker and drearier. Lauren shuddered. At least she'd be at Kate's soon. She hoped Kate wouldn't be too mad at being kept waiting for so long.

At last, the mansion came into view. Lauren picked up her pace, partly because she wanted to get to Kate faster and partly because all of her sweet childhood memories about this place had just come flooding back to her. Lauren felt like she was coming home. So many years and so many stories were contained within that house. She would miss it, and she almost wanted Kate to keep it. At the same time, though, she understood that it was Kate's choice alone. Lauren might've held a deep fondness for this old house, but it was clear that Kate did not, and since Kate was the mansion's true owner, hers was the only opinion that mattered. But still, Lauren decided, it was nice just to get to see the old place again!

But Lauren's excitement and sense of nostalgia did not last long. Lauren had just passed the brick wall protecting Kate's house and she had just walked by the swing set she and Kate used to play on all the time when she realized that something was very, very wrong here. All the doors and windows to the house were wide open.

"What the heck?" Lauren whispered, and she suddenly felt as though she were being watched...

She treaded into the house softly, not even bothering to knock because she somehow already knew she would not get an answer. What met her eyes when she stepped inside was something that she'd never forget. The whole place was a mess! It looked like a war had gone on for all the chaos that Lauren found! There was furniture everywhere, and it was all overturned. Half the power was out while the other half was on, and there seemed to be no rhyme or reason in regard to which lights worked and which did not. Most frightening of all, however, were the drawings. Lining the walls and floors were countless crazed scribbles. Drawings of trees, and a tall thin man hiding within them lined the walls and covered the floors. It really did look like a warzone! But there didn't appear to be any sign of a physical struggle, that is, Lauren found no body or blood.

As Lauren continued to quietly explore the empty house, hoping that Kate's corpse wouldn't be something she found during her quest, she passed a note on Kate's kitchen table. It was one of the few pieces of furniture that wasn't overturned or broken. That note was an invitation to her mother's funeral. Just for a moment, Lauren's fear changed to grief. Beth's death had been a tragic blow to all who knew her, and she was sorely missed by everyone, including Lauren herself. She could still remember that day when she got the news...

Lauren had just gotten back to her dorm once the last of her classes was let out when she ran into Kate, sitting outside their dorm building and crying her eyes out. Lauren had been so stunned to her see her, especially while she was so distraught, that it didn't even occur to her to ask Kate how on earth she'd been able to sneak back into campus, let alone why. Instead, she only helped Kate to her feet and led her back to her dorm room at once. It was there that Lauren had gotten the horrible news. Kate stayed with her for the whole rest of that day, clinging to her like she was some sort of lifeline.