The Girl In The Mansion.

Chapter three~

Chapter by: xlovemusicalsx

y/n)'s POV

I really wished I'd known I was going into a very creepy and dark forest today when I left the house. Maybe then I would've brought more than my purse and a phone at 57% charge.

Maybe I would've brought a flashlight. A granola bar. An on-the-go charger for my phone.

I was brought out of my thoughts when I nearly walked into a tall, black fence. The fence belonged to the abandoned mansion that old lady had mentioned. It was larger than I'd ever seen a house be, but it was dark and nearly falling apart. I smiled softly at the look of this.

My girlfriend would hate this, and it somehow made being here a lot more satisfying.

That was, until I saw one of the large stone gargoyles move. It turned its head 30 degrees to look me dead in the eye. I shrugged it off, against my better judgement, as my eyes playing tricks on me.

I decided to step closer, into the yard. My instincts were screaming at me to run, get away, leave. But my curiosity was intense, and it felt like some spell was over me. It was like there was a magnet in my chest, dragging me forcibly towards this old building.

The ground was soft, and dark green instead of dead and brown like if expect. It was nice to be here.

I was about halfway between the fence and the door when I saw something move in the window.

Wait, not something. Someone.

I couldn't pick out details due to the darkness in the house, but it was a silhouette of a woman. She had glowing, golden hair the reflected the tiny bit of sunlight that got in. She was also tall, with flowing dark clothes and very pale skin.

And then we made direct eye contact.

I packed up, my heart stuttering and skipping beats all over the place. My body felt hot, and I knew I had to run.

It was probably just some homeless woman who was living there, but what if it wasn't? What if she was a zombie, or a ghost? Or a monster of some other type?

I had to move, I had to leave. I didn't want to end up the stupid protagonist of a horror movie.

But all of a sudden I was frozen.

My heart dropped to my stomach as she took a step towards the door, still visible from the window.

And in a moment, she stood in the doorway.

All I could think was that she had bright blue eyes before my body finally started working, and I could run.

I ran faster than ever before, every so often tripping over fallen branches but scrambling to my feet.

When I reached the edge of the woods, I took a moment to look back. She wasn't close behind me, if I was being followed.

I turned back to face in front of me and start running again, but I was met with the old hag from earlier in front of my face.

"You went to the abandoned mansion, didn't you?" She asked. I nodded numbly, unable to tell if she was curious or trying to scold me.

"Yeah, and I saw this woman in there, do you know who it is?" I asked breathlessly.

"No, I don't. Maybe you'll have to investigate and find out someday." She said with a mischievous look. I ignored the knowing glint in her eyes and nodded.

"Perhaps. Thank you, I'll see you around. I have a paper to write." I smiled awkwardly. I was 23 years old and I still couldn't communicate with people. I stuck my hands in my pockets, grabbing onto my phone anxiously. I was always worried that I dropped my phone when I left it in my pocket while running. That would've been a serious disaster.

I took my phone out and opened it, looking at my home screen. It was Heather and I, with me kissing her cheek and her grinning smugly. It was on her 21st birthday, when she'd taken me to a club. She even made me get a fake ID for it.

That was a good time, before it got a bit hard to be with her. Now, I always felt like I was walking on eggshells. One minute, she was cuddly and loved me, and the second she'd slap my wrist if I touched her. It was hard, but that's what love is. I was being weak and stupid by expecting anything less.

I closed my phone and angled my head down, watching the sidewalk as I walked home.

(780 words)