Trick or Treat [Halloween Vault 3D]

The Estate

Why uncle Lucas, a distant relative, had left his estate to me of all people, was beyond me.

The last time I had seen him was on his 70th birthday, almost two decades ago. He had called me over to his side; crouching next to me, he had enquired, "Luna, how old are you now?"

"Seven," I had replied.

"Only twenty more years, my love, before we are together again." He had whispered in my ear in a voice that had sent chills down my spine. Stepping away, I had hidden behind my mother's dress and started sobbing.

He had tried to approach me again, but I had yelled, "No. Never!" and run away.

I had promised myself then that I would never meet him again. It was a promise I had kept for twenty years and would have continued to keep it if my boutique hadn't caught fire and burnt my future to the ground.

I was broke and desperate when I had received the letter informing me of my inheritance. Forgetting about the promise, I had grabbed on to the ray of hope and left to survey it.

'Signal Lost.' My GPS informed, when my destination: Uncle's Estate, was a few hundred meters away.

I stepped out of the car and started walking on foot. However, with every step forward, the fog around me seemed to grow denser.

I knew that I was close to the estate and figured that in a village this size, the chances of 'Everyone knowing everyone' was probably very high.

I swatted my arms around, hoping to clear the mist and almost ended up hitting a woman who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. 

"Careful, child, or you might hurt someone!" The old lady exclaimed; I apologized and asked her about the estate's whereabouts.

"Never heard of it." She shrugged and left.

Maybe she wasn't a local, I reasoned and kept walking ahead.

All of a sudden, the mist cleared, and I found myself inside the dining hall of a dusty old mansion.

'The estate.' I realized.

But how!?

Something was wrong. I could feel it in my gut.

I tried to turn back; I couldn't.

I must be dreaming, I reassured myself and closed my eyes.

A warm stale breath landed on the nape of my neck, and the air around me stilled.

"You are here, Love." I heard a voice: uncle Lucas's voice.

I opened my eyes, and there, not a foot away, Lucas, my dead uncle, stood, smiling dearly at me.

I wanted to scream; I couldn't.

I wanted to run; I couldn't. 

No, this can't be happening!

I started trembling. Warmth left my limbs; chill crept in.

Everything hurt, worst of all, my chest; I felt wetness on my cheek.

A moment later, his callused fingertips swiped the wetness off my face; his crusty lips brushed against my cheek, and he whispered, "Our wait has ended, my love. Now, we can be together. Forever."