ENC 1101-B3 & B4: Writing for Discovery

The old Stonybrook House is located about half a mile from my High School. If I turn right past the old Piggly Wiggly and take it straight for about two blocks I should find it, at least that’s what they all say…

I love the thought of the adrenaline rush when it comes to scary movies or even a house. At school this afternoon, I was conversing with some of the other cheerleaders and we decided to head down to the old Stonybrook house right after the football game tonight.

All the stories I’ve heard can’t possibly be true. What could be so scary? The stories range from having your name written on the wall to door slamming as you run up and down the hallway. I think, personally, the people who have ventured down there just want to scare those of us who haven’t had the experience.

As I am leaving the locker room to head out to the field, my stomach starting to churn. I wasn’t frightened, how could I believe things that I hadn’t seen for myself? I run into Sarah, one of my friends who is coming too, “Are you starting to get butterflies thinking about Stonybrook?”

“No, are you crazy, if some of those wimps have been out there we sure can beat this out!”, Sarah replied with full confidence.

“Okay, but I am having trouble keeping those thick rumors out of my head.” As my voice quivered with a slight tone of aversion as I ran onto the field.

I am cheering my little heart out at the football game that tonight, in hopes of distracting myself from the doom that was destined to occur. Our team beats the town rivals and we all gathered at my car to see who else could go to the old house with us.

Sarah, Erin, Matt and I were headed out there and it is about quarter past ten on a clear evening. The air so crisp that I could’ve broken it right in two. I am sitting in the front of Sarah’s car as we drove. Everyone is laughing and carrying on in the back as I felt quite sick in the front.

A few minutes pasted by and we drove up. “The gates are closed,” I thought, “maybe if I turn around and convince them that we cannot go in there they won’t make me try to open the gates.” “I am really reconsidering this and I never do stuff like this why am I starting right now.”

The gates were a creepy black rod iron metal. They stand about eleven feet tall and have intricate designs welded neatly on the front of them. I walk up and try to push on one, it didn’t budge. I glance back, my friend’s eyes grew as big as quarter dollars, and I think everyone is having second thoughts.

I slowly turn around.

“AHHHHH…” the whole car screams.

The gate was opening slowly and no one had touched it. Sarah pushes on the gas pedal gently and the car rolls into the old cracked driveway. Holding each other’s hands we all pile out of the car.
Whispering, I say to the bunch to all watch out for the person next to you and don’t split up. I knock on the front door. The echo of my knock is heard throughout the house. I jiggled the door knob and it fell to the ground. So Matt kicks open the door and we head in.

I am in front and decide we should conquer the upstairs first. “Follow me guys” I began. “Don’t you think that we should stay down here,” Matt’s voice shook. “I think so too” Sarah agreed.

“No, I want to see if they know our names,” I inquire. “I’m not so sure about that, What if they do?” Erin started to cry. I crept up the stairs in a silent manner hoping not to disturb “anyone” who lives in this nasty old mansion.

“Duck!” I yelled, the old chandelier came plummeting for our heads. Someone didn’t want us here and I wanted to find out whom. Gray, thick spider webs crawling and sticking to our bodies.

Reaching the top of the staircase, doors open. I peek in the first one to see what was in the room. Nothing but black curtains resides in the first two rooms.

“I’m scared,” whispered Erin. “Don’t be, I’m right here,” Matt assures her.

The first door slams. Then the next and the chain reaction is started. Something behind us is trying to scare us out of the house, but I am not going for it.

“Run for your life!” Matt is holding Erin and Sarah’s hands and they are all running down the hallway. “Stop don’t leave me, stay upstairs,” I plead.

The group runs to the bottom of the stairs and there it is. All of our names spelled out clear as day on the front wall. Erin is balling at this time and Sarah is determined we are leaving. They walk out. Matt and I stayed a minute and yell around the house.

“Whoever you are we’ll be back and we’re not going to tell anyone what happened!” we angrily shout in hopes to scare anything and anyone.

I believe what happened tonight in the old Stonybrook mansion is trickery. I think that people talk about when they’re headed out there and someone plays a bad joke. How could exactly the same thing happen to everyone who went out there, unless you believe in ghosts?