What is this? I had this feeling as though I was trapped. Trapped in a box that could not sustain structure with me struggling inside. But wait, how could I be struggling if my body was paralyzed. Paralyzed from what had happened, what seemed like, only moments ago. After which, my mind had gone blank.

What had truly happened minutes ago? I had no remembrance.

A voice was calling for me. Faint, but still, I could hear it clearly. As it came closer, I opened my mouth, wishing for sound, hoping that just maybe this is all a dream. In just a few moments I would wake up, realizing that I wasn’t trapped, or unable to move. All my hopes vanished as nothing happened.

As the voice neared, I once more tried to shift my legs, kicking at the containment. Just as I thought it was about to break, my eyes opened, in front of me, I was greeted with a dark hallway filled with vases, portraits, and many other antiques. Where am I? Nothing about this setting is familiar.

There it was once again, that voice. It couldn’t be far away now. The words are coming out clearly, and it was obvious what they were speaking now.

Madison.

Opening my mouth, I expected more of myself this time around, but nothing.

Again my name echoed through my ears, Madison. I wanted to yell, scream of my presence. Nothing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow approaching me. Closer and closer it came before I recognized whom the voice belonged to.

“Madison!” the voice was strong, brave. But there was something else about him, something I hadn’t heard before: fear.

“Here! Hello, I’m here!” At last, my voice came to me, but he didn’t look my way or even flinch.

He is inches away from me now, how was it he couldn’t hear my cries? He did not understand that I was right there with him. Yet, his voice became shaky, his words began to lose structure, until, at last, he fell to his knees. Horror struck upon his face, his completion pasty…as though he’d seen a ghost.

Only one person was in the hallway, it’s me. He couldn’t have seen any kind of apparition. Why can’t you see me?

“Tucker? What’s wrong with you?” My words only caused him more grief, causing myself bafflement. He could hear me now, but not before?

His eyes were now completely drained of life; the only thing left of his once blue orbs is pools of grey floating on his face.

Madison. A new voice is calling for me. Who else had been in the building with me? A man. Slowly, I turn myself around, waiting. Waiting patiently, waiting to see who it was that knew my name.

I thought it was almost here, but then, it stopped. Now, I waited for the woman’s voice to repeat my name, as she had done before. Then, as my mind awaited the woman, I felt something pierce my skin. Turning around, I saw Tucker face down on the carpet, a puddle of blood starting to form around his motionless body.

As the puddle expanded, I felt tears streak my cheeks. I went to wipe them away, as I did so, something tapped my shoulder. Before looking, I knew who it was, the woman who continuously murmured my name…No?

Standing before me, a man was floating a yard off the ground. His skin was ghostly pale and his eyes were piercing black. Blacks eyes reflecting who he was: a black shadow, cast in the mansion hundreds of years before. Bringing fright to all those who dare enter the accursed house; killing those same people who defy the warning signs, the people who were either too brave, or too stupid to listen.

“Madison,” the depth of his words sent chills down my back, I didn’t realize what I was doing: gradually, I began to back away.

“Who are you? What do you want? What do you want with me?!” My voice trembled as I struggled not to stutter.

Raising his hand, an evil smile replaced his cold glare. “Your life,” he didn’t hesitate, and before I could comprehend what was happening, I was trapped. Consumed my the same box-type enclosure as before.

Darkness filled my eyes. All I wanted was my memory; all I could see was Tucker’s pale face, fearing for his life. And that man. What had he done to me? Had he killed me?

Frantic, I began to struggle; it was no surprise to me that the darkness remained.

Light. Was it light? A thin slice of light was making its way through the area. My vision grew strong as the light expanded.

Standing in front of me, a ghoulish woman with long silk hair was staring, peering into my soul. In return, I met her eyes… then I remembered it all.

The lanky woman was the one who had met us at the door, hours, no, maybe even days before. She’d invited us in for a look around. Tucker and I wanted to study the mansion that had been standing in town for hundreds of years.

She told us the stories of how her husband was killed years ago by teenagers who were playing a prank on the old man.

Her story continued on about disappearances around her property, how bodies never were recovered. Then, I went to the bathroom, only to find Tucker and the woman were gone on my return. That was when I first began to panic.

I had no idea what to do, or where to go. Something then smashed against my head, knocking me out. Before I passed out, I saw a man, the man whose pictures were plastered all around the house. The old man. The old man who was supposed to be dead, from so long ago.

I awoke in the containment of the box. Here I was once more, terrified. Looking around, I searched for another way out, past the old woman, but no.

The slice of light had disappeared now, leaving me alone. But, I wasn’t alone, I could feel eyes watching me. I knew she was there with me, the woman.

Falling. I was falling fast. It wasn’t long before I hit the ground, but why had I felt nothing? Wait, what was this? Something was dripping from the ceiling. Screams escaped my mouth as I looked up.

There I was, my long black hair, lifeless, my green eyes rolled back…my limbs, dangling ten feet above me. Swinging slowly, back and forth, I began to feel sick, my stomach churning, ready to throw up. Nothing came of the feeling, and my eyes never left the body, hanging from the ceiling.

“Madison Marie, you belong to me now.” It was the old woman along side the man. Evil grins smeared across their faced.

Hundreds of years had gone by, the couple killing the young and unsuspecting… they’re sitting here… waiting for a child to make the same mistakes as I did. Tucker as well, stood by my side, staring down all that dared enter the mansion. Every time I looked at the door, it shrank, becoming farther and farther away. No light was left in my lifeless eyes, no light was available at the end of the tunnel, and the life that I once knew, gone.

Besides…It wasn’t too long before someone is stupid enough to commit suicide.