"Do you think we should check the circuits?" asked Nick.
"Come with me?" said Cassandra.
"Where?" he said.
"In the basement," she said a little shaky, and led the way to the basement door.
"What about flashlights?"
"I'm sure that we can see them." They slowly walked down the stairs, reached the floor, and felt their way along the wall.
**Back in the living room**
"I'm going to go lock the door," said Mercedes.
She got up and walked timidly over to the front door. When she got to the door, she put her hand on the knob and put a little of her weight on it. The door suddenly swung open, and she tripped outside into the pouring rain. As the door quietly shut behind her, a dark figure entered the house and tip toed up the stairs.
"Did you see that?" whispered Emalia.
"See what?" whispered Kevin.
"I thought I saw someone run up the stairs."
"I'll check the kitchen," said Brian as he got up, but neither Emalia nor Kevin saw him leave or heard what he had said. "Okay then," he said to himself and went into the kitchen. When Emalia looked up, she grabbed Kevin.
"Where is everyone?" she said frightened.
"I don't know," Kevin replied starting to get just as scared. Just then, the basement door slammed.
"Ah!" screamed Emalia. Just then, they heard Brian gasp. "Was that Brian?" Kevin and Emalia got up and ran into the kitchen. Brian had his hand over his chest and he was heaving hard.
"That scared me!" said Brian.
"What was that?" asked Kevin.
"It was the basement door," said Brian. "Where are Mercedes, Nick, and Cassandra?" Kevin and Emalia shrugged.
**Back downstairs in the basement**
"Cassandra," a ghostly voice mysteriously whispered. "It's me. It's Andrew." Cassandra grabbed Nick and hid behind him.
"No, it can't be!" she cried.
"It is. I've come back to see my best friend." She loosened her grip and started to walk towards the voice.
"Andrew, is it really you?" she asked dazed.
"Of course it's me."
"Andrew, I've missed you!"
"I've missed you, too." Nick followed close behind her, until she stopped him.
"It's okay, Nick. I want to go alone, it's Andrew!" Nick couldn't see her anymore as she walked into the pitch, black darkness, towards the voice. A flash of lightning showed Nick Cassandra for a brief second, and also the other figure, that didn't appear to be Andrew.
"Come here," the voice said.
"Andrew!" she cried and fell into his arms and hugged him. "Nick, come here! It's Andrew! Nick!" The figure holding her started to pull on her and move her with him. "Nick?" She turned her head around and strained her eyes to see Nick. A flash of lightning showed Nick to be collapsed on the floor with a gash in his forehead. "Nick!" As the lightning left, they were back in total darkness.
Back upstairs, Emalia was really getting worried.
"Where is everyone?" She turned to look out of the kitchen window. When a streak of lightning flashed, she saw a silhouette in the window. She screamed and ran up stairs.
"Where's she going?" asked Kevin.
"I don't know," said Brian. "Look!" He pointed outside when there was another flash of lightning. "It's Mercedes!" Brian started to run for the door and Kevin followed right behind him. They went outside into the pouring rain. "Mercedes!" Brian tried to yell over the thunder, but it proved to be useless. Until Mercedes ran up to Brian and wrapped his arms around him. He pulled her inside and Kevin shut the door.
"What happened?" he asked her. She was shivering and drenched in water. In between gasps she tried to explain.
"I-was going-to-uh-lock the door, when it opened and I fell outside. Someone ran inside-I tried to tell you guys-" She was interrupted by a scream from upstairs.
"Andrew let me go! What's wrong with Nick?" Cassandra cried, but he kept pulling her further away. "Andrew, what are you doing?" She struggled out of his grasp, but couldn't see a thing. She turned and headed in the direction she thought Nick was. She tripped over something. Not knowing that she had tripped over Nick's hand, she fell head first into the metal pole that was in the middle of the basement. A searing pain shot through her head. She put her hand up to her head and collapsed to the floor.
"What was that?" said Mercedes trembling. All of a sudden, they heard a series of thuds, then one big thud, over by the stairs. The three of them walked slowly over to where they heard the noise but ran when they saw what had happened.
"Emalia!" Mercedes squealed. Kevin went over to the bottom of the stairs where Emalia was lying and dropped to her side.
"Emalia, Emalia!" he said. "Emalia, wake up!" He held her head in his hands and shook her a little.
"Brian, what's going on?" Mercedes cried.
"I don't know. I really don't! We need to get out of this room," said Brian. Just then, they heard a pounding on the front door. The three of them looked at the door. They couldn't move, they just stood there. The pounding continued for a second, and then suddenly stopped. "Let's go, now!"
"Where are we going to go?" cried Mercedes.
"I don't know, how about the basement," said Brian. Kevin nodded and picked up Emalia.
"Who was that at the d-" started Mercedes.
"At the door? I don't know why-" Brian's voice trailed off. The three of them all saw that the back door was open.
They all looked at each other, and ran for the basement door. They slammed the door behind them, and stopped on the top of the stairs.
"Now what?" Mercedes whispered.
"I guess we go down," said Brian, and the three of them quietly descended the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, Mercedes stopped them.
"Did you hear that? I heard a noise upstairs!"
"I'll go check," said Brian. Mercedes grabbed him.
"No please Brian! Don't!"
"I'll be right back. Stay here with Kevin, and somewhat, Emalia. Try to wake her up." Brian went quietly up the stairs, and closed the door behind him.
"Now what?" asked Mercedes.
"I guess we try to wake up Emalia." He shook her, but stopped when he heard Brian scream. "Oh God. Stay here Mercedes, and try to wake her up."
"Oh God! What's going on here? Don't leave!" but Kevin was already up the stairs and out the door. Mercedes was left there, alone and in the dark.
"Mercedes," a ghostly voice mysteriously whispered.
"Oh my God! Who's there?" said Mercedes starting to cry.
"It's me. It's Andrew."
"No it's not! Who the hell are you? What do you want?"
"How can you talk that way to your best friend?"
"Andrew?"
"That's what I said before. Come here, I miss you!" Unwillingly, Mercedes forced herself up, and took long strides towards the voice. She too, hit the metal pole, and the searing pain in her forehead hit her fast. She collapsed and added to the pile.
"Damn! Why do they keep hitting that stupid pole?" said the voice.
"Oh my God! You guys scared the hell out of me! What the hell are you doing here?" yelled Brian.
"When the storm started to get really bad, we tried calling up here to see if you guys were okay, but I guess that the phones were down up here," said Isabella.
"So they nominated us to come up here," added A.J. "They didn't give us very good directions."
"Oh man, I don't think that you want to be here," said Kevin.
"Why?" asked Isabella concerned.
"Because some wicked strange stuff has been going on. I mean wicked!" said Kevin.
"Like what?" said A.J.
"Well first, Mercedes got locked out of the house. I guess that she tried to get our attention by banging on the windows but we didn't see her. When Emalia did, she ran upstairs screaming. We let Mercedes in, and she told us that someone entered the house." Isabella gasped. Brian continued. "We heard Emalia scream, and when we went to see what happened, she had fallen down the stairs, and was unconscious. We can't find Cassandra and Nick, and we took Emalia and Mercedes-" his voice trailed off as he looked at Kevin.
"What is it?" asked A.J.
"Kevin! You left the two of them downstairs!" yelled Brian.
"In the basement?" said Isabella. Brian nodded, and they all headed for the basement door.
Isabella was crouched behind A.J. as they descended the stairs. Kevin ran over to Emalia who was half awake, half dazed.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Kevin asked her as he kneeled by her side.
"I-I don't know. I think that Nathan pushed me down the stairs! My head really hurts!"
"Where's Mercedes?" asked Brian scared.
"What do you mean where is she?" said Isabella really scared.
"I don't know. I think there was this voice. Down here. It said that it was Andrew. So I think that she went to find it," said Emalia.
"Well then there's a good chance that 'Andrew' and Mercedes, and maybe even Cassandra and Nick, are still down here." Isabella and Emalia whimpered.
"Wait, did you just hear that?" said A.J. Isabella hit him in the arm.
"A.J. that's not funny!"
"No seriously, did you guys hear that?" A.J. said again. Brian, Emalia, and Kevin listened to the air intently.
"Yeah, I hear it," said Brian, "and it sounds pretty close."
"What is it?" said Emalia.
"It sounds like it's coming from-" Brian's voice trailed off into the darkness, and he turned around.
The lightning flashed, and the thunder boomed. Isabella was shaking and holding A.J. pretty tight.
"Isabella, you're choking me!" said A.J.
"Sorry!" she said.
"Shut up you guys!" said Brian. "Listen!"
"It sounds like moaning," said Emalia.
"I think it's coming from over there," said Brian as he started to walk towards the sound.
"Brian wait!" said Isabella, but he had already been consumed by darkness. Isabella, Emalia, A.J. and Kevin stood there in silence. Isabella jumped when they heard a loud, metallic sound, and then a hollow crash.
"Brian? Brian are you okay?" said Isabella. There was no response.
"Hey Brian! Brian! Where are you? What happened?" said A.J., but there was still no response. Emalia grabbed Kevin's arm and headed for the stairs.
"Wait! Where are you guys going?"
"We're going upstairs. This place is giving me the creeps!" said Emalia.
"What about Brian?" said A.J.
"Stay down here and look for him. We're going upstairs to look for Cassandra and Nick, and to look for a flashlight," said Kevin. They watched as the two ascended the basement stairs, but left the door open.
"Do you think that Nathan's still in here?" said Emalia.
"Are you sure that it was Nathan that pushed you down the stairs?" asked Kevin.
"I'm positive."
"I'll kick his ass if he is here!" Emalia smiled.
"Let's find that flashlight," interjected Emalia.
"There's probably one upstairs." They walked upstairs and tried their room first.
"Brian?" Isabella asked into the darkness. "Okay Brian, this really isn't funny!" Just then, the basement door slammed.
"I'm going to go look for Brian wait right here," said A.J.
Isabella whimpered. "No, don't."
"I'll be right back. I promise," and A.J. too disappeared into the darkness. Isabella stood there, folding her arms nervously. She turned around and looked pleadingly at the door that had slammed, but she was too scared to move. Just then, she felt two hands rest on her shoulders.
She jumped and shrieked. "A.J.! You scared me!" She swung around and hit him in the arm, but he didn't say anything. She couldn't see him, but she thought that he seemed a little short. "A.J. did you find Brian?" He didn't answer. "Well did you?" Just then she felt two more hands touch her.
"Hey who are you talking to?" Isabella took one hand and put it on one person and took her other hand and put it on who she thought was A.J., and screamed.
"Oh my, oh my God! Oh my God!" she screamed.
"What? What?"
"Which one of you is A.J.?" she squealed.
"I am!" said the guy on her right.
"No I am!" said the guy on her left. She was so scared and her heart was beating so loudly, that she couldn't tell who was really A.J. Just then, she felt another pair of arms on her. She screamed.
"What's wrong? Who are you talking to?"
"A.J.?"
"Yeah, who else would I be?"
"No I'm A.J.!" said the person on her left.
"No I'm A.J.!" said the person on her right. Isabella put her hands on her face and ran up the stairs and slammed the door behind her. She looked back at the door, still running, until she literally ran into Emalia and Kevin.
"Whoa! What's wrong?" said Kevin. Isabella was breathing so hard and could barely get the words out.
"There are-are-are-three A-A-A.J.'s down-stairs!"
"What do you mean, three?" said Emalia.
"Well, when I was down there, there were three pairs of hands on me, and all saying that they were A.J.!"
"Well we have a flashlight. Let's go check it out," said Kevin. They opened the door and shone the light down the stairs.
"Hey watch where you're pointing that!"
"A.J.!" Isabella screeched and ran down the stairs and hugged him.
"Yeah, who else would I be?"
"I don't know. Let's just get out of the basement."
"But what about Brian, and Mercedes, and Nick, and Cassandra?" said Emalia. Cassandra sat up. "Man does my head hurt! Where am I? Why do I feel so heavy?" Just then the lights came back on.
"Look!" said Isabella. Kevin turned off the flashlight, and they all ran down the stairs and over to the pile of people by the metal pole. Cassandra touched her head and saw blood on her fingertips.
Nick woke up next and groaned loudly. "Why are Brian, Mercedes and you all squishing me? Did I miss something?" A.J. and Kevin helped up Mercedes and Brian. Nick lightly pushed Cassandra off of him.
"You have a huge gash on you head," said Cassandra to Nick. "I am never letting you talk me into anything again." A.J helped Nick off of the ground and stood there for a second to make sure that he wouldn't fall over. Nick held out his hands, and pulled Cassandra to her feet. She stumbled a little and fell against him. "I'm still a little dizzy."
"What happened?" Brian asked.
"We found you guys down here all unconscious.," said A.J.
"You guys all right?" asked Isabella.
"What time is it?" Nick asked.
"It's about nine o'clock," said A.J. looking at his watch.
"I think we should go home. Who's up to driving?" said Cassandra.
"I will if you show me where to go," said Kevin and Cassandra nodded. Mercedes and Brian stood up.
"Oh Cass, was it Andrew?" whimpered Mercedes.
"I thought it was," she started. "He felt so real." Brian put his arm around Mercedes, and Nick put his arm around Cassandra and they all walked upstairs.
The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle when they got into the living room.
"Get your stuff and we'll get out of here," said Isabella. Brian, Mercedes, Nick, Cassandra, Emalia, and Kevin, went quickly into their rooms and hurried back down the stairs.
"Okay, let's go!" said Mercedes. Cassandra locked the door and they all split into the two cars. Kevin took Cassandra's car with Emalia, Mercedes and Brian, and Cassandra and Nick went with Isabella and A.J. Talk in the cars were very scarce.
"Does it hurt?" Cassandra asked Nick, moving her hand to his forehead and just touching gently around his cut. He winced a little.
"Yeah, it does."
"I'll fix it when we get home."
When both cars pulled into the driveway and they had all gotten their stuff together, they headed inside.
"Guys, what are you doing back so early?" Coreene asked from the couch. The eight of them slowly went over and slumped on the couches next to Coreene, Devon, Nicole, and Jonathan, while Cassandra and Nick went into the kitchen.
"It's ten thirty, and out stay got a little bit weird," said Emalia.
"Here, sit," said Cassandra pulling up a stool to the kitchen counter. She got some rubbing alcohol from the cabinet and a tissue.
"Is this gonna hurt?" asked Nick.
"I don't know, you tell me," said Cassandra as she put the tissue with alcohol on his forehead.
"Yeah, that stings." She gently blotted his cut, and went to get a band-aid.
"Which one do you want? Pooh or Tigger?"
"Hard decision. Um, Tigger."
"Good choice." She put the band-aid on his head, and went to get another tissue. She held it out to him. "Will you do mine now? I can't see it." He nodded and took the tissue from her. He poured some alcohol on it and place it on her forehead. She closed her eyes, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Does it hurt that bad?" he asked removing the tissue from her forehead.
"No, I was just thinking. I thought that it really was Andrew."
"I know." They both got up and joined everyone in the living room.
"Hey, it's Tigger and Pooh! It's a lovely look for you guys!" said A.J. laughing.
"Gee, thanks," said Nick.
"I have a bruise on my arm," said Brian to Mercedes.
"Aw," she said and kissed it.
"All better!" They both smiled at each other. The people that had gone to the beach house that day, were still a little shaken and very tired.
"So what happened today?" asked Devon, but it was surprisingly quiet. When he looked around, everyone but him, Coreene, and Jonathan, were all asleep.
"I guess that we'll ask them in the morning," said Jonathan. Devon and Coreene agreed and the three of them continued to talk.