There was a wad of papers buried underneath the many odds and ends of this week’s garage sale, almost like they were trying to hide. Amongst the clutter, I found a bundle of envelopes, neatly stacked with a tight rubber band around them. I brought it to the attention of the man whose garbage I was rummaging through, only for him to not show any interest in what I was showing.
“Do you mind if I buy these from you?” I asked expecting a no.
“It’s just a bunch of junk; feel free to take them,” to my shock, he answered.
I was a bit of a collector, though my main goal was always some sort of reimbursement; I would buy junk and sell it for well over it’s worth, it was a living that many weren’t proud of. I suppose, in lack of another word, I scammed people. I took the envelopes home expecting nothing, but a story between two lovers, however I was shocked at what was written on the pages. I started with the first envelope dated June 1st. The paper inside was damaged and the ink was fading, but I will meticulously copy the scribble that inhabits the page.
-————–
June 1st
We sat around the campfire late last night, jumping to sound of every branch breaking off from the strong foundation its tree. With every noise, we thought it was going to be Declan, though it was not. The wind sang through the night, a constant howl carrying the sounds of night swallowing the joys of the day. I feared that we were going to be picked off one by one by those who inhabit the forest. There are stories of people entering the forest to never return. I often ask myself why are we here, but i know the answer, we need answers. Where did these people go?
“Where do you think these stories of people disappearing come from?” I asked the group.
“They’re just stories, nothing is out here for you to be scared over,” a shadowy Nolan responded.
“I’m not scared, I’m interested in finding the truth.”
June 2nd
I sought out for any supplies I could find this morning. I found small pieces of wood, perfect for fires, a few berry bushes, though my search was abruptly ended as I stumbled across an abandoned home. Why is there an abandoned home in the middle of the forest? What’s going on? The home boarded up from head to toe. I was terrified to approach. Could this be the center of it all? Do people disappear to this place? Is Declan inside? I brought the discovery to the attention of our guide.
“So, Nolan, what’s the story about the house?” I asked.
“What house?” Nolan responded.
“The house up there on the ridge. You can’t tell me you know nothing about it.”
Nolan was one of the best guides you could find. He’s been on many excursions throughout his life; whether it be dense forests or baron plains, he’s seen it all, including this expanse. Oddly enough, seemed puzzled.
“You’ve gotta be shitting me. There’s no house. I’ve been in these parts several times.”
“I’m not! I’ll show you. Let’s go in the morning.” It was getting late so our excursion would have to wait until morning.
June 3rd
We woke up early this morning, I carefully backtracked to where the house stood. Pushing back the small branches blocking our path.
“The house is right over here!” I exclaimed, pushing away the few remaining branches in our path.
“Are you sure you didn’t eat anything you weren’t supposed to?” Nolan joked.
“Shut up, I’m telling you. It’s right over here.”
The branches gave way only to give way to more branches, to more trees. I honestly was confused. There was no house. I have no idea what’s going on right now, but I know I saw a house. It was huge, a mansion. You could tell that in its prime it was a lovely home, a sturdy structure made of brick, with glimmering white beam supports in the front. What had happened to it?
I spent the rest of my day gathering more supplies. I didn’t want to be looked at. To be mocked by the rest. I know what I saw.
June 6th
Declan finally returned, covered in dried blood. After days of fear that he was dead, he was back; but, he seemed different. Declan was an adventurer, balls to the wall type of guy, like many of us, though what made him different from the rest of us was that he was never one to back down from a challenge often one set by himself. The first night Declan concocted some elaborate plan of him catching a deer, killing it, and then using it to provide for the rest of the group.
“I got the deer,” Declan quietly proclaimed.
“What do you mean you got the deer,” I responded confused. There was no deer in sight, though Declan was covered in dried blood.
“Yeah. I caught it, I killed it. Then it came.”
“It, what it? Declan, you got to tell us.” You could tell that Declan wasn’t entirely there. Something was bothering him, with every mention of whatever it was it seemed to agitate him.
“I don’t know what it was. It had no eyes. It was dark, I couldn’t really get a good look at it until—,”
Petrified. “—Until what?” I responded.
“I don’t know. Everything went so fast. I tried to run. Can we please stop?”
Something was bothering him. I don’t plan to sleep tonight.
June 8th
After a few days, the group decided it was a good time to question Declan a bit more. Declan seemed to be returning to his normal self, though he’d occasionally seem spooked, as if, someone or something was watching him. Sure, we were watching him, but I think he thought something else was watching him.
“Hey Declan, can we get some answers?” I asked, “Do you remember anything else?”
“Not really. There’s something out there though,” he responded.
“What’s out there? That doesn’t help us, Dec. Where did it come from?”
“A house.”
Enraged, Nolan jumped up and grabbed Declan by the shirt, “There’s no fucking house out here! I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I’ve been here before there’s nothing!”
“There is one though, a big one—.”
“Like a mansion?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
June 9th
We packed up camp prepared to find this mysterious house. We walked for hours, not seeming to make any ground. We followed carefully behind Declan only for us to stumble upon the remains of the campsite we left this morning.
Puzzled, I asked, “How is this possible? We didn’t deviate from Declan’s path at all.”
No one had a response for me, and frankly, I wasn’t expecting one. We were scared. It was getting late, we were tired from a long day’s work so we decided to set up camp in the exact place we left it in the morning.
June 10th
Overall, last night was bizarre. We have no idea what’s going on. Some are speculating we are in a maze, where others believe we’re going mad; I don’t know what to think anymore, I’m still driven to find the elusive mansion that’s crossed both Declan’s and my path.
“Why don’t we set off towards the direction I saw the house today,” trying to find some sort of drive, I proclaimed.
“What’s the point?” Declan responded.
“Why don’t you want to find it? I figured of all people you’d be one gung-ho in finding it.”
“I’m scared—,” Declan was interrupted by a gust of wind carrying what sounded like screams. Though they didn’t sound human. There was a deep low scream, echoed by a high-pitched scream coming the direction we ought to set off to. I began to second guess myself because I didn’t want to face the monstrosity Dec faced, but deep down I knew it was something we all had to do, together.
We set off.
June 11th
Throughout the night, the screams didn’t stop and we seemed to be getting closer. There were moments throughout the night where we spooked ourselves, stepping loudly on some leaves, breaking branches. The silence we did have was filled with the screams of the beings we’ve yet to face.
We reached the clearing where I had taken the group a few days ago, but this time, to everyone’s amazement, a dismal mansion lay in the clearing, though it wasn’t how I remembered it, the door that was once boarded up was open, almost as if it was inviting us to go inside.
I didn’t think I would find myself asking to turn back, but I did. “I think we should go back, I don’t think we belong here anymore.”
“Let’s just stick around for a bit with the house in sight and see what happens,” Nolan proclaimed.
We set up camp just inside the woods where the mansion was just visible. We could see the darkness of the door. Nothing was going to enter or leave without us knowing. We set up shifts by drawing sticks; unfortunately, I drew the short stick, meaning I was first watch.
June 12th
I don’t know what time it is, but I’m still on my watch. There’s the howling wind, the snores of my counterparts, and drum of my heart, I have no idea what to listen to anymore. My eyes are locked on the door, only glancing down every so often to write these words. I think we should enter the mansion, we need to find out what’s inside if anything at all. I fear that there may be remains of those lost to these woods, but I pray that they’re none. My shift is about to end, I can feel my eyes getting heavy.
Nudging Declan, “Hey, you’re up! Your shift starts now—.”
June 13th (Final Envelope)
Declan woke us all up abruptly last night, he claimed he saw something exit the house, but he was too petrified to move. He described the figure as dark, almost like a shadow, almost like it didn’t exist. He said that it had no eyes just as he did before, and that it reacted to an astray sound coming from the forest.
After a long discussion, we decided as a group we should enter the house, everyone’s curiosity has gotten the better of them, including my own. Perhaps we’ve all gone mad, we’re insane to even set foot in that house, but something is drawing us in. I don’t know what to expect upon entering the mansion. Part of me is excited, yet the other half of me is anxious and terrified. We’re getting ready to enter the mansion now. Declan approached me,
“You ready?” Dec asked.
“Yeah.”
-—————-
That was it. That was the last envelope. I was driven. I needed to find out the rest of the story. What happened to the group? Did they succumb to the house as many others did before them? I returned to the origin of this story, the house where I found the envelopes. I spoke to the man, who at first didn’t seem to care, but as soon as I began to mention my findings in the story his curiosity seemed to peak.
“Do you know anything about the story?” I asked. Though it seemed the curiosity had peaked he still didn’t want to answer my questions it was almost like he wanted to hear the rendition found in the envelopes in its entirety. So, I recounted everything, but as I finished I no longer felt welcome so I decided to leave. I stood up, reaching out to shake the man’s hand.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” I stated.
“You can call me Dec.” The man responded with a devilish smirk.