The Bright Light

“Ready?” Neil asked, stuffing his water bottle into his bag.

“Yes,” Kristina replied. “Let’s just, uh, get this over with, I guess.”

They walked through the lawn, the grass reaching up to Kristina’s knees. She itched her thigh, regretting her agreement to do this with Neil.

“How did you ever get me to do this with you?” She asked, almost angry.

“Woah, calm down,” Neil said, holding his hands out in front of him. he shrugged. “To answer your question, it’s because you are easy to fool. Now, no more talking. They say this place is haunted, and ghosts can hear you from all around.” Kristina sighed, rolled her eyes, then crossed her arms. She looked up, gulping with fear at the giant abandoned mansion towering in front of her. She didn’t believe Neil’s words, but for some reason she still felt that she should be scared. As they walked closer to the mansion's rusted wrought-iron gates, Kristina’s heart raced in her chest, the thumping almost drowning out Neil’s next few words.

“Are you okay?” Neil asked. “We can go back.”

“No!” Kristina snapped, glaring at him. Neil shrunk back in alarm, for it was rare for Kristina to yell. “I agreed to this, and we are doing this.” She was not going to act like a coward in front of the guy she was trying to impress. She had had a crush on him for years, and only now are they becoming friends. She wanted him to have that spark for her that she had for him, and she wasn’t going to ruin her progress at that moment.

Neil smiled. “Alright, bet.” He looked back at the gates, and placed his foot on one of the bars. After testing his weight on it to make sure he wouldn’t fall, he started to climb it. Kristina watched him with a mix of admiration and anxiety, her heart still racing in her chest.

He hopped over to the other side, and looked at her with his bright amber eyes. “It’s obviously safe,” he said. “So climb it!”

Taking a deep breath, Kristina nodded. She place her feet onto the gate, and hoisted herself over it. She landed gracefully on the other side, and brushed her hands against one another.

A cool breeze swept through the abandoned garden, sending a shiver down Kristina's spine.

“Well,” Neil said, breaking the silence. “Let’s go.”

Without waiting for a response, Neil took off at a brisk pace, disappearing into the overgrown path ahead. “Wait!” Kristina called out, frantically searching for where Neil had vanished. Waving plant strands gave her a clue, and she ran through them, running into Neil. The force of her body weight sent them both tumbling down the hill that led to the front door of the mansion. Kristina hopped up, brushed herself off, then reached for Neil’s hand. “I am so sorry,” she said. Neil took her hand, and pulled himself up. “It’s okay,” he replied with a glint of amusement in his eyes. “That is sure one way to get to the front entrance quickly.”

Neil and Kristina gazed at each other for a brief moment, before looking away abruptly. Neil let go of Kristina’s hand, and walked over to the giant wooden doors. He tried shaking them open, but after some force, the doors would not budge. “They’re locked,” he declared finally. 

Kristina sighed. “Does this mean that we’re locked out, and we can’t go inside?” She asked hopefully.

“No, silly!” Neil smiled. “Let me try one last time, alright?”

“Fine.” Kristina closed her eyes, praying that whatever he was going to do wouldn’t work. She wondered what he would possibly do to break inside of this mansion, but deep down, she had a sinking feeling that his attempt would only attract unwanted attention. Kristina heard Neil took a deep breath, preparing himself mentally for the task at hand.

BANG!

Kristina’s eyes flew open, and she was immediately swarmed by a cloud of dust and debris. “Neil?” She called urgently. No reply. “Neil!”

The dust cloud finally blew away with the breeze, and Kristina saw Neil standing next to the entrance. The doors were no longer in sight, and Kristina peered through the wooden frame, wondering if she could see them.

And there they were, still clattering on the floor as they landed. Kristina turned to Neil. “How did you do that?” She asked, astonished. “It was so powerful!”

“I kicked it,” Neil replied smoothly. “Now, let’s just take a look around, then we can go home.”

Kristina nodded, then stepped inside, Neil close behind her. The air inside was heavy and still, as if holding its breath. The room was empty and eerie, and whenever Kristina of Neil made a sound as little as a scuffle of their feet, it would echo loudly.

All of a sudden, their was the sound of footsteps coming from upstairs. Kristina looked up, and saw the staircase next to a wooden balcony that overlooked the room. She shivered. “N-Neil?”

“What’s wrong?” Neil asked with concern.

“I-I think we’re being watched…”

“What do you mean?” Kristina pointed to the balcony, where a shadowy figure now stood. The figure lifted its arm, and something glistened in its grasp. With the click of a button, a bright light shone from the object, blinding Kristina in its wake. “Run!” Neil’s call sounded from behind her, so she turned around and ran straight into a wall. The sound of Neil’s footsteps leaving the building crowded her ears. Turned away from the light, Kristina was able to open her eyes and see where she was going. The doorframe was apparently to her left, and she ran through it, panting. She caught up to Neil at the gates, and they climbed them.

“We are never doing that again.” Neil announced. “This was a stupid idea. I’m sorry, Kristina, that I was able to drag you into this.”

Kristina felt her gaze soften. “It’s okay, Neil.” She said. “Now we know to never do something like this. Now, let’s hurry up and get home before that figure catches us again!”

And, with that, they ran home, never to see the abandoned mansion again.