Sarah's Victorian

“Monika, I told you. I entered the contest last week and I just heard back.” I wrapped the hair band around my ponytail extra tight so we could finish our run through Old Mead’s Park. The wind suddenly seemed more volatile as it produced a low humming moan that whispered through the dying fall leaves.

“Yes, but it seems odd, don’t you think? No one has ever heard of Sarah’s Victorian before. This town is small. You think someone would have heard of an old mansion just minutes from town. And being one hundred years old?”

“And that is precisely why I entered the contest. One night every decade they open it to the public and a costume contest? Count me in.”

“It sounds sketchy. How come I have never heard of this contest? No one else is talking about it.”

I winked, “I’m just more diligent. It’s not my fault I keep track of the goings on of this town. And how convenient that it’s on my birthday! Now you have to come.” We started to cool down, stretching our legs against an old park bench, wood splintering from its corners. “So, will you be my guest?”

“Can’t say no to a terrifying experience I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

“Now that’s the spirit!” I said.

“Speaking of spirits, do you think it’s haunted?”

“It is on Halloween night, if any spirits are going to be haunting around…but I doubt it. If it was, we definitely would have heard of it.”

“Unless everyone that goes there doesn’t make it back.” Monika said wide eyed.

“Better bring your mace, then.” I smiled.

The rest of the week flew by until suddenly, it was Thursday morning. Halloween day brought with it a crisp chill and stark cloud cover leaving the day feeling grey and frigid.

“I hope they’ve upgraded this mansion to have heat and running water.” Monika stated as she loaded her weekender into my truck.

I replied, “this isn’t the 1800’s.”

“I’m dropping a pin and sending it to Mike when I get there.”

“It is kind of weird that Google maps doesn’t have it listed…” I said.

“You’re not helping.” We both jumped into the front cab and took off toward Mainstreet, my gears creaking as we drove through a wall of thick fog. “The directions say to head east.”

“When?”

Monika exclaimed, “now!” I slammed on my breaks and I turned the wheel left as we skidded unto a small gravel road.

I asked, “are you sure this is right?”

“Miller road…” she checked the email on her phone again. “It says to continue four more miles.”

“This road goes on for four more miles? I thought this was protected forest.”

“Not protected from haunted mansions, apparently.”

The road continued to meander through thick forest until suddenly a large stone gate was before us, carefully guarded by two men flanking each side.

One man approached our car. “What is your business ma’am?”

“We are here for the Victorian contest. My name is April.”

The man walked back to his small stone shelter to check his computer then nodded. The gate began to open slowly as they waved us through. The road began to feel more manicured with expertly cut shrubbery and a hefty gate to protect the acreage. The beautiful scenery followed us up to the main entrance.

“Holy crap April are you seeing this?” Enormous columns were holding up a large tan mansion that looked well maintained despite its rustic age.

I said, “who knew this was sitting here, all this time?”

“Not me. Who owns it anyways?” Monika asked with her mouth agape.

“It really didn’t say, just some older couple. Apparently, it’s one of the oldest in the state.”

“Huh. You sure don’t know a lot about this for trudging both of us up here.”

“What can I say, I like adventure.”

As we pulled up to the front entrance a man took our keys and valeted our old truck. The sight of the blue Toyota against the Victorian looked rather misplaced. After the valet drove off, we were perched in front of the behemoth, taking in the sight.

“Where do we go now?” I asked as we both looked around. “There are other cars here, where are all of the people?”

“Dead?” Monika replied.

“Oh, stop. You know you’re excited.”

“I did bring some spirits of my own I’m ready to get into.”

I laughed as we approached the building, holding our belongings for the night. As we entered the front foyer we were met with a dazzling chandelier and large mirrors lining the sides of the entrance. The interior was mostly decorated in an older dark wood, and just twenty paces to our front stood a large spiral staircase.

Monika said, “this looks like the scene from Titanic when Jack’s ghost meets Rose.”

“Could be worse, yeah? It’s not like they haunted anyone.”

“How do you know? The movie straight up ended after that.” I rolled my eyes as we began to walk towards the staircase, hesitant since no one had approached. Suddenly, a man popped out of a room to the right, startling us.

“Ladies! So glad you arrived safe. Let me be the first to welcome you to Sarah’s Victorian.” He was wearing a tuxedo and looked like something out of an old black and white film. He held out his hand to shake ours. “Follow me and I will lead you to your room. The other guests have already arrived and are getting settled.”

We both followed, wide-eyed, as the mansion seemed to continue for in indeterminate amount of time. The man gestured to the different rooms as he led us forward. “It has 70 total rooms, two tennis courts and a swimming pool, which of course has been closed for the approaching snowstorm tonight.”

Monika gave me a look and whispered, “are you serious?”

“But it’s been upgraded, there’s heat!” I whispered back and smirked.

He continued to give us a small tour. “And on your right is the kitchen. Downstairs is where the servant’s quarters were, now they are mostly used as storage.” As we walked past the main kitchen entrance, a cool breeze brushed across our legs bringing goose bumps to the surface.

“And here, on the second floor, is room 217. Dinner and costumes will be at 8pm, enjoy.” He shut the door and backed out slowly.

“Did that seem overly dramatic?” I said as I turned around, taking in the room.

Monika popped her head out from inside the restroom. “This bathroom is huge! I love clawed tubs-” before she could finish her sentence a piercing scream was heard from upstairs.

“What was that!?” I said as Monika ran over.

“Sounded like someone screaming bloody murder to me. Not bloody-good-time, bloody murder.”

“Your suspicions are starting to grow on me…that sounded loud.”

“Good a time as any to break out the martinis. I even brought plastic glasses for your birthday. Because we’re classy ladies.”

As they tried to ignore the scream, they finished their martini olives with a fervor.

Then suddenly, a loud knock erupted from the front door of their sweet.

I said, “good gosh everything is so sensational here.”

“Check the peep hole first.” Said Monika.

“Guess I’ll be answering it-” I glared in her direction. As I peered outside through the peep hole, I said, “no one is there.”

“Are we starting to hear things?”

The knock sounded loudly again making both of us jump. I ran over to check again, “I don’t see anything. I’m opening it.” As I slowly opened the door and Monika backed towards the rear window, I exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, Monika…”

“What??”

“There’s nothing here but some liquid on the ground. Like drops of something.”

“Stop.”

“I’m serious, come look…”

As both women leaned down towards the ground, Monika said, “it looks like blood.”

“You can’t be serious…” It was me who backed away this time. “ It looks like it drips away from our door…and doesn’t it seem eerily quiet in here for having a house full of people?”

“It has to be theatrics, it’s Halloween, ya know?” Monika said with fake smile as we shut the door. “Let’s finish those martini’s before getting dressed.”

“Good call.” As we painted our faces white and sickly, a ring came from inside our room.

“Hello?” Monika said tediously as she picked up the old black rotary phone. “Hello?” She said again, then hung up with a strange look on her face.

“What on earth was that?”

“No one was there but I think I could hear breathing?”

“This place just keeps getting weirder and weirder.” As we started to get dressed as the Shining sisters, another knock came to the door.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” We said in unison.

This time, it was the man in a tuxedo that stood on the other side.

“Ladies, I regret to inform you that someone has gone missing. Have you seen a woman with long black hair come this way?”

“I haven’t. You Monika?”

“Nope, sorry. What happened? We thought we heard a scream.”

The man smiled a twisted smile, one that took longer than it should have to fold its way across his face. “That is nothing of your concern. I almost forgot; this box was left for you up front.” He laid the box at his feet and disappeared quickly down the hall.

“He could have handed it to me.”

“That’s weird about the woman, right? After that scream?” Monika said as she picked up the box for me. “Let’s see what’s inside.”

Upon opening the small package, a note fell to the floor reading:

“Dear Monika and April. This serves as your warning- if you are not present in the ballroom in ten minutes, action will be taken.”

“Ten minutes??? What kind of action are they on about? We’re not even completely ready yet!”

Monika replied, “is there anything else in the package?”

I unfurled a picture, “it’s an image of a woman, she looks like she’s in our hallway.” I handed it over. “Is that a bloody handprint on the outside of the package?”

“April, she has long black hair.” We both stared at each other with our mouths agape.

I asked, “should we go? To the ballroom? Or are we safer staying here?”

“We’ve already burned at least three minutes.”

Without another word we grabbed our purses and phones and ran out into the hallway.

“He never showed us the ballroom, Mon. Where do we go?”

She said, “I’m guessing it’s downstairs?”

As we turned left to the stairway, we both stopped in our tracks as a man in all black, face covered, stood just at the top of the stairwell. His long dark hair was matted and greasy and fell just over his dark eyes. Screaming, we turned on our heals to the emergency side stairway that ran the opposite direction.

Looking behind as we ran, I thought I could see dark movement just seconds away. We kicked it in high gear as hotel doors blurred by in a fog. No one else seemed to be present. As we pushed open the metal door and ran down the stairwell, we appeared in another, darker and with a musty aged feel to it.

Fortunately, on the wall there was a gold paneled sign that directed us towards the ballroom. Following its direction, we ran headfirst into a large room.

“SURPRISE!” I looked around the room, confused, then noted Monika laughing hysterically behind me.

“What on earth?” I said as my mother approached me in a hug.

“We’re you surprised? Happy birthday honey!”

I turned to Monika, “I’m about to murder you! You knew all along!”

“I almost lost it when I saw your brother at the top of the stairs” she turned to Steve, “nice touch!”

I couldn’t believe my eyes as an entire ballroom was filled with family and friends, balloons and streamers. I said, “I can’t believe it! What is this place? What about the contest I entered?”

“I had that inserted into your morning paper, good thing you bit! And I can’t believe you’ve never been here before.”

“I had no idea!”

Monika said, “I realized you didn’t know what this place was a few months ago when someone mentioned having a party here. My wheels started to turn…”

“I should’ve known better; you love scary things! You wouldn’t have been so scared to come along.”

She smiled. “Well, since we’re here, time for a Martini?”