The house was empty, abandoned, windows broken, the door half fallen off. I turned back to my friends, all still standing at the gate. Why did I have to be the one dared to go inside, I thought to myself. I tried to steady my breathing; my hands were still shaking as they pushed open the door with a creak.
The house was empty except for little bits of furniture laying around in the front room of the house. I took a step in, the floor boards creaking under my weight. I heard the faint chants of my friends from the gate. All amazed that I'd gotten this far.
Inside, the house was dusty, but still neat; all the remaining furniture standing up and was displayed as it would be in anyone's house. My gaze found the stairs. Half had fallen in with the age of the building, but blood stains still remained at the bottom of the stairs were little Jimmy had been killed. My stomach clenched, I couldn't stand the thought of stepping where someone had died. I sucked in a deep breath, making my way up the stairs. The stairs creaked like everything else in the house. I stepped over the many broken stairs, trying not to fall in what looked like the basement; where the rest of the family died I added to myself. The blood stains were visible right up to the little boy's bedroom door. All I had to do now was find something from the room to take back and I could go. I would reach the end of my dare. I could get out of this place.
The room still had the furniture in it, some drawings stuck on the wall, a small desk in the corner. Then I saw his bed, blood soaked sheets, and the knife, the knife stuck out from what looked like the shape of a body under the covers, I felt sick, the blood still looked wet, moisture soaking in and around the knife, I couldn't help from moving closer, I had to see what was under the covers. My hand tightened around the bottom edge of the sheets, as I was about to pull a voice came from behind me, "Get out!" it commanded, I spun around scared, like a little kid with their hand in a cookie jar. But it was not what I expected, I expected one of my friends but no, it was a kid, he looked about 11 or 12, he sat on the desk, hunger in his eyes, blood covered his body, from head to toe. I was frozen, a knife stuck out of his chest, blood still slowly falling from the wound.
"Get out!" he said again, harsher, loader than before. I didn't move, I couldn't, "Now!" He yelled jumping off the desk. He walked over to my frozen body, his steps not making a sound. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I wanted to run and scream, but something was stopping me.
"What, can't you hear me, I said, out!" still nothing, he moved his face in front of mine; he didn't breath he just stood there, staring me in the eyes, "OUT!"
I found my voice, my curiosity kicking in, "What happened to you?" my hand rose to touch his face, he stepped back, raising his hand, pointing to the door.
"Out or I'll make you go" his voice was stern, my feet started moving towards the door, his eyes never leaving mine, but there was something other than anger in them, he looked scared.
"What happened to you?" I asked again, this time I wasn't leaving without an answer.
"More than you need to know" he's gaze slid to the lump in the bed, "more then you want to know" he's voice went sad, but the look on his face remained.
"Do you know what happened here?" I was not going to leave without some explanation.
"My dad happened" his gaze went back up to me, he continued "now go, you're not safe here; you've awakened him." His body disappeared. So too, the lump in the bed.
"Jimmy, what's going on in there?" A husky voice came from across the hall, my head spun around. "Answer me Jim" there was a pause, "I'm coming in there" footsteps got louder, sounded close to the door, I was frozen again. The panic was starting to get to me.
