Earth

Suddenly, a scratch sounded, and the darkness reeled backwards as a match was struck and a candle was lit. An eerie creaking sounded, a hunched shadow cast against the wall from the candle's glow. Withered feet shuffled up the stairs and across the floor, the hand reaching out and coming to a rest on a door handle.

The old woman's hand tensed and shook before the doorknob was twisted and the door came open. She then reached out her hand, and flicked on the light switch. Now the whole room which she had entered was bathed in a dim light, bookcases lined the walls and were set up along the floor. Now, the woman shifted along, the floor creaking softly underneath her frail body. I shall.... have... to fix the... house up.... before they come.... Agatha thought to herself softly, her eyes dull but ever so keen no matter what her actual age was.

She turned a corner behind a bookcase, and came to a wide-spread desk. Candles which were situated along the wall licked to life as the woman passed by them, casting a beautiful but extremely mysterious illumination. There was a thick bookshelf on either side of this desk, and books were lined up side by side, exactly 12 inches away from each other with a tiny ridge separating them.

The woman flashed an incredibly creepy smile to herself, waving her hands over the desk, her eyelids closing as she mumbled nonsense under her breath. Blue dust shook down gently from the candles and alighted onto each book, renewing their covers and bindings. Agatha clasped her hands together and smiled once again, turning and hobbling out of the room. At the door, however, she paused, pulling out a square of yarn with knitting needles attached. Mumbling once more, she began to twist the needles beside each other, hooking the yarn and releasing. A small rope was formed, and she mumbled just a tad bit louder, the yarn fastening itself at the doorway, setting a trap for anyone who might decide to go snooping.

However, before she could fully finish with her safeguarding, a honk sounded from outside. The woman's eyes flashed open, and she swore under her breath, quickly sending a mumble to fix up the walls and lighting, as well as flooring to make it look presentable on the inside. She then quickly hobbled down the stairs and came to the front door after a small while, her eyes flashing quietly as she opened the door. Now just to get the little objects into their rooms and settled before dinner starts.

She heaved the doors opened, and peered down at the driveway, seeing the first car arrive.

They would all probably come at different times, but she would send them the same message; "Hello, deary. Please please, come in. I'm sure you'll be able to find your room easily. Please stay there until dinner; listen for the bell."

""And then, the door closes behind you as you enter the mansion.""

Mark leaned back in the leather seat of his parents truck and let out a sigh, leaning his head on the window and watching as bushes an trees blazed by. Glancing over at his parents in the front of the truck he listened to their conversation.

"I can't wait to see the beach. Oh, and I heard they have a casino and a huuuge dining area on the boat as well." Hi mother said to his father as she looked over at him from the passenger seat. "What I want to do when we get their is stuff my face at the buffet. Then maybe do some miniature golf while you can go ahead and go swimming in the pool or something." His father said, making his mother laugh. "All you ever want to do when we go places is eat. Why don't we do something together while we are their too rather than just go around separately doing what we want." His father glanced over at his mother for a moment and smiled, then quickly looked back at the road. "Oh trust me we'll have plenty of time alone back at our suite...did you bring that lingerie you just bought?" His father said with a soft, seductive tone in which his mother responded with a sweet smirk. "Well, you'll just have to wait and see won't you?"

"Hey hey, I'd prefer you talk about that when I'm not in the car." Mark said with a laugh but meant it seriously. He'd rather not listen to his parents go on and on about their vacation while he was going to be stuck at some relatives house whom he'd never even met before. "You can sweet talk each other after I'm gone." His mother let out a laugh and looked back at him. "Sorry Mark, I forgot you were in the care for a moment!"

"Oh, he's seventeen I'm sure he knows what we are talking about. Right Mark? Haven't you got yourself a girl to talk about lingerie with?"

His fathers word caused a small blush to creep itself across Mark's face and he quickly shook his head. "What of course not and I wouldn't talk about that stuff anyway!" He blurted out nervously, then looked back out the truck window again and sighed. "Please stop talking now..." he murmured, wanting to change the subject. Why is my dad such a weirdo.. he thought to himself, just now realizing that the truck had come to a stop out front of a huge mansion that almost looked as if it had been deserted. Somebody actually lives here? The truck door opened and his mother held out the strap to his duffel bag to him. He stepped out and took the bag from her and she leaned in and gave him a hug before getting back into the passenger seat of the truck. "See you soon!" his father said. "Be careful!" his mother said just afterward, then the truck pulled away.

quick goodbye. He thought to himself, throwing the strap to his bag over his shoulder and approaching the front door. He barely had to knock at all when it opened up for him and and old woman stood in front of him.

"Hello, deary. Please please, come in. I'm sure you'll be able to find your room easily. Please stay there until dinner; listen for the bell." the old woman said and Mark gave a small wave and a smile. "Alright, uhm, I'll just head upstairs then." He said and began to make his way upstairs, wondering if maybe that was the maid or something. The introduction was a bit quick and he hadn't even told her his name, but he would get to that later. Right now he just wanted to get to his room, unpack, and eat some dinner.

Kerri sat in the back seat, silent as always. She was simply watching the scenery flash by as her mother drove while following her father's directions. She had learned about this mysterious grandmother just last week. The same time that they got the notification that they won the contest their hospital had put on. They hadn't remembered entering one but the letter said that they had simply been entered automatically. They were excited about having a trip to themselves and, while she was pleased for them, she was also scared. Her parents would have never before left her with someone who she did not know, or even know of. Yet now they were about to drop her off. She looked down to the large sketch pad in her lap and doodled absently. It was there for her to write messages on and also for whatever she wanted it for. How would this relative take her being mute? How would they communicate effectively? It was always something that worried her when she met new people. The movement of the car soothed her and she let her eyes droop shut.

"Honey, we're here. Are you okay?" Kerri blinked and looked up at her mother who smiled down at her. She smiled back and nodded. Her mother straightened up out of the door to let her get out of the car. "You're father has already taken your bags out of the trunk. You know the number of our hotel right? Just in case?" She nodded again as she clutched her sketch pad to her chest. Her mom gave her a quick hug before getting back into the passenger seat. Kerri went to the trunk where her father was waiting with her bags. She had a rolling luggage and a duffel bag. Before she picked up the duffel bag her dad reached up and stroked her hair gently.

"I know your mom has asked you but...you have the number yes?" With a small smile she nodded again. He held the back of her head and dropped a kiss onto her forehead. "Your a strong girl and extremely likable, you would be fine." She looked down so she wouldn't cry and grabbed her bags - her duffel she swung over her shoulder and her free hand took the extended handle of the rolling luggage. He went back to the drivers seat and they waved at her as they drove away.

After a few minutes she worked up the nerve to stop staring at the now empty road and turned towards the mansion where her supposed relative lived. It was large but not in the best of shape it seemed. Understandable if she was the only one living there. Cautiously she went to the door and rang the doorbell. An old woman answer and spoke to her quickly. "Hello, deary. Please please, come in. I'm sure you'll be able to find your room easily. Please stay there until dinner; listen for the bell." Kerri blinked but the woman was already gone. How was she supposed to find her room in this huge place? She walked inside and closed to door quietly behind her. Well..she had best get looking.