Setting
Default Location for A Haunting in the South Dakota
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |
New housing development. USA, the Midwest. is a part of 
A Haunting in the South Dakota.
7 Characters Here
Patrick Scott Williams [0] I will continue with the destruction of your mind when I finish my tea. Have patience.
Ethan Cavalier Jr. [0] The exceptionally bright child of Layla Cavalier.
Layla Cavalier [0] "Can't you stay home a little while"
John Mayfair [0] Father of Matthew and Madeline
Colette Bellview [0] "Mama where did you go!"
Malevolent Specter [0] Troublesome ghost
Matthew & Madeline [0] "We've got each-other, that's what matters."
Start Character Here »
- 79 posts here • Page 1 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
0.00 INK
The new houses going up were your typical cookie-cutter houses; they all looked the same, they all had the same amount of property, they were all evenly spaced out around the new suburb complex. They were all without history and approved by various inspectors. The only real difference between these houses and any other house is that they are a little bit larger in size. The land was clean. It held not a body, nor blood; this was land that was at peace and rightly so. As soon as the buildings popped up into the market, thanks to the need for housing, buyers grabbed at the chance to buy it despite the grass not even completely grown in yet. Soon, people were moving into the houses. More specifically, the Mayfairs and the Cavaliers.
The Mayfair family was a family of three consisting of the father, John , and his two children, twins Matthew and Madeline Mayfair. The Cavalier family was also a family of three, consisting of the mother, Layla Cavalier, her daughter of three years, and of course her high-school 'sweetheart' husband who is rarely around the two. What these families are not aware of is that they have more of a connection than they think, one that can only be discovered by digging deep into the history of the two families, and perhaps into the history of someone who died a long time ago in a country that was not even their own. One that is, perhaps, a little more sinister than a tie in blood...
It was early autumn, though there were few trees around to sport the typical colors of a sunset, and the sun was high in the sky on that first Saturday morning...
The Mayfair family was a family of three consisting of the father, John , and his two children, twins Matthew and Madeline Mayfair. The Cavalier family was also a family of three, consisting of the mother, Layla Cavalier, her daughter of three years, and of course her high-school 'sweetheart' husband who is rarely around the two. What these families are not aware of is that they have more of a connection than they think, one that can only be discovered by digging deep into the history of the two families, and perhaps into the history of someone who died a long time ago in a country that was not even their own. One that is, perhaps, a little more sinister than a tie in blood...
It was early autumn, though there were few trees around to sport the typical colors of a sunset, and the sun was high in the sky on that first Saturday morning...
0.00 INK
Madeline Mayfair was up and out of the car the very instant that it stopped in front of the house. "Look at this, it's at least four times as big as our old apartment," she said brimming with enthusiasm. "And it has a yard." she added.
"I have a really bad feeling about this." Matthew said following his sister out of the car and making sure that the door closed securely behind them.
"Mattie, you always have a bad feeling about something." Madeline countered. She put her hands on Matthew's shoulders. "Relax, okay?" she said with a small smile, "you'll be fine, I'll be fine, everyone will be fine." Over the years Madeline had become quite adapt at alleviating her twin's anxiety before it could turn into a panic attack. "Now let's unpack our stuff and then maybe we'll go meet the neighbors."
"Okay." Matthew responded. He got a box of their belongings out of the car and carried them inside the house.
"I have a really bad feeling about this." Matthew said following his sister out of the car and making sure that the door closed securely behind them.
"Mattie, you always have a bad feeling about something." Madeline countered. She put her hands on Matthew's shoulders. "Relax, okay?" she said with a small smile, "you'll be fine, I'll be fine, everyone will be fine." Over the years Madeline had become quite adapt at alleviating her twin's anxiety before it could turn into a panic attack. "Now let's unpack our stuff and then maybe we'll go meet the neighbors."
"Okay." Matthew responded. He got a box of their belongings out of the car and carried them inside the house.
0.00 INK
The drive from New York to the Dakotas had been a long and tiring trip, as one would imagine with two rambunctious teenagers packed like so many Sardines in a vehicle which was itself overflowing with the brick-a-brack that the family had accumulated over the years. John was usually an even-tempered man, but by the time John had stepped out of the car he was not in the best of moods. Raising his voice a bit he called out to his children, "Now don't just take your own stuff, you two. Come on, give me a break today. We have a lot of unpacking to do, so I don't wanna hear any complaints. Lets just get this done. The moving truck was only an hour or so behind us, should be here anytime now." The house was much bigger then anything the family had lived in since the death of John's wife and his children's stepmother Angela, a year ago. The lose of Angela was made even more devastating by the fact that his first wife had died only two years before. ""Drunk drivers who kill people should be execute themselves,"" John thought to himself angrily. Brushing the dark thoughts from his mind John commented on the similarly of the few homes that had been built thus far. Saying in the presence of his two children, "For some reason I'm reminded of the song Pleasant Valley Sunday by the Monkees." His children looking at him strangely as they wondered what the heck their father was talking about
0.00 INK
"Sorry dad. Really,really sorry." Matthew called from inside the house before running back and taking as many boxes as he could, and then some. He hated it when he felt like he wasn't doing what he was supposed to and felt immensely guilty upon realizing that he hadn't even thought about the other stuff. "Selfish." he called himself under his breath.
"Oops, sorry, I forgot." Madeline apologized before picking up a box. "Wait, the Monkees?" she asked.
"They're an old band." Matthew explained from behind a stack of boxes that was taller than he was, "I think they had their own TV show too. I don't know anything about the song though."
"Oops, sorry, I forgot." Madeline apologized before picking up a box. "Wait, the Monkees?" she asked.
"They're an old band." Matthew explained from behind a stack of boxes that was taller than he was, "I think they had their own TV show too. I don't know anything about the song though."
0.00 INK
Feeling a bit guilty himself about his outburst, which was very uncharacteristic for him, John made amends by grabbing a hold of his two children when they past him. "Well, let me educate you on the rad music of the Monkees. Now, I'm not the best singer in the world, but here goes." At which point John began to sing to his son and daughter, "The local rock group down the street is trying hard to learn their song. Serenade the weekend squire, just came out to mow his lawn. Another pleasant valley Sunday, charcoal burning everywhere. Rows of houses that are all the same, and no one seems to care." Smiling down at his kids, "Say, why don't we go order a pizza. We will need energy to get through all this unpacking. What do you guys think." As if any teenager needed a reason to eat pizza.
0.00 INK
"Sounds good to me." Maddie answered beaming.
Matthew nodded enthusiastically. "Yep," he agreed, "pizza would be great. Thank you."
"Mattie, how do you know about the Monkees?" Madeline asked looking over at the pile of boxes that her brother was either holding or buried under, she wasn't entirely sure which. She took a few boxes from the top of the stack but there wasn't really any noticeable difference. "He always does that," she thought, "he expects too much from himself."
"Thanks." Matthew said as Madeline lifted some of the boxes of of the small mountain he'd been trying to carry. He then answered her question. "I don't really remember, maybe there was a preview for the show on the Addams family." He turned back to his father and, because, as a general rule of thumb, Matthew must always be uneasy about something, said: "This place reminds me less of music and more of Poltergeist."
Matthew nodded enthusiastically. "Yep," he agreed, "pizza would be great. Thank you."
"Mattie, how do you know about the Monkees?" Madeline asked looking over at the pile of boxes that her brother was either holding or buried under, she wasn't entirely sure which. She took a few boxes from the top of the stack but there wasn't really any noticeable difference. "He always does that," she thought, "he expects too much from himself."
"Thanks." Matthew said as Madeline lifted some of the boxes of of the small mountain he'd been trying to carry. He then answered her question. "I don't really remember, maybe there was a preview for the show on the Addams family." He turned back to his father and, because, as a general rule of thumb, Matthew must always be uneasy about something, said: "This place reminds me less of music and more of Poltergeist."
0.00 INK
As Matt and Mattie continued to unload the car of the many boxes which they had crammed into the tight space John went inside to use the telephone, hoping that it had been hooked up, as the phone company had promised to deliver earlier that day.
0.00 INK
It had been several months since John last saw the interior of the home, it still seemed impressive to him. "At least I got my moneys worth aesthetically wise. There better be no damn problems with the plumbing." John thought to himself as he made his way through the house and into the kitchen.
0.00 INK
Within the confines of the kitchen, something watched and waited, invisible to the human eye as wind. Said something floated over to the telephone, hooked up to the wall. The phone had been hooked up, but a simple cutting of the wires could fix that up really well. When the phone was lifted from it's bed of off-white plastic, nothing but static was to be heard. A static, and perhaps a faint, faint ringing of silver bells. The house gave a light groan, as though it was shifting on it's foundation. Outside was chilly, though the chill seemed to seep in around the kitchen for only a moment longer before giving in to the warmth if the brand-new house. A small flock of birds in the back yard who were preparing to fly south took off in a drumming pound of flailing wings.
0.00 INK
"Hey, dad where did you want us to to set these?" Madeline asked as they carried some boxes inside. "Is there something wrong with the phone? Whoa, this place is big." She was surprised at the size of the houses considering their prices. Perhaps it was because they were new. Of course she knew Mattie would be worried that it were otherwise, she knew what he would say too; 'Maybe they cut corners during construction, maybe a nearby city is known locally for its high crime rate.'
Mathew looked over at his father and then the phone. "Didn't the phone company say that they would have the phone hooked up this morning?" he asked setting down the boxes he was carrying and coming over to see what, if anything, he could do to help.
"Maybe they didn't wire it correctly?" Maddie suggested.
Mathew looked over at his father and then the phone. "Didn't the phone company say that they would have the phone hooked up this morning?" he asked setting down the boxes he was carrying and coming over to see what, if anything, he could do to help.
"Maybe they didn't wire it correctly?" Maddie suggested.
0.00 INK
John had picked up the ear and mouth piece of the white wall-mounted phone to dial the number for information so he could call a nearby pizza joint and place an order. Picking up the receiver he was met with a buzzing static sound punctuated by spans of complete silence. John thought nothing of the small groan which was coming from the house, thinking that it was coming from the phone in his hand. When his children came into the kitchen and asked him about the difficulties he was having with the phone John had no answers. The phone was just one more thing which was irritating John about the house. "Yet another problem. First the damn phone, then a creek and now a cold spot." He was beginning to seriously consider the possibility of shoddy construction practices. "Ill use my cell for now, Ill call the phone company a little later. Most likely a loose wire somewhere."
0.00 INK
"Wait, a creek? What creek?" Madeline asked setting down the boxes she'd been carrying. As far as she saw there were no streams, brooks, or minor tributaries of a river anywhere nearby.
"Do either of you hear... bells?" Matthew asked them. He had his head tilted slightly to one side as he always did when he was listening intently for something. "Because I hear bells."
"Do either of you hear... bells?" Matthew asked them. He had his head tilted slightly to one side as he always did when he was listening intently for something. "Because I hear bells."
0.00 INK
"Not that kind of creek Mad. A strange noise I mean." John corrected his daughter. "This is a brand new developement, there should be no imperfections to be found." After this amendmentto his original comment John walkeed off into the dining room as he drew his cell phone from his front trouser pocket and dialed information. "I need the number for a local pizza place." Passing by the staircase to the second floor John could hear the sound of laughter, the laughter of a young girl, "But who, Mad is in the kitchen, must be my imagination" he thought. "Stress, perhaps." he thought further. Recieving the desired number and dialing it, John raised the cell to the mid-point between his ear and mouth. "I like to order a large pizza with sausage an........." John's voice trailed off as he stepped beyond the threshold and into the bright midday afternoon which awaited him outside of his new home.
0.00 INK
After they had finished bringing all the boxes in from the car Matthew and Madeline decided to go meet the neighbors. Meaning that Maddie had decided that they were going to meet the neighbors and Matthew went along with it because that's what Matthew does.
"You don't just knock on the door and say hello just because you want to meet them." Matthew said.
"Perhaps under normal circumstances," his twin countered, "however we're just moving in therefore we change to the new-neighbor social protocol."
"But we're the ones that are just moving in. And even if we were the welcoming committee, I believe an offering of food is required as part of the opening. Example; 'We heard that you'd just moved in and so we figured that we'd bring over a cake.'" Matthew reasoned.
Madeline seemed to consider this for a moment before turning to her brother and asking him if he'd like to go back and bake a cake. To which he responded that he couldn't and that she wouldn't wait for the cake to be done anyway. By the end of this exchange they had reached the house and Madeline knocked on the door.
"You don't just knock on the door and say hello just because you want to meet them." Matthew said.
"Perhaps under normal circumstances," his twin countered, "however we're just moving in therefore we change to the new-neighbor social protocol."
"But we're the ones that are just moving in. And even if we were the welcoming committee, I believe an offering of food is required as part of the opening. Example; 'We heard that you'd just moved in and so we figured that we'd bring over a cake.'" Matthew reasoned.
Madeline seemed to consider this for a moment before turning to her brother and asking him if he'd like to go back and bake a cake. To which he responded that he couldn't and that she wouldn't wait for the cake to be done anyway. By the end of this exchange they had reached the house and Madeline knocked on the door.
0.00 INK
"I guess they haven't moved in yet." Madeline said as they walked back home.
Matthew shrugged before replying "It's just as well, we didn't have any cake to give them. We didn't even have banana bread."
Maddie rolled her eyes. "Enough pointing out our lack of baked goods to give to people. Anyway, weren't they supposed to move in today?"
"I'm not sure." her brother answered as they arrived back home. "Hey dad," he called, "weren't some people supposed to move in next-door today?"
Matthew shrugged before replying "It's just as well, we didn't have any cake to give them. We didn't even have banana bread."
Maddie rolled her eyes. "Enough pointing out our lack of baked goods to give to people. Anyway, weren't they supposed to move in today?"
"I'm not sure." her brother answered as they arrived back home. "Hey dad," he called, "weren't some people supposed to move in next-door today?"
0.00 INK
Something sinister watched as Matthew and Madeline marched to and then from a house in the new suburb. It gathered in the dirt piles and behind the bricks; it fluttered around in the cool breeze. It watched in amusement as the two got back home, and approached the male from behind, stroking a cold and undeniably evil hand through the boy's hair, only to wisp away for the time being closer to the girl, smacking her rear end quickly and dissipating.
0.00 INK
Matthew yelped and leaped away from whatever had been touching his hair.
Madeline jumped before turning murderously looking for whoever had just decided to significantly shorten their lifespan. However she found she was unable to locate the person she'd planed to beat to a bloody pulp. Literally. Not this common nowadays usage of pulp, the actual meaning of the word 'pulp'. Think the same consistency as the pulp you find in orange juice.
"Maddie, something touched my hair." Matthew said, his unease made clear in that he had used his sister's nickname which he normally refused to use. "Also, what was that sound?"
Madeline's response was turning hear head slightly so that her twin could see the expression on her face.
It took only a moment longer for him to understand what that sound was and with this understanding came the answer to why Maddie had jumped. "They can't have gone far."
"Right, let's check the bushes and then we'll search the backyards." Maddie said.
Madeline jumped before turning murderously looking for whoever had just decided to significantly shorten their lifespan. However she found she was unable to locate the person she'd planed to beat to a bloody pulp. Literally. Not this common nowadays usage of pulp, the actual meaning of the word 'pulp'. Think the same consistency as the pulp you find in orange juice.
"Maddie, something touched my hair." Matthew said, his unease made clear in that he had used his sister's nickname which he normally refused to use. "Also, what was that sound?"
Madeline's response was turning hear head slightly so that her twin could see the expression on her face.
It took only a moment longer for him to understand what that sound was and with this understanding came the answer to why Maddie had jumped. "They can't have gone far."
"Right, let's check the bushes and then we'll search the backyards." Maddie said.
0.00 INK
John was in the kitchen by the sink as he dug through his wallet looking for enough cash to give the pizza delivery guy a decent enough tip, assuming he had done his job to a sufficant degree of satisfaction. He had heard Matt's question but did not answer, and even he couldn't understand why he had done such a thing. It was as if the words were stolen from his mouth, as if being seized by the throat in the tight grip from an unseen hand. All that was left behind were 'throaty' sounds which resembled the stutters and croaks of a deaf mute. "Eh. Eh. Eh. Eh." was all he could muster to spit forth. If they had compared notes at the time John as his two children would have realized that the strange phenomenon witnessed by each of them occured at the same exact moment. Other circumstances would soon occur to suggest that there was either a very strong force, with an unlimited reach to effect persons in a household of such grand expance, or the family was dealing with more then one apparition.
0.00 INK
After a while of fruitless searching, Maddie suggested that they split up to search the backyards. Matthew agreed to this only because he knew that his sister just wanted some time alone in which to cool down.
For a number of reasons, none of which he would have felt inclined to give if he were asked, Matthew decided to check their own backyard first. Expecting to see nothing, he was surprised to see that the basement door was open. While it occurred to him that the person he was looking for might be down there that was not entirely a good thing. After all, willingly entering a dark confined space with a person who's morals had already proved themselves to be sub-par at best, did not seem like the greatest idea once you stopped to think it over. In addition, moving into a nearly empty neighborhood where strange and/or unexplained events proceeded to occur plus going alone into the darkest place you could find, did not seem to be the greatest formula for staying alive, keeping your soul, or remaining in whatever mental state you arrived in, depending on what the monster, or ghost, or demon or whatever it was in this movie wanted to do to you. Very, very, very cautiously Matthew looked down the stairs. "Hello? Is anyone down th-" he slapped his hands over his mouth before he could finish the sentence which, if completed, would condemn him to a painful death moments later. Matthew was in movie-based paranoia mode.
Madeline searched halfheartedly for a little while longer, feeling increasingly guilty for sending Mattie off on his own. Eventually she gave up and went back to look for her brother.
For a number of reasons, none of which he would have felt inclined to give if he were asked, Matthew decided to check their own backyard first. Expecting to see nothing, he was surprised to see that the basement door was open. While it occurred to him that the person he was looking for might be down there that was not entirely a good thing. After all, willingly entering a dark confined space with a person who's morals had already proved themselves to be sub-par at best, did not seem like the greatest idea once you stopped to think it over. In addition, moving into a nearly empty neighborhood where strange and/or unexplained events proceeded to occur plus going alone into the darkest place you could find, did not seem to be the greatest formula for staying alive, keeping your soul, or remaining in whatever mental state you arrived in, depending on what the monster, or ghost, or demon or whatever it was in this movie wanted to do to you. Very, very, very cautiously Matthew looked down the stairs. "Hello? Is anyone down th-" he slapped his hands over his mouth before he could finish the sentence which, if completed, would condemn him to a painful death moments later. Matthew was in movie-based paranoia mode.
Madeline searched halfheartedly for a little while longer, feeling increasingly guilty for sending Mattie off on his own. Eventually she gave up and went back to look for her brother.
0.00 INK
John wandered around the house wondering where his children had gotten off to, the momentary lack of speech ability had faded back into full functionality as he ascended the stairs. John was about to take a final step onto the hard wooden floor which comprised the second story of his new home when he heard a noise coming from the backyard. Retracing his steps back down to the ground floor John made his way to the sliding doors which led into the fenced-in and spacious backyard. He had made several trips to Dakota to check over the house, but he never noticed the large doors which led to the small basement beneath the house. ""Well that explains everything."" He thought. "That smell. And the cold spot." He mumbled to himself. John stepped closer to the slanted doors which led to a short set of wooden stairs. Grabbing a hold of the rusted handle John pulled the doors apart. John could have sword his son had been standing somewhere in the vacinity, but by the time he made it out of the house his son was gone. What he could have never have fathomed was that his son was still standing right beside in the shadow of the house, John however could not see him as he was covered by a black spectral being, which wore him like clothing.
0.00 INK
"Hi dad." Matthew said as his father opened the door. Pleased that, if anyone were down there, their father would find them Matthew decided that he would see whether his twin was back yet. However when he reached the sliding door he saw in its reflection that he was enveloped by some strange shadow. With a shriek he tried desperately to pull the pull the dark specter off of him.
Maddie was almost at the house when she heard her brother screaming. Alarmed she ran to the house and charged through the front door. Hearing the sounds of panic coming from the backyard she headed that way, but in her hurry she tripped over a box and crashed to the floor.
Maddie was almost at the house when she heard her brother screaming. Alarmed she ran to the house and charged through the front door. Hearing the sounds of panic coming from the backyard she headed that way, but in her hurry she tripped over a box and crashed to the floor.
0.00 INK
John heard the disembodied voice of his son Matthew speaking to him from out of nowhere, and yet his mind did not jump to irrational thoughts of dark enveloping entities, he simply thought that the voice was coming from down within the basement. With this in mind John descended the stairs in an attempt to uncover the exact position that his son held within the darkness which lay beneath the foundation of the families new home. "Matt! Where are you?" John called out into the darkness, his beckoning receiving no response from his teenage son. The bleak and dark hole had all the accoutrement's of an old scary basement, complete with pipes which oozed forth stinking droplets of putrid liquid and an atmosphere which choked the visitor violently. It was an oubliette of hellish proportions, certainly not something one would expect from a brand new building constructed from scratch only six months ago. Within the house the dark being was slowly relinquishing its grip on Matthew.
0.00 INK
Matthew hadn't heard his father from the basement over his own panicked yells. Eventually he saw in the reflection that the shadow being was fading away. With a sigh of relief he slumped down with his back against the house.
Standing back up after her rather painful fall Madeline heard Mattie stop screaming. When she got to the back door he was sitting against the wall of the house. "You alright?" she asked crouching in front of him so that they were eye to eye.
"T-There was some weird, shadow... thing." he stammered in shock attempting to explain.
"Shadow thing?" his sister echoed. She doubted he was losing his mind but what he was saying made no sense whatsoever. "Clam down and breathe." Maddie instructed running a hand through his hair. "Start at the beginning and go from there."
"Well the basement door was open and I was thinking about going to find out why and then dad came outside and went into the basement and I was going to go look for you and then I saw in the reflection from the door the here was some dark shroud thing was clinging to me."
Standing back up after her rather painful fall Madeline heard Mattie stop screaming. When she got to the back door he was sitting against the wall of the house. "You alright?" she asked crouching in front of him so that they were eye to eye.
"T-There was some weird, shadow... thing." he stammered in shock attempting to explain.
"Shadow thing?" his sister echoed. She doubted he was losing his mind but what he was saying made no sense whatsoever. "Clam down and breathe." Maddie instructed running a hand through his hair. "Start at the beginning and go from there."
"Well the basement door was open and I was thinking about going to find out why and then dad came outside and went into the basement and I was going to go look for you and then I saw in the reflection from the door the here was some dark shroud thing was clinging to me."
0.00 INK
John was still moving around in the darkness of the creepy basement as Mattie and Mathew discussed his encountered with the dark ghost force which had momentarily taken over his body. The sheer immensity of the dwelling was also apparent within this basement, although there were walls of dirt which separated the various chambers which existed beneath the house, John's only means of getting his barring within the basement was the light coming from the basement doors. John had turned a corner when he heard several sudden disturbing sounds, John was terribly frightened as he stepped back into the main basement area, with the addition of several other strange sounds John had lost his barring and the door which provided his light had been violently shut by some unseen force, "Perhaps it was the wind" John thought.
0.00 INK
"Mattie," Madeline said sounding concerned, "are you sure you didn't just see the curtain through the door?" The basement door next to them then slammed shut for no discernible reason.. Turning back to her twin she said "Very well, continue."
"I propose that we are being picked on by one or more spectral beings. Most likely ghosts unless you've stolen some ancient artifact, recently botched a summoning or angered a gypsy. Therefore I suggest we adopt the horror movie survival code."
Maddie considered for a moment . "Fine, but only until we know what it is, assuming it is anything. Didn't you say dad was in the basement?"
Unable to open the door that had slammed shut they descended into the basement from the interior of the house, holding hands so that they would not become separated. As they went they called for their father.
"I propose that we are being picked on by one or more spectral beings. Most likely ghosts unless you've stolen some ancient artifact, recently botched a summoning or angered a gypsy. Therefore I suggest we adopt the horror movie survival code."
Maddie considered for a moment . "Fine, but only until we know what it is, assuming it is anything. Didn't you say dad was in the basement?"
Unable to open the door that had slammed shut they descended into the basement from the interior of the house, holding hands so that they would not become separated. As they went they called for their father.
- 79 posts here • Page 1 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4