BOOlia's Tales of Horror 3

Isabelle and the Monster House

Isabelle was drowsy. She was on the train, sitting by Rover, going to a new city. Rover was talking to her. She wanted to stay up, and hear Rover's tales to be polite, but she couldn't. Not when the cat had been talking nonstop to her since they left the station.

"NEXT STOP: ANIMALVILLE IN FIVE MINUTES!" Porter called. "NEXT STOP: ANIMALVILLE IN FIVE MINUTES!" Isabelle awoke with a start. She looked at Rover, who was shocked.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" He apologized. "I didn't mean to talk your ear off! No wonder you were sleeping; I bore you to death didn't I?" Isabelle gave him a lame smile.

"Oh, no, no!" She lied. "You didn't bore me at all! I heard everything you said. I find it interesting that you…you…" She tried to think.

"That I did travel commercials back in the day?" She snapped her paws.

"Yeah, that's it!" Rover smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you find it interesting. Other animals found them boring. You made my day by listening and liking it!" Isabelle laughed nervously. "I hope you enjoy Animalville."

"Thanks." Isabelle sat up, and after saying goodbye, went to get her bags, getting ready to leave the train.

Tom Nook was waiting for Isabelle. The raccoon went to her the moment she stepped off of the train. It was twilight out.

"You must be Isabelle." Tom said with a smile. "We've been waiting for you." He looked at Isabelle's suitcase. "Oh, let me help you with that."

"Thanks." Isabelle said, giving him the suitcase.

"Now, follow me, and I'll show your new house choices." Isabelle went with Tom, but something caught her eyes in the bushes. It was a dog, covered in wraps and with yellow eyes.

"Hey, who's that?"

"Hmmm?" But by the time Tom looked, the mummy dog was gone. Tom looked back at Isabelle, confused.

"Nothing. I thought I saw someone. Come on; I want to see my new house choices!" Tom went off, dragging the suitcase. Isabelle went after him.

"Here are your choices." Tom told Isabelle when they were surrounded by houses. "I'll stay out here. Tell me what house you want when you're ready." Isabelle nodded, and went into a house.

Isabelle tried each and every house, but one stood out against all of the rest. It was of course empty. But it was nothing that some furniture and decorations won't fix. She went in all of them again to confirm, but her confirmation was clear.

She nodded in a house, liking it. This is the house she wanted.

She was about to go, and tell Tom, when a voice spoke out.

"I wouldn't get this house if I were you." Isabelle screamed, and looked all around.

"Hello?" She asked. "Who said that?"

"It was me." Isabelle was now face to face with the mummy dog she had saw earlier. She screamed.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Lucky."

"I'm Isabelle. You don't seem lucky to me."

"That's the irony of my name. Now, I must caution you. This is not the house that you want to live in." Isabelle was confused.

"Why not?"

"Because this is a monster house."

"Monster house?" Lucky nodded.

"This house is alive and haunted. Animals who moved here previously have all been murdered by it. But, it's your choice. But beware, this also might be your own funeral." He then left. Isabelle stood, not believing what had just happened.

"What a creepy dog." She observed to herself, not believing what had just happened.

"Isabelle?" Tom Nook's voice came from outside. "Have you chosen yet?" Isabelle got back into reality, and went outside.

"So, what house have you decided on?" Tom Nook wanted to know. Isabelle looked at him.

"Well," She started. "I wanted this house, but…" She was about to say more when her cell phone went off. Her ringtone was filled with different dog barks. "Oh, hang on." She took out her cellphone, and flipped it over. The caller ID said that it was from Digby, her twin brother. She answered it, putting it against her ear.

"Hi, Digby!" She greeted as if she wasn't scared a moment ago. "Why are you calling?"

"I just called to see how my twin sister is doing." Digby said on the other line.

"Oh, I'm good."

"That's good. So, did you move yet?"

"I did; I just have to pick a house is all." She then thought of something. "Oh Digby, something weird just happened."

"What?"

"I found a house that I want, but, this creepy mummy dog, Lucky told me not to. He said it's a 'monster house', and that it's haunted and alive. Do you think I should buy the house?"

"Well, it's up to you. Don't worry about what that dog had told you; he's probably just scaring you."

"Yeah, probably."

"Well, I have to go now. My break is almost over. Bye, sis!"

"Bye, bro!" She then hung up. She let out a deep sigh.

"So," Spoke the raccoon. "What have you decided on? I can't stay long. It's my nephews first day managing my store; I want to see how they're doing." Isabelle looked at him and pointed to the 'monster house'. She was still unsure about it, but she was willing to try it.

"This house."

"Okay; that'll be 19,800 Bells. If you don't have that much money, I'll have to put you to work until you can pay for it."

"That's okay. I have enough."

"That's good." Isabelle took out her wallet, and gave him the right amount of Bells. "Here." Tom counted it to make sure it was enough. He looked at her.

"Thank you very much. If you ever want decorations, come to my nephews' store."

"Thanks; I will." Tom then left. Isabelle was about to go to the store, when a voice spoke up. It was a kitty on a trike.

"Did you buy the monster house?" She questioned. Isabelle looked at her.

"What?"

"The monster house. The house behind you. Did you buy it just now?"

"Yes, I did." Katie then frowned.

"That's not good. You should abandon it before it's too late." Isabelle was confused.

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Well, I had to beg my mom to buy me a new trike because it swallowed my last one."

"It swallowed it?"

"Yeah, I was just riding it one day near it when I heard noises. I slowed down so I could see where it came from, when suddenly, a carpet shot out like a tongue, pulled it, gulped and swallowed it down, and did one big enormous burp. It would have swallowed up me, but I jumped from my trike just in time."

"That's horrible! You must have been so scared." Katie nodded.

"I was. I ran home, crying to my mom."

"Gosh; you poor kitty. I'm sorry that happened to you, but the house was empty when I entered it. Are you sure it came from this house?" Katie nodded.

"So, if I were you, I'd leave the house while you still can." She then went off when her mother called for dinner, singing to herself.

Isabelle didn't know what to do. That kitty and that dog had told that this house was haunted. Were they right? Maybe she should go to Tom Nook, and ask for a different house. Yeah, that's what she'll do. She was about to go when someone spoke to her.

"I told you not to buy it." She screamed when she saw Lucky in front of her. Where did he come from? "I warned you, and now you must pay the consequences." Isabelle nodded.

"I'm about to give it up."

"You must hurry. It might be too late." Isabelle was puzzled.

"Too late for what?" But, he had vanished just as fast as he had arrived. Isabelle looked all around. "Hello? Lucky?" When she didn't see him, she shrugged to herself.

She was about to start for the store when suddenly, something shot out, and wrapped itself around Isabelle's legs. Isabelle yelped, and fell to the ground. She looked at what had grabbed her. Was that a plush carpet? She struggled to get up, but failed.

She saw that the carpet was coming from the , how? The house is empty. She pulled and pulled.

"HELLPPPP!" She yipped frantically. "HELLLLPPPPPP!" Someone then took her paw, and pulled her free. The carpet then went back into the house. A snarling sound then could be heard. Isabelle looked at her savior, and saw that it was Lucky.

"Are you alright?" The mummy dog asked her. Isabelle nodded.

"Was that the carpet?" She asked. Lucky nodded.

"I tried to go and leave, but it didn't let me." Lucky nodded again.

"It doesn't want you to. I should've known. That just leaves us with one thing to do." Isabelle was confused.

"What?"

"We need to…" Lucky then whispered in her ear. "destroy it" Isabelle looked at him like he was out of his mind.

"What?! Des…"" Lucky put his paws over her mouth.

"SHHHH! It'll hear you."

"What? Who?" Isabelle then looked around.

"The house."

"The house?" Lucky nodded. Isabelle then laughed.

"That's just crazy! You're telling me that this house has a personality of its own, that it is alive?" Lucky nodded again. Isabelle then realized something. "Oh my gosh; that little kitten wasn't kidding, it is a monster house." Lucky nodded a third time. Isabelle was trying to sort this out. She couldn't believe it. "I just bought a monster house."

"You didn't know."

"But you did, and I bought it anyways."

"That's all in the past now. We need to go inside, and place it in the middle. Luckily, I have a stick of dynamite from my demolition job to throw into it to destroy it once and for all. I'll just have to go to my house and get it. You stay out here. Don't go into the house until I get back, understand?" Isabelle nodded.

"I wouldn't dream of it, but shouldn't we call the police or animal control, or something?" This time, Lucky looked at her like she has lost her mind.

"This isn't an animal; it's a house. And what are the police going to do? Arrest it?" Isabelle looked embarrassed that she ever thought of it. She sighed.

"You're right; it was a stupid idea."

"You just stay in that spot. I'll be back in a few." He then went off. Isabelle stayed put, looking back at the house; it was growling at her. This made Isabelle shiver.

Hurry up, Lucky. She said in her mind.

Lucky then returned with a stick of dynamite and a box of matches to light it.

"Okay." He spoke. "Let's go."

Isabelle nodded. She didn't really want to do this, but felt like she had to. She was about to suggest that Lucky do it himself, but realized that he might need help, for it could be dangerous. She didn't want him to go all alone, so she followed him, despite her fears.

Lucky was surprised that nothing had happened when they got closer and closer to the house. He looked at Isabelle.

"Well, that's queer." He said. "I thought that something would have happened." He looked at the doorknob, and placed his paw on it. Isabelle was shivering. She saw that Lucky was about to open it.

"No!" She yelped. "Don't do it!" She shut her eyes tight as he opened it, waiting for something unexpected to happen. But unexpectedly, nothing happened. She opened her eyes, and sighed in relief to see Lucky was okay. They then went in. Inside, they saw a chandelier hung from the ceiling, was on, lamps, chairs, a plush carpet on the floor, picture frames, drawers with a vase of flowers on it, cabinets, and there was a TV on, playing nothing but static. The lights were flickering, and it was dim. The door shut behind them by itself.

"How are all of these here?" Isabelle wanted to know. "I just bought it. Plus, I swear this house was empty when I came in here before." She noticed the TV. "And why is the TV on and playing nothing but static? This, with the dim, flicking lights is creepy. The lights then went out. Isabelle screamed.

"Lucky?" She questioned, panic in her voice. The lights came on again. She sighed in relief. "Oh, good, the lights are on again."

Suddenly, something began to suck them to the middle of the room. Isabelle screamed. All the furniture and decors in the room vanished.

"QUICK!" Lucky shouted over the roar of the strong winds. "HOLD ONTO SOMETHING!" Isabelle nodded, and ran to hold onto something. She ran to the door, and held onto the doorknob, trying to open it. It didn't budge.

"IT WON'T OPEN!" She yelled. Lucky held onto one of the TV legs.

"JUST HOLD ONTO THE DOORKNOB, AND DON'T LET GO!" Isabelle nodded, and held on for dear life as the wind picked her up. She screamed and screamed.

She then saw Lucky had let go, and seem to sink into the floor.

"LUCKY!"

"JUST KEEP HOLDING ON!" The wind then died down and Isabelle thumped back onto the floor. She let go of the doorknob, and ran to where Lucky got sucked into.

"LUCKY!" She began to cry. What had just happened? She had no idea, but she was scared. She wanted Lucky back, and things to go back to normal.

The wind then picked up again. Isabelle screamed and ran back into the door. But before she could grab the doorknob, the wind lifted her up. She screamed. She thought she was going to be sucked into the floor like Lucky did, but she was sucked into the TV instead.

Lucky came out from the secret paneling that was in the floor. He had found a secret stairway. He got up, and sighed, trying to catch his breath. He stood up, and looked all around.

"Isabelle?" He questioned. "Isabelle? Where are you?"

"Help me, Lucky!" Isabelle's voice was faint, but Lucky heard it. "Help me!"

"Where are you?" Lucky asked.

"I don't know, but help me! I think I got sucked into the TV if that makes sense." Lucky looked at the TV.

"Yeah!" He said. "That does make sense Isabelle, hold on! I'm going to get help." He tried to go for the door, but the floor seem to rise up. He slid down as if it was a slipping slope, dropping the dynamite onto the floor. He went up again, but the wind picked up again. He fell to his knees again, and the plush carpet disappeared, showing the floor like it was when Isabelle entered for the first time. The wood paneling that looked like razor, sharp teeth jutted out. No matter how much he slid down, he got up, and tried again and again.

"I…MUST…GET...OUT!" He managed to jump over the wood teeth and grabbed the doorknob. The wind blew harder. He opened it as he was being lifted. He quickly went outside, leaving the dynamite, and slammed the door. He fell to the ground as gravity kicked in. He breathed in and out.

As soon as he caught his breath, he jumped to his feet, and ran off. It was now dark outside.

Lucky was about to enter Katrina's Fortune Shop in Main Street when Snake came out. He was happy.

"I see that you're in a chipper mood." Lucky observed. "Your fortune must have been good."

"Oh, yes." Snake told him. "Katrina told me that I had just been accepted in the most elite ninja school in the country."

"Good for you." Snake smiled.

"Thanks." He then left, giddy. He performed an air kick. He resumed on his way. Lucky went into the shop.

"Aw!" Katrina said as soon as Lucky entered. "Come in, come in. I'll tell you your fortune."

"Oh, no." Lucky told her. "I'm not here to hear my fortune." Katrina looked confused.

"You're not? Well, what are you here for instead?"

"Rumor has it that you used to hold séances; is that correct?"

"That is correct."

"Do you still have your old Ouija board?" Katrina nodded.

"That is also correct." She was then confused. "Do you wish to have a séance?" Lucky told her about what happened to Isabelle.

"Oh, my." She said after Lucky's story. "And you think spirits have abducted her?" Lucky nodded.

"How else can the house do all of those stuff? It can't have a personality of it's own, can it?" Katrina scratched her chin.

"Hmmm, you may have a point." She smiled. "Alright, I'll help you. Just let me close up shop, and get the Ouija board. We'll then be on our way." Lucky smiled.

"Okay. Thanks for agreeing to this. Sorry you have to close early for this." The panther smiled.

"No fear. Let's just get your friend back."

After Katrina closed up shop, and got the Ouija board, and some candles and a box of matches, they were on their way.

The two had some trouble getting into the house, for they had to cross some hot coals, dodged some arrows from a bow, and had to dodge some spikes that jutted from the ground. They then entered and went into the house. Katrina wiped her brow. All the furniture and decors were now back in their rightful positions.

"Phew!" She sighed with relief. "I thought we'd never get in." She looked at Lucky. Lucky nodded. Katrina set up the Ouija board.

"Okay." She said to Lucky. "I must warn you, since I haven't conducted a séance in years, I may be a little rusty."

"That's okay." Lucky told her. "As long as we get Isabelle back; that's all that matters." Katrina nodded in agreement as she lit the candles, put them on the floor, and turned off the light switch. She sat down cross-legged, and held Lucky's paw, who did the same, and the séance began.

"Oh sprits, are you here with us tonight?" She questioned. She and Lucky looked at the Ouija board, where 'yes' was spelled out. Katrina continued.

"We are here tonight spirits for I have someone who wishes to speak with one of you. Will that be okay?" 'Yes' was spelled. Katrina looked at Lucky.

"Okay," She told him. "The spirits are waiting. Ask them your questions."

"Do you have Isabelle in your keeping?" Lucky looked at the board.

'Yes'

"Can you give her back to us?"

'No.'

"Why not?"

"Just ask yes and no questions." Katrina told Lucky. "Don't ask complicated questions that the sprits cannot answer." Lucky nodded, and thought of his next question.

"Do you want to keep her just to make me mad?"

'Yes.' The board said. Lucky grew mad, and growled.

"Do we have to do something to free Isabelle?" Katrina asked.

"Yes." Lucky was confused. How did she know?

"Do we have to go into the TV, and get her out?"

"Yes." Katrina got up then and turned on the lights. She blew out the candles, and looked at Lucky.

"I know what we must do."

"What?"

"We need to go and get some rope."

"What for?"

"You'll see."

Once they were back into the house, (the house did the same thing to them it did before they entered the first time, only a bit more intense) Katrina explained what they were about to do as she tied the rope around her waist.

"Okay," She began. "I am going to get Isabelle from within the TV. Here is what I want you to do." After she knotted herself, she offered the other end of the rope to Lucky. "I want you to hold this end of the rope, and pull us free when I tug on the rope, alright?" Lucky nodded, and grabbed the rope. "Now, it may be a while, and you may hear me struggle, but don't pull until I pull on the rope, no matter, understand?" Lucky nodded again.

"Good." Katrina lit up another candle, put it on the floor, went to turn off the light switch, and turned to the TV, which was on the same static as before. She turned to Lucky. "Wish me luck, Lucky."

"Good luck." Lucky said. Katrina turned back to the TV, took a deep breath, and slowly went into the TV.

Lucky could hardly believe it. One moment Katina was there, and the next she wasn't. Although Lucky was worried after a while, Lucky kept his promise to the panther, and waited for the tug.

As soon as Lucky felt a tug on the rope, the dog didn't hesitate. He pulled and pulled.

He pulled as hard as he could, and Katrina and Isabelle, covered in slimy goo, flew out and fell onto the floor. Lucky let go of the rope, and ran to Isabelle's and Katrina's side.

"Are you okay?" Lucky wanted to know. Although they both were breathing deeply, Isabelle managed to look at the mummy dog, and nodded. "Good."

"There were two ghost children." Katrina explained. "I had to defeat the boy ghost in a game of chess in order to get your friend back."

"Let's get out of here." Lucky spoke. Isabelle was about to nod, when she thought of something.

"What about the dynamite?" She wanted to know. So much had happened, that Lucky forgot about the dynamite. He picked of the dynamite and the matches from of the floor.

"That might not be a good idea," Katrina stated. "Because there're spirits here, if you blow this house up, they'll just rebuild it. You can try it, but it might be pointless to do so." Lucky and Isabelle nodded. Lucky turned to Isabelle. He offered Isabelle her paw.

"We'll go to Tom Nook, and get you a new house." Isabelle nodded. She then thought of something.

"What about the murders you mentioned that happened here?"

"What? Oh, I lied; there weren't any murders. I just told you that to spook you."

"Oh, well, good. You know what I don't get? Whenever people or animals die in a house previously, why it is considered haunted? I mean, people and animals die every day and anywhere. It's sad, not creepy. So what is up with that?" Lucky shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe they think that their ghosts haunt the place."

"I guess." Isabelle screamed as the chandelier was about to fall. They ran out of the house. The chandelier stopped mere inches from the floor, and then went back up again.

Two laughs could be heard. They then appeared. The two ghosts looked similar to Wisp, but smaller, as they were children. The two high-fived.

"I don't think they'll ever come back." The girl ghost said to her best friend.

"I don't think they'll ever come back again." The boy ghost agreed. "It's too bad that I lost that chess game, but at least they're gone. This house will and will always be our hangout."

"Yeah!" And with that, the two high-fived again.

"CRISP; WILLOW!" A third adult ghost scolded.

"Uh-Oh!" The girl ghost, Willow said. "We're in trouble now. Here comes Uncle Wisp." Wisp came in before them.

"Willow, Crisp," He began. "I am very ashamed of you two. And your parents will be too when I tell them. For the last time, this house is for any animal that comes in and wishes to stay. It isn't your hangout. Understand?"

"Yes!" The two ghosts said at once, ashamed of themselves.

"Good. Now, let's go apologize to them." And with that, the three all vanished from the house.

Willow and Crisp had apologized to Isabelle at Tom Nook's real estate agency. She was scared when the three ghosts arrived, but calmed down when they said that they were sorry.

Isabelle came to the house again that night after a late dinner at a restaurant. Willow and Crisp both said that she could stay, and that they promised that they wouldn't haunt it again.

When Isabelle entered her bedroom, her bed was gone.

"Willow, Crisp!" She scolded in a firm voice. Her bed then appeared.

"Sorry!" Crisp apologized. Isabelle went into bed.

She was scared of living here at first, especially when the ghosts were haunting this house. But, she was sure that she'll make the best of it, and with the help of everybody else, she'll learn to love her new town and home.