One day a mysterious letter showed up at my door step. It was sealed shut with an old fashion red wax seal marked with a G. It says "Hello foolish mortal, your cousin Horace Fusslebottom, the care taker of our Gracey manor, wishes for you to come down and give him a hand." The next day I drove down to thunder mesa in my old pickup truck. I looked up and saw big thunder mountain looming in the distance. I could have sworn it was beckoning me. I kept on driving in till I could see the mystic white manor ahead of me behind those heavy iron gates. It was in a dense bayou. I parked my car and rattled by the gate. Then a mysterious force opened the gate. I ran down the path through the eerie graveyard to the front of the manse. The doors opened before me. I entered. The doors slammed shut behind me. I realized I was in a dust foyer covered in cobwebs. "I'd expect him to take better care of this place." Suddenly A deep voice came out of nowhere. "Welcome foolish mortal to the Gracey manor, you'll find it delightfully unliving in my glorious manor." Suddenly a side door slid open. I walked inside of it. It slammed behind me. I turned around and looked but I realized I was staring at a wall. The room was octagon shaped with four paintings high above me on the wall. One was of a man with a beard and was wearing a tuxedo. The next was of a young girl, one was of another man, and the last one was of an old lady. There were no doors and no windows in the room, it was empty. The ceiling was strangely carved. Suddenly the voice came back, it stated "You may notice that this room has no windows or doors, also consider this startling metamorphosis is it actually stretching?" I looked up, it was stretching. That wasn't the only thing wrong. The paintings were stretching too. The one showing the first man turned out he's wearing his under wear and standing on top of barrel of lit dynamite, the girl was standing on a tight rope above the hungry waiting jaws of a crocodile, the other man was sitting on top of another man who was sitting on another nervous man who was neck deep in quicksand, and the final painting the old lady was sitting on top of a grave with an axe embedded into it. The voice said "There's no way out, of course there's always my way." Lightning flashed, suddenly the ceiling mysteriously turned into dusty old rafters with a Skelton hanging from a noose. But then it turned back into a ceiling. I noticed that another side door slid open. I ran through it. I then realized I was in long hallways with several paintings on the wall and two bust of a stern looking man and d woman with eyes that seem to fallow you at the end of the hallway. I continued to descend throughout the misty hallway. I looked through the window; there I saw it pouring rain. That's not the only thing; there I saw a graveyard, filled with ghost! They were dancing and laughing, and one wearing a black cloak and were holding a cane in one hand and a hatbox in another, looked up at me with his grinning skull, and smiled! His two golden teeth shimmered in the moon light. I turned around, to look at the painting. One was of a sailing boat, one was of a women reclining on a couch, one was of a knight on a hoarse, and finally the last one was of a women in a Greek temple. Lightning flashed, the portraits suddenly changed, the boat became a ghost ship, the reclining woman became a she-panther, and the knight transformed into a ghost, finally the Greek women became medusa. Lightning flashed, all the portraits turned normal, however a white figured appeared in front of me, screamed, and disappeared. I bravely continued down the hall and turned. There I saw a black sort of void thing with a normal door in it. There was a low mist. I entered the door. Once again it slammed shut behind me. Ahead of me was a grand staircase, but around me were a bunch of staircases they were all upside down, backwards or sideways, leading to other doors, possibly dimensions. I continued up until I saw another open door. I entered and looked around; I was in a long hallway with this blue wallpaper that seems to have faces. I looked into a side room. It was an observatory; there I saw a casket, with two Skelton hands attempting to open it. When I turned and ran, I found myself face to face with a suit of armor that was coming to life I continued down the hall way hoping to find Horace. I noticed some of the doors seem to be breathing; I kept my self-going even thou there was knocking and moaning coming from the other side of the doors. I past an open one and looked in. There I saw an endless misty passage, a lone candelabra floating in the middle of the hallway. I walked past a library with books floating and shuffling. In the middle was a piano playing itself, I noticed there was a shadow of a man playing it. There were photos on the walls of spooks. I realized one of them was of the ghost with the hatbox in the graveyard. It didn't feel right. I also notice that there was a grandfather clocked that stricken 13. I look towards the door at the end of the hall. I heard a voice from the other side of it. I entered, inside of it I found a séance circle. In the middle was a crystal ball, when I walked up to it the voice grew louder I also noticed random interments lying around. I looked closer and saw that there was a speaking woman's head inside of it. "Who are you?" I asked. "I am madam Leota seeker of all why mortal have you come to see me?" "I'm just trying to find my cousin." "Wizards and warlocks from dimensions beyond, give us a hint by ringing your bell." I noticed that the bell raised and rung. I walked out the door to the next room. I was on a long balcony overlooking a ballroom. I walked to the edge and looked. There I saw ghost dancing and smiling. There were a couple of ghost dancing, several coming out the wall, one sitting on a rocking chair, a couple sitting on the chandelier, and one evil looking one playing an organ which spited out souls. They played and sung a dreadful tune; it went like this "When the crypt doors creak and the tombs stone quake, haunts come out for a swing n wake, Happy haunts with eerie eyes, start to shriek and harmonize, grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!" I walked up a stair case into an attic; it was filled mostly with wedding stuff. I saw a couple pictures. I looked at them closely; they were wedding photos, all with the same bride, yet a different groom. I also realized that the bride is the same as the stretching portrait. I then heard a sound of a hatchet. In the pictures, all of grooms lost their heads! I turned around; two figures were heading towards me. One was the ghost bride from the photo holding a hatchet, and the other one was the hatbox ghost. I turned and ran. I wished I would have seen the open window. The last thing I heard was "I just was going to help him find his cousin" "I wasn't" said the bride. The last thing I saw was a graveyard with spooks looking up and smiling. One even whispered "Madam Leota was right." Everything went black. I open my eyes. I looked down at my hands. Transparent. "Oh no." I whispered. I looked around me. Ghost. One stated "I can't believe I doubt it madam Leota." A mummy said "He sure is weird looking." One handed me a mirror. I had a Skelton face, also I notice that there was three ghosts sitting behind me. One was medium sized wearing a hat and holding a suitcase, the middle one was the tallest and was a Skelton who was gripping his hat, and the last one was the shortest and completely covered with his beard and was gripping the prison ball that was attach to his leg. I got up and started running down the path. I got to a fence; I tried to go through it. No luck, it was like a force field was around the place. I then saw Horace. I ran yelling ''Horace, Horace!" He turned around and looked. But then he screamed and ran. I remembered I was a ghost. I tried to get back into the house, no use I couldn't get in. Suddenly the hatbox ghost came down laughing. He said "You need to find master Gracey and inform him of your presents." "You," I said "You killed me!" "I did no such thing, I'd tried to help you, but you got scared and ran away." "Is there any possible way for me to go back?" "Oh no." He said and disappeared. I turned around and saw Skelton with a noose around his neck wandering towards me, the one hanging in the stretching room. "Could it be? The 999th ghost! One more and we all shall be free from this dreadful curse." "I just want to know what's going on around here, what's all this talk about curses and such?" "Well I guess I should informed you of our more important residents and there story."
The story of the hatbox ghost
Ah, one of my favorite residents, the feared hatbox ghost. He was once a beloved seaman named Henry McGee he was captain on the ship I served on. He had a second job as a bridal shop owner. Once he realized the ship's crew was pirates planning to murder him, he quit. But that's not the last I saw of him. A week before the wedding he came by to deliver some last minute supplies to my bride, Constance Hatchaway (you might of met her in my attic) unfourtantly he came at the wrong time and place. I came up right when he was pulling his supplies out of the hatbox he clutched. I pulled out my sword and decapitated him. Constance wasn't here to witness this event. His head fell in to his hatbox. I buried him outside my grounds. That's also why he fears me so.
All of the ghost's tales connects in a web, so the hatbox ghost's story, my story, and all the other ones all tie in together. So let me tell you the tale of…
The story of the bride.
My beloved bride, one of the scariest stories around these parts. Now, let's get started. Her name was once Constance Hatchway, no one knew about her hidden talents, murdering. Now by the time I married her, she had chopped off seven heads. See, her little game was to marry a wealthy man, and the night before the wedding, off with their heads. Then she would blame it on thieves and inherit their fortunes. Well, I had no idea about her bloody past, so in my pirate years (you'll learn more about it in my story) I married her. However, the night before wedding (and after the death of Henry) she went upstairs and saw the hatbox ghost looming in the distance. He warned her that I was going to kill her before she was going to kill me. I came into the attic; she pulled out a hatchet and threatened me. Sadly for her, my sword was longer. After my grisly murder, it led me into a chaotic series of events that you'll learn about later. Even today, she refuses to talk to anybody but the hatbox ghost who sort of saved her life. Also, out of rage, she murders any mortal who enters the attic. Henry has no power to stop her.
Here's the story of my two, weak minded architects named Mr. Coats and Mr. Davis.
The story of Mr. Coats and Mr. Davis
In my younger years, I decided that I need a well-cared for manse. I searched for two of the greatest builders known in New Orleans, Mr. Coats and Mr. Davis. As soon as I met them, I figured out what fools they really are. The day we started building, I looked at the blue prints with all the traps of my mansion. Looking at these designs gave me the idea to set a trap of my own design. I complemented Mr. Coats of how stunning his guest ejecting spring decised as a spiral staircase looked. At that moment I knew I set off Mr. Davis with jealously. That night something horrible happened, they went into the mansion and never came out. Later as a ghost I found out what happened to them. Mr. Davis built a trap that when you stepped on it, a casket will pop out of nowhere and trap you inside of it. But Mr. Davis got lost inside my mansion. Mr. Coats was the ghost trying to escape the casket and Mr. Davis is the ghost you can't see clutching the candelabra.
The tale of the hitchhiking ghost
You may have notice the three lonely ghosts that sit behind you and hitchhike. Those are Gus, Ezra, and Phidious. The story behind them is different. Let's start with Gus. He used to be a Shepard. One day he grew tired. He tried to sleep but his sheep kept him up. So, fuelled by his frustration he ran. Also he tripped down a hill right into the mayor's son's wedding (which I was attending the day before my tragic death) he was immediately arrested for arson. In the prison cell, he decided he could sleep there. Right before he closed his eyes a cannon ball came straight through the prison cell. They were my old crew, my ghost crew seeking revenge on me and Port Royal (the port where this story takes place) possibly, all of New Orland's they wouldn't rest until I was dead (once again, you'll learn about how I stopped them in my story). So as clever as he is short he stole one of their life boats and sailed away to an abandon island. However, just before he hit shore, he accidently dropped his heavy prison ball into the water. He sunk down with it. So, as a lonely ghost he floated to the island depressed and what not. But there that's where he met the hatbox ghost. Apparently he was leading the army and knew about my grand estate. So as an act of kindness he took Gus to my grounds but forgot the important rule for ghost. The ghost may never leave the grounds wants they enter. So he and Gus are forever stuck here. Now it's time for the tale of Ezra, the Skelton. He was a tall gentleman whose name is unknown. He came to New Orland's in 1313, the day my mansion was built. Looking for work he helped build my manse, however, half way through building he realized that I hid my treasure of the Grecey's in the mansion. He hitchhiked his way two the mansion. When he got there he started searching, but he forgot it was Friday the 13th. Also he didn't see the anvil hanging above his head. He's the third ghost and the first hitchhiking ghost. Finally Phidious, not much of a story, he was hitching a ride home when a drunken sailor ran him over with a carriage, not knowing what to do with the body he buried him on my grounds.
The story of Madam Leota
Ahh, another original. Madame Leota has been here for decades. She was a poor palm reader traveling from town to town. When she came here she found out about the rich man who died and his son was auctioning all his stuff off. She also knew that one of the things was a Chrystal ball. I found out how much she wanted it so I bought it being the wicked man I am. So, she snuck into my house to steal it. But, she was caught in it beauty. So she sat down and foretold her future, she saw a picture of a tombstone with her name on it in the crystal ball. At that moment I snuck behind her and broke her neck, and then I buried her. At the next moment after that, something horrible happened.
"There's her tombstone over there!" he said. I looked; there I saw a tombstone with her face on it. The eyes opened and looked around.
The tale of Edward .J. Gracey
Atlas, last but certainly not least, the story of me, master, murderer, past captain, and beloved husband. Rest in peace. So any way, it all started when I was young in England. My brother and father were both merchants, so with mother longed deceased I decided to follow in their footsteps. So I was sailing under the mast of the Librium. I was first mate, and the captain was good ol' Henry, Aka the hatbox ghost. One day me and the crew found out what the boat had hidden inside, loot, pirate loot. Along with cannons and pirate skull and crossbones flags. When we stopped at port royal for supplies he escaped because he found out are dark secrets. We hung the flags and loaded the cannons. That day Port Royal became ashes and smoking cinder. I became captain, Captain Blood. One day the guards found us. I secretly headed to their ship and turned myself in. But I made a deal with them. I knew I needed to start over. So for clearance in to the new world, I would tell them where my crew was hiding. That night they found my crew, there were no prisoners. (I believe the crew is haunting this house today, in fact there's one behind you.) So I headed to the new world (aka New Orland's) and had Mr. Coats and Mr. Davis build my house. Later I met young Constance Hatchaway who got a taste of her own medicine, after words ghost just kept coming and coming. After I murdered Madam Leota, I knew I sinned too much to continue, I tied a noose and hung myself. That's why you seen me in the stretching room.
"Now you know most of the tales you must go meet some other ghost." So I turned around and left. I heard singing. So I walked past tombstones towards the sound. I saw four singing bust. Well, three of them were singing, one looked worried and was looking around. He was looking around like he was expecting something to happen. He had a stone tie and coat, and a large crack along his face, the name plate stated "Uncle Clarence". "Uncle Clarence?" I asked. He flipped around and screamed in terror. I screamed to in surprise. "Who are you?" he asked still panting from his moment of pure terror. "My name is Mark." I stated. "Have you met Gracey yet?" "Yes" "That crazy no-good, Skelton wielding a hatbox?" "What?" I asked. "He's a crazy person, a crazy person I say!" "Huh?" "You see this large crack along my face; it was from him knocking me down!" "Look, I just want to get out of here." "Don't you see? You're the key, before we only had 999 grinning ghost, you're the thousandths, when the clock strikes thirteen, the curse will be broken, we'll all be sent to heaven! Or the underworld in some cases. Gracey sent you the letter, they want you. Believe me, it gets boring here, epically with these guys singing all day." He said while he was pointing to the other bust singing the same tune as in the ballroom. "How can I stop it?" I asked nervously. "Well I know one person." He said staring behind me. "Oh, no." I said staring at the hatbox ghost who was holding a decapitated knights head above the knight who couldn't reach it. "A quick question" I said "How did the curse start?" "Oh, because of all of Grecey's murders. Also, do you mind carrying me with you; I'm getting a headache listening to these guys singing. So we continued down the lonely dirt road to him. "Hey, it you again, I see you suffered the dire curse of the bride." He chuckled. I stood Dumbfounded. "So, how can I return back to life?" "What?" "How can I return back to life?" I yelled. "You can't." Then he laughs an evil laugh. "Kidding!" "There's one way. You see that old crypt?" "Yes." There was a figure with a cloak guarding it." "The answer is in there, the only way in is to give that ghost the golden figure, which belongs to that mummy over there." I saw a mummy sitting trying to talk to a deaf ghost. "Before you leave watch this." He leaned over the crypt and scared the living day lights out of Horace." He laughed as Horace ran screaming down the road. I put down Clarence next to the hatbox ghost. He screamed as the hatbox ghost laughed. I actually smiled as I walk to the mummy. He was tall and lean sitting in a coffin drinking tea, next to him stood a monk holding a horn for hearing. He looked confused. "Excuse me." I said. The mummy mumbled something and the monk didn't hear me. "I don't have time for this." I grabbed the bandage covering his mouth and ripped it off. "Thousand apologies." He said with a British accent. "I have been trying to talk to my friend for decades." "Hey Frank, can you hear me?" he asked the monk. "Huh?'' the monk replied. "Oh well." He said then turned to me "so what is it you want?" he said while scratching his head with the golden statue. "That" "Oh, this silly old thing." He said while twirling it in his bony old hands. "Take it, I have a dozen of them." he said handing it to me. "Good luck!" he said as I ran off towards the crypt. "Thanks!" I yelled. I came towards phantom. He didn't even notice me. I put the statue I front of him. "Doom will befall you." He whispered as he disappeared taking the statue with him. I entered the dusty crypt, and crept down the old stone staircase, passing decaying Skelton and corpses. "I hope none of these guys come to life." I mumbled to myself as I continued down. I didn't realize that the door shut and locked behind me. I saw a alter looming in front of me with a book on it. It was titled Curses and magic. "Yes" I said. I picked it up. Then I heard a rumbling. The corpses were rising. They made their way towards me. Some crawled from under the ground towards me. I ran. I found a door. I opened it and locked behind me. It was pitch- black. I stumbled in the darkness towards a possible door. I opened it. It slowly creaked open. I realized I was back in the mansion. A ghost floated by me. I continued down the hall towards a spiral stair case. I quickly climbed it. I found myself in an office. I saw a large portrait of Gracey in his so called "corruptible mortal state." I chuckled to myself. I sat down in his desk and flipped opened the book. I went to the section "Returning to life" it stated "To return to life abandon escape mortal sorrow, find thy murderer ghost in limbo, and destroy their soul, then all shall be well." Makes sense. I must find the bride. I ran. I then found an old fashion elevator; I climbed in it and pushed the up button. It rumbled and came to life. About half way up it broke. The cables were about to snap. I looked under the elevator. I saw a fiery pit under me. Great, a portal to the underworld. I tried to float, it didn't work. I tried to go through a wall. Nope, the same. The elevator began to shake and lean. I looked under. Demons slithered out of the regions beyond and started yanking on the elevator. I saw an emergency latter in the shaft. I slid open the Iron Gate. I jumped. At that moment I was the luckiest person in the world. I climbed up as the elevator plunged. I made it to the top of the shaft. At the top I saw a small painted sign that said out of business. I found a small door on the ceiling that opened and a small latter slid out the top. I climbed it. I realized I was in the attic once more. Also I found the bride staring out a cracked window. I sneaked behind her. Then I stopped and thought "What, how do you take a soul?" At that moment she turned around and attacked. I ran then stopped and yelled "Why did you kill me!" She stopped and for the first time, I heard her speak. "I did no such thing." "Yes, you knocked me out the window." That wasn't me it was….." At that moment an evil laugh interrupted her. I knew who killed me. I jumped out the window to the graveyard. I saw Gracey holding the hatbox ghost and Clarence. He knocked Clarence to the ground destroying him. I saw a ghost climb out of the rubble and smiled. "I'm free!" and disappeared. He let go of the hatbox ghost and ran into an open crypt. I chased after him. The crypt slowly became a mine. We ran outside in the moonlight. I realized we were at big thunder mountain. I caught him at the peak of the mountain, the Waterfall booming behind me. I reached into his chest and pulled out his soul. "Noooooo!" he screamed before they both vanished. I felt myself turn solid. I turned around and saw Horace. "I head what happened." "Yeah so you didn't send the letter?" "No." Then he smiled grimly. His flesh melted off of him. Underneath was the hatbox ghost. "I want to get out of here, you must die. You will demise!" I ran back through the shaft with him behind me. I finally made it back to the graveyard, but there were 998 angry ghosts in front of me. I ran throughout the house with them chasing me. "You must die! You must die!" I got in my car and locked the door, the car didn't start. They were close. I drove off the grounds, with them behind me. I drove through the swamp. Past big thunder, until I couldn't see them. I saw a sleigh fly above me with a Skelton driving, the reindeer were Skelton to. "Happy holidays everyone!" I remembered, it was Christmas Eve. I drove down the road happily. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the hitchhiking ghost in the backseat. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed as they laughed and laughed.
