Disclaimer – I do not own any of the characters you recognise. If I did I would not be freezing and procrastinating from writing my essay.
A/N – I haven't written fan fiction in some time but as a good friend of mine informed me – sometimes any form of writing is a great way to relieve stress.
Prologue
It was a house straight out of a Stephen King novel; a dark, brooding monstrosity that should have been torn down years ago. Instead, it had been left to dwell on the memories of those who lived in the town. It was those same town folk who now told stories about the goings on in the house. Stories that often involved satanic rituals, voodoo practises or general nastiness that always got a rise at a street party or a sleep over.
It was these stories that were now running through Jackson Colby's head as he cautiously made his way up the steps. His blond hair fell into his eyes and he absently tucked it behind his ears frowning at the door. It was a large door with faded paint and a gothic looking knocker that was covered in a light layer of rust. The rest of the house was in similar disrepair but there was something different about the house. Something that had changed since the last time he had been dared to sneak into the house.
Jackson knew that he was being watched but he wasn't expecting the feeling to be coming from in front as well as behind. It was as if someone was waiting for him. He spared a quick glance over his shoulder and Cady Williams smiled brightly and waved him forward. He returned the wave half heartedly.
He inwardly cursed his testosterone for the eighth time since he laid his eyes on her curvy form. She was new in town and he had been the first person that she had shown interest in. He liked to think it was because he was the star quarterback but there was something more. The minute he'd seen her trying to navigate the school corridors he'd felt drawn to her and now he found himself standing in front of a house he had no interest in entering but he was going to go in...Because of her.
"Go on, Jackson," she called encouragingly, letting a soft lilt slip into her voice.
Jackson gave her thumbs up before returning his focus to the house. The feeling of being watched became stronger the closer he got to the door but he was determined not to freak out in front of Cady. Taking a deep breath he grabbed the door knob and nearly let it go straight away. It was icy cold even though it was a mild October night. Shrugging his shoulders he reached out again and turned the hand.
If luck had been with him that night the door would have been locked and he would have turned around, laughed off his embarrassment and taken Cady to the nearest fast food restaurant and seen where the evening would have led. However, the door knob turned without a complaint and he carefully pushed the door open.
"I haven't got all night, Jackie-Boy," Cady taunted gently.
Jackson didn't turn around. Something from within the house had caught his eye. He stepped across the threshold and headed directly towards what he thought was the kitchen. Jackson belatedly thought he should have been surprised to see that the house was fully furnished but there was something he needed to see. He was being pulled towards the back of the house.
In some small corner of his mind he knew that something was wrong but that feeling had been pushed so far back that it was merely the faded image of an almost forgotten dream. He walked on in a daze not hearing as the door closed softly and Cady began to scream. The back of the house was warmly lit and he could smell freshly baked cookies and there was something else. Something familiar.
"Hurry, Jackson dear. You don't want the food to get cold."
He jumped slightly at the voice but didn't stop. "Mum?" He called, softly.
"Hurry my dear boy. I'm awfully hungry."
"I'm coming, mummy," he said, his tone flat.
Cady watched as the door slowly closed and the house began to change in front of her eyes. Opening her mouth she began to scream. After a few moments another voice joined in with hers but this one was filled with pain. Cady screamed again, clasping her hands to her ears, as a chorus of dogs began barking. Porch lights flicked on in the surrounding houses as the street came to life. People were peering out towards the house and Cady felt someone grip her shoulder before she dropped to the ground in hysterics pointing at the house. Her mouth was opening and closing but no sound was coming out.
"What the hell happened here?" Someone called.
"It's the house," another neighbour chimed in.
"Not again."
A/N – This is just the prologue...hope you all like. :o)