Chapter 3:

Nina approached the statue, "It's so lifelike." She said poking the face "Almost like it's an actual person." Everyone continued to walk around the entry way,

"Here's the dining room!" Mick called from the adjoining room. "Ooh, a piano!" Poppy said walking over to the instrument and pushing the keys, mysteriously no sound came out. Alfie tried opening the doors on the opposite end, to no success.

Amber walked up to a globe in a holder; suddenly it flipped open to reveal a note. "Oh! Check it out!" Everyone gathered to hear what it had to say.

"Welcome my friends to this haunted house." Amber read aloud, "The rooms are upstairs, and food in the pantry, so help yourself. Be warned the fun starts at sundown."

"Well," Joy said "To the rooms we go!" suddenly there was a mad rush to the staircase; Alfie yelled "I get first choice!"

"Nina!" Amber exclaimed "Help me with this!" she was trying to get her heavy suitcase up the stairs, Nina rushed to pick up the other end. "What's in this thing?" she asked as they carried it up the stairs

"Decorations! We have to make the place look creepy!" amber explained

"As if it isn't scary enough," Nina muttered. By the time they got to the second floor, the hall was empty. Amber went to the first door and started to open it, but they heard Mick, Eddie, and Fabian's voices call out "Taken!" they went on to the next couple doors, where they were met with the same reply. They didn't even try to go into the room where they heard Jerome and Alfie laughing at each other. Finally Amber went into the last room and shrieked, Nina ran in, expecting something horrific, but instead she saw amber jumping for joy, "Its pink!" Amber was right, everything in the room had varying shades of pink, and the two canopy beds had an abundance of pink comforters and pillows. "I love it!" Amber shrieked collapsing into a bed. Nina smiled and started to wander the room, amber meanwhile started to put up cloves of garlic. "Really, Amber? Garlic?"

"I like to take precautions!" Amber then went over to the mirror and started to apply makeup, while Nina walked over to a book case, and picked up a random book. Thumbing through it, something caught her eye, on one of the pages written in red ink were the words I hate you. Nina turned to show amber the message when Amber started to scream.

"GHOST!" she shrieked, grabbing a miniature vacuum and turning it on.

"Amber there's nothing there." Nina said

"But I saw it. An old man; He looked like a mad scientist."

"I have to admit, there is something going on here. Maybe we should call off the birthday party."

"Never! It's Alfie's birthday present!"

"Fine. I think I'm going to lie down for a while."

"But we have to decorate!" she said grabbing the suitcase and running down the hall yelling "Everyone but Alfie and Jerome to the dining hall!"

They were almost done decorating; Nina and Fabian were trying to hang up cobwebs, "Fabian? Did you notice anything weird in your room?" Nina asked

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Because Amber swore she saw a ghost."

Fabian grinned at her "Nina. Relax. You've gotten way too into this treasure hunting. This is a commercial Haunted House. It was probably nothing."

"I guess you're right." Nina admitted, Fabian gave her a smile and moved on to help Amber bring out the cake.

Meanwhile, Alfie was waiting outside the door trying to get in. "Come on man just let me in," he said to Jerome who had the key

"Chill, Alfie. You'll get your other presents soon." Jerome said with a chuckle. Alfie turned back around trying to get the door open, when he looked to see what Jerome was doing, he was gone.

"Jerome?" Alfie asked "Where are you buddy?" He then turned around once again and banged on the door, "Guys? Is Jerome in there with you?" Then he felt a huge hand on his shoulder, freaking out he squeezed his eyes shut and screamed "Don't hurt me!" then he heard Jerome's laughter. He opened his eyes to see Jerome standing there with a giant fake arm. "Found this earlier," Jerome said examining it. Alfie was about to retort when the door swung open.

"Surprise!" Everyone yelled, they were all wearing different kind of costume pieces; Amber was wearing a set of fangs, which made her look like a fashionable vampire.

"Awesome!" Alfie exclaimed, looking around at the décor.

"Okay." Amber stepped forward, "Cake or Presents first?"

"Presents!" Alfie said, with a face that made it look like it was supposed to be obvious. He ran straight to the pile of presents sitting on the table and grabbed the topmost one.

"That's from me!" Eddie called out.

Alfie ripped the wrapping paper off of the present in a mad frenzy "Cool!" He exclaimed "Electric Gum!" He stuffed a piece in his mouth and began to chew, then took it out and threw it on the ground emiting a loud POP! and sending up a puff of smoke "How did you know?" before Eddie could answer, bells began to ring loudly, the piano, which had not worked earlier, started to play a scary tune. Poppy and Mara were sitting on the bench and shrieked as the keys moved without anyone touching it.

"Let the fun begin." Eddie said.