Chapter III

Now That's Funny

Everyone screamed.

The echo of the slam reverberated throughout the empty vastness of the house for a very more seconds before silence once again resumed its proper place.

In their moment of terror, almost everyone dropped their flashlights, the beams spinning wildly, casting shadows that danced madly across the room, looking like phantom figures that would pounce if it wasn't for the light. Soon the flashlights held still, but no one moved to pick them up. In fact, they did not move at all. Their breaths were harsh and ragged as they huddled in a tight group, their heartbeats roared in their ears, but still sounding as empty as the rest of the house.

"Now how in the world did zat happen?" Kurt said suddenly. When he spoke, everyone jumped again.

"Why should it matter how it happened, yo? We're locked in here, dat's all that matters! We gotta get outta here!" Toad was the first one up and out of the huddle, and running back towards the front door before anyone could stop him, kicking up clouds of dust behind him. He ran to the huge door and took hold of the heavy brass knobs, bracing one foot against the door as he put all his strength into trying to open it. The others watched him strain for a few moments before finally putting his foot back on the ground, breathing hard. "It…it won't budge!" He panted. "We're stuck in here!"

"I knew it!" Jean said so loudly that dust rained down from the ceiling high above. "I knew something like would happen if we came here! Now we're stuck here!"

"Calm down, Jean." Scott said, bending down to pick up his flashlight. "We're not trapped in here. I'm sure the door just got jammed when it slammed shut."

"Even after it opened so easily before?" Rogue asked, peering at Scott questioningly.

"Anyway, I'm sure it's nothing to be worried about. I mean, I'm sure there are plenty ways to get out of here, especially since it was so easy it get in; all we need to do is find one. I'm sure that there's one towards the back. Let's take a look there."

"Hold it right there, Summers." Lance said, bending down to picked up his own flashlight and shining the beam in Scott's eyes. "Are you saying that you're just going to walk out?"

"The situation's a bit different, now." Scott snapped back, shining his flashlight in Lance's eyes, making him flinch. "I certainly don't want to be stuck in here, and I'm sure no one else does either."

"Ah c'mon you wusses, where's your sense of adventure?" Pietro said, brushing himself off. His white hair stood out like a beacon in the darkness. "This is only the beginning of the fun! Leave if you want, but I'm going to enjoy this!" With that, he titled his head back and let out an evil, clique horror-movie cackle that echoed in the vast space of the house. "AH HAHAHAHAHA!"

His laugh lingered for a few confused moments as all the other teens looked at him oddly, but then another evil laugh from the X-men's sides made Rogue and Kitty jump about three feet into the air. "MWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Evan!"

Evan snickered. "Sorry, but I couldn't help myself. It looked like fun. You should try it."

Jean rolled her eyes. "Oh come on guys, grow…" She was cut off but another maniacal laugh. "HAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Kurt! Knock it off!"

Kurt grinned, his fangs shining in the flashlight beams. "Zorry, but Evan vas right. It vas fun."

"Okay, well no more. We have to…"

"GWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Nice one, Freddy!"

"Ooh, ooh! Me next!" Todd cleared his throat. "WA HAHA…*hack, hack, hack cough wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze…*"

"Deep breath there, little buddy." Pietro said, patting the choking Todd on the back. "You need a deep breath. Try again."

"In a minute." Todd croaked his voice hoarse.

"Okay, okay now one of the girls!" Fred urged.

"Oh, please. We don't have time…"

"AAAH HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Kitty! Not now!"

"Like, lighten up Jean. This is what we came here for right?" Jean groaned and began to move away from the group, muttering something about "crazy" under her breath.

"Okay, now Lance!" Pietro said, pointing at the oldest member of the Brotherhood.

Lance grimaced. "I don't know, guys…"

"Come on! Everyone else went! Everyone who wanted to have fun, at least."

"Oh, fine. *ahem* AH HAW HAW HAW ::snort:: HEE HAW HAW HAW."

Everyone stopped dead, staring at him.

"What the hell was that?" Scott asked, raising on eyebrow.

"Shut up." Lance glowered. Everyone started laughing again, but once again there was silence when an eerie girl's laugh rose above the rest. "Whoa! Who was that? It was good!"

"I think it was Rogue."

"Wow Rogue, I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Who said anythang about tryin'? That's how Ah always laugh." That only resulted in another moment of blank looks, then Pietro tiled his head back and laughed evilly again, only this time he was joined by everyone else, all trying to out-laugh the next person. The house was still full with a dull roar of evil laughter so that anyone who passed by would have agreed that the old mansion was haunted without a second doubt.

Something rose up out from the depths of the house; another laugh, but this one was deep, low and very, very evil sounding indeed. It made everyone stop in mid-chortle and listen, pale and eyes wide. "Who…was that?" Evan asked. "What it you, Dukes?"

"Uh-huh." Fred said, shaking his head. "I thought it was Lance."

"Nah, couldn't be." Kitty said. "I mean, we all know how pathetic his evil laughter is." Lance was glad for the darkness when he felt his cheeks go hot.

"Well then…who was it?" No one spoke. Then the laughter came again, low and taunting, from a closed door just behind the staircase.

"It…it came from in zere!" Kurt said, pointing one furry fingers and backing up a few paces, as he was the closest to the door.

"Well then, let's check it out!" Pietro said and zipped over to the door, tugging on the brass handles.

"I wouldn't do that, Maximoff." Scott warned, shining the flashlight in his direction.

"Oh, lighten up Summers, or are you going to be saying that all night? Hey Freddy, help me out here!" Looking a little worried, Fred lumbered over to Pietro, got a good grip on the doorknob and gave one firm tug. The doors flew open in a shower of dust, knocking Pietro back and sending him rolling. Evan nearly doubled over laughing before the white-haired mutant sipped over and hit him upside the head. Before there was any more arguing, Fred said: "hey guys! You got to some see this! You won't believe it!"

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Sorry this is was so short guys, but I have to go to class. Review, okay!

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