Part 2: .Mother Spook.



"Soap, check. Shampoo, check. Clothes, check…"
Michael crossed over the sea of untidy luggage and stood in front of Maria. "Ok, dish out, lady. Why oh why my apartment?"

Maria neatly put a tick at the 'clothes' word. "Because your house is the best place to pack up."

Isabel sat on Michael's bed. "What's the point? I'm sure I brought everything."

Maria turned an exasperated look on her. "The point is, when we get there, we are not allowed to go out of the house until after the challenge, and if anyone forgets something, I'm not keen to be the supplier."

Kyle sauntered in the room and held up a candy bar. "Can I have this?" he asked Michael. Before Michael could answer, he dropped it into his backpack.

"Sure," Michael narrowed his eyes.

"Maria, we are running late," Liz said zipping her bag. "We are due in the next hour."

"Wait, wait," said Maria. "Powder, check. Money, check…"

"What we need money for?" asked Tess.

"They have a great shopping mall in that haunted house," said Michael.

Maria stepping heavily on Michael's foot eliciting a yell from him. "It never hurts to be silent."

"For," prompted Alex.

"For emergency needs," said Maria.

"We don't…" Kyle saw the dangerous look on Maria's face and decided to leave the matter unquestioned.

"I am ready," announced Max, entering the room.

"Snow White here isn't," said Michael.

"FYI, I am," retorted Maria.

She slung her backpack and picked up her luggage bag. "Let's go, boys!"

Michael picked his up. "Let's go, girls!"

Together, they filed out of the house.

"Uh, shuttle buses?" asked Tess.

"Shuttle buses," agreed Kyle.

They boarded a bus and headed straight to the haunted house.

Upon arrival, a short fat man ran towards them.

"Here are the last eight!" he waved to the camera crew.

Thrusting a mike into Max's face, he barked, "How do you feel now?"

"How do I feel?" repeated Max. "Uh. I feel…uh…"

Maria pushed her way up front and answered, "He feels great! Hi, I'm Maria DeLuca," she smiled brightly in the camera.

"Welcome to the Haunted House Challenge," barked the man. "Here are the rules!"

The cameraman waved for the other four contestants to join them.

"Food cooked yourselves, the gate is left unlocked, if you feel like scrambling, go on. Cameras everywhere throughout the house but the bathrooms. Hand phones not allowed, if you have one, please surrender it up. TV programs are provided, after a week, the contestant with the most points gets the money. Voting time is at the afternoon, after lunch. You have to vote for at least 3 persons, and for every vote you get, one point. Explore the house and let the cameras spot you in most secluded and eerie places, you get a point. Got it?"

"He doesn't need to breathe, does he?" whispered Alex.

"Our contestants," the man waved. "Kyle Valenti, Maria DeLuca, Max and Isabel Evans, John McCauley, Michael Guerin, Brenda Ledford, Daniel Leicester, Liz Parker, Tess Harding, Nicole Carter, and Alex Whitman."

"Valenti, our town's sheriff's son, single," the mike was thrust into Kyle's hand.

"Uh, hi," said Kyle meekly.

"DeLuca, single, as a waitress in the Crashdown."

"Hi, my name is Maria. I hope you will enjoy…"

The mike was pulled away, and Maria tried her best not to look annoyed.

"The Evans, brother and sister."

"Hello."

"McCauley, married."

"Nice Day."

"Guerin, working in the Crashdown."

A grunt.

"Ledford, single, CEO."

"Hi."

"Leicester, single."

A wave.

"Parker, waitress at the Crashdown, single."

"Hi."

"Harding, single."

"Hello."

"Carter, married."

A smile.

"Whitman, single."

"Uh…I…"

The mike was pulled out and the fat man beamed into the camera. "Let's go!"

They were herded into the house.

One step into the house. Before the door closed, Alex sighed.

"Bye, Roswell."

The house was dark and the only light highlighting the corners were the lamps placed everywhere, giving a weak orange glow that made the house seem eerie although it was not.

The stairs was splintered at places and they could see the outlines of doors ahead.

"There are 20 bedrooms up there, take your pick," said the man.

"Are there any…uh…white lights?" asked Tess.

"Nope. Orange lights make the setting nicer. You are scared?" the man grinned evilly.

"NO," said Tess.

"Good. We'll leave you to explore. Remember, voting after lunch, starting from tomorrow. Cameras at secluded areas help you to score if you go explore." The man spoke into the camera. "Let's leave the contestants alone."

The door opened again and all the crew filed out. "Remember, run to the gate and you are out," the man said before the door swung shut with a bang. The group jumped.

"It's dusty," Isabel said shaking her hair, as she dusted off imaginary dust.

From the look on McCauley's face, Michael could tell he was hooked on Isabel.

"Let's choose a room," suggested Carter.

"Yeah, these luggage to tend to," agreed Liz.

They picked up their luggage and together, they climbed the stairs.

McCauley pulled Michael back. "That…Evans girl."

"What about her?" asked Michael.

"Is she…uh married?" he asked.

Michael paused. "No. You are."