Chapter 3
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"Pam, did you find anything?" Ralph said looking around as he came down the staircase. "Pam?" he called out after not getting an answer. "Now, I'm worried." he said turning to Bill.

Bill shouted, "Counselor?" He noticed Ralph was getting really worried. "We'll find her. She couldn't have gotten far." he said trying to reassure his partner.

"I DO think something fishy is going in this house." he stated looking around the place.

As they started looking around for clues or anything out of place. Bill heard a noise come from behind the closet door in the main room. Ralph looked at the door and started towards it. Bill stopped him grabbing his shoulder. Ralph looked at Bill. Bill put his finger to his lips then pulled out his gun as he walked slowly towards the closet. He slowly gripped the doorknob then quickly opened the door.

When he opened the door, what appeared to be a stiff dead person fell out of the closet onto Bill. Ralph jumped back a bit.

Bill stood there emotionless as the mannequin that was dressed up as a dead guy leaned on his shoulder. Bill sighed. "Villicana didn't do this one. Did he?"

Ralph answered, "No, I don't remember seeing that before."

"Yep, something fishy is going on around here." he said shoving the mannequin off of him to the side. Pointing to a small door in the closet. "Another secret pathway I assume?" he asked with a smirk.

"I was worried. Now I'm getting annoyed." Ralph said as he headed towards the front door. He opened the door as a cloth ghost swung down at him from the outside. Angered by the antics going on, Ralph tore the ghost down.

"That's it. I'm getting the suit." he said as he stormed outside towards the back of his car.

"It's about time." Bill said leaning against the wall.

---

Pam slowly woke up to find herself in a dimly lit room.

"Miss Davidson, are you alright?"

Pam looked over to see Rhonda sitting beside her and that both of them are tied up. "I'm fine, Rhonda. Are you hurt?"

"No, at least not yet." she replied a bit concerned.

"Where are we?" Pam asked looking around. "This looks like a basement."

"Yeah, that's what I figured as well. I don't see no windows to the outside though." replied Rhonda.

"It may be a type of sub-basement." Pam said looking at the walls. "Have you seen who kidnapped us?"

"Yeah, I saw it." answered Rhonda.

"It?" Pam asked hiding concern.

"When I was getting that box for Mr. H, I turned around and it grabbed me. I.. I don't know if it's some kinda monster or someone in a Halloween costume trying to prank us." Rhonda answered positive she wasn't seeing things.

"This is for sure not a prank, Rhonda." Pam said.

"No it isn't!" echoed a voice in the shadows.

Startled, Pam gasped as she and Rhonda looked towards the distance. "Who's there?" Pam bravely asked.

"Your questions will be answered shortly.. As will the punishment of the sins of your past." responded the voice with a scratchy shrill.

"Sins? What sins?" Rhonda questioned. "I didn't do nothin'! I swear!" she said starting to panic as she looked at Pam.

"Calm down, Rhonda." Pam said to her trying to ease her worry. "We both know you haven't done anything. No one is going to hurt you." she said reassuring her. "Atleast not if Ralph has anything to say about it." Pam quietly said to herself, but not quiet enough.

Hearing what Pam said, Rhonda asked, "Mr. H? He's lookin' for me?" with a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"Yes, and now he's probably looking for me too." she quietly said to Rhonda.

Just then a figure appeared from the shadows. It slowly headed towards the the two captives.

"There it is! That's the one who kidnapped us!" Rhonda stated at Pam.

Pam looked closely at the figure. "Wasn't that the mannequin Cyler thought he saw?" she asked.

"Hey, you're right." Rhonda said. "That thing's been stalkin' us the whole time we've been here!"

"And for good reason!" the figure with white long hair, wearing a brown tattered robe said boldly. "Your kind has stalked ME! Invaded my home! Stolen from me! Tonight, I get my REVENGE!" Speaking, the figure raised it's fists in the air as if celebrating a victory as the lights in the room shown its face. It looked like some monster or demon crudely made with rubber.

"I told you. I hadn't done nothing!" Rhonda said defending herself.

"You will be an example to the others!" the figure replied.

"What others?" Pam asked.

"The others like her that come and trespass my home!" It angrily answered.

"I get it now. Apparently this person doesn't like children." Pam explained to Rhonda. "So what do they do because of that? They join the looney bin."

Rhonda nodded, confused and surprised Pam would make a bold statement like that.

"So what are my crimes then?" Pam asked the figure.

"Guilt by association!" it replied. "People like you defend them. When they should be punished to where their kind doesn't exist anymore!" it said as it leaned over close to Pam.

"Give me a break." Pam said rolling her eyes.

The figure backed off and slowly walked towards the shadows again as it said, "Your break will come soon." laughing as it disappeared.

---

"Are you ready yet?" Bill asked as he examined a flashlight he was holding.

"Yeah." Ralph said as he fastened his cape. He then looks around to find something to holograph on. He picks up Pam's pocketbook.

"Getting anything?" Bill asked.

Ralph squinted his eyes, "Yeah. It's blurry and faded. I think I see Pam, but I'm not sure." Putting the pocketbook down, he went towards the wall in the main room and presses both hands against it. "I'm getting nothing, Bill." He looked at Bill. "What could be the problem and why now?"

Bill answered, "It could be the house. Who knows what happens when the suit comes up against an old, dusty house."

"Where should we start then? This floor or upstairs?" Ralph questioned.

"Here. Since we found this shiny new secret pathway in the closet that you haven't gone through yet." pointing at the doorway in the closet.

"Works for me." Ralph said as he opened the door and stepped in. Bill followed and shone the light down the corridor. "You've got the flashlight. Want to go first?"

"Considering you've got the jammies on, no thanks. I'll take back-up." Bill said motioning Ralph to go on. After a few feet they stop at an opening. Bill shines his flashlight in front of them finding a staircase. "I can't see the bottom, can you? he asked.

"Nope." Ralph said as he walked down the steps. Just as both men started down the steps collapsed underneath their feet making them slide down to the bottom ending up on top of each other.

Bill rolled off of Ralph sitting up. "Are you alright?" Ralph asked. "Considering you landed on me." He said slowly getting up and helping Bill.

"Yeah, just thinking about how I'm gonna throw the book at this so called fun house." he said double checking to make sure there were no injuries. Seeing as there were none he looked up and saw two pathways at the wall opposite of them. "Great, a fork in the road."

"You go that way." Ralph pointed to the path on the right. "I'll go this way." he said heading through the one on the left.

"Whatever you say." Bill chuckled to himself.

---

Ralph walked slowly down the hallway. All of a sudden flashes of white lights which appeared to be strobe lights started flashing all around the hallway. Soon after splashes of red and blue joined in. "Great, a light show." Ralph said to himself.

"You're all alone." a voice said in the distance. "You will lose those you care about. You will fail."

"You're telling me stuff I ask myself everyday. Wanna try some new material on me?" Ralph yells back as he continues down the hallway undaunted.

---

Bill stops dead in his tracks after walking a short distance. He shines the flashlight down. He sees a pit full of liquid of somekind. "Hmm.. This could water. This could be acid. It could be cold water with an alligator in it waiting to have Uncle Bill for supper." he said. He shined the flashlight around and spotted something in the distance towards where the pit ends. It was a skeleton. "Acid it is." He then shined the light above him if there's anything hanging down for him to climb over the pit with. "Nothing... Can't go over it. Certainly can't go through it." he thought and then smiled as he shined the flashlight alongside the wall. "I'm gonna have to go around it! Hehe.." Bill tucked the flashlight under his chin as he slowly walked along the edge of the pit with his back against the wall and his arms spread out trying to hold onto anything he can grab. "You didn't know you would be dealing with Agent Bill Maxwell of the 72nd Armored Division!" he said talking to himself. "I was in Korea! These booby traps are a cake walk compared to that place!" Bill finally reached the end of the pit and gave a sigh of relief.

"Finally made it?"

"YOW! Ralph! I told ya to cut it out with the invisible stuff!" Bill said checking to see if his heart was still in his chest.

"I wasn't invisible." Ralph said, "but I was here long enough to find out you didn't have to go through all of that." Ralph walked over and picked up the skeleton. "It's plastic and that pit is filled with water."

Bill cleared his throat, "I didn't want to get wet."

Ralph half grinned at Bill. "Right, but since you mentioned going invisible.." Ralph leaned towards him in a hushed voice. "I think I will do that. I have this odd feeling we're being watched."

"Wouldn't surprise me if we were." Bill said agreeingly. "Do your stuff, kid." Ralph headed towards the doorway as if he was heading off. Browwrrr Ralph disappears. Bill headed onwards.

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