Disclaimer: I don't own The Spiderwick Chronicles, so leave me alone. Rawr.


It was late when Rose pulled up to the old grey Spiderwick gate, very late. Well, it didn't really look grey. The years hadn't done it much justice. It was more black and rusty now. And one thing was sure about this place. If it wasn't creepy enough during the day, it was at least 57 times worse at night.

Rose cautiously got out of her car and walked over to the gate. It wasn't locked, but that didn't make opening it any easier. The metal contraption creaked and groaned in protest as she shoved it open, just enough to get her car through. Then she ran back to her car.

She pulled into the driveway at a crawling pace but then decided to go just a little faster. The trees around her extended their spindly, clawed fingers towards her car, beckoning her in. The wind played tricks on her mind, well, at least she hoped they were tricks, making shadows run, jump, and dance all around her little red Alero. She all but danced for joy in her seat when she saw the lights of the Spiderwick Estate, but...

"...What are they doing in there? Every froggin' light is on..." Those kids must be up to something again, she thought to herself. She pulled her car up the rest of the way and turned the engine off, cutting the music in the process and making it painfully aware just how quiet her car was. Rose opened the door and clambered out and stretched out her aching muscles a little. Two days on the road was enough for her. She wasn't leaving any sooner than she had to. With a tired yawn she walked up the stairs on the portch and paused.

The door was open?

She walked up to the doorway but made a point not to go in, she didn't want to be that rude. "Hello? Aunt Helen? You there?" She waited a beat. No one came. "Helloooo?" Still nothing. "Alright, I'm coming in! No one better be naked!" She giggled at her own comment a little before stepping over the door frame and into the house. Alot of the doors and windows were open, making the curtains bend and dance like looming white ghosts. Rose shuddered. She could feel it again. Eyes all over her, watching her, waiting for her to do something. Something in the pit of her stomach told her to leave. Get in the car and never look back. Tell them you got stuck in the city, that you just had a big snowstorm.

No. She wouldn't do that.

Not without bringing them with her.

Rose walked through the entry hall and stopped at the living room. No one. The burgandy carpet was new. She sighed. She really needed to stop doing that. Every time she was in a building her interior designer took over her. I gotta learn how to leave my work behind. She continued to walk through the house, and to her dismay, found herself critiquing everything.

Oh look. That's a nice lamp.

Ooo, I like the new mahogany flooring in the music room!

Oh, wow. That's ugly.

Rose walked into the kitchen that looked like it had seen much better days. It was clean, but for some reason it faintly smelled like.. tomatoes? "Ew... that's weird." The only thing that was different from what she could remember from her childhood was a new stove. It was nice, stainless steel with matte black handles and details. The poor thing looked so out of place in the 60's reject kitchen- what was that noise? Rose gasped and turned around.

"Hello..."


Chapter 3 as promised! Can't believe I managed that! I've been soooo busy lately.

R&R!