Scream House

The envelope was black. It hadn't arrived in her mailbox or with an RA at the front desk of her dorm. No, the single black envelope appeared on her pillow sometime in the night, while she slept dreamlessly next to it. It meant someone had been in her room.

Allyson pulled the sheets off her bed and went to check: the door to her room was still locked from the inside. Had Jenny placed the letter there, as a prank? Allyson peeked her head through the pink dividing curtain into Jenny's sleeping space, where the blonde purred happily against her own pillow, a touch of drool trickling down the pillow's bright fabric. It couldn't have been Jenny...

Ally sat back on her bed, fingers gingerly lifting the envelope. She wondered if she should wake Jenny. Her hands felt cold, her chest heavy. She slept in only a T-shirt - maybe she should throw on a sweater... She felt the chill hardening her nipples against the thin cloth of her shirt, and placed her arm over her chest, even though no one was there to look at her. Unless someone was watching her...

She looked out the window, at the dim light of the pre-dawn. She was on the third floor of her dorm - no one could have come in through the window. That didn't mean someone wasn't watching, though. She lowered the blinds as quietly as she could, so as not to wake Jenny. Finally, with a trembling finger, she opened the envelope and pulled out the small, black slip inside.

Dearest Allyson,

If this letter reaches you, it means I have died. Worry not -- I am old and my life has gone on longer than most. Some might even say unnaturally long, though what is natural anyway? I could go on... and perhaps I should, given that I will be dead by the time you read this. You call so infrequently, dear Allyson. It aches these grandfather's bones. I have always been bad about playing favorites with family members, and you, my dear, have always been my favorite.

Do not tell your sister, or your mother. Your father knows I never liked him. Oh, I am getting distracted again.

Allyson, dear Allyson, it is my wish to bequeath to you my manor, lovingly called Scream House by the locals of Dyer, the small village in which I've lived the last eighty years of my life. Alas, I am unable to transfer ownership to you through normal, legal means. You will understand why.

Instead, you must acquire the house as I did all those years ago. At the start of the following month, you must survive a week in Scream House without leaving the premises or losing your sanity. Only then will the house accept you. An easy task, no? Well, I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated.

There are others with a claim on the house. The Church of Dyer has roots within Scream House, and have been attempting to steal it back from me for ages. The Syndicate will also likely make a move for the house -- the wealthy, secret society of Dyer that once owned the house before I made my claim all those years ago.

Who knows who else will show up? I would recommend you bring with you allies. It is of vital importance that you acquire the house. You will understand why once you arrive. I have left charms throughout the house to aid you and hinder your opponents.

Oh, my little Allyson. This is a dangerous thing I task you with, but I can trust no other. Maybe it is because you remind me of myself at your age. I suppose, since I have died, that there need not be any secrets between us. And yet there are things I still fear to tell you, lest they ruin your image of me.

Once you claim the house, you will find my final letter, dear Allyson. I look forward to talking to you then.

I love you more than the world and all of its demons. I hope you remain strong and lovely, as you already are and ever were.

With love, so much love, more than you will ever know,

Grandpa

Allyson placed the letter down. A tear lingered in her eye and then fell across her cheek. She couldn't scream, she couldn't cry out, or she would wake Jenny. Should she call Mom? No, Mom probably already knew. Maybe she should call her sister, Kate. But she didn't know what she would say to Kate -- how to explain that she got a letter and her sister didn't. But she would have to tell Kate eventually. Grandpa said to bring allies, and Kate would be a reliable one....

Allyson knew she had only a few days to prepare. She remembered Scream House, the dark, castle-like exterior and the surprisingly cozy, velvety interior... the endless hallways, the pools and gardens... Allyson did love the house, and her grandpa.

She would do this because he asked. She would win the house.