Enter the Haunted House!

The two girls wandered through the spooky, silent corridors of the Haunted House for some time. Fake spiderwebs caught at their hair, suits of armour moaned and clutched at them, portraits' eyes turned to watch them pass. Finally, Bonnie said out loud what they were both thinking.

"This is lame. Where's the really scary stuff?"

"Yeah," said Susie, looking around. A ghost was drawn in luminous paint on a nearby wall, reaching for them with bony fingers. "It doesn't even move. I want to be properly spooked!"

"Are you sure about that, girls?"

The voice rang through the corridors. It was a woman's voice, rich and sultry, with just a hint of witchiness, and it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. As a matter of fact, it was the voice of Miss Trickett, although the girls didn't know that.

Susie jumped, just a little, although she was quick to control herself. "Who is that?" she commanded. "Show yourself."

"Why, I'm the house, you silly little thing. But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to be really, properly scared?"

Susie looked at Bonnie, who shrugged. "Yeah," she said, speaking for both of them. "I reckon we do."

"I'm talking real fear, pets. Bone-chilling, spine-tingling, blood-curdling, toe-curling fear. I'm talking all your deepest, darkest nightmares come to life. Honestly, I don't know if you seem ready for it."

"We're ready for it," said Susie, hotly. She wasn't totally sure, but she didn't want to back down in front of Bonnie. Anyway, she loved horror stories. And how bad could a carnival funhouse really be? "Give us your best shot."

"You asked for it. Welcome to... the Nightmare Zone."

A hidden door in the wall behind them swung open, with a ear-piercing shriek of rusty metal. It gave both girls a start. They'd had no idea it was there.