The Haunting of Spook House

by George Ivanoff

  You are about to launch into the story of the ghost in the box, when she fixes you with a determined stare.

  ‘You vill listen to me, young person,’ she says. ‘I vill give you vone hundred dollars for this box.’ She reaches into her pocket and pulls out two fifty-dollar notes, waving them in front of you. ‘Take it or leave it!’

  One hundred dollars! You didn’t expect to get money for the box. You wonder if she’d still give you the cash if she knew about the ghost. Would she want a haunted box? Either way, you really should tell her … right?

  If you think you should let her know about the ghost – and risk losing a hundred dollars – go here.

  But if you just want to take the money and run, go here.

  You run down the hallway, through the kitchen and out the back door.

  You sprint the length of the backyard and clamber over the fence. You are halfway down the next yard when you hear an explosion behind you. You turn to look.

  Flames erupt from the back door. But there’s also movement at the top floor window.

  The window is flung open and a face appears.

  ‘HELP!’

  You recognise the voice. It’s your friend Anna. What’s she doing up there?

  A second figure appears next to her. It’s your other friend, Josh. Why are they up there? They were supposed to have met you outside the house. Maybe they came in looking for you.

  You head back towards the house to try to rescue them. But before you can reach the fence, the entire house is consumed in an enormous explosion.

  You are knocked off your feet.

  Your ears are ringing and you are momentarily dazed as debris rains down around you. You groggily lift your head to see the ghostly form of von Chase float out of the smouldering rubble. His voice echoes through your head.

  ‘How was that for a KABOOM?’

  Above the ruined house, von Chase ignites into a ball of flame and disappears.

  But he’s not the only one who’s gone. So are Anna and Josh.

  You could have saved them … but, instead, you selfishly chose to save yourself – a burden you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life!

  You dash up the staircase yelling that the house is about to blow up.

  As you reach the top of the stairs, two people run towards you. You are surprised to see that it’s your friends, Anna and Josh. It turns out that they’d arrived at the house earlier, planning to play a trick on you.

  All three of you head down the stairs. The door to the study explodes, spewing flames into the hallway and blocking access to the kitchen and back door. So you head for the front door instead. You hear more blasts behind you as you go.

  You make it out into the yard as the entire house erupts. The force of the fire knocks you and your friends off your feet and onto the street.

  Your ears are ringing and you are momentarily dazed as debris rains down around you. You groggily lift your head to you see the ghostly form of von Chase float out of the smouldering rubble. His voice echoes through your head.

  ‘How was that for a KABOOM?’

  Above the ruined house, von Chase ignites into a ball of flames and disappears.

  The ghost is gone and the house is destroyed … but at least you and your friends are okay!

  You follow Josiah into the lounge room. In addition to the dust and the cobwebs, there are old sheets draped over all the furniture.

  Josiah walks around the room, sweeping his handheld device back and forth, until he finally comes to a stop by the window.

  ‘The time distortion centres around here,’ he says. ‘It might be a portal into another period in time.’

  He opens the window and sticks the device through it. Then he pulls it back and studies the readings.

  ‘Hmm. Nothing happened.’ He scratches his chin. ‘Maybe it’s one-way.’ He looks up at you, a twinkle in his eye. ‘Don’t suppose you’d mind heading back outside via the kitchen and then climbing in through this window while I monitor you?’

  But what happens if the window is a portal to another time? Will you travel into the past or the future? Will you be able to return here?

  If you’re willing to do as Josiah requests, go here.

  But if you think it’s too dangerous, go here.

  You take a deep breath and a step back … then run at the door.

  You shiver as you pass through it. It’s like plunging into a pool of icy water.

  You look around. The street seems similar to what you know, with some key differences. The newer houses aren’t there. The older houses look newer. The cars look different. You definitely have stepped back in time!

  You see two ladies with prams standing on the footpath, chatting. Like the boy, they are insubstantial, as if they have faded in the sun. You run up to them and try to get their attention. But they can’t see you.

  You try to tap one of the women on the shoulder, but your hand passes through her. You stagger back and clutch your hand. It’s so cold it hurts!

  Your heart pounds as you realise you could be trapped here.

  You have a sudden desire to see your own house. It’s an old building that was constructed in the 1920s, so it will exist in 1962. But what good would that do?

  Maybe you should try to help the boy? There’s a police station just a few blocks away. Perhaps you should go there?

  If you want to head to the police station, go here.

  If you’d rather see your own home, go here.

  You run all the way to your house.

  It hasn’t changed much.

  You walk up the drive and to the front door. There is rippled, stained glass to either side of the entrance instead of the clear panels you’re used to, so you can’t see in.

  You can’t help yourself – you feel the need to venture inside. You take a deep breath, close your eyes and step through the door.

  Again, it’s like plunging into ice water. Only this time, it’s much worse. Your legs buckle, your head spins and you fall forwards.

  You open your eyes to find yourself on the floor of your present-day house. The front door is open. There are clear glass panels to either side of it. Your cricket bat is leaning in the corner.

  You’ve returned to your own time! Or maybe you never left? Perhaps you imagined it all?

  But then, why do you feel so very cold?

  Having made up your mind, you run all the way to where the police station should be.

  And it is there! Although it’s a different building, an older one.

  The door opens and a man walks out. Quickly you slip through before it closes.

  Inside, you try to catch the attention of the policeman behind the counter. You call out to him, you jump up and down, you wave your hands right in front of his eyes … but he continues reading his newspaper.

  You shout in the policeman’s ear out of sheer desperation. He looks up, thoughtful, then goes back to reading the newspaper.

  You try again, getting as close to him as possible. As you shout, your lips pass through his ear. You fall backwards, your lips blistering with the cold … but the policeman looks up, concerned.

  ‘Who’s there?’ he calls out, standing up and walking around the counter. He opens the door and peers into the street before shaking his head and returning.

  As you get to your feet an idea forms in your mind. Perhaps if you stepped into the policeman, occupied the same space as him, you might be able to get him to listen. But what would happen to you if you did? Would you freeze completely?

  If you think that helping the boy is worth the risk, go here.

  If you’re too scared of the consequences, maybe you should go back to your previous idea of seeking out your house? Go here.

  You snatch the money out of the woman’s hand and bolt out of the shop.

  You’re halfway down the street when the shops are rocked by a massive explosion. You look back to see a burst of flame spew from the alley, followed closely by the apparition of von Chase.


  You run!

  ‘Traitor!’ you hear von Chase screaming behind you. ‘I’ll make you pay. I’ll make you go KABOOM!’

  You put on a burst of speed as the pavement to the right of you explodes. Sparks rain down on you as you run, dodging from side to side.

  You race back the way you came, passing Spook House. You notice that the fireworks have ceased. You look back over your shoulder to see that von Chase is no longer pursuing you. He is circling above the house.

  ‘KABOOM!’ he screeches. ‘I must complete my mission to be free.’

  He swoops down to the house and disappears through the roof.

  Seconds later, the entire house erupts. The force of the blast knocks you off your feet.

  Your ears are ringing and you are momentarily dazed as debris rains down around you. You groggily lift your head to see von Chase float up from the smouldering rubble. His voice echoes through your head.

  ‘How was that for a KABOOM?’

  Above the ruined house, von Chase ignites into a ball of flame and vanishes.

  The ghost is gone … and you are safe!

  At least, you hope so …

  Before the shop owner can give you the one hundred dollars, you tell her about the ghost of von Chase trapped with his ashes in the box.

  The woman’s eyes grow even wider as you recount the story. You’re half expecting them to pop right out of their sockets. That would be gross but interesting, you think.

  ‘Vell, vell, vell, young person,’ says the woman, drumming her fingers on the counter. ‘That changes everything.’

  There goes the one hundred dollars, you think to yourself.

  The woman reaches under the counter and brings up a wad of cash held tightly together with a grubby rubber band. She slaps it down on the counter.

  ‘For a trapped ghost, I am villing to give you vone thousand dollars. Take it or leave it!’

  You stare at the money for a moment, finding it hard to believe your luck. You reach for it and ask what she plans on doing with the ghost.

  The woman slams her hand down on the cash and glares at you.

  ‘There is no money for qvestions,’ she hisses. ‘You vant the money, you vill ask nothing. Yes?’

  You nod.

  ‘Good decision, young person,’ she says, taking her hand off the bundle of notes.

  ‘Take money and go. Yes?’

  You grab the money and run.

  By the end of the day you’ve got yourself a new bike, the latest computer game and a tub of quadruple-choc ice-cream. And you’ve forgotten all about Gabriel Thurston von Chase III and Spook House.

  You carefully pick up the box, the ghost of von Chase hovering above it, and tip the ashes out.

  The ashes rise and swirl around the room as if blown about by wind.

  ‘Free!’ shouts von Chase as he flies about the room, swooping up and down until he comes to rest in front of you. He fixes you with his manic stare. ‘And it’s all thanks to you.’

  He spreads out his arms and spins, his trench coat flapping around his legs.

  Go here.

  Cautiously, you step through the door.

  Something strikes out at you, knocking you to the floor. The sword slips from your fingers and skitters to the base of the stairs.

  You look up to see the thug standing over you.

  ‘I can’t believe you fell for that,’ he chuckles. ‘Boss-lady ain’t going to be happy with you.’

  ‘And the police aren’t going to be happy with you,’ says Anna.

  You and the thug look in surprise towards the stairs. Your friend Josh is holding the sword, while Anna is holding up her mobile phone.

  Soon the police arrive.

  It turns out Josh and Anna had come into the house earlier, intending to play a joke on you. Given that they’ve just come to your rescue, you think you might forgive them for that.

  Go here.

  You dash to the window and yank it open.

  The thug comes running back into the room.

  ‘So much for my little trick,’ he growls as he lunges for you. But he steps on the decapitated doll’s head, pitches sideways and crashes to the floor.

  You throw yourself through the window and run … straight to the police station.

  Go here.

  You slip the key into the lock.

  ‘No!’ shouts Josiah.

  Startled by his shouting, you drop the box. It springs open, strewing ashes all over the floorboards.

  There is a blaze of sparks and a waft of smoke, which clears to reveal the ghost of a tall man with an intense gaze, wearing a trench coat.

  ‘I’m free!’ shouts the transparent man. ‘Free to make a KABOOM!’

  Josiah flicks the switch on the containment unit and aims the hose at the ghost. But the ghost zooms across the room.

  ‘You can’t catch me,’ he shouts. ‘Time for the fireworks.’

  The ghost flings his arms out. Sparks explode from his fingertips, setting books and shelves aflame. Josiah tries to trap the ghost, but he streaks out of the room and up the staircase, his voice echoing around the house: ‘Time for a big KABOOM!’

  ‘I’ll get him,’ calls Josiah, chasing after the ghost. ‘You leave the house.’

  You don’t need to be told twice. You run down the hallway, through the kitchen and out the door.

  You sprint the length of the backyard and clamber over the fence. You are halfway down the next yard when you hear an explosion behind you and feel a wave of heat. You turn to look.

  Flames are erupting from the back door of Spook House. Windows are shattering. And then the entire house detonates. The force of the blast knocks you off your feet.

  Your ears are ringing and you are momentarily dazed, as debris rains down from above. Josiah’s charred containment unit smashes to the ground beside you, missing your head by centimetres.

  You look at the unit, then at the rubble of the house, then back at the unit. You wonder if Josiah managed to capture the ghost before he and the house went KABOOM. Just to be certain, you take the unit next door to Josiah’s house … and bury it.

  You follow Josiah into the study.

  It’s a small room. There’s an old-fashioned writing desk up against one wall, a pair of antique swords hanging above it. Dusty, overflowing bookshelves line the walls. In the centre of the room is a tall glass cabinet.

  With the device held out in front of him, Josiah heads straight for the cabinet. There is a weird array of stuff on display – statues, carvings, framed pictures, dog tags and a wooden box.

  ‘All the paranormal traces are in this cabinet,’ says Josiah, studying the readings. ‘Let’s see. The box. The Egyptian statue. The dog tags.’

  Josiah steps back, unhooks the plastic tube from his belt and stands at the ready. ‘Take them out, one by one. And be careful. Who knows what ghostly horrors lurk in each of these objects?’

  You step up to the cabinet and peer in. Which shall it be?

  If you pick the wooden box, go here.

  If you pick the Egyptian statue, go here.

  If you pick the dog tags, go here.

  You’re not sure you want to go climbing through a potential time portal. So you suggest it might be better if Josiah does.

  ‘Oh!’ His eyes widen, magnified to even greater proportions by the goggles. ‘Oh … I don’t think that would be wise … because … you see …’ He holds up his device. ‘I need to monitor what happens. And record everything to study later.’

  You point out that you could hold the machine for him while he climbs through the window from outside.

  ‘Oh. Yes, I suppose you could.’

  He tentatively hands you the device and slowly heads for the door.

  A few minutes later Josiah is looking in through the window. He gives you a halfhearted wave and adjusts his goggles. He places his hands on the windowsill and tries to climb through. The containment unit on his back knocks into the window frame and he falls backwards onto the gr
ound outside.

  ‘I am unharmed,’ you hear him call out.

  He pops back into view, now without the unit on his back. He again places his hands on the sill and throws a leg up and over. Losing his balance, he propels himself through the window …

  And vanishes.

  You wait for what seems like ages, but he doesn’t reappear. So you head outside.

  You discover that the window is shut and that, no matter how hard you try, you can’t get it to budge. You run back to the lounge room. From inside, the window is still open.

  You take a closer look at the window and see something scratched into the paint on the frame. Words …

  TRAPPED IN 1962!

  You’re rather excited about the possibility of going through a time portal. You race outside and look in through the window.

  ‘Okay,’ Josiah calls out to you. ‘Climb through.’

  You hoist one leg up and over the sill. You are halfway over when you hear a strange wheezing sound that makes you think of a gigantic monster’s intake of breath.

  Then the window slams down on you. Pain shoots through your skull. Your vision blurs.

  You push the window up with one hand, but it feels like it’s trying to close on you. You can’t hold it open much longer.

  ‘Stop!’ You hear a distant voice calling. ‘No.’

  Is that Josiah? Should you climb back out?

  The window suddenly feels heavier. It’s bearing down on you, as if trying to bite you in half. You slip and start to fall into the lounge room.

  But at the last second, a hand grabs you and pulls you outside.

  The window slams shut!

  You fall onto the paving stones and look up at Josiah. He is out of breath.