Chapter 5 Dianne 2

"Dianne!!" We screamed.

"Dianne!!"

Anna sighed as we got to the kitchen door.

"Maybe she left?" She thought out loud.

"To where?" Kate asked. Anna responded with silence, realizing how unreasonable her question was.

We walked to the centre of the kitchen, moving our eyes to all corners. "Maybe we should split?" One of the girls suggested.

We all gave her a slow dramatic head turn.

"Sure!" Kate started, "Because we all have advanced night vision eye sights".

"Sorry..." She responded.

We walked towards the store door. Beatrice stood in front of us, pushing it open. Our eyes guarded the door as it slowly moves as if we were expecting something to pop out.

She pushed the door open, and we saw... Nothing but foodstuffs.

Suddenly sounds of childlike footsteps ran through the hallway. We gasped, turning around scared. My heart sunk.

"What was that?", Anna whispered.

Our eyes all widened at the darkness at the door, frozen on the spot. I stepped forward, holding up the lamp, trembling in fear.

"I don't know..."

We slowly stepped towards, clutching each other's clothes.

We walked to the door, pointing the lamp towards the far end of the hallway.

We turned around to the staircase behind us leading to our room floor. "Should we check?" Kate whispered.

"I don't know", Beatrice responded shaking.

I suddenly noticed something.

I narrowed my eyes down the hall, trying to make out a silhouette in the dark end leading downstairs.

SWASH!

It rushed past, running downstairs. The mini footsteps continued downstairs as the sound slowly faded.

I dropped the lamp out of fear, splattering it on the floor, leaving us in complete darkness.

With our eyes wide open, we stood still unable to move, waiting for one more warning sign.

Slowly a creaking sound echoed from downstairs as if the person or thing was tiptoeing up the stairs. Almost immediately four of the girls ran upstairs weaning in fear, leaving, Beatrice, Kate, Anna, and me. We moved closer, holding tightly unto ourselves.

"What should we do?" Beatrice whispered above my head.

"I don't know, your the oldest", Kate's voice responded.

Again we heard another creak, but this time closer. It left the stairs.

"Why ain't we running?" Anna said shaking.

"Same reason we're walking forward", I said, squeezing her clothes tight in my palm.

With our bodies paralyzed in fear, we shivered in our arms unable to move, staring straight into the darkness, when we felt a slight breeze of movement at our side.

"Guys?" Beatrice called out a bit loud.

"Shuuuusssh!", We shushed her angrily.

"Guys?!?" Her voice got louder.

"What Bea!?" Kate asked annoyed.

"Who's holding my waist?!?" Beatrice's voice trembled

I could feel Kate move her hand over Anna's and mine, holding unto our clutched fists.

"It's... not me", Kate whispered.

Standing still for a few minutes, Beatrice immediately lost it.

"Ahhhh!!!"

I felt my body slam against the wall, hitting my chin, as Beatrice and Kate pushed us aside, charging forward downstairs.

I clutched unto my aching chin groaning. I turned to the side, shooting my hands in the air to feel Anna.

"Anna?" I grabbed her hair in my fist.

"Yeah..."

I exhaled in relief.

"Why are you holding my leg?" Anna whispered.

"I'm not..."

"Ahhhhhh!!!" I jumped on my feet, not releasing Anna's hair as I raced forward.

We screamed, running down the stairs and not turning back.

Racing towards the basement floor, our voices began to fade, seeing a dim light emitting from the small room on the left, just leading to the basement door.

As we approached the room, we lessened our pace.

"Guys?" Anna called out calmly to Kate and Beatrice standing feet away from the basement door.

Their eyes were peeled open, it was like they had seen a ghost... Again.

"Bea? Kate?" I whispered walking closer. Gently I released Anna's hair, slowly placing my hand on Kate's arm.

"What happened?"

Kate and Beatrice turned to us, with her fingers pointed straight to the glowing candlelight in the basement. Anna and I move forward, tilting our heads to the dark long figure standing in the flooded basement, with its head down. We stayed quiet with our eyes stuck on the being.

"Is that Dianne?" A voice whispered behind us.

"Ahhhh!" We jumped, grabbing each other as we fell to the floor.

"Don't hurt me. Don't hurt me", Kate whispered to herself shaking on the floor. I slowly lifted my head, pinching my eyes shut out of fear...

I opened my eyes.

"Grace!?" I shouted angrily.

"What!!!" They turned around.

"Happy to see me?", Grace waved with an innocent smile.

"What the!??... Grace!!!" Beatrice shouted, angrily getting up.

"It was you all along?!" Anna asked pissed.

"Maybe..." Grace mumbled with a grin.

"What!" I clutched my fist ready to pounce on her.

"Why would you do that!?" Kate shouted.

"I don't know... Sorry", Grace held up her hands like she didn't know what was going on.

"Sorry?" Beatrice moved closer, "Sorry you nearly got us killed!?"

"Oh please, it was just a harmless prank, that you scaredy cats couldn't handle", Grace smiled.

"Harmless! I literally rolled down the stairs and fell flat on the face while running downstairs!" Kate pointed at herself almost shouting.

"And I almost lost my scape to Lola's--" Anna turned to me, lifting my hand, "... Weirdly strong gripping fingers", Anna looked at me. "No offence".

"None taken", I turned back at Grace.

"You scared the hell out of us!" I added.

"Well that's a good thing", Grace smiled again.

Beatrice hissed loudly, "I feel like-" She snappily raised her palm above Grace, making her cover her face in defence.

"Ugh!" Beatrice pulled down her hand.

"What are you even doing here? I thought you wanted to stay in the room?" I asked in a high annoying pitch.

"I did. But then the lamp went out and I was too scared to stay there alone, so I decided to come downstairs and look for you guys".

"Oh, so that's your definition of look!?!?" Anna crossed her arms.

"And you're scared of the dark but not scared to hide in the shadows and scare us!?" Kate pushed her face forward.

"Sorry ..." Grace pushed out her lower lips. We sighed, pinching our forehead. Beatrice opened her mouth about to speak.

"I think we should be more focused on our sister standing still in the basement", Grace stretched her neck behind us to the basement.

We all slowly turned. I then realized it wasn't just a figure, it was Dianne; standing still with the lamp in front of her, and her back facing us.

"What do you think she's doing?" Kate turned to us.

"Mmmhmm?" Anna shrugged.

"Dianna!?" Grace shouted.

"SHHHH!" Beatrice and Kate tapped her shoulder to keep shut.

"What!?" She moved back.

"Why are you shouting her name?" Beatrice whispered.

"Because she's the reason we're out here in the first place!" Grace responded aloud.

Suddenly all my focus fell on Dianna's back. Slowly stepping forward, I left them behind as they argued.

"Lola?" I heard them call out calmly.

I slowly walked to the door, stretching my hand forward, "Dianne?..."

She looked at me over her shoulder, raising her right hand, gesturing to me to come in.

I turned to the rest behind, all clutched to themselves.

"Come", I whispered a bit loudly.

They looked at themselves then back at me, giving me a subtle nod as they stepped forward slowly. I turned back to Dianne, unhurriedly placing my foot on the first step.