6.

                                    

                                          
Hope was wide awake and running both Sassy and Hunter through the streets of Exter. She had them looking in trees, by the banks of the river and in the schools that were never locked hallways. 
                          
Finally, after driving around the town a few times, Hope had them stop. She pointed. The De Exter Plantation. "She's there,' she said. Her eyes were wide in wonder. Then she smiled and jumped out of Sassy's Silverado. Hunter swore and quickly put the truck in park and jumped out after his sister. "HOPE!" he screamed at her. She had crossed through the gate and the darkness had engulfed her. He turned to look behind him as Sassy ran up to him. 
                          
"Are you kidding me right now?" She asked, her eyes looking at his, fear filling them.  "Maybe she's right, but either way we now have to find Hope," he held his hand out to her. "Just breathe. Its just a house, those stories we grew up with arent real."
                          
 She took his hand and squeezed. Hunter started to walk. 
                          
The De Exter Plantation was large but not as large as many plantations in the south during the Civil War. The upkeep had stopped on it decades ago, causing the house to be a death trap, the foundation was crumbling, ivy crawling up its sides and the large lawn was riddled with gopher holes and areas of bog. 
                          
"Hope?!" Sassy called out. "Sage!' they had stopped right by the house about a half a mile in from the gate and listened. They couldnt hear anything. 
                          
Then they heard it. BAM! They whipped around and watched as the iron gate closed behind them . Sassy started to panic and she ran to the gate. Hunter watched as she pulled on the gate desperately trying to get it to move, but it was stuck closed. Sassy collapsed to the ground. Hunter went to say something when he heard giggling. 
                          
"Sassy, they are here!' he said, he took off running to the sounds and heard Sassy getting up and running behind him to catch up. He reached the back of the Plantation and looked out into the bogs behind the house. The moon shone down making the bogs look eerie, he could have sworn that he saw two shadows skipping further into the fog the bog was creating. 
                          
Then he heard an inhuman laugh and the hair on the back of his neck rose. Sassy looked at him then to the back door of the plantation. "We cant get out and neither can they, they have to be here somewhere," she said whimpering. Hunter walked up to the door and laid a hand on the wood and softly pushed it open. It swung open as if it was being pulled from the other side, knocked against the stone wall of the kitchen then slammed back in Hunters face and then a cackle from behind the closed door emitted. 
                          
"Momma?" a scared Sage asked from behind the door. Hunters heart stopped. Sassy catapulted herself at the door and tried desperately to get it open. "Momma!" sage cried again. 
                          
Hunter pushed Sassy aside and swiftly kicked the door in. Sage wasnt there. Actually, no one was but them. The kitchen was full of dust and there were plenty of footprints in the dirt that had accumulated on the floor but they were all adult sized, from previous Halloween Lock downs. 
                          
Sassy went to say something when the door, barely connected to its hinges, slammed closed. "What the hell!" Hunter yelled. A cold wind  flew threw the kitchen and then Sassy screamed. When Hunter looked she was gone. 
                          
'Tick Tock, little boy, 
                          
The one who makes it doesn't use it.
                          
The one who buys it doesn't need it.
                          
The one who uses it doesn't know she's using it.
                          
You have 30 minutes before shes gone, find her quickly!"
                          
A voice filled the room then it left. Hunters brain started working in overdrive was this some sort of a game? His heart was beating erratically, his palms sweating. 
                          
The one who makes it doesn't use it.
                          
The one who buys it doesn't need it.
                          
The one who uses it doesn't know she's using it.
                          
It was a riddle! He ran from the kitchen and into the next room. He stopped as he looked around. It wasnt a room after all but a servants hallway. His eyes were adjusting to the dark well. He led himself down the hall by feeling the walls. He soon was in another hall that led to a large foyer. He was at the front of the house? He looked around and noticed to his left was a staircase and to the right was another room. 
                          
"You have 30 minutes before shes gone," he whispered. He looked down at his watch. it was 1230a, he had less than 25 minutes, to find...he didnt know who he had to find! He chose the stairs. He put his hand on the banister and took a tentative step up, it creaked but remained stable. 
                          
He quickly walked up to the second landing before continuing to climb the stairs. When he reached the third landing he froze. There were 4 rooms on the this side of the house, there was a hallway to his left and 4 rooms on his right. He was quiet and then he heard it. A faint scream and a thump. 
                          
it wasnt coming from the rooms, it wasnt that close. He ran down the hallway on his left and then followed it as it twisted to the right and then he came to a large door. He opened it and in the middle of the room was a coffin. 
                          
Hunter walked up to it hesitantly and then he heard it again. The scream was coming from inside it! He frantically tried to open the coffin but it was sealed. He looked at his watch. He had ten minutes! He looked around the empty room for anything he could use to pop open the coffin lid. But nothing was there. 
                          
he ran out of the room. The fireplace he had passed down in the kitchen had a poker, he could use it as a crow bar. he quickly ran down the hall until he made it back to the stair case. He ran down it back into the foyer, skid into the servants hall and into the kitchen. He stopped and scanned the room, quickly found the poker grabbed it and instantly dropped it. He looked down at his hand, the moon from the window shining down on his hand. Bright Red blood covered it. Hunters eyes grew wide, he let out a shout and quickly wiped the blood off on his pants. He looked at his watch yet again. He had 5 minutes.
                          
Clenching his jaw he grabbed the poker again and took off running back the way he came. He made it to the foyer and up to the third landing and into the hall in 3 minutes. He now stood in front of the coffin he couldnt hear anything. 
                          
He quickly pushed the tip end of the poker up and under the lid of the coffin and pushed down popping the lid off. He dropped the bloody poker and pushed the top off and screamed. 
                          
The body of a guy Hunter recognized to be as Sages dad, fell out of the coffin, in various stages of decomposition as Hunter reeled back and accidentally hit the coffin knocking it to the ground. 
                          
He felt a gust of wind and then a voice sounded. "wrong one," it sang. Hunters world shattered as he took off running.