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Excerpt
Bri’s point of view
“We’re fine but a bit rattled.” Kyle glanced at me and then back at his father. “Sorry for the late visit, but I wanted you to hear what happened firsthand. Let’s sit at the kitchen table.” Kyle grabbed my hand and pulled me to a chair.
Miles shook his head as he pulled off his outside gear and settled into a chair across from Kyle and me. “I had no idea the weather would turn into a snowstorm, more like a blizzard. It took some time for you to get back here, didn’t it?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued,
“Sorry about that. Glad you made it without incident.”
“Well, about that…” Kyle nodded toward me. “Tell Dad everything.”
I did, not leaving out the woman in the window or the scary-looking man in the mansion doorway, or how the appearance of the building went back in time to brand new. Nor did I skip describing the sign I saw that disappeared or the distance we’d driven when we saw the last two women and how something must be keeping them stuck there.
“Wow, I had no idea that kind of history was attached to the old mansion. It makes me think of the bordello stories my grandparents shared. Turned out more of a horror story.” Miles stared at me. “Did you open doors to any of the rooms upstairs?”
“None. The vibe came across as pure evil.” A chill zipped up my spine like a sawblade, making me shiver, and my eyes slammed shut. Everything went dark.
Then suddenly, I popped back to the mansion, reliving each moment there. Only this time, my trip ended with me standing in front of the black-eyed man at the door. His arms reached toward me. My paralyzed body couldn’t move as he grabbed my shoulders with stabbing force. I said, “I have no fear,” repeating the mantra. His mouth stretched open, long and wide, and his pointed teeth lengthened. The familiar stench coated my face, the same as my earlier visit. Then I said, “I am filled with love and light; the Divine is my shield.” Before I could repeat the mantra, his mouth closed, and he vanished into a cloud of black smoke.
Voices called my name, echoing inside my brain until I forced my eyes open to Kyle’s handsome face. His warm hands released each side of my head.
“What happened to you? It’s like you passed out in the chair, then after a bit, you’re repeating a mantra. Dad and I hollered your name, but you couldn’t hear us.” Kyle studied my face. “You did pass out, didn’t you?”
“I’ve never experienced anything like what just happened. I’m not sure how it happened, but I returned to the mansion and got a good picture of that man’s appearance. I believe his clothing dates back to that of the 1885 plaque. That’s a starting point for research of when the place was built and who owned it.” My heart beat like a mountain of drums in my chest. “Some horrific trauma must have happened to that man to make him so vile. He wanted to hurt me, maybe even kill me.”
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