That's Where Aurabelle Lives

Chapter 4: Run

As the sun dips below the horizon casting shadows across the neighborhood, the three brave souls gather by the abandoned house. The tall grasses move toward them as if warning them to go in the opposite direction of the house. On this day, curiosity got the better of them and all three of them were determined to get the truth. Tonight.

Sarah's eyes lock on the house. She doesn't know it but on the other side, Aurabelle is also watching her. Both eyes, stared at each other, unaware.

"The girl," Aurabelle whispers.

"What did you say?" Sarah turns to Lily.

Lily looks at Sarah, raising one eyebrow. "Umm. No one said anything."

"You said something about a girl. What girl?" Sarah asks.

Ethan faces Sarah. "No one said anything."

With her flashlight in hand, Sarah hit it against her hand. "Nothing," she mumbles. "maybe I was just...hearing things."

The trio approached the creaky front door. Aurabelle gasps and then quickly backs away from the door. The floor under her feet makes a sound only Sarah hears. She looks at the door and puts her hand on the door. She takes a deep breath and looks back at the others.

"I'm kind of scared," she admits.

The wind whispers through the cracks, adding an eerie soundtrack to their adventure.

Aurabelle looks at the door. "Come in," she demands. There's some hope inside of her. A chance for her to escape. Maybe she could even leave. Everything is worth a try she thinks.

Something makes Sarah push the door very gently.

"Sarah-"

Lisa holds her breath as the door opens up with a powerful force, causing it to emit a spine-chilling squeak. All three of them exchange nervous glances.

A big smile crosses Ethan's face. "Did you guys see that? Sarah barely touched the door."

Stepping into the sunlit entrance of the house, they notice the peeling wallpaper and dust-covered furniture, which gave the house an air of neglect. Shadows danced in the corners. One shadow which Sarah notices seems to stand tall like a human figure. When she looks over, she sees nothing. The air is thick with anticipation as they cautiously explore each room with their footsteps muffled by the worn-out carpet.

Aurabelle stays walking along the corners, hiding in the shadows. Sarah's eyes seem to follow along though she can't see Aurabelle.

Aurabelle smiles, enjoying Sarah sensing her. Part of her wants to jump out at them, and yell something. However, she's still afraid. She doesn't want to scare them away. She feels so close to the outside world. Aurabelle looks at the door and realizes it's still open. She slowly begins to walk towards it and out of the shadows.

Sarah drops her flashlight to the ground while looking towards the door. Her finger lifts up as she points to the door. "What...is that?"

Sarah doesn't see Aurabelle's human figure, but a dark distorted figure with no face, no skin, blackened as if if burnt. She faints when she sees this. Lisa and Ethan ran up to her.

"Sarah!" They both call out.

Ethan takes a water bottle out of his backpack, flicks off the top, and puts a little water on his hand. He begins patting Sarah's face with his wet hand. "Hey, Sarah! Wake up."

Aurabelle is face-to-face with the outside world. But she doesn't see the beautiful lively world. No. The world before her is the world she knew before her death. 3 dark figures stand in front of the door, moaning and limping slowly towards her with their arms and hands reached out.

"No!" Aurabelle screams and then slams the door.

The slam makes Ethan and Lily look back. Ethan quickly turns on the flashlight and shines it at the door. Suddenly, a flickering light caught their attention in another room. Ethan turns toward it, and to their surprise, a ghostly figure materializes before their eyes. It was a translucent apparition, glowing softly in the dimness.

"They're here!" Aurabelle says before disappearing into the shadows.

Fear washes over Lily and Ethan, but curiosity holds them in place. Lily shakes Sarah. "Come on wake up!"

The ghostly figure appears again, sad, its eyes shimmering with an otherworldly glow. It raises a hand as if to communicate, but no sound escapes its ghostly form.

Lily and Ethan freeze, both of them trying to tug and wake up their friend. With trembling hands, Ethan reaches into his backpack and pulls out a camera. He carefully approaches the ghost, but Aurabelle disappears once again.

Sarah wakes up, gasping for air. She frantically looks around. "Are we still here-there's someone in here. There's someone in the house!"

Lily nodded. The color drained from her face. "I think-I think we saw something."

Ethan helps Sarah up to stand. "Take it easy. We're going to go soon."

"Soon?" Sarah shakes her head. "We need to go right now!"

In a room nearby, someone was crying. The three friends listen intently, their empathy growing with each cry. 

"Come here," Aurabelle whispers to the air.

Sarah feels her body wanting to walk towards the move. Before Ethan and Lily can react, Sarah runs towards the first room. There, standing in the corner, was a ghostly figure, its form translucent. Tears stream down its pale face, causing a soft, melancholic sobbing to fill the room.

Aurabelle looks at Sarah. "I sense your loneliness, your longing for something more. I can offer you the companionship you desire."

Sarah shakes her head, tears pouring down her face. "What do you want from me? I don't need companionship. I-I have a family."

"My intentions are only to find a way to exist in this world again. But I can't find my way back," Aurabelle says. "They're...still here. I need you to help me find them and put them at peace."

"But who!?" Sarah asks. "Where can I find them? How can we help? Who are you?"

Aurabelle looks at her feet. At the floor. "The Walters. You need to find the Walters. They must be laid to rest. All of us."

Lily and Ethan try to grab onto Sarah but before they do, Sarah's eyes turn completely pitch black.

"Run." She mouths.