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The House
by
Lauren, age 11.

It had always been there. The big house, it had been abandoned for years, people have said that tons of spooky things had happened in there. I, of course, didn’t believe that, I mean, who would? It was a very scary house with a paranormal feel, crooked floors and smashed windows, splinters sticking out of the wooden ledge. I was there with the most popular girl, Abby, and her girl squad, Amy, Rachael and Megan.

Not much of a squad if you ask me…

“Go on chicken, I dare you to!” Abby shrieked with laughter. To prove I could be part of their gang, they were daring me to go inside. I gulped.

“What if there are unusual things in there?” I dared to ask. Abby laughed again.

“What like flying custard pies? Dream on, Kiandra!”

“If there is, I’ll go in!” Rachael laughed. I felt upset that they were taking the micky out of me. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be there or not.

“Oh come on! The worst thing that could be there is the pies, OK?”

Abby was getting serious now. It was my reputation at stake. Abby could make anyone she didn’t like look bad. I just wanted to prove to her that I’m no coward.

“Fine, I’ll go in. You’ll be sorry when I don’t come out though,” I warned them. Megan looked a little struck by that. She’s a shy, sensitive girl that will believe anything you tell her. She used to be my best friend, until Abby decided she liked her. All Megan had to do was get a detention. I had a much bigger task.

Megan stood there, biting her nails.

“Abby,” She began, warily “Maybe I should go in with her, just so one of us gets out.” Abby laughed hysterically (she’s a very giggly girl, as you can tell) at Megan.

“OK then, Megan, your loss!” The girls laughed at us. Megan looked frightened to death but we went on towards the house, ignoring the peals of laughter behind us.

We trudged through long weeded grass and overgrown flowers. As we got to the front door, I was almost blown off my feet by the stench. It smelt of monkey’s armpits, the kind of smell that we get in our lunch room. Megan screamed as the stench hit her nose. I was too dazzled to say anything. I pushed open the door, holding my nose, and the smell almost burned my nose. But we proceeded on towards the stairs. The smell was disappearing slowly. It seemed to be coming from the kitchen. I didn’t want to find out what it was. I felt for Megan’s arm in the pitch black hallway and we moved slowly towards the stairs.

I suppose you would’ve thought “Oh no! She’s grabbed a monsters arm!”

But that stuff only happens in movies or books. I suppose you might think this as a fairy tale and that there’s a wicked witch waiting for us at the top of the stairs but no… there was nothing but a small lamp (switched on surprisingly) on a side table. I very nearly bashed my hip against it, which is just typically me. I looked over at Megan (And it wasn’t a spooky monster) and her face was frozen with terror.

“Megan, maybe you should go back out.” I told her gently.

“N-No, I need to s-stay with you.” Megan stood willingly by my side and pressed a look of determination on her face. We took each a breath and vowed to each other that we would stay best friends, no matter what Abby did. We looked at the door standing tall in front of us. We grinned at each other and took another deep breath. You would’ve thought that we opened that door and saw something so scary. Well, you would assume that, eh? You thought wrong. We turned and faced the stairs. We took a step and sprinted down them. We made fast for the front door. Megan grabbed the handle and pulled.

“It’s stuck!” She gasped. I raised an eyebrow (which not many people can do!) and gently pried her hand away.

“Megan,” I began “Maybe that’s because you have to twist the handle!”

I grabbed the handle and twisted it. I pulled it and it came open easily. I laughed.

“Kiandra you chicken, baak, baak!” Abby made silly chicken noises as we proceeded from the doorway. Megan was still shaking with fear but at least we made it out!

“You know what, Abby; I don’t care if you make my life miserable. I went in the house and that was the task. You expected me never to come back out but I did. I don’t even want to be in your silly girl gang anyway! And neither does Megan!” I shouted at her. Megan nodded at Abby.

Rachael stepped forward and stared Abby in the eye.

“I don’t want to be in this girl gang either! I’m joining Kiandra and Megan’s group!” Rachael burst. I honestly didn’t have a group but, according to Rachael, I obviously did. Amy stepped forward (for once!) and tossed her hair.

“Abby, no hard feeling but to join this group… lets just say it’s pretty major and if there was anything in there, someone could’ve gotten killed you know. So I’m just going to join Kiandra’s group too.” Amy said. I had a group of four but I wondered if Abby would join. I was probably wrong, like I always am.

“I don’t care about Kiandra’s posy little group,” Abby screamed “I don’t care I don’t care I don’t care!” Abby screamed at us and ran in the direction of the path that led through the woods.

Everything was OK at school from then on. Of course, Abby made me look bad but I didn’t really care. I had real friends for once in my life and I was happy. Abby slowly shrivelled from Miss Popular to Shy Girl. She’s still my worst enemy now (we’re two years on) and I shall never forget what she did to me.