FRIGHT NIGHT
by Rose Kurczab

t was another damp cold night at the manor. Josh and I had planned this vacation all year, and now I was questioning the sanity of our plans. The incessant storms continued for three days and nights. Boredom was ever-present and our nerves were on edge. We both had our share of tedious conversations with other vacationers staying at the manor. The barrage of petty small talk and overblown imaginations left my mind in a state of utter dismay. It was hard to put a finger on what was happening to the others, except to say that their demeanors were starting to look like someone had been tampering with their minds. After peering out the lobby window watching the rain pouring down, the wind blowing trees sideways, hearing the oceans waves crashing against the surf, I realized that there was no escaping this place again tonight.

Josh chose to retire early, which left me alone to find something to fill the void of time, until I felt weary enough to go back to our room. Contemplating my choices, which consisted of the lounge, dining area, gaming room, or the sitting room, I decided to start in the dining area. Perhaps a hot cup of tea would relax my anxiety. The décor was Victorian with elegant tables and high back chairs, beautiful portraits and antiques. There was fine linen and lace on the tables. It was a stately room, yet cozy. A fireplace finished off the room, giving it a look of a fine castle or mansion. As I entered most of the tables were taken, but I spotted one empty near the fireplace and proceeded to make my way over to that spot. Several patrons saw me enter and were motioning me to come and join them at their tables, but I just wanted to be alone devoid of meaningless conversations.

I ordered my cup of tea, which was served in an eloquent china teapot. It was definitely a period piece. The warmth of the fire was beginning to take the chill out of my body, and I was beginning to feel my tension subsiding. As I was sipping my tea the lights went out. People started screaming and moving about. You could feel the uneasiness throughout the room.

The impresario came quickly into the dining area after hearing such a commotion and stated, “Please stay calm, we are bringing in candles. It appears that the storm has knocked out the power lines in the area.”

The fire gave me enough light to see the shadows of the people stumbling around and tripping over chairs and bumping into tables. What I found strange was the edginess of the people in the room, as if some impending doom was about to happen. Electricity going out in a storm of this magnitude shouldn’t be that alarming. What did these people know that I didn’t? That was the pressing thought in my mind. My thoughts quickly turn to Josh, who was up in our room, I wondered if he was aware of what was going on, or if he was sleeping through this debacle. Feeling a little agitated, by his choice to go to bed instead of spending time with me only added to my frustration of this vacation. And now I was stuck sitting here in the dark waiting for candles, and wondering how I was to get up to my room, knowing that the elevator wouldn’t be functioning without electric power.

The room was brightening up as several of the staff brought in the trays of candles, and started to put them on the tables and around the room. The people started to settle back down into their seats, but the expressions on their faces told a different story. As if the lights going out was a warning that some horrifying terror was about to befall all those in this manor. This all seemed silly to me, and I was wondering if my imagination was running away with me, until I overheard one of the staff whispering to another staff member; that the electrical lines had been tampered with causing the black out. Not only the electrical lines but also the telephone lines had been severed beyond repair. There was no chance of repairing either until the storm stopped and someone from the manor could go into town and get help. “What the hell is going on?” I thought. “Is this some cruel joke, or is someone trying to create havoc, or even worse trying to set-up our demise.” If the others knew about this, I can understand why they look so shaken.

My immediate thought was to run for Josh, but that was impossible unless I was willing to climb the service stairs alone. I could feel my emotions running wild, and needed to settle myself down in order to think of a practical solution to this madness, which seemed to be overwhelming my thoughts. Now, that there were enough candles placed around the dining room, I could see the entranceway, but notice that the staff had closed the doors to the lobby. This seemed strange to me, and I felt it was done on purpose to keep us confined to the area. Deciding to leave my seat, I moved in the direction of the doors. Thinking is was strange that no other people were attempting to leave, and seemed content to stay seated at the tables. I continued moving toward the doors. Upon reaching the door and placing my hand on the door knob terror suddenly took over my senses. The doors are locked. Panic took over and I started pulling and tugging at the doorknob, then pounding wildly on the doors. Turning my head to see what kind of response the others would display upon seeing my reaction only heighten my dread. No one even looked up at me or seemed to be aware of anything that was occurring, as if they were all in a trance. My heart started pounding, and my body started to go into a cold sweat. The only thought overtaking me was that I have to get out of this room “now!”

Screams of “help me,” and “open this door,” were echoing out of my mouth. I could feel my nails clawing at the doors in desperation to be free. Tears were welling up in my eyes, and I could barely breathe. It seemed like an eternity, but it couldn’t have been more then a few minutes, when suddenly I heard voices on the other side of the doors,

“Madame calm down,” said the impresario, “The doors are not locked.”

Then I heard a very familiar voice saying, “It’s alright; please clam yourself.”

It sounded like Josh, but it can’t be because, he is upstairs in our room asleep. This is got to be my mind playing a trick, or someone trying to confuse me I thought.

“Put your hand on the door knob and open the door.” The familiar voice said.

Quickly, I grabbed the doorknob and the doors opened. Standing there with a big smile on his face was Josh. Falling into his arms sobbing and trying to regain my composure, I suddenly realized that he was laughing and feeling very smug. I pushed him away and I was very confused about what was going on. While the staff was turning the electricity back on, he proceeded to put his arm around me and guide me to a chair in the lobby. Sitting me down he pulled up another chair facing me, and started telling me this incredible story of how he paid the manor to set-up a scary experience for me, because, I had been so disappointed and bored on this vacation. The other guests were willing to go along with it, because they too were bored, and thought it would be fun to make the manor seem spooky. Knowing that I was a horror buff, he figured my imagination would lean that way if he could set-up a scenario like a horror movie. He had a few more scenes planned, but when I got so up-set and frighten, he felt that was enough and put an end to the plan.

At first I was not amused. Murder was swirling in my mind, but as I was sitting there in the chair, while looking into his eyes, a smile came over my face. Only Josh could come up with such a diabolical plan with good intentions. I had to admit even the macabre was better than the disappointment of this vacation. He escorted me into the dining room, so we could talk with all those who participated. We sat and had amusing conversations about the plans Josh had come up with for the evening’s events of mayhem and murder. As the stories unfolded of how and who would be killed and dismembered suddenly the windows burst opened letting the howling wind blow through and the lights went out.