Tales of Terror Ch. 4
Tales of Terror Ch. 4
It was now October 16th. Casper would be back on the 18th, and then she would tell him what all she had learned. Yes, she could call him, but sitting in that forest and talking was just their thing. Casper had been the one to suggest it. For roughly 2 years, he had been paranoid that someone would listen in on their conversations. She respected him, and she wanted him to feel safe, so she agreed. Thinking on it, Daphne realized that Casper had been doing online school for a month over 2 years. For the first time ever, she began to wonder what had happened 2 years ago that had changed so much. He would have been 11 when he began attending online school, his birthday was October 31st. As much as she wanted to call him to ask, she knew not to.
Daphne walked up to the mansion and rang the bell. There was no answer. She rang again, still no answer. She knocked, no answer. Cautiously, she began to walk around the mansion, and when she reached the back, she saw a letter. It wasn't just any letter. It was addressed to Casper. She questioned whether it was a good decision to open it or not. Yet, something in her made her feel like she had to go to the clearing. As she was walking there she heard her phone ding a notification at her. She stopped and checked it, it was from Casper, telling her he was back early and to meet him in the clearing.
"Hey Casper!" she ran up and hugged him. "Why are you back early? I thought you weren't supposed to be back until the 18th."
"Well... let's just say I have some business to attend to here. Ummm, anyways, have you got anything to tell me? Anything new you've discovered?" Casper had started off talking sounding tense, stressed about something, but ended seeming calmer.
Daphne wanted to ask what was wrong, but didn't want to make him uncomfortable.
"Ye-yeah. So, there have been two stories I've read since you were gone. But only one really stuck out."
"Really? Interesting. Um, what was it about? I mean, what-what stuck out?"
Daphne hadn't heard him this nervous in two years, not since whatever had triggered his fairly constant stress. He was plenty cheery, but he always seemed to have this constant fear looming over him. Anyone who listened to their conversation would have found it extremely off-putting.
"So, there was this story about these kids who were poisoned by candy. Locked in this outside museum thing. It just seemed... I-I don't really know, just kind of gave me a weird feeling. Um, also, something weird happened today..."
"Rea-really?" Casper began to rub his hands on his jeans, his fears seemed to be coming closer and closer. "Wha-what was it?"
"So, when I went up to the mansion and rang the bell, no one answered. I rang again, and there was still no answer. And then I knocked and-"
"There was no answer."
"Yeah. S-so, um, I went around back to try the back entrance. And when I went there I saw a letter addressed to you and I debate-"
"Give it to me."
She handed it to him, he tore it open. She didn't move, she knew to respect him. As he read it his worry became more and more obvious. He raised his right arm and started to rub his head, pull at his hair in fear. Grasping for some help.
"Ar-are you alright Casper?"
He looked up and asked, "I'm afraid that someone was spying on me where I've been, you know, when I'm not here. I-I don't know what to do. My parents and I are going to move there, but now..."
"Wait, you're moving? Why?"
"It-it's just kinda lonely here. You know? I mean, yeah, I have you, but online school is lonely."
"Then come back to my school."
"Daph, there's only one school in the whole city, it doesn't have the opportunities I need. I mean, I'm sorry, but I'm leaving. I'm not going to be here forever. Anyways, I-I should probably head home now."
With that he left, and we didn't meet in the forest the next day.
It was now October 16th. Casper would be back on the 18th, and then she would tell him what all she had learned. Yes, she could call him, but sitting in that forest and talking was just their thing. Casper had been the one to suggest it. For roughly 2 years, he had been paranoid that someone would listen in on their conversations. She respected him, and she wanted him to feel safe, so she agreed. Thinking on it, Daphne realized that Casper had been doing online school for a month over 2 years. For the first time ever, she began to wonder what had happened 2 years ago that had changed so much. He would have been 11 when he began attending online school, his birthday was October 31st. As much as she wanted to call him to ask, she knew not to.
Daphne walked up to the mansion and rang the bell. There was no answer. She rang again, still no answer. She knocked, no answer. Cautiously, she began to walk around the mansion, and when she reached the back, she saw a letter. It wasn't just any letter. It was addressed to Casper. She questioned whether it was a good decision to open it or not. Yet, something in her made her feel like she had to go to the clearing. As she was walking there she heard her phone ding a notification at her. She stopped and checked it, it was from Casper, telling her he was back early and to meet him in the clearing.
"Hey Casper!" she ran up and hugged him. "Why are you back early? I thought you weren't supposed to be back until the 18th."
"Well... let's just say I have some business to attend to here. Ummm, anyways, have you got anything to tell me? Anything new you've discovered?" Casper had started off talking sounding tense, stressed about something, but ended seeming calmer.
Daphne wanted to ask what was wrong, but didn't want to make him uncomfortable.
"Ye-yeah. So, there have been two stories I've read since you were gone. But only one really stuck out."
"Really? Interesting. Um, what was it about? I mean, what-what stuck out?"
Daphne hadn't heard him this nervous in two years, not since whatever had triggered his fairly constant stress. He was plenty cheery, but he always seemed to have this constant fear looming over him. Anyone who listened to their conversation would have found it extremely off-putting.
"So, there was this story about these kids who were poisoned by candy. Locked in this outside museum thing. It just seemed... I-I don't really know, just kind of gave me a weird feeling. Um, also, something weird happened today..."
"Rea-really?" Casper began to rub his hands on his jeans, his fears seemed to be coming closer and closer. "Wha-what was it?"
"So, when I went up to the mansion and rang the bell, no one answered. I rang again, and there was still no answer. And then I knocked and-"
"There was no answer."
"Yeah. S-so, um, I went around back to try the back entrance. And when I went there I saw a letter addressed to you and I debate-"
"Give it to me."
She handed it to him, he tore it open. She didn't move, she knew to respect him. As he read it his worry became more and more obvious. He raised his right arm and started to rub his head, pull at his hair in fear. Grasping for some help.
"Ar-are you alright Casper?"
He looked up and asked, "I'm afraid that someone was spying on me where I've been, you know, when I'm not here. I-I don't know what to do. My parents and I are going to move there, but now..."
"Wait, you're moving? Why?"
"It-it's just kinda lonely here. You know? I mean, yeah, I have you, but online school is lonely."
"Then come back to my school."
"Daph, there's only one school in the whole city, it doesn't have the opportunities I need. I mean, I'm sorry, but I'm leaving. I'm not going to be here forever. Anyways, I-I should probably head home now."
With that he left, and we didn't meet in the forest the next day.
Just thought I'd let y'all know that I'm going to make The Ones Who Never Returned into 2 chapters. I'm going to combine chapters 1 and 2. Also, happy Coming Out Day!
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