The Old House On The Hill

Every town has secrets, but how do you know if you’ll live to be the one to tell it?

My name is Riley, and I just turned thirteen years old. My family and I moved to Brier Haven, a small town in upstate New York last year. At first we really loved it. We started to try new things, make new friends, and create a real home for ourselves. Until my sister, Raven snuck into the old house on the hill, and never came out.

Let's go back a little. When we first met our neighbor, Elijah, he told Raven and I was to stay away from that house. He told us kids go missing all the time, and he swears it has something to do with the house. “Old man Peters lives in that house,” says Elijah. “He doesn’t like visitors or anyone on his property.” This was last year of course when we first arrived.

No one really knows what happens to the kids who trespass on his property, but that’s only because they’re never seen again.

Our story happened on Halloween night. Raven and I decided we were going to go trick or treating with some of our friends. Raven is a few years older than me, but she’s a big kid and loves almost everything I do. That year, I decided to be a witch. I love anything that has to do with witches, and black cats. I’ve always found it fun to play around with the idea of creating potions.

Raven loves vampires so she got really creative and put on the fake teeth and fake blood. We were on our 10th house and we already had a ton of candy, when we saw a group of teens at the park. “Hey Raven,” said Shawn. He had a huge crush on my sister. Anyone with eyes could see. I think she also liked him, but it seemed more fun for him to chase her.

“We’re going to visit old man Peter’s, wanna come with?,” said Shawn. I could tell Raven really wanted to go, but I wasn’t going to let her get into trouble. Plus, our parents were at a party tonight, and we had a strict curfew. With this being our first Halloween in a new town and all. “It’s cool, we’re going to pass tonight. Maybe some other time,” Raven said while walking away.

We got home at 11pm, our parents still weren’t back yet, so we decided to watch a movie. I’m not sure when but I fell fast asleep, only waking to Raven putting on her shoes at the front door. I pretended to still be asleep, but when she left the house I quietly followed after her. She was walking with Shawn, his friends Justin, and Jackie. The town’s twins. They looked exactly alike just with different colored hair. Jackie’s was purple, and Justin’s was their normal color chestnut.

They walked to old man Peter’s house. It’s not far. The town only holds around 500 people if you could believe it. Like where did our parents move us to? Anyway, it was a cool night. Everyone still had their costumes on including me.

I walked on the other side of the street so they wouldn’t see me.

As they approached the yard everyone looked hesitant. I wanted to tell them to turn back, but I only hide behind the nearest bush. All the lights were off in the house. Mr. Peters is old so he must be sleeping I thought.

The four of them crept quietly across the lawn until they got to the side of the house. I had to move closer so I could hear, and get a better view. There weren’t many homes on this side of town, but there were plenty of bushes that could be used for dividers so it wasn’t really hard to go unseen.

“Maybe we should turn back. This is technically breaking and entering, and I’m not cool with that,” said Raven to the rest of the group. I still couldn’t believe she came with them in the first place. My sister is very adventurous, but she’s not a bad person. If my parents found out, they’d freak! She’d also be punished for life.

“Don’t be scared, I’m right here, and didn’t you tell me you wanted to know what all the hype was about? Why are the towns folk so scared of a little old story with no proof, blah blah,” said Shawn playfully mocking Raven. I already knew what she was going to do before she did it. One thing about my sister, she is not a punk, and don’t dare her.

“Fine, let’s do it,” Raven said. They tried the door and it was locked. I was hopeful they would have to turn around until they tried the second door and it creeped open. The four of them looked around before going inside. They closed the door gently behind them, and that was that.

I sat there in disbelief. What are they thinking? What is she thinking? Time went by and nothing happened. No one came out, and the lights were still off upstairs. So I just waited, and waited, and before I knew it the sun came up.

I woke up with grass all over my costume and even in my mouth. I checked my watch, it was 7am. I look around and no one is outside. Wondering to myself if it’s possible they left while i was sleeping, and how much trouble I’ll be in when Raven finds out I’m not home. I start running towards my house. My parents probably will still be sleeping since they didn’t get home before we left. That means I still have time.

As I arrive home, I see that my parents' car is in the driveway. No sign of movement in the house, so I sneak in. Raven must know I'm not home because the alarm doesn't go off.

Well, now I'm scared. She’s going to be so mad, but wait, I’m also mad at her for sneaking out last night. I expect to find her waiting for me in the living room but shes not there. I check the kitchen, and the den, still no sign of her. I quietly walk upstairs, and go straight to my room. She must be sleeping is what i’m thinking as i undress. Extremely grateful at this moment that we each have a bathroom in our rooms. I take a quick shower with the lowest water pressure and go to bed. I’m still so tired from sleeping outside on the grass, I can wait to get yelled at.

When I wake up this time it's the smell of breakfast. Maybe lunch? I actually don't know what time it is. I get up and brush my teeth, surprised that Raven wasn’t the one to wake me. Mentally preparing for what comes next, I change my clothes and head downstairs. My parents are in the kitchen, Mom sitting at the counter and Dad is finishing up the food. I smell french toast, my favorite. I sit next to mom at the counter.

“Look who's finally up,” Mom says. “Did you have fun last night?.” I knew this was coming, but I haven't fully rehearsed what to say. I thought Raven would be down here with them, so I asked that instead. “Have you y’all seen Raven this morning?.”

“She’s probably still asleep, you know she loves to sleep in when there's no school.” Dad says. I stand abruptly needing to find the answer for myself. I ran up the stairs and knocked on her door three times. It’s a code we’ve used ever since I could learn to follow directions. No answer. I do it again, three times. Still nothing. “Raven, if you don’t tell me to come in, I’m just going to barge in on my own. One, Two, Three.” I burst open the door to find no one. Her room is exactly how she left it before we went trick or treating. Confused, I check her bathroom. Nothing. All of a sudden I have this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I run to my room and find my phone.

Thank goodness I charged in before I fell back asleep, but there are no missed calls. So I call her. It immediately goes to voicemail. I call again and leave a message-”Hey Rav, please call me back. I know what you did last night but I don't know why you're not home.”

I run back downstairs, decide to grab a bite to eat before calling again. I notice the front door is open, so I go to check it out. Mrs. Wilson, our next door neighbor and Elijah's mom is talking to mom about something. I try to step closer to hear, and she catches me. “Oh hi Riley, how are you?,” she says to me as mom turns towards me. I smile politely and say I'm doing well. I ask where Elijah is, and she tells me he was in his room when she saw him last. “Riley, Pam just told me that Shawn’s mom called her asking if she’s heard from him. He wasn’t home, and the last time she saw him was before he went out last night. Right around the time you, and Raven went trick or treating,” mom says to me.

My heart drops. Shawn didn't come home either? Could they have gone somewhere together? What about the twins? In a panic I grab my phone and call Raven back. Nothing, voicemail again. I turn to look at my mom, Raven and I don't tell on each other, but this is serious now. Mom is waiting for my answer. Before i can answer, the twins dad comes walking up to us. He’s asking if we’ve seen them, that he just came from the shopping centers and they aren’t there.

Now everyone is really looking at me. Just then Elijah calls me, i send him a quick text to come outside. I wait for him before I speak to the adults. When he arrives I tell everyone everything. From Raven sneaking out the house, to me calling her and getting no answer. My dad is now there, and he's worried. Someone calls the sheriff and thank goodness it’s a small town where everyone knows everyone. He decides to go and pay Mr.Peter's a visit with his partner.

Some hours go by and all of the missing teens' parents are now at my house along with Mrs. Wilson and Elijah. The doorbell rings and it’s the sheriff and his deputy. They tell us that Mr, Peter’s hasn’t seen them, and even though he was very annoyed he welcomed them to search the house. They didn’t find anything so they left.

At this point I’m feeling so many emotions. Fear, sadness, rage. “That’s not true!,” I shout. “They have to be there! I watched them go into the basement. Did you check the basement?.” The sheriff informed me that they didn’t check the basement because they weren't supposed to be there in the first place. Something about protocol or whatever. They insist we just wait to see if they show up. If not we will call on a search party, and call around.

I think to myself, a search party? This town isn't even big. I don’t voice it out loud because I catch Elijah staring at me. When the sheriff leaves I follow Elijah outside to my backyard while the adults continue talking. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on sooner. Didn’t I tell you not to go to that house?,” he says to me shakily. “I’m so sorry Riley, but you know they're gone. There’s no way he’s going to let them go.”

I stare at him in disbelief, I'm so angry I want to scream. “There’s no way I'm letting anyone have my sister. If no one else wants to do anything about it, I will,"I say as I walk past him and back into my house. The adults are still in the living room trying to figure out what to do. I walk past them and head upstairs to change my clothes. I’ll get my sister back myself. As I'm getting dressed I hear my mom call out. She tells me they're going next door, and for me to stay home. I lie and say I will. I wait 10 minutes after I hear the door slam to go downstairs.

Leaving the house, I look around to make sure no one is outside. The coast is clear. Turning my back to make sure I lock the door, I hear footsteps running towards me. It's Elijah dressed in all black just like me. “I’m sorry for what I said before. I won’t let you go alone. Let’s get them back together,” he says to me. He looks so afraid but he’s here and that’s what matters to me. I give him a big hug and we walk to the old house on the hill.

By now it’s starting to get dark. Elijah and I quietly work our way towards the house. The lights are on, but the house is quiet. We hid behind the same bush I slept behind. Looking at the house we tried to devise a plan, as we are making the plan we see the lights go out and the door creaks open. It’s Mr. Peters. He’s leaving the house. We duck down to make sure he doesn’t see us. He gets in his truck and drives down the hill. I say to Elijah that this is the perfect time to go. We decide to enter the house, the same way Raven and the others did before. Hoping that it’s still unlocked. We go to the side of the house and check, it’s locked. He must know I say to Elijah. He must know that’s how they got in and he locked it today.

“Did you forget, I know how to pick a lock?,” Elijah says to me. I did forget actually. His dad taught him in case he got locked out of the house again. When the locks click open, we just stare at each other. We’re both afraid. “You can stay out here if you want, but I need to know what happened to my sister,” I say to him. “She wouldn’t just leave us.” I start to head down the stairs when Elijah touches my back.

“I know we’ve only known each other for a year, but you’re my best friend Riley. I’m not letting you do this alone,” he says as he starts walking down the stairs behind me. We turn on our flashlights before closing the door behind us. Grateful we have them because we can't find the light switch. All we see are boxes everywhere. As we keep walking we see a door straight ahead. Turning the nob it opens only to find two more doors. “I knew this house was big, but what in the world,” says Elijah whispering to me. We choose the door on the right first, it’s locked so we go to the one on the left. To our surprise, it opened just a crack.

Walking fully through the door Elijah’s flashlight dies, and the door slams shut. I hear a slight growling sound. “Did you hear that?,” I said to him. “There, I heard it again.” The sound seems like it’s getting closer to us. “Riley, we’re not alone.”

Before we can say anything else, we lift the remaining flashlight to see Raven, Shawn, and the twins tied up against a pole. There’s blood dripping down their faces, and all over their clothes. I rush to Raven, shaking her so she wakes up. She’s not moving and she’s so cold. I hear the growling sound again, and when I look up, old man Peter is biting Elijah. He looks straight at me, and I gasp. That’s when my flashlight goes out.

The end.