Chapter 33— Crimson Moon

"I had sooo much fun today!"

"Yeah me too!"

"Mum? When are we going for ice cream again?!"

"Soon very soon!"

"The best part was the gallery, I learnt a lot!"

"I know right!"

Everyone chatted nosily about their experiences today.

"Whooo! Today was a rush! Thanks guys for making my day!" Joe exclaimed.

They all laughed.

"I'm exhausted, I'll go ahead to bed, goodnight everyone". William announced and waved at the others in the large hall. "Goodnight Mum!" He kissed his mum softly on the cheek.

"Night son!"

"Mum! Look at the moon, it's red!" Isabella exclaimed.

"How can it be red? there's no such thing dear!", Olivia replied her without a care. She walked away into the dinning room.

"No look it's really red!" Joe called everyone's attention to the window.

They all moved to the window and looked up, only to see a big red moon!

"Why the hell does it have that colour?!" Uncle Junior asked.

Their eyes were fixed on the strange moon that was shining brightly outside.

They stared at it with wonder— since they hadn't seen anything like it before.

"What are you all staring at? Let me through!" Mrs Johnson forced herself through to see for herself.

"No!" She gasped in shock as soon as she saw the moon. "It's happening, I never believed him!" Mrs Johnson whispered, she started to walk away from the glass slowly with fear written all over her.

"You're scaring us, what are you talking about Mum?" Monica inquired with a confused look.

"Johnny said this would happen, I just thought it was only a myth!" Her voice shook.

"Muuum? What's going on? What did dad say about the moon?!" Viola asked with her eyes fixed on her mum.

"Beware the Crimson moon!" The old lady exhaled faintly. "Your father told me a long time ago that a curse was placed on the mansion by a witch! He said it happens every fifty years and every time it did, a crimson moon would appear in the sky– " she broke off. "It used to be just on old scary tale to me. But that moon right there is the sign!"

"I don't get it, ok so there's a crimson moon, what's gonna happen to the house now?" Joe asked.

"Bad things! He said bad things would happen in the house whenever there's a crimson moon!"

"Bad things like what Mum?"

"Like– ".

Aaaaaarrrrrggghhhh!!!!

A loud scream came from the kitchen, it made everyone's heart skip, it gave them a fright, immediately their heads turned in the direction of the shrill cry.

"Olivia? Olivia what's wrong?!" Joe quickly ran to the kitchen.

He found Olivia lying on the ground unmoving. She seemed lifeless, she wasn't breathing.

"William! William!" Joe called out in a panic.

Everyone ran into the room to see what had happened but they only found Olivia lying lifeless on the floor.

William came running down the stairs in such a hurry. "Olivia? Olivia!" He fell to his knees beside her and shook her forcefully. "What happened to her?"

"I don't know, she screamed and then I found her on the ground like this!"

"Oh God she's ice cold, is she even breathing?!" William sobbed with worry, then lifted her off of the floor, he quickly ran towards the door with Olivia in his arms.

Uncle Millie also ran to the door in an attempt to open it for them to pass through, but the door wouldn't open, it was tightly shut without a key, he began to shake the handle on the door but it wouldn't obey his push and pull.

"Oh my God what's going on!" William sobbed again, he decided to drop Olivia gently down on the floor; as she was getting too heavy for him to carry.

"It has begun! Oh why, why did it have to be true!" Mrs Johnson fell to floor crying.

Everyone was so scared especially the kids, they were already crying.

"What's going on Mum?!" Will asked.

"It's the curse Will, look outside!" She pointed to the window.

Uncle Junior quickly drew the curtain to himself so that William could see the moon.

"So Dad's story is true? No it can't be!" He continued to sob.

"Is my mum going to die?" Karen asked with her meek voice.

"I don't know sweetie!" Her father replied.

Joe raised her up and carried her in his arms.

"But one thing I know is that according to Dad's story, we're trapped in this house at this very instant. There's no way out!" William announced in a serious tone.