[RYAN STEPHENS'S POV]
"It's starting" Yuan said then I felt an earbud gently push-in my ear. "Where did they film this time?" I curiously ask, hearing the Vlog's intro music. "The title said, Ghost of High Gates" she answered. I nodded my head, placing my hand to the bedsheet touching it. "Here. Oh, wait! They filmed in the village?!" Yuan exclaimed in shock after she placed my hand on the popcorn's bucket. "Our village? I see. That was why I heard shush voices the other night. It sounded like Nylon's voice too" I said, tossing a handful of popcorn in my mouth. "And you didn't wake me up?! No fair. Anyways, they are still outside the gate because the guards won't let them in" Yuan told and as for me, I only listened to the members voices. I think I just heard Eugene's voice, but to clarify. "Is that Eugene? She seem playful and excited" I commented based on the sound of her voice and on how the way she talks to the them. "Yeah. She likes playing pranks and she's so loud. Tsk!" Yuan's voice sounds irritated. I bet she's pouting, so I raised my hand while finding the way towards her lips. Due to familiarity of her facial structure. I easily found it and pinch her lips.
"Don't pout, bunny. At least she's not playing pranks on you" I smiled, freeing her lips. My hand easily found the bucket again, grabbing a handful of popcorn. "Wait is that Alliyah? I'm sure I just heard her voice" I listened attentively to the girl who's speaking to the village's guard. "Yeah. It was her speaking, but I think she knew this vloggers because she helped them pass through the gates" she explained, and I only hum in response. "Which house they are planning to visit though?" I asked, then Nylon started saying the history of the chosen house. "Based on the trail they took, I think they are going towards the Johnson's Mansion" She said while wiping something on the side of my lips. "Eat slowly. Few salts already stick on your face" she giggled, leaning a popcorn on my lips. "Not my fault that I can't see" I chuckled, but soon shrieks when Nylon suddenly scream because Eugene scared her. Yuan giggled while rubbing her cheek against mine. "It also scared me. Gosh, that's why I hate her so much!" I heard Yuan mumbles the last part, but I just ignored it. HAHA.
"They arrived already? I heard the gate opened eh" I asked, then Yuan wipes something on my face again. "Yeah. They are in, but Ate Alliyah stayed outside. She's holding one of the cameras" Yuan explained in details. It made sense now. "I just remembered that Alliyah joined them a week ago. That was why she helped them" I rhetorically said. "Looks like it, but she needs to be careful since Tito Reesé is very strict about her being exposed to social media" Yuan said as a matter of fact. "Yeah" I agreed.
Fast Forward: [Few minutes listening/watching the vlog]
"Bunny?" I called when I felt Yuan's head slowly sliding down to my shoulder. No response. I think she fell asleep. Need to be quiet, Ryan. The giant baby is sleeping. I tried not to react that much and just continue listening to the vloggers voices and the surrounding.
"So, this house has been abandoned for almost 2 decades now?" Nylon asks, then I heard Alliyah hum in response. She doesn't speak that much so she hum most often. "Do you guys received any complaints about this house?" Eugene questioned, but then something fell to the floor. "Does that answered your question?" Alliyah asks her back, but more like with sarcasm, then I heard footsteps, too many of them. "Listen, the historian said that the owner of this house was murdered, but the bodies was never found up until now. It also said that even though the bodies went missing, the path way of the blood trail from where the murderers dragged the bodies to can still be seen somewhere in this mansion" Nylon elucidates, but more like she just read it. "More like a grandma tails to me, but let's just find the blood trail. Who knows we might be the key in finding those body" I bet that is Akiko. She is not a believer when it comes to supernatural things, yet she still managed to be part of the YouTube Channel.
"You're so impatient as always" Nylon scoffed, but then I heard footsteps again followed by multiple coughs from them. "This house is surely intact, but the dusts is freaking me out" Alliyah complain which I already expected from her. She's a little clean freak since we're little. "Same, same. But this room smell like rusted iron, you guys know what I meant right?" Eugene coughs, then a creaking sound coming from an old door was heard. It actually sent chills down to my spine, then suddenly Yuan snuggles closer to me, and it added up to the creepiness like seriously! " Sorry" Yuan mumbles to the crook of my neck. I think she continue sleeping. "Did you film it?! Did you guys see it?! Wow. This house is indeed active! Just wow! You see it right?" Nylon exclaim in excitement, but of course- "Psh. It might be because of the wind, Ate Nylon" Akiko opposed. This episode will not be completed without them opposing each other's beliefs and opinions. "Ah wind? Mind checking the room FIRST Akiko-chan?" Alliyah suggested, but it sounded like she is challenging the Japanese girl. "Tsk, scaredy-cat. Whatever newbie" Akiko spat, then footsteps can be heard again followed by a loud thud. "Geez! Are you breaking the damn door?!" Alliyah complain again. Now she talks too much. HAHA. "Chill newbie. Its not like it fell off right? And look the window is open. I told you its just the wind" Akiko finally proved her point, but then another creaking sound was heard near them. "But I think this one is NOT because of the wind anymore" Eugene presumed, then heard something moving from not as far from them. "If only I could see" I mumbles to myself while waiting for them to say what just happened "One of the chandeliers move. Sorry if I fell asleep while we are still watching" Yuan described then followed by an apology. She already lifted her head from my shoulder. I raises my hand, leveling it to my head, by second Yuan's cheeks automatically leans closer to my palm. So cute. "Its okay, Bunny. I know you're tired because of school, yet you still watch this with me. So, I should be the one to apolo-" I was cut off when I felt her index finger leaning on my lips. "Let's continue watching, Ate Ryan. Oh. Just in time. Ate texted, she'll be home in less than an hour" Yuan cheerfully said while I just nodded my head, reaching for her. "Let's cuddle" I requested, but I heard my sister giggles first before pulling me for a bear hug.
Time skipped: [Still watching but with Dannie this time]
"No way! Akiko's camera was focusing at our house!" Ate Dannie exclaim in shocked while I just listened to the voices. "Good thing Ate Alliyah was there and stop them from seeing to much tea" Yuan said in relief, but- "Wait! Is that STEPHENS RESIDENCE!?" I flinched at my seat on how loud the voices were, then I felt Ate Dannie caressing my lower back to calm me down. I know it's her because of how light the pressure was. "That scared me" I pouted my lips causing for my sisters to let out a chuckle. "Your best friend's facial expression is scarier, Ryan" Ate Dannie said as a matter of fact. I giggled. "I know~ Is she glaring?" I guessed. "Worser than that, Ate. She has no expression" Yuan dread, then I giggled. "No biggie. She's just in deep thoughts. Look. You'll see~" I explained while flashing them a knowing smirk.
"Stop filming, Akiko-chan" Alliyah said in a firm way. "Oh, come on newbie. This shot will lead us into a million views!" Akiko growl. "And more subscribers!" Nylon somehow supported Akiko's remark. The First time those two had a thing to agreed on. "Ok then. Suit yourselves, but don't blame me if Tito Stephens shut down your channel after airing this episode" Alliyah nonchalantly said, but her words might misunderstand as a THREAT. "She's even scarier when it comes to you, Ryan" Ate Dannie elbowed my side while giggling. "Scary? I find it sweet though. It made me blush. Look!" I excitedly said while poking the side of my cheeks, then I heard squeals after that. See? Told you all. Me is cute. "RYAN STOP IT! YOU'RE SO CUTE!!!" Ate Dannie and Yuan chimed which I grimaced in return. "Come on! We all know you like being called CUTE" Yuan said in a teasing manner then starts tickling me. "Hey! STOP IT!" I pleaded then burst out laughing. Ate Dannie joined in while giggling. Oh dear rord, same me juseyo. "HAHAHA! Stop it!!!! YUAN!!!! STO-- HAHAHA!" I tried pushing her off me, but she hovers on top of me while laughing. "Okay kids, settled down. Today's episode is almost done. Shall we continue?" Ate Dannie cooed, then I felt Yuan being pulled off of me. Oh, yes! Thank you! "LEGGO!" Yuan and I chimed.
"TITO STEPHENS?! Wait. Don't tell me you're close to them?!" Eugene exaggerates. "It doesn't matter if I'm close to them or not. My point is we are filming inside High Gates and this place protects privacy. What this midget just did is invading privacy. I already warned you not to film any houses in here except the Johnson's. You're getting us in trouble just for views" Alliyah said in a duh tone, then a sound coming from the window was heard. "Guys! Look! Ryan Stephens!?" Eugene squeals, but my heart started pounding. "I said stop filming! Cut it out!?" this time, Alliyah sounded so upset while I'm scared. "Hey! Look what happened!? You almost broke my camera!?" Akiko spat out. "Can you stop, Akiko. Alliyah is right" Nylon butt in to the argument. "If one of the person living in here complaints about us filming their property without their consent. We will be doomed. Please keep that in mind that we're just outsiders of this neighborhood, and they can easily shut us down" Nylon stated as a matter of fact, followed by a scoff. "What's the point of coming in here, if we can't even show the viewers how this NEIGHBORHOOD looks like" Akiko pointed out. "The title say: Ghost of High Gates" Eugene shrug. "See the point? The viewers might be expecting that we're also going to GIVE them a tour in this NEIGHBORHOOD" Akiko emphasized, but I heard Alliyah's groan. "You know what? I'm out of here. If ever the guards caught you strolling around? Don't ask for my help" Alliyah told, then one of the door shuts loudly. The impact made me flinch on my seat.
"That really angered her off" Yuan noticed then paused the video. "She will do it" I smiled, picturing HOW does my best friend looked like when she's mad. "It's not yet the time to space out, Ryan. Let's see what they do next" Dannie infer, playing the episode again. "I'll follow her. Eugene, continue finding the trail" Nylon instructed, followed by a running footsteps. "As what you guys just witnessed, sometimes we argue specially when it comes to other people privacy. Anyways, like what the title said, we are here at Johnson's Mansion, High Gates Ave. The only abandoned house in this neighborhood" Eugene stated the obvious. I think she was just trying to be descriptive. "Sadly, this is the only house we can show you. Over there is where the foul smell that caught our attention first hand. The more we climbed up the smell worsened" Eugene described while grimacing, then Akiko coughs multiple times. "It smells bad up close guys. Look! Dried blood" Akiko confirmed. "Brace yourselves guys this will be bloody" Eugene joked. "BINGO!" Akiko gasped in surprise, so did Eugene. These two can film themselves reacting to any videos. Their reactions are so legit.
"Did they find it?" I curiously ask, but only received a chorus of hum. "The more we follow the blood trail, the smell gets worst" Eugene coughs. "Downstairs?" Akiko said in confusion. "No. Its more like--there. See? It stops from here" Eugene pointed out, then a few knocks on the wood was heard. "The blood trail stops on top of the stairs where those two at" Yuan explained. I think she saw how my eyebrows narrowed. "I got a feeling that the bodies could be minced and buried underneath the stairs landing" I rhetorically said. "That is so random of you Ryan" Ate Dannie ruffles my hair gently. "You guys okay up there?" then Nylon's voice echoed. "Yeah. We found the trail, and it stops from up here" Akiko informs. "It continues down here" Alliyah joined in the conversation which made me smirk. "Ryan!" Suddenly, Ate Dannie and Yuan shrieks. I felt being squeezed in between them too.
"SERIOUSLY!? A BROWN-OUT!?" Both of them groan in annoyance and I only chuckled by their reactions. "Girls. Relax~ It's not like you've experienced a permanent blackout in your whole life and no pun intended" I giggled, receiving a smack to my shoulder. "RYAN!?" My sisters whine while hugging me tighter.
- TO BE CONTINUED -
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ORENJJIES, How was it? Do you like it? I'm still thinking on how to play with Ryan's character positively. Any ideas?
SR_96
Will do my best to make my story BETTER.