Chapter 8

The scene opens in Annabelle's dorm room on a Friday evening, where the group huddles around a coffee table littered with notes and a laptop. The air is thick with determination as they discuss their next steps.

"So, we're all in agreement, right?" Annabelle begins, her tone serious but tinged with excitement. "We dig into this Midians Bloodborne stuff and check out that freaky old house. But like, on the down-low. We can't afford to draw attention."

John, lounging on a beanbag chair, nods in agreement. "Totally. We gotta be slick about this. No blabbing on Insta or anything. Stealth mode, you know?"

Elise, scrolling through her phone, looks up. "Yeah, low-key is the way to go. I mean, if this cult is as underground as they seem, we don't want to tip them off that we're snooping."

Crimson, sitting cross-legged on the floor, adds thoughtfully, "And we should avoid direct contact. The less interaction with anyone connected to the Midians, the better. We need info, not drama."

Annabelle claps her hands together, a determined glint in her eyes. "Alright, squad. Let's split up the work. Elise, you're on library duty. Dig up anything you can on the house's history. John, you're our internet guy. See what you can find about the Midians online."

John gives a mock salute. "Aye, aye, captain. I'll scour the depths of the web – forums, blogs, you name it."

"And I'll check out some of these old folklore books I've got," Elise chimes in, her curiosity evident. "Maybe there's some connection we're missing."

Crimson nods approvingly. "I'll assist where I can. My knowledge might help connect some dots."

Annabelle looks around at her friends, a sense of camaraderie filling the room. "We've got this, team. Let's uncover the secrets of the Midians and that haunted house."

In the cozy confines of Annabelles bed, Elise was hunched over her laptop, concentrated on her task. The glow of the screen illuminated pages of notes scattered around her.

"Okay, so you guys are not gonna believe this," Elise finally broke the silence, her eyes not leaving the screen. "This haunted house we're all psyched about? It used to belong to Marie Laveau."

John sat up straight, his interest piqued. "Wait, the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau? No cap?"

"Yep, the one and only," Elise confirmed. "She's like a legend here in New Orleans. They say she was into all sorts of occult stuff, voodoo rituals, you name it. This house was supposedly one of her spots."

Annabelle leaned forward, her eyes wide with intrigue. "That's so wild. And totally spooky, right? I mean, if walls could talk…"

Elise scrolled through another article. "There's more. The place has a string of mysterious disappearances linked to it. People going into the house and never coming out. It's been happening for years, ever since Marie Laveau's time."

John whistled lowly, shaking his head. "That's some creepy stuff. Like, straight out of a horror movie. Are we really gonna go check this place out?"

"Absolutely," Annabelle declared with a determined nod. "This is too juicy to pass up. Who knows what we'll find there?"

Elise closed her laptop, a serious look on her face. "We need to be careful, though. If even half of these stories are true, we could be walking into something way over our heads."

John hunched over his laptop, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he navigated through the less-traveled paths of the internet. Elise and Annabelle watched over his shoulder, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Okay, so I've been digging into some really obscure forums," John began, clicking through pages filled with cryptic discussions. "And I keep seeing these mentions of the Midians Bloodborne. They're super hush-hush, like some secret society or something. It's all about vampire folklore and some intense blood rituals. Totally gives me the creeps, dude."

Elise leaned closer, squinting at the screen. "That's so bizarre. Do they actually believe in this stuff, or is it just like, role-playing?"

John shrugged, scrolling through a particularly dense thread. "Hard to tell. Some of these posts are way out there. But they're serious about whatever they're doing. No 'LOLs' or 'JKs' in sight."

Annabelle, her arms crossed, added, "This is way beyond some online vampire fan club. We're talking about real-life cult stuff here."

Crimson, who had been quietly listening, chimed in, his voice calm but carrying an underlying seriousness. "Midian, in a historical context, refers to the son of Abraham, a tribe descending from one of his sons. It's interesting to see this biblical symbolism intertwined with vampire folklore."

John looked up, intrigued. "So, you're saying these guys think they're like, descendants of Abraham or something? That's wild."

Crimson nodded. "It's not uncommon for groups like this to adopt ancient lineage or symbolism to give themselves a sense of legitimacy and mystery. But we should tread carefully. Groups entrenched in such beliefs can be unpredictable."

Elise bit her lip, her mind filled with thoughts. "So, what's our next move? We can't just waltz into their lair or something, right?"

Crimson's expression was grave. "Definitely not. We need to be cautious and smart about this. Let's not forget, we're dealing with something potentially dangerous."

The group fell silent, each processing the weight of Crimson's words. The digital exploration had taken a turn into uncharted territory, and the path ahead was shrouded in shadows and uncertainty.

John closed his laptop, his usual playful demeanor subdued. "Guess we're playing detective now. But hey, no one said college life was gonna be boring, right?"

They shared a tense laugh, the reality of their situation hanging heavy in the air. The journey into the unknown had just begun, and they were in it together, for better or worse.

Annabelle's eyes sparkled with a mix of mischief and determination as she leaned in, lowering her voice.

"Okay, guys, hear me out," she started, her tone conspiratorial. "I say we check out that haunted house tonight. If there's anything sketchy about these Midians, that's where we'll find it. If we see anything dangerous, we instantly leave."

John raised his eyebrows, a hesitant look on his face. "Whoa there, Annabelle. Sneaking into a haunted house? That's straight-up horror movie material. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Elise, always the voice of reason, chimed in, "It's definitely risky, but Annabelle might be onto something. If we're careful, we might actually find some clues."

Crimson nodded thoughtfully. "It's a risky plan, but it is doable. First, we need to be prepared. Let's not walk into this blind."

The group gathered the necessary equipment for their clandestine venture. Crimson took the lead, laying out an array of items on Annabelle's bed.

"Okay, team, here's what we'll need," Crimson announced, pointing to each item. "Flashlights, obviously. Cameras, to document everything. And, based on what I've read in that Bloodborne of Orleans book, we should also bring some silverware and sharp wood, you know, just in case things get... weird."

John picked up a wooden stake, twirling it in his hand. "Going full Van Helsing, are we? I like it. Better safe than sorry when dealing with creepy cult stuff."

Elise grabbed a camera, checking the settings. "And I'll make sure to capture anything out of the ordinary. This could be some seriously cool footage."

Annabelle, who was stuffing lighters and extra batteries into her backpack, grinned. "Looks like we're all set for our little ghost-hunting adventure. This is going to be epic!"

As they packed their gear, the air was thick with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Each member of the group felt the weight of what they were about to do, yet there was an undeniable thrill in the air.

The group was ready to set out under the cover of darkness, armed with their makeshift ghost-hunting kit. They shared nervous glances and half-hearted jokes, trying to lighten the mood as they headed towards the old, supposedly haunted house, the unknown awaiting them.