LAKESIDE MANSION

CAUTION: THE CONTENT IN THIS BOOK IS BRUTAL AND VIOLENT.

It was just after their senior graduation, when the girls decided a vacation will be a splendid way to celebrate their last year of high school.

They made it. They graduated and threw those caps in the air. They were proud of themselves. Victoria's best friend Janice suggested they visit a place called Lakeside, she had seen online someone was renting out a mansion.

She was mesmerized by its beauty and neglected to do a background check. Victoria had a bad intuition about this. So, she urged her friends to check if there wasn't anything shady about this. To her, it made no sense for someone to rent out a mansion, but her friends ignored her.

They always teased her for being too cautious and suspicious. They called her "TOO" miss precaution. She was sceptical about everything and the reason for her behaviour, was her bad luck. It was like a curse to her. Sadly, her friends failed to understand this and had no idea what she went through before she moved there.

She promised herself long ago, that she will never relive the horror she experienced before. That tragedy made her not trust anything or anyone in this world. Her suspicious behaviour destroyed any relationships she had, she could never open her heart to the fullest for anyone including her family. She always second doubted people.

Her parents warned her time and time again to let go of the past, but she never could. She was walking on an eggshell every day and felt it was better to be suspicious rather than trusting so blindly. Perhaps, she should've investigated the place before they went there. She ignored her instincts for once, and it turned out to be a very grave mistake.

The mansion was beautiful, and there it stood isolated by the lake. The view was too die for, literary in their case. The owner left the keys inside a flower plant container.

All Victoria's friends except Nataly, ran in with enthusiasm and happiness, but she was not impressed at all. The house felt dark to her, she shivered in discomfort and the bad feeling she had before intensified. The house felt haunted to her, her body shivered in fear and uneasiness.

The feeling she had just now, was no different than the feeling she felt 5 years ago. 'This must be a bad omen' she thought. She didn't want to be there but her friends and family insisted on her coming.

"Victoria, just drop it. Why are you always finding faults and suspicions in everything?" her friend said annoyed and not believing her behaviour.

"I can't help it, Janice. This house does not feel right and I don't like being uneasy, it will just ruin the purpose of this vacation," said Victoria while looking around with caution.

She really was not liking this house.

"Oh, please!" said Monica "You are just making everything about yourself again. If you don't feel so safe here, then go find your heaven. We are staying here whether you like it or not."

Victoria and Monica never got along but tolerated each other for the sake of sharing friends. Victoria thought Monica was a bitch, who saw herself as better than anyone, while Monica found Victoria's OCD behaviour or scepticism annoying or an act of getting attention.

"Whatever Monica, but I will say it again. This house is bad news." Victoria stomped away leaving Janice and Monica standing there.

"What is her problem?" Monica dramatical asked with annoyance evident in her voice.

"It's her, I don't trust. She just likes being dramatic." Monica's face was scrunched up with disgust and annoyance.

Janice always felt there was something amiss about her best friend, she always walked on eggshells. She was lucky to even become her best friend. When she first approached Victoria it felt like she was courting her. The girl made her work for it, hence she was worried when she is acting like this.

She remembers seeing Victoria's body by mistake, it took her 3 months to get back in her good books. The girl hides every part of her, she just didn't like people seeing her naked.

First Janice didn't understand but after seeing those scars, she was traumatized. She cried every day thinking about it, she never found the courage to ask her about those scars.

She always asked herself. 'What kind of person, would do such damage to another human being?' However, she had no right to judge and no right to invade Victoria's privacy. She will just wait until Victoria is ready to share whatever horrors she went through.

"Just let her be, we after all not aware of her past, so we have no right to judge her." Monica looked at Janice with dissatisfaction.

"Ya, whatever" she commented.

***

Victoria stood by the window and looked at the scenery around the mansion, it was breathtaking she had to admit it. If only the feeling would go away, the place was too isolated for her liking. On a serious note, they were the only people around there.

'How will they get any help, if something happens?'

Worst of all they were about 3 miles away from the small town of Lakeside. She really didn't want to be there.

***

"Tik Tok, the time is running out little firecracker. Circles and circles around, where is the way out? Nowhere to go. Where are your saviours? You will be mine till eternity."

Sniffs and whimpers were heard in the background.

A girl who looked between 12 and 13 years old, was seen huddled in the corner of the room, protecting herself. She sat with her knees on her chest, arms wrapped around them. Her eyes were wide with fear and tears streaming down her pretty little face.

"Why cry, you dear little child? I am not going to hurt you. We will just play, if you are a good girl I won't harm you. You have to listen to me and do as you are told, if not..." he clicked his tongue, smiling with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Well, I will have to punish you. Bad girls are punished, with little circles. Round and round, little circles, Firecracker!" Whatever the man meant scared the little girl, she was kidnapped by this man.

He was supposed to be a teacher and give them knowledge but he was a predator, he stole her. She knew how temperament he was, after all, she had witnessed it in class many times. He always had that murdering look and killing intent in his eyes.