Months passed, and we still didn’t get a chance to investigate the haunted house. We really wanted to go and see if it was real or not. Tom and I kept waiting for the day when we could finally investigate it. One afternoon, when I came back from school, I overheard my mom talking to Tom’s mom on the phone. They were saying they had to go to another city for work, and it would take a few days. They also decided that Tom and I could have a sleepover at my house so we wouldn’t be scared staying alone, since our dads were also leaving.

Excited, I rushed to my room and called Tom to tell him everything I had heard. After that, I did my homework and played some video games. Suddenly, “RRRRIIIICCCHHAAAARRRDDDD!” my mom shouted from downstairs. I thought she was angry at me for playing, so I hurried down—but it turned out she was just calling me for dinner.

After dinner, my dad came home, and once he finished eating, my mom told me again that they would be going to another city for two days and that Tom would come for a sleepover. I already knew this, but I didn’t say anything. Inside, I was thrilled. This was our chance to finally investigate the haunted house.

Asking for some clue  

The next morning, I met Tom on the way to school, and we excitedly talked about the haunted house. I reminded him that this was our big chance. At school, we asked other students if they knew the way. My friend Wolfy said there was a mansion nearby, and from there, we had to take the right path to reach the haunted house. Many other students gave the same answer. Since the majority agreed, we decided to follow Wolfy’s directions.

When I got home, I asked my mom when exactly they were leaving. She said tomorrow morning at 5 am—and that Tom would be arriving then too. I was so happy because it was the weekend, and with them leaving early, we’d have plenty of time for our investigation.

Time for the journey 

At 5 am sharp, my parents left. Right after that, Tom arrived at my house. We packed some food—just in case the journey took longer than expected—and set off together. After walking for an hour, we were exhausted, so we rested for a while before continuing. Soon, we spotted a small, unpainted house in the distance. A faint light glowed from one of its windows. Nervously, we headed toward it. My heart was racing faster than ever.

Suddenly, I realized Tom wasn’t beside me. I looked around—he was nowhere to be seen. Then I heard a loud snore. Panicked, I ran back to our resting spot, and there he was—snoring like a giant! Relieved but a little annoyed, I woke him up, and we continued, this time with me keeping a close eye on him. When we reached the house with the faint light, my heartbeat quickened again. Holding hands tightly, we stepped inside.

Investigation of the house  

Inside, the house was empty. It had four rooms, all dark. We checked one room—nothing. In another, we found a big, fat black cat. I suddenly remembered reading somewhere that witches often keep black cats as pets. I told Tom, and we both screamed.

Then we noticed a candle flickering by the window. That made us scream even louder. Just as we were about to run outside, a voice called, “Boys, why are you here in the woods? Are you lost?” We froze, then turned to see an old woman holding the black cat. Surprisingly, our fear vanished. We asked why she was living in such a small house with no electricity. She explained that she had no family and no home, so she found this abandoned place and had been living there for ten years.

It turned out the house wasn’t haunted at all. We invited her to come with us, and she agreed, carrying her cat. When she asked where we were taking her, we explained we wanted to bring her to an old age home where she would be safe and cared for. She was very happy.

Proving everyone wrong 

We took the old woman to the old age home and explained everything to the caretaker, who thanked us for helping her. As a reward, we received a bravery badge. Later, we went to the children’s park to show our friends the badge. When they asked how we got it, we told them the whole story. Everyone appreciated our bravery.

After that, Tom and I went back to my house and had fun. Two days later, our parents returned. We proudly showed them the badge and told them everything. At first, they scolded us for taking such risks while they were away, but in the end, they also appreciated our courage.

This is the second in a two-part series

Shreyashi Sigdel

Grade VII

Euro School, Chhauni