By Siddharth Shankar Covington Elementary School, fifth grade

Mary, Sally, Katie and Carla were best friends and loved Halloween more than any other holiday. However, one year they took their great love for Halloween a little too far.

The day before Halloween, walking home from school, they overheard a hushed conversation between two boys. “No one would dare to investigate Mystic Manor,” said one. “I heard that strange things happen over there,” said the second. “What an adventure!” the girls thought.

On Halloween night, instead of trick-or-treating they rushed to Mystic Manor. They met outside the tall iron gate that guarded the mansion. “Let’s go inside,” Mary proposed. The gate creaked open as they pushed on it, and swung shut with a metallic clang once they had passed. The girls walked up the path to the front door. Suddenly they heard a bone-chilling howl. Katie gulped, but Sally strode up to the front door and pushed on it. The door swung open silently on its hinges, and the friends entered the house.

As they stepped inside, the door banged shut. Carla rushed back and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge.

The girls were trapped. Terrified, the friends saw a staircase, a hallway, the parlor and the living room in front of them. Sally started to say something, but an evil cackling filled the house. The girls screamed. Carla ran into the parlor, Sally ran up the stairs and Mary fled into the living room. Only Katie held her ground. “Wait!” she cried. But her friends were gone. Katie shivered, realizing that she was alone, but decided to search for her friends.

Walking into the living room, she saw a hideous painting titled “John Mystic.” “He must have been the owner of this house,” thought Katie. She touched the painting. Without warning, the face popped out at her, and the floor beneath her gave way!

She screamed as she slid down a long, dark tunnel and landed on a cold stone floor, in a room dimly lit by torches.

Looking around, she saw the still bodies of her friends. Their faces were white and frozen in shock.

Horrified, Katie felt a presence. John Mystic was at the door, grinning. As he disappeared, the torches flickered out, and Katie’s screams died.

There are rumors that Katie’s spirit now haunts Mystic Manor, and will do so forever.