Are You Afraid of the Dark?

My lovesick brother is. You know, ever since first grade—I kid you not, but he’s
graduating high school this year—he’s had a crush on Maria Madrigal.
Maria was our neighbor next door in our province, and boy, did she have skin as fair
as porcelain!
Well, they’re not our neighbors anymore, since we moved out from our province.
Anyway, every day, he tirelessly talks about Maria.
It’s Maria, Maria, Maria all day and all night long!
One day, he passed out suddenly in the bathroom. The reason? I don’t remember.
But he was… just on the floor. Unconscious.
Uncle Bucky—before he disappeared—was rapidly knocking at the wooden door,
hoping for a response from the boy.
Nothing.
Some more knocking he did… still nothing.
Uncle Bucky reached in his pocket for the key to the bathroom—that silver key in a
keyring. I miss that keyring! Anyway…
Uncle Bucky slowly opens the door and to our surprise, my brother wasn’t there! It
was locked from the inside, and there was no way out except for that door.
The telephone rings, interrupting Lucy’s storytelling.
Hello? Yes, brother! We’re in the basement right now, wanna join us? It’s me and
the basement-lights-out club! Come on! I’m telling them the story of when you
passed out! I’m at the part where Uncle Bucky opens the door!
Lucy’s brother appears beside Lucy all of a sudden.
Gah! Larry! You scared me!
Hah, I thought you weren’t scared?
Do you want to resume the story?
Can we turn on the lights?
Nope!
 Okay, fine.
I passed out, right? I woke up, and there was some intense knocking at the door. I
got up, reached for the door. I open the door, and there… was… no one. Nothing! I
was totally scared by that moment. Was that a ghost who knocked? A poltergeist?
Was it a winged demon? Who knows? I went to Uncle Bucky, but I couldn’t find
anyone in the house. I was alone in the house. Or at least I thought I was.
I heard noises back from the bathroom. I rushed my way to it and across the hall, I
saw Uncle Bucky knocking at the bathroom door. Wow, that door receives a lot of
knocking. What was weird was that the door was locked. Of course, I knew ever
since that this house was haunted.
Nancy, one of Lucy’s friends, cuts through the story.
Wait, wait, wait. What does this have to do with Maria Madrigal?
Oh, my goodness… Maria Madrigal. The love of my life. I really wish she didn’t
have such a short-lived life. She was the brightest that shined along—
Short-lived? What do you mean, short-lived?
Oh, boy, here we go.
It was a day of infamy—last October 7, 2010, when Maria Madrigal was knocked to
death by the collapse of her house. She lives now in my heart for ever.
Which house are you talking about?
This! This was actually the lot where Maria Madrigal’s house once stood. It was
rebuilt into this humble rest-house of ours.
So, you aren’t saying…
This house IS haunted!
Haunted by Maria Madrigal!
Yes, you’re right! Maria Madrigal was the ghost who knocked first!
A ghost suddenly speaks among the group.
OMG, guys! How did you know so fast?
Everyone is shocked by the ghost of Maria Madrigal and screams. They all run away
from the basement except for Maria Madrigal.
Hey guys, wait up, it’s dark in here!... Guys? Larry? Is anyone up there? What a
bummer, they left me in here… again. By the way, Uncle Bucky…
Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Lucy - Orange, Black

Betsy - Light blue

Larry - Blue, Black

Uncle Bucky - #

Nancy - Red

Patty - Purple

Charlie - Green
 Jamie - Yellow

Maria Madrigal - Pink