Eliska looked at the large, crumbling mansion that lay across the fields from her little house. It had been empty for as long as she could remember. Every day, she gazed at it from her bedroom window and imagined what it would be like to live there.
Eliska and her brother Chris lived with their parents in a small, dilapidated house. Her family was poor and they couldn’t afford to make the necessary repairs. Eliska was always too embarrassed to invite any of her friends over after school.
One night, Eliska had a very strange dream about the old mansion. She dreamed that a beautiful young girl lived in the mansion and she invited Eliska to come inside. In the dream, the mansion was filled with ornate furnishings and the walls were lined with expensive paintings. She dreamed that the girl showed her a room that was filled with beautiful jewelry.
The next morning, when she awoke, Eliska looked out the window and noticed something different about the mansion. It looked as if the walls had been freshly painted and there were curtains in the windows. It seemed like someone had moved in after all.
At breakfast that morning, she told Chris about her strange dream.
“That’s funny,” Chris replied. “I had almost the exact same dream.”
“That’s weird,” Eliska said, puzzled.
Chris nodded in agreement.
That evening, when Eliska and Chris were playing in the field beside their house, they met a strange young girl. She was very a beautiful girl with long black hair and dark eyes. She was wearing an exquisite dress that shimmered in the fading light.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hi,” Chris replied. “Who are you?”
“My name is Angela,” the girl said. “I’m your new neighbor. My parents and I just moved in to the mansion over there.”
When she heard this, Eliska’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. She was lost for words.
“I’m Chris and this is my sister Eliska,” Chris said.
“Pleased to meet you,” Angela said as she shook their hands. “Since I’m new in town, I don’t really know anyone. Would you two be my friends?”
“Of course,” Eliska said eagerly.
“Sure,” said Chris.
“I’m so glad,” Angela said. “Would you like to come and see our mansion?”
“We would be delighted,” Eliska said.
Together, they walked through the tall grass until they came to the mansion. Angela opened the front door and they followed her inside.
The house was beautiful. It was filled with ornate furniture and expensive-looking paintings adorned the walls. When they went into the living room, they saw an elaborate chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
“Hello Mother, Hello Father,” Angela said.
Her parents were sitting on the sofa, reading newspapers. They didn’t look up as the youngsters filed past.
“Come with me, Eliska,” said Angela. “I want to show you my playroom. I think you’ll like it.”
She opened a door and ushered Eliska inside. Eliska couldn’t believe her eyes. It was exactly like the room she had seen in her dreams. The walls were lined with glass cases, containing beautiful, intricate jewelry that sparkled in the light. Eliska couldn’t take her eyes off it. She was mesmerized.
“Try on anything you like,” Angela said. “I’ll let you keep whichever one you like the most”
Eliska gasped as Angela left the room, shutting the door behind her. The girl moved from case to case, examining all the gorgeous necklaces, earrings and brooches.
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but the spell was broken by a loud scream. It came from outside and it sounded like her brother’s voice.
All of a sudden, she looked around and saw that the room was changing. There were cobwebs and dark stains on the celing. The faded wallpaper was peeling off the walls. The lush carpet was gone and the floorboards were covered in damp and mold. The wooden door was rotten and the hinges were rusty.
Eliska grabbed the handle and pulled with all her might. She pulled so hard that the door came off its hinges and fell to the ground with a crash.
When she went into the living room, she was shocked to see everything covered in dust. The plaster was faling off the walls. Sitting on the couch, where Angela’s parents had been just moments before, were two mummified corpses. Their flesh was rotting off, exposing the bone underneath and their faces were twisted in a silent, eternal scream.
Rats scurried furtively back and forth across the bare floor which was strewn with trash. In the middle of the room, where there had once been a coffee table, there was a large, dusty coffin and its lid was hanging open.
“Chris! Where are you?” she cried as she frantically looked around the room.
Just then, her brother came staggering down the stairs. He was clutching his neck and blood was pouring down the front of his shirt. He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a gurgling sound. His throat had been slashed open.
Angela appeared on the stairs behind him. She looked much taller and her face was deathly pale. Her cheeks were sunked and her skin was lined and wrinkled.
Eliska’s heart sank and she felt as if she was going to faint. Angela’s mouth opened wide, revealing sharp pointed teeth, tipped with blood. She lunged at Chris, biting into his throat and ripping out a chunk of flesh.
Eliska let out a terrified shriek and ran to the front door. She was dizzy with fear, but she managed to pull it open and when she got outside, she ran as fast as she could. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she couldn’t stop screaming. She ran and ran across the field, wading through the tall grass. Her heart beating fast and her hair standing on end.
Eventually, she reached the safety of her own house. She rushed inside and slammed the door behind her. Then, in confusion, she looked around. She saw the dust, the cobwebs, the rats, the open coffin and the dead body of her brother lying in a pool of blood on the floor.
To her utter horror, she was back inside Angela’s house and there stood Angela, smiling from ear to ear, with blood dripping down her chin. Before Eliska had a chance to react, Angela grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close.
The last thing Eliska felt before everything went black was a pair of fangs sinking into her neck.
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