"That's a bunch of bull and you know it," Darren scoffed.
"I'm telling the truth man," Steven exclaimed. "My brother told me theres an old witch that lives in that house at the end of town."
Darren simply rolled his eyes as his friends now began talking. Everyone knew the story of the old witch. Darren had heard his parents talk about it. It was the kind of story every small town in America had. Old creepy house, occupied by a witch for decades, scary things happen their all the time.
Darren of course doubted these stories. The old woman that lived their was named Yuriko Mishimuro. The woman had moved here perhaps 25 or 30 years ago following the death of her husband. Since then kids had talked about all the creepy things they had seen.
Darren recalled a story his dad told him when his dad was 12 years old. Darren's father swore that on one dark night he had been dared to go into the basement of the house. As he did a pair of demons and a fox man appeared, chasing the preteen off the property. Darren of course chalked this up to just some scary story his dad had told him.
"You know there just stories," Darren stated.
"Oh yeah," Steven exclaimed. "Well then I dare you to go into the basement."
Darren sighed as he now stood outside the Mishimuro house. Of course Steven had to say something at lunch in front of everyone. Now the 13 year old found himself outside the spooky looking house at 10 p.m. on a Friday night with at least a dozen other 8th graders.
"What's the matter chicken?"
"No," Darren grumbled. The young teen could only sigh as he now looked the other teens. Along with Steven, Darren could see several friends as well as enemies watching anxiously. Darren though was focused solely on one person, Crystal Mathers.
Crystal was probably the most popular girl in 8th grade. Sandy brown hair, a cute face, and the curves of a high schooler she was also Darren's secret crush.
"You dont have to do this you know."
Darren turned, seeing his best friend and next door neighbor Hannah Miller. Hannah and Darren had basically grown up together, living next door and playing with one another before realizing later that boys and girls really weren't supposed to be best friends, just boyfriend and girlfriend.
Darren smiled, giving Hannah a warm smile. "Dont worry I'll be fine."
Hannah could only sigh, puahongbher glasses up her nose as she brushed her blonde hair behind her ear. "Just be careful okay?"
Taking a deep breath, Darren now slowly crept onto the grounds of the Mishimuro house. As insane as it sounded the old house seemed even creepier than usual, seeming to loom over the skinny 13 year old. Gulping Darren now made his way towards a basement window, praying it would be locked.
"Damn it," he whispered as the window pushed open. Looking back once more he could see the group anxiously watching. Not wanting to be branded a coward and be unmercifully teased all year Darren stealer his will as he slid into the basement.
Jumping down Darren now anxiouly looked around the darkened basement. Armed only with a small flashlight, Darren now scanned the basement trying to cut through the darkness. "Okay Darren," he said quietly. "Just grab something and get out." As he now tried to find something, he paused.
Towards the back of the basement Darren could see a small case that seemed to glint in the light of his flashlight. As he approached he narrowed his eyes. "Rings," he said in confusion.
Slowly he now reached for one of the rings. As he studied it he was confused. The ring itself seemed rather ordinary, with only a small gem surrounded by an ordinary gold band.
"Who dares enter this house!"
Darren's blood ran cold, the hair standing up on the back of his neck. Slowly the teen turned, his eyes going wide as he gazed at three sets of eyes in the darkness.
Darren screamed, watching as three figures now emerged from the darkness. The first was a small child like creature with leathery red skin, wings, and needle like fangs that glint in the faint light. The second was a young woman, perhaps in her 20s with a set of small fangs and large batwings. Finally Darren could see a 6 foot anthro fox emerge, the fox mans brow narrowed as six tails swayed behind him.
Darren screamed, trying to scramble away with the ring in his hand. The legends were true! Now Darren wondered if he would become just another scary story.