```The Story of a Writer```

IV

Dear readers,

“I guess you’ll go to Harvard’s University after this year, aren’t you?” Tiffany said as she ran her fingers through the books on the shelves.

“Hahaha!” Harvard laughed as he settled on the chair by the table. “Well, I’m named Harvard not because my future lies with the uni. I may consider it though. It’s quite close to my house. I could also stop studies and start working. What about you Tiffany? You know I’d like to be at the same place you are.”

Tiffany giggled. “You can go to any university you’d like with that intelligence you have, and I’m sure doing PhD will be a breeze for you. I mean, you’re the smartest kid in the whole uni.”

“True, that’s why it wouldn’t be a problem to get a place at the same uni as you. Look here!” Harvard took out his digital cam. “Let’s take a picture in this magnificent study room.”

Harvard clicked and the picture was taken. Harvard pressed the view photo button and the just taken picture showed itself on the tiny screen. Tiffany continued browsing through the enormous collection of books.

“You look so pretty in the picture,” Harvard praised Tiffany, more of flirting, actually. “Nice eyes… I love them, especially since their blue, my favourite colour. And your smile, it’s so…”

Tiffany was listening contently. She noticed the pause. She turned around, about to ask Harvard to continue. She was shocked to see Harvard frowning, as if something was unpleasant on her. He looked at the photo, then up at Tiffany and back at the photo, repeating this sequence so very often.

“What’s wrong?”

“The… The…”Harvard stammered.

Then, a piercing scream was heard. Harvard still did not lift his eyes from the picture, he couldn’t. Tiffany walked away from the shelves and peered out of the door. A loud bang was heard after that, and it came from the direction of the main hall. Tiffany began to feel her heart race, whose pitiful scream was that?

“Do you think the scream was from Amy or Emma?” Tiffany asked Harvard as she continued looking outside into the hallway.

There wasn’t a reply. Tiffany turned around and saw Harvard looking at the camera screen, sweating and as pale as a ghost… Tiffany walked towards Harvard, worried about him.

Harvard’s eyes took notice of a disfigured background, right behind Tiffany, in the picture. The background was blurry, as if he was looking at it through a magnifying glass. Right after the scream faded away, something additional slowly formed in the picture. Just a few inches behind the smiling Tiffany, a lady in a black evening gown materialised. The lady was smiling… and her eyes were looking straight at Harvard…

“Tiffany… We better leave… Now…” Harvard said as he got up the chair.
Tiffany stopped beside Harvard. “Why? What’s the matter?”

Harvard did not reply, his instinct demanded that they leave the place as soon as they could. He took Tiffany’s hand and made his way to the door. The hanging lamp on the ceiling broke and fell down. Harvard noticed and hopped backwards pulling Tiffany along, just missing the crashing lamp. Harvard and Tiffany stood there, looking at the lamp. The two realized that their in for a very interesting adventure…

“Why are you in such a hurry?” A gentle voice sounded from behind them. “You’ll have an eternity to explore this whole mansion.”

Harvard and Tiffany gulped… Neither of them liked the sound of that. They felt worse when the door slammed shut and the key turned, and then vanished itself. They looked at each other and were plunged into one of their worst nightmares.

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