Tropics Haunted House

"Go not near the coast," the old woman said. "It'll be the end of you." The old woman told her tale to any who would listen. "The Kelpie will pull you under," she raves. "She will steal your soul, leaving you a husk of a person." A few kind souls would give her a coin for her tale, most avoid her. "'Tis almost All Hallow's Eve. The Other World is at its most powerful then. Be mindful, be wary. Go not near the coast on All Hallow's Eve. You shall never return."

'The old woman is mad,' you think to yourself. 'Stories and legends of old are just that, legends. Everyone knows they're not real.' You can't help but laugh. 'As if there is some spirit dragging people into the water. Honestly, who thinks up such crazy stuff?' A smile plays on your lips. 'It could be fun though. Halloween is coming up after all. Why shouldn't I have a little fun with that old lady's story?' Again you laugh. 'After all, what's Halloween without a few scares?'

Over the next few days, you collect what you need for your prank. You collect rubber snakes (as real looking as you can find), fake seaweed, red food dye, and water balloons. You'll hide in the bushes, covered in the seaweed. You'll place the snakes nearby, and whenever some sees one, you'll jump up, scream that you will steal their soul, and throw a water balloon at them. You can't wait to see the looks on their faces.

And so the day arrives. You chuckle as you collect your things. 'Won't this be fun?' you think as you walk. But as you near the coast, you slow. Something seems different, eerie almost. You shake your head to clear it. 'How silly,' you think,' to let those stories start to get to me.' You set onto the beach to see a house you have never seen before. It is a small house, having a couple of rooms at most. The walls are sea green in colour, and they look wet, as odd as that seems. The roof is thatched with what looks like seaweed. 'What an odd looking house,' you think. 'How long has it been here?'
A growl from behind you interrupts your thoughts. You turn around to see a large black dog growling at you. At full height his head would easily come to your chest. As frightening as his size is, it's his eyes that scare you the most. They burn as if there is a fire in them. Your eyes quickly dart from the dog to the trees back to the dog. Just as you are about to make a break for it, hoping you'll reach the trees before the dog gets you. You hear a soft voice from behind you.

"It's alright, my pet. I know we have a guest." You start to turn, then stop, unsure if you want to take your eyes off the dog or not. "It is alright. He will not harm you." As you turn, you see the woman smile. "Unless I tell him to, of course." You can't tell if that smile is friendly or not. But her smile is hardly the thing that stands out. Here eyes are blue, normal enough in colour, but where a human has white, she has purple. Her skin is green, the colour of algae, and her hair looks as if it is made of water. She does not appear to be wearing clothing; instead she seems to be clothed in water. As she stands in the doorway of the house, smiling, you feel a chill go down your spine. If not for the dog behind you, you would probably turn and run. Even with the dog behind you, you wonder your odds.

Your fear seems to amuse her, as her smile grows. You can't help but wonder what her teeth look like. "What brings you to my home on this holy night?" Her voice reminds you of a gentle rain, soft and light.

"Well... I... er..." is all you manage to get out.

"Come to play tricks, is it?" She does not wait for you to reply. "Or is it a treat that you want?" She sets slightly to the side, as if to invite you in. "If it is tricks you wish to play, then be gone. I will not stand for such here. But if you are brave, then come inside, and see what treats you might find."

So tell me, brave soul, what do you do? Do you run for the safety of home, or do you enter the den of the Kelpie?

(Tropics members: comment daily Oct. 26th through Oct. 31st for your Trick-or-Treat.)