Horror Stories Part 2

"H-h-hey, Wh-what was that?" She said, her voice clearly stuttering because of fear.

"H-how can I know?" I said, with the same shaky voice.

Again, that same shriek, however, this time it was a little bit louder and clearer than before. We jumped with fear. The voice was not exactly very loud, so other neighbors probably didn't hear it. The house next to Kayo's house was empty because the whole family was gone on a vacation and the voice was not loud enough to travel any farther. It was probably this situation that caused us to get scared even more.

"H-hey, come with me to my house!" she said grabbing my shirt.

"I-It's probably just the TV. We shouldn't worry about it."

"B-but my father is still in the house. If something... please come with me to check." There was genuine worry in her voice. Now I was feeling a little guilty.

"O-okay. Let's go."

We got up and left the room. I picked up the broom and took it with me. Although I didn't know if it would be effective in beating up a ghost or not. We were still both wearing our microphones that were connected to our mobiles. My house was empty too. My father was out for work. He sometimes gets late because of his work and today was one of those days. My mother was visiting her parents. Dad will pick her up from there when he will come back from his work. Therefore, we were alone.

In a few minutes, we were standing in front of her house. She was clinging to me and I was probably blushing hard. I opened the door slowly with the broom in one hand. It was pitch black inside. All the lights were off.

"Why are all the lights off?" She said with a sheepish voice hiding behind me.

"How would I know that?"

We slowly went inside. I asked her where the switch was and turned on the lights in the hallway. The door to the living room was closed. Just as we opened the door I slipped aside and a scary figure with red fluid that seemed like blood all over the face and clothes dropped in front of Kayo's face and I heard a scream that might even rival the sound of a plane engine.

***

Let's go back a few hours. This happened when we went to ask for permission for making the video from her father. I was scared but her father was very welcoming and seemed like a nice person. He gave permission easily.

"Yeah, It's okay. There is no problem with that." Kayo went straight to her room happily saying she will go and find a story. Thinking now, that was probably the time when she came up with the prank. But well... it's not like I was going to stay behind in that.

"Actually, I need your help with something," I said to her father after making sure she was in her room and couldn't listen to us anymore.

"Hmm, What is it?"

"I want to prank her in this video." I hoped he would agree with this easily too.

"Interesting. Why do you need my help though?"

I told him the details. I had installed some small cameras in the hallway. The scary doll we used was once used by our parents to scare me and my sister in one of their videos. I asked him to play the audio at the point of the story I told him. He was listening to our conversation from a phone. He agreed to help me with all of this.

"But won't the neighbors come from that scary voice too?" A valid question.

"We will play the voice at just enough sound to travel the distance of only one house. The house next to you is empty because the family is on vacation so nobody else should be able to hear it."

"You actually thought through all of this, huh?"

"Well, my parents once pranked us like this so I am just kind of borrowing their idea."

"All right, let's do this. I want to give her a scare too. It's been a long time since I played with her."

"I don't think she will like this kind of playing though." We both laughed.

***

"So, who is laughing now?" I asked as I laughed. Her father was laughing too.

"But weren't you scared too?!"

"Yeah, don't you think I deserve an Oscar for that acting?" 

"And you were also in with him!" She said to her father with her signature pout.

"Well, how could I deny such an earnest request from someone."

"Ughhhh... I hate you both!" She ran into her room. "I will get back at you for this!" She said before closing the door.

"Hey, why are you mad when you just pranked me yourself?!"

"Stupid!!"

"Logic." I sighed.

"Well well, don't worry about that. She will be all fine in the morning. Here have some barley tea."

"Thanks." I was feeling a little thirsty after all this so I gratefully accepted.

"It has been so long since I have seen her having so much fun with someone else. Ever since her mother died, she has been trying to be excessively kind to everyone else. Everyone just takes benefit from the kindness so she never had any close friends. She would only look like she was having fun when I took her somewhere or played with her but because I am also busy with a lot of work I could never give her the time she needed. You must  be wondering why I am telling you all this."

I kind of understood what he was trying to say after all, not exactly the same but I also experienced something like this.

" The thing is, she lost her mother and never had any friends. It seemed like she was lonely all the time so I am truly grateful that you became her friend. I am her father so I can tell that she is genuinely having fun with you. Thank you for being her friend."

This was not true at all. I am the one who was grateful that I met her that day. She was the one who saved me. "It's me, actually. I am the one who is grateful that she became my friend."

"I guess she has found a great friend." He said with a smile.

I took the cameras I put in the hallway and the doll then thanked him for everything and left for my house. The microphone that Kayo had... I guess I will just take that back tomorrow. My parents were probably about to come back too. I sighed as I thought that I now have to edit the video.