Margret Stephen, a beautiful smart tween raised by, Mr and Mrs Stephen - her parents, in the best environment for a child of her kind, alongside her two siblings who were twin boys.
The Stephens from generations past, have been known for their wealth, power and mostly, their compassion. Sometimes their twee actions towards the needy were tagged as "too much" especially by families in their class.
Yet, it didn't halt Mr and Mrs Stephen from throwing their doors wide open to those who genuinely needed the help. This way, the grownups raised their three children until the day it all fell apart.
It was Margret's birthday and there was so much happiness whirling in the air. It was so overwhelming how "big she had grown", her mother hallucinated. Mrs Stephen had always been so fond of her children which was likely.
"I just have the perfect idea", Margret gasped in the kitchen with her family making preparations for the celebration. "Why don't we invite a few less privileged on the streets to come celebrate with us since we'd only be having a handful family relatives willing to pop by?", she suggested with cute eyes, ready to behold the answer from her parents.
"It seems nice, this idea, but I don't know...", Mr Stephen raked his hair thoughtfully.
"It will be fine darling", his wife gave him a soothing smile with a pat on his back. "I don't seem to think of anything to go wrong. Besides this wouldn't be new to us, except we'll just be having more people to host", Mrs Stephen continue as she made for the oven.
"This will be fun", the twins giggled somewhat mischievously.
"OK, I will head out with the boys to grab a few things in the mart close by and I'll invite those I find around. Mom, dad, are we good?", Margret asked coolly.
"Of course. Don't be out long, OK?"
"OK", the three offsprings of the Stephens, each threw a salute wave and marched out in unison, causing the sound of laughter ringing in the exquisitely furnished house.
In a matter of time, the kids returned after giving time and direction on how to locate their house for the party, to the needy they found outside as planned previously.
It was time and the door bell didn't stop ringing for a while after the first ding. The house only continued to fill up as all those invited trooped in at intervals.
A weird looking man, roughed and dressed in rags, approaches Mrs Stephen while she was busy handing out a few things from the buffet. Their maid was out of town so she took up the burden with her family for the party to be a success.
"Can I get a glass of milk instead ma'am", the man asked Mrs Stephen nicely as he declined the glass of fruit wine she handed out to him.
She smiled, nodded, headed for the kitchen and reached for the milk bottle in the fridge. A glass from the cupboard over the sink she was about to lift, when the man from behind, dosed her with poison from an injection. She swung herself to call for help but the substance introduced into her body made her slum.
In about a few minutes later, she was found laying on the floor by her husband. Reaching for her in a frenzy, the killer emerged from beside the fridge where he had hidden himself and does to Mr Stephen what he had done to Mrs Stephen.
The couple were found about an hour later by one of the party's attendants, dead on the floor. No one really noticed their absence till it was time for Margret to cut her cake and her parents were requested to be around.
The day ended on a bad note especially for the Stephens who automatically became orphans and they were taken in by their other relations. Margret continued to visit the house till it was sold out to other people who have had their eyes on the masterpiece.
Years later, Margret found leads to the murder of her parents. Justice was served for Mr and Mrs Stephen. The house was later pass onto a nonchalant young lord who didn't see the worth of living in the house so he abandoned it.
It remained so for years, waiting to crumble or to be appreciated once again like the Stephens did.
Describe what you see/feel: I see a house, old and abandoned entrapped in the woods. A seemingly haunted house, purposefully forgotten in order to save it's old inhabitants the misery it exudes. I see dry woods engulfing a once beautiful building that has housed many happy memories.
