Mansion in the Forest

The participants

"What did you say where you going?" Trevor asked for the fifth times as he still couldn't understand what was Lexi trying to say about the offer she received, about her mother she found out that still alive but already dying, the challenge, the mansion in the forest, the Queen and everything his best friend keep saying while packing her things.

Lexi stopped as she released a sharp breath and looked at her best friend. "Listen, I have to go somewhere, I'm still unsure where it is, but I'll be back after a week." She said a bit irritated before continuing to pack her stuff, such as spare clothes good for 3 days, her caps and beanies and all things that necessary for her trip.

"How about me?" Trevor asked again, pointing at himself.

"What about you?" Lexi asked back without giving him a glance.

"I mean, aren't you going to bring me with you?"

"What? You have class to attend to, your parents might look for you and besides, I have to go alone." Lexi said, she really want to dismissed her best friend but she couldn't, as she don't want to offend the boy.

Trevor been her saviour for how many years, her protector even if she doesn't need one, her older brother who's ready to take a bullet for her, but not this time. She have to do this alone as Trevor doesn't have anything to do with Lexi's mother. She have to make a way to pay all the bills in that hospital to save her dying mother, so she can ask every questions she wants to ask.

After packing her things, she zipped it and clung the strap on her shoulder. "Listen to me, Trevor." Lexi said, putting her hand on the guy's shoulder. "Please, no matter what happen, don't follow me and I know it is too much for me to ask, but please, take care of Jazen."

"That b***h is rich, she can have her own bodyguards to protect her if she wants to." Trevor hissed.

"Not every bodyguard will take a bullet for someone, I'm not saying that you will take that bullet for her, but at least protect her."

"Why do you sound like you're not going back at all?"

"Dude, I will be back, it's just a matter of time and I'll be back." Lexi said, repeating her words to assure her best friend. "Please take care yourself as well, I'll miss you."

The woman pulled her best friend into a tight hug, a hug that has no malice for her but for Trevor, his heart beats frantically the way how their skin touches so close and he could feel the warmth of his best friend, he felt like he wants to kiss her but he quickly shrugged it off when Lexi pulled away and patted his head.

"Don't get hurt, Lexi or I'll be a criminal in to time." He said, making Lexi smile widely.

"I will."

______

Jisu's mom passed away just before she could reach the hospital. As soon as the airplane lands in the airport, she hailed a taxi and pray to all the Gods up there to save her mom, but Mrs. Nam didn't make it. She passed away prior to Jisu's arrival due to the head injury, internal hemorrhage.

The funeral was held in a chapel where few people went to offer their condolences. Friends, colleagues and business partners. Jisu was so devastated, she had lost two important people in her life, her inspiration to pursue her dreams to help them in their business, but now that her parents are gone, Jisu didn't know where to start.

Police arrived at the funeral not long after, they tell her that they already caught the driver of the truck, and they invited Jisu to the police station to file a case. Jisu didn't hesitate to go with the cops and to face the killer of her parents, though everyone thinks that it's an accident, but for her, it's not. She believes that there's a foul play.

One day prior before the accident happened, Jisu's dad called her and told her that they are being watched by some unknown guy, they also received death threats. They didn't know who's behind that but her dad have suspect but he didn't mention it to Jisu.

When they arrived at the police station, Jisu's hands are trembling violently, she was mad, of course, but at the same time, he couldn't get mad at the driver because she knows that he didn't want it too.

Inside a room, the truck driver sat behind a table, hands were in a cuffs, his head bowled over while playing with his fingers anxiously. Jisu stepped in and was surprised to see their driver.

The driver was surprised as well to see the young lady when he looked up, he suddenly began crying loudly and asking for forgiveness. Their driver is like Jisu's second father, she grew up with him, he was the one who's always with her because her parents were too busy at their business. Jisu's pain doubled to see the man in front of him but she still remain passive as she occupied the seat across him.

"Who pay you to do this?" The first question Jisu asked.

"I c-can't tell you, they have my wife and my daughter. If I tell you, t-they will kill them!" The man said, he seems so unrest and distressed, he became more thinner since the last time Jisu saw him, which is last year before her departure from the airport.

"I treated you like a father, I never did something wrong to make you do this to my parents. Mom and dad treated you like a family, how could you—."

"I didn't want to do that! But they have my family!"

"Then tell me who are they so I could help you!" Jisu yelled back, her fists clenching so tight but her knees are too weak to stand up, so she settled at striking the table hardly. They became silent for the next few minutes, calming themselves. "I can help you, just please tell me." Jisu said once she regain her calmness.

"I can't, I'm sorry." The driver said, shaking his head fervently. "They are too powerful and I don't want you to be in trouble. Just accept that your parents died in an accident."

"Bullshit!" Jisu struck the table once again as she finally had the strength to stand. She then leaned her body forward while her hands pressed against the table. "I'll find out who are they and if I did that, I'll make sure that your family will hate you for the rest of their lives." Jisu said before she turned her heels and walk out of the room, she didn't look back even if the driver keep calling her name and begging for forgiveness.

Jisu went back to the funeral and see unfamiliar faces inside, there was a couple standing in front of her parent's caskets, the woman is crying, but the man was just standing there and staring into her dad. And suddenly, Jisu's heart clench when the man turned around and smiled devilishly. She knew by then, who killed her parents, but she still need strong evidence to prove it. There's only one thing she was lack of to start the investigation on her own.

Money.

Her parent's attorney said that her parents are in debt, the money in the bank and all of their properties are already held by the bank as those were the collaterals for their debt.

Jisu looked down and stared on the floor defeatedly, until her phone vibrates and a notification appeared on the screen.

______

"You have no choice but to obey your parents, sweetheart."

"N-no." Jazen continue to sob for the past three hours while her personal maid keep consoling her, after the meeting happened between Jazen and her parents. "What a-about Lexi?"

"You need to follow what should be best for you and for her. You're too young to decide about your sexuality, maybe you're just confused."

"I'm too young to decide about myself? But aren't I too young to be married? Especially to a guy that I didn't even know?" Jazen asked, a bit annoyed to the way how her personal maid console her. The maid's chosen words ain't helping Jazen in her situation.

Her parents called her for a sudden meeting, as if they are not a family, she deadass thought that she was one of her parent's employees. At first, she thought that she was summoned because they already found out about Lexi, but turns out there's more than that. She was arranged for a marriage to the son of their business partner to save their company from bankruptcy.

She refused to that, hell, she will. Because first, she have Lexi, second, she's not into guy, third, she will never see herself marrying a guy he didn't even know. After the intense argument at the dining table, with the yelling and shouting, Jazen walked out and ran straight to her room, followed by her personal maid, the only one who has access to Jazen's room.

Jazen kept crying, she tried calling Lexi for God's knows how many times but she couldn't will herself to press the dial button. She felt devastated and fragile, she didn't even know what to say to her girlfriend, especially she was crying. Lexi didn't want to see her cry, never in their entire relationship the latter made her cry, because Lexi hate seeing Jazen cry.

She throw the phone at the end of her bed and stir around hastily, burying herself onto her pillow and cried hysterically. She cried her heart's out until her eyes stings and her throat became dry, her maid stayed on her side while rubbing Jazen's back to soothe her.

"You can't do anything about it but to to accept the marriage." Her maid said sympathising her boss.

"No, I'm not going to accept it, never will." Jazen said as she pushed herself up from the bed to get her phone. She started to type Lexi's number for the umpteenth time but just before she could press the dial button, there's a notification appeared on the screen of her phone.

'Hi? Do you perhaps in need of money? House and lot? And unparalleled wealthy? Come and join us, we are inviting you to a challenge that comes up with great reward if you succeed. Just reply yes and we will count you as one of the player.'

"What is that?" The maid asked when she noticed Jazen paused for a moment.

"Nothing." Jazen replied as she typed on her phone. "I will take back our company on my own." She said with full of certainty in her voice.

"How can you do that? You're still studying."

Jazen get off of her bed and walked into her closet, opening the lower drawer and pulled out her gun.

"I have my own way." She said while stroking her gun.

_______

Trevor grab anything he could grab and shoved it all inside his backpack, he then run straight to the door, but he made sure that no one in their house could see him, until he successfully exited their house and sped away using his car towards Lexi's apartment.

He stopped one block away and wait. It didn't take too long when a Black SUV stopped in front of Lexi's apartment, then his best friend came out from the apartment and get in the car. He tailed the SUV carefully, not too far but not too near as well so whoever drives it won't notice him.

The drive took one and a half hour, until it turns into a secluded area filled with tall trees, the asphalt were already gone and the road covered with dirt. Trevor kept following the car and didn't dare to tear his eyes away from it, he didn't noticed the large rock on the way and the bumper of his car hit it, which made him suddenly stopped. He shifted the gear and stepped on the gas, he turn the steering wheel but to no avail, the wouldn't move a bit.

He cursed loudly and pushed the door open beside him too hasty which nearly break it. "Damn it!" He groaned when he saw a large trench and huge rock under his car. He looked back to the SUV but he can't see it anywhere. "Great!" He exclaimed, throwing his hand in the air.

He could've get back to where they entered, but it was too far from where he stuck up, if he would go back, it'll take 2 to 3 hours to get at the mouth of the dense forest. He fishes out his phone but to his dismay, there's no signal at his phone. With no more choices left, he grabbed his bag and walked towards the way where the SUV headed.

He took the path where he thinks is right, not until he reached the end of the dirt path, in front of him, stood the signage. On the left is the way to the falls, on his right, is the way to the Mansion in the Forest.

"What would a mansion doin' in the middle of the forest?" Trevor said to himself as he chuckled. He then take a look to his phone but there's still no sign of any signal. He released a loud sigh and decided to choose the path to the mansion, hoping that there will be a signal there, after all, there might be something he could use to contact his parents or he could ask for some help.

He walked again for another half hour and he felt the relief upon seeing the continuation of the dirt road, giving him a chance to see the SUV. He then followed the track up until the end of it, which is a big old mansion. Trevor smiled and continue his way towards it but he stopped when he saw a huge rusty gate, covered with wild grass all over it, covering the sight inside.

"Damn." He hissed, standing in front of the gate looking dejected. He really thought that he's already save but turns out he chose the wrong way. He can't even see the SUV anywhere. And with slumped shoulders, he turn his heels and was about to walk away but the gate creaked, he looked back and got scared for a moment. Thinking that there are monsters or ghost moving the gate, but he heard a car approaching.

Trevor quickly hide behind the bush, he lie down and cover himself with grass before he peers through it. The SUV came out from the gate and another SUV arrived, the drivers talk for a moment and Trevor felt nervous when he overhead them. They were talking about his car in the middle of the forest and thinking that there's an intruder. One guy said that they should find him quick or there will be a trouble.

After they talked, the SUV who brought Lexi went on, while the other SUV enter the rusty gate. Trevor quickly moved and ran behind the SUV until he successfully entered the yard. He run as quickly as possible to hide himself through the tall trees and made his way sneakily at the back of the mansion. He didn't mind the chills that kept touching his skin all throughout his way because he was too focused to get inside the mansion and meet Lexi there.

When he reached the backdoor, it was locked inside, he stepped back to wander his eyes around, luckily, he saw stairs towards the balcony on the second floor of the mansion. He climbed onto it and successfully got inside. He peek at the window and see nothing inside the room, carefully, he pushed the door open, the rusty hinges causes sounds which made him paused for a moment, waiting if there's someone will enter the room. He waited for few minutes, but no one open the front door. He then continue his way inside.

When he finally get inside, he continue his way out of the room, only to get surprised when two guy suddenly attacked him, one of them brutally wrenched his arm on his back and the other one covered his head with a black plastic bag before hitting the back of his head which caused him to lost his conscious.

_____

Lexi woke up when she felt that there are pairs of eyes watching her sleep. She sat up abruptly and roamed her eyes around but sees nothing but the old design of a room, old couch on the corner, old shelves filled with discarded old books, antique displayed and she noticed that she was sitting in an 1870 antique mattress.

She immediately jumped off of the bed and look for her backpack, it was sitting next to the bed, she grabbed it and looked for her phone. She sigh in relief to see her phone, though a bit disappointed because there's no signal at all. She was planning to call Jazen as soon as she get to the place, so she decided to exit the room and walk around to find a signal.

When she exited the room, there are no signs of life outside aside from her. The place were too silent that give chills to her, the ambiance is not welcoming, it feels like every ghost inside the mansion was disturbed by her presence. Lexi could hear silent scream in the air, the blow of the wind became stronger each step she take downstairs. If she's a normal teenager, she will get scared easily, but no. She used to stay in a place where ghost are common for her and foe Trevor.

The orphanage they lived on is filled with different ghost, so she really used to it. Thinking the challenge will be easy for her, thankfully, she always brought with her the necklace the nun gave to her to protect her from any kind of ghost, either they were harmful or just want to scare people away.

As Lexi crossed the hallway to check the hallway, she come crossed to multiple rooms, there's nothing unusual in them, but when she reached another set of rooms after she turned into another hallway, the doors are all locked inside. She tried to open one but it won't budge so she decided to leave it, but when she turned around, the door swung open behind her, she quickly leaped off to avoid the sudden attack but to her surprised, she saw one of the least person she would expect to see.

"Jisu?"

"Lexi?"

They both exclaimed simultaneously, both surprised to see each other in an unexpected place.

"What are you doing here?" Lexi asked again after she recovered from the shock.

"I uh.. I am—." Jisu cleared her throat as she don't know what to say. "You, what are you doing here?" She asked back to divert the topic to Lexi and away from her.

"I got an offer."

"Same goes with me." Jisu said and she fishes out her phone to show the message she received from unknown number.

"You accepted the offer? But why? I thought you're in Korea for your parents?"

"They both died in that accident." Jisu said sadly as she fully stepped out from the room, giving Lexi a sight of another person lying down on the bed.

"I'm so sorry for your lost, but who's that?" Lexi asked curiously. Jisu looked over her shoulder but shrugged them after.

"I don't know her, I woke up next to her."

"I thought that I'm the only one who will finish this challenge, I guess there are more people here aside from us." Lexi said and as if on cue, the door next to them swung open, revealing another couple of female teenagers.

"Thank goodness, I thought it was a ghost." The girl with narrowed eyes said. "Hi, I'm Siena and this is Iris." The girl offered her hand to Lexi, who took it and shake her hand.

"I'm Lexi and this is Jisu." Lexi introduce themselves. "Did you accept the offer as well?"

"Yeah, we kinda need money, you know. It’s hard to be born into a poor family." Siena said.

"Right, so do we have anyone else with us?" Lexi asked again.

"Yes." Iris said coldly, pointing at the other doors on the hallway. "There are more teenagers inside those room."

"Why don't we wake them up so we could start this challenge?" Jisu said and walked towards the doors, knocking loudly and calling everyone out.

There are more teenagers came out of the room, as well as the girl inside Jisu's room. Lexi starts counting with a total of 10 person, not bad if they just gonna push the ghost away and share the prize. Based on the message they received, the reward will be enormous amount of money. So Lexi thinks that it'll be enough to pay the bill for her mother's operation.

They introduced themselves one by one, there were 5 women, including Lexi, Jisu, Siena, Iris and Chantelle and 5 in men including, Han, Blake, Denver, Lei and Francis. They are all teenagers who's in need of money.

Lexi wonders why Jisu is in need of money, wherein she'll inherit money from her parents, and that question lingers into Lexi's head while they are wandering around the mansion. There's one more door that haven't open and they assumed that there was no one inside of it so they decided to leave it and started to check the creepy mansion.

While they are walking around, they reached the dead end of the hallway, nothing seems unusual so they headed back to the wide open living room, when they arrived at the said spot, they noticed something new in there, there's a huge modern LED screen in the middle.

And on the screen, they could see every part of the mansion with the CCTVs, as long as they can see themselves. Lexi's forehead furrowed in confusion.

If Sakura Himamoto hired her because she doesn't have the capability to take back the mansion on her own, then why there are CCTVs around? Which means there are people been in the mansion, the one who put the cameras. If that so, then anyone could go to the mansion without getting harm by the unexplained spirits. Why ask the teenagers to do the dangerous job instead of more professionals people?

Another question stayed inside Lexi's head, but every questions running inside her head was put aside when she saw another girl walking downstairs, as if she just woke up from a long sleep, she's yawning and stretching her arms above her head.

Lexi stared at the girl wide eyes, and her mouth stuck up open. It was such a nice view for her but she's not totally expecting to see her girlfriend, Jazen, in a place like this.

Jazen stopped in the middle of the stairs when she felt those stares, then her eyes wander and met her favourite pair of rounded eyes. Her mouth fell open and she hitches her breath. Both girls are surprised to see each other.

"She's hot." Han said, which caused Lexi to recover from the shock. She blink her eyes and shakes her head.

"Is she with us?" Blake asked, grinning widely while scanning Jazen's body. "Damn, she's so fine."

"What the hell is she doing here?" Jisu asked in surprised and looked at Lexi's spot. "Lex.."

Lexi pad over the stairs to meet her girlfriend half way, she stood one step lower than Jazen and she looked up.

"What are you doing here?" Lexi asked, anger could be seen in her eyes but at the same time, she's worried.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? She can be here if she wants to." Blake sneered at Lexi, pulling the girl away from the stairs and he smiled when he look up to Jazen. "Hi? I'm Blake—."

Jazen ignores the boy's hand as she continue to descend from the stairs and pad over to Lexi, Blake felt embarrassed to that, especially when he heard the mocking laughter from the other boys.

"Babe—." Jazen called Lexi, making all of the teenagers gasped except from Jisu, who knows the two women. "...I didn't know that I would see you here."

"Did you follow me? Where's Trevor?!"

"I didn't, actually I received this message—."

Jazen were cut off when there's a sudden voice came out from the LED, then a woman appeared on the screen, wearing a mask to cover her face, no one know who it was aside from Lexi, because she already met the Queen.

"Thank you for accepting the challenge." Sakura started. "I will now announce the numbers of participants, there 6 men and 6 women, in total of 12 people."

Lexi looked around and started counting again, but even if she recount over and over again, there are 11 people only inside the big living room.

"The challenge will start anytime soon, but for now, I will let you have the extravagant dinner, I hope you enjoy it." Sakura said before the screen went back to the way it was.

All of them went to the dining area and saw different varieties of food, they all cheered and started to devour the mouthwatering food at the long table.

Lexi released a deep sigh before she turn to Jazen and offer her hand. "You have to tell me everything after we eat."

"I will, babe." Jazen said back, smiling widely at Lexi before she reach for the latter's hand and they both walked inside the dining room and joined the others.

______