"EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! THE NEW NEOPIAN TIMES IS HERE!"

"Hey kid, can I get a copy of that?" Oscar asked, tossing the newspaper seller a gold coin.

"Sure thing," replied the Chia, pulling a fresh issue of the Neopian Times out of his sack and handing it to the Scorchio.

As Oscar wandered down the street, thumbing through for his favourite story, he came across a rather interesting-looking ad in the Articles section.

The Scorchio scratched his chin as he read the ad. Who in their right mind would give away a Neohome? Could the Haunted Woods really be THAT bad?

Deciding he had nothing better to do, Oscar pocketed the newspaper and headed towards the ferry that led out of Neopia Central and to the Haunted Woods. When he got to the ferry, though, he was quite surprised to see...

"Yes... yes, sorry..." the frightened Kacheek said, panting. "Very sorry, sir. It's just -- just that I wanted to get away from there as fast as possible."

Oscar frowned. "Away from the boat?" he asked, puzzled. "What's wrong with it?"

"No, no! Not the boat... the boat's perfectly fine," the Kacheek replied hastily. "No, I meant the Haunted Woods. Terrible place, it is."

"Oh," Oscar said, becoming a touch nervous. "Well, in fact, that's just where I was heading."

"You must be crazy!" the Kacheek yelped. "Go to the Haunted Woods?!? Why in the world would you want to go there?"

"I was interested in that Neohome offer, now that you mention it. If you don't mind, I think I'd better be off. I've got a ferry to catch," Oscar replied testily. Why should this Kacheek care if he was going to the Haunted Woods, anyways? It was really none of her business. Still, though... what could possibly be so scary that --

"The Neohome? You're going to take that Neohome? You really ARE crazy! You don't know what--"

"Yes, I'm taking the Neohome, now go away. Didn't I already tell you I have a ferry to catch?" Oscar strode away, trying to forget the Kacheek's warning.

"But... but..." the Kacheek stammered. Then, taking a deep breath, she ran after Oscar. "Um, sir. Yes, I know about the ferry... but, um, there's just something I think you really ought to know..."

..."Evil lurks in those woods, and in that house. Honest," the Kacheek said, her eyes widening in terror as she added, "It never sleeps." The Kacheek raced away, kicking up small clumps of green grass.

Oscar continued on towards the rickety ferry. As he stepped onto it, the ferry rocked nervously, as if it knew where it was heading. Did I make a mistake? Oscar wondered as the ferry sailed on towards the Haunted Woods.

Oscar turned to the blue Nimmo, who was wearing a raincoat, that was running the ferry. He had a long, wide scar that ran down the right side of his face, and a patch where his right eye should've been. His left eye shifted quickly, as if he were always on the lookout for something. "Sir?" Oscar asked, breaking the silence. "Sir, what do you know about the Haunted Woods?"

The Nimmo looked at him for a bit, then said in a gruff voice, "All I know is the route to and from. Otherwise, I know nothing of the Haunted Woods."

Oscar had a feeling that the Nimmo knew more than he was letting on. Before Oscar could ask anything else, though, the ferry arrived on the outskirts of the Haunted Woods. Oscar tipped the Nimmo and stepped onto the crunchy, dead grass. The mangled, twisted trees stretched far off into the distance. Oscar started to creep towards an opening in the trees, but stopped when...

"Welcome to The Haunted Woods!" she said cheerfully. "Please enjoy your stay, we love visitors!" she added with a welcoming smile. She seemed almost TOO happy, as if she was a plastic doll that had been smiling for too much of its life.

Oscar forced a smile, recognising the Usul's uniform as being similar to one worn by an Usul back home, who was paid 300 Neopoints an hour to wave and greet people who came near the Food Shop. There was DEFINITELY something fishy going on here...

"Um..." Oscar asked, "Do you know where, uh," Oscar checked the newspaper. "13250 Terror Road is?" Terror Road? Well, it certainly wasn't going to be PLEASANT Road, but... Oscar thought suspiciously.

Suddenly, the once-joyful Usul's eyes became wide. She spoke in a fearful tone, "Why do you want to know? Why are you here?" She lifted up her hands and took the lei off her neck, placing it around Oscar's. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "Good luck, sir. Lots of good luck to you."

Surprised (and a bit confused), Oscar got in a carriage that would take him to his new home. In a loud and important voice, Oscar told the cab driver, "13250 Terror Road, please." However, the cab did not move. "Sir...?" the Scorchio asked, wondering if the old carriage driver had fallen asleep. Exasperated, Oscar leaned over and peered into the front seat, but was mortified to find that...

...there was a large skeleton sitting there, holding the reins to the Unis. Too surprised to move, Oscar sat there, staring at the skeleton. It was clad in an expensive tuxedo, which could very well have been brand new. As he regained his wits, Oscar started to lean back, when the head slowly turned around. What the Scorchio saw was a gaping hole in the forehead of the skull, and bits of mysterious threads hanging from the sunken cheekbones.

Letting out a terrified yell, Oscar lunged for the door, then tried to pry it open when the skeleton calmly said in a dull, barely audible voice, "Please keep your hands and arms inside the carriage at all times." The cab then lurched, and they were on their way.

Too frightened to jump from the quickly-moving carriage, Oscar peered around, seeing that they were already deep in the Haunted Woods. The light from the shore was already disappearing behind them.

He'd barely been able to take in the strange happenings when the carriage arrived with a screeching halt. Oscar turned his head towards the right, and was surprised that he didn't see the small ramshackle hut he'd imagined. Stepping out of the carriage, he found himself in front of a palatial castle, with large, thick walls and huge towers that seemed to touch the heavens. There was an old, but well kept, cobblestone path leading up to the castle. It was embroidered by ornate flowers and luscious plants, which were totally different from the gnarled trees that lay outside the property's tall gates.

Reassured by this view, and with most of his initial qualms gone, he boldly walked up the path to the castle. However, the same question lurked in his mind, the one that had puzzled him from the very start. Why would someone give away not just a small house, but a huge castle?

As he neared the house, something became terribly wrong. All of a sudden, the grass seemed brown and dry; the flowers were now dull and colorless. Staring up at the building, the stones were dark and worn, and the house itself looked more and more menacing with each step he took.

Oscar's feet suddenly couldn't feel the ground, and as he screamed, he found himself foundering down into blackness...

That's when, suddenly, a courteous voice spoke directly into Oscar's ear. "Good day, sir. Are you interested in owning this fine Neohome?"

Oscar blinked, and the world righted itself. He was now standing before the opulent house, next to a well-dressed Wocky. She seemed to be a maid of some sort, she was wearing a frilly uniform that was black and white. She also seemed friendly, but in a polite, bored sort of way. Although she seemed fine enough, there seemed to be a strange way about her... it was as if she were from a faded photograph, and the color had been washed from her face.

Oscar shook his head to clear it, then took a few deep breaths. "Er... yes. Yes, I am interested in this Neohome," he finally said, a shaky edge to his voice. Oscar was still very shaken from his freefall.

The Wocky nodded, then turned towards the Neohome. She held its ornate door open, then waited for Oscar to walk him. He did, and did, taking a last look at the front yard. It seemed lovely again now: the flowers wafting in the breeze, the grass vibrant as emeralds. However, before the maid closed the door, the picture seemed to flicker, almost...

"Must be a trick of the light..." Oscar muttered under his breath, turning to take in his surroundings. He found himself standing in an expansive, elegant foyer. A fireplace crackled merrily in a corner. The marble floors were so polished, he could see himself. A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, draped in pearls and crystal.

"Please follow me," the Wocky said, turning to the left and leading Oscar through a doorway.

His head still turning right and left, taking in the amazing decorations, Oscar obliged and followed the maid.

He now found himself within a room outfitted in warm browns and reds. "Hello," said an old, old voice from a corner.

Oscar had not noticed someone in that area. He now turned towards it, to find a wizened old Kyrii reclining in a high-backed armchair there.

"Hello," the Kyrii repeated, beckoning to Oscar. "I hear you are interested in my home..."

The Scorchio nodded as he walked towards the Kyrii. At that moment, he thought he saw a glint of malice in her eyes...

...However, the glint was gone almost as soon as it had appeared. Oscar shook involuntarily, and some of his nervousness disappeared with the swift motion. He was letting what everyone else said get in the way of his proper thinking, and not to mention his manners.

Once he had regained movent in his legs, Oscar walked over to the old Kyrii. He held out his hand, and the withered old arm that reached out to shake it had a surprisingly strong grip; it reminded Oscar of the scary stories he had heard about gnarled old trees, which could wrap their vines around a victim and suck away their life...

It was terribly rude of him, but Oscar yanked his hand away from the old woman, fighting back the panic that was quickly rising in the pit of his stomach.

"Y-yes, I -- I'm interested in your home," the Scorchio squeaked. He could not get the Kyrii's strange appearance out of his head. Like the strange Wocky, she had a sort of faded appearance that he found somewhat bizarre. Oscar would have thought himself temporarily color-blind, were it not for the rich colors dancing about his eyes from the warm, welcoming furniture.

The woman seemed to follow his glance. "Please, take a seat."

A little awkwardly, Oscar took her up on the invitation. "This is a very nice home you've got here," he commented.

She shrugged. "That's what everyone else said before they came in." The Kyrii spoke in such a slow manner, it was as if she had dirt clogged in her throat, which was delaying her words. Her voice also had a harsh, grainy quality to it. For what was not the first time, Oscar shivered.

"What do you mean by that?"

The Kyrii shrugged, in a long, drawn-out motion. "There's really only one way for you to find out: stay here. 'Buy' my home..."

That glint was back again, and this time, Oscar knew he wasn't just imagining it. He quickly rose to his feet. "I, uh, well... it was, er, nice meeting you and all, but I just remembered that I--uh, well... there's this nice little apartment, not too far from here, which is much better suited for one person. This place is much to big for me, you see, and-- "

The woman held up her hand, putting a stopper on the end of Oscar's nervous babble. "I understand," she said in that painfully slow way of hers. "However... they have already to you. They would not appreciate it if you left."

Oscar's eyes widened to the size of large saucers. "T-they?" His voice was but a whisper.

"Yes..." the Kyrii said, standing. "Them..." Oscar watched with his breath held as she lifted one arm and slowly, slowly pointed towards an open doorway that Oscar had failed to notice earlier.

Oscar gave a shuddering gasp, for there, in the closet, was something that not even his nightmares could have supplied...

"Please stay," the Aisha said, swirling around him.

Oscar became paler by the second as thoughts and memories of the ghostly Aisha swarmed his mind. "Please, sir... we are lonely here."

"What do you mean we?" Oscar said, stepping in a small circle to keep eye contact with the Aisha.

"The remaining souls of the Sakai family, sir. We grow lonely without company from the living."

Oscar's body became more tense as the sound of rattling breath surrounded him. He shivered as the Kyrii he had been talking to earlier grinned viciously. "They have already drawn out all they can from me," holding up her pale hand. "They need a new--"

"AHHH!!!" Oscar yelled leaping away. Before his very eyes, the house became pale gray and menacing. The candles and fire that had been emitting a warm glow suddenly extinguished themselves...

...and the old Kyrii started to laugh maliciously as the once-beautiful, warm, and rich palace turned into a haunted manor. Oscar dashed for the door, but another swirling figure stopped him -- instead of an Aisha, though, he found himself confronted by a smirking young Bruce.

"Naw, you're not gettin' away so fast!" he growled, sounding much older than his appearance. "No one can!" He then tipped back his ghostly pale beak, though still with a slight hint of orange, and laughed. "The Sakai family wants you to stay!"

Oscar glanced to his left, where he saw a middle-aged Buzz, who was holding out her hand to him. Oscar felt sick, yet was still strangely drawn to her. "Besides, we've all grown so attached to you." Her voice was sickly sweet. Oscar, hearing her interesting appeal, looked down at his own claws. There was a bit of color swirling around them, then heading towards the three present members of the Sakai family.

"No! I have to get out!" Oscar moaned to himself, thinking fast. His eyes swirled around the room, losing focus. "And fast!"

His eyes rose up to a window, which was rather high up. It looked small, but he WAS a Scorchio...

Without a second look at the cursed and evil Sakai family, Wocky maid or the elderly Kyrii, he beat his wings, trying to remember every second from the two free training lessons that he'd gotten from the Swashbuckling Academy on Scorchio Day. After three powerful beginning beats of his leathery wings, he was up in the air. Closing his eyes, his opened his mouth and spat a few flames out, burning the window's wooden frame.

Gathering his arms close to his body, Oscar heard a moan, a crash, then a yell, and finally the sound of...

Dashing onto the ferry, Oscar, who was still trying to catch his breath, yelled at the Nimmo, "GET ME OUT OF HERE!!"

"Aye," the Nimmo said calmly, "We'll be in Neopia Central shortly."

During the ferry ride, Oscar huddled in a corner with his face down, frightened that if he were to look up, it would be into the face of doom. The ferry finally came to a halt, but Oscar did not get up. He suddenly felt a set of cold, prickly fingers touch his shoulder, which sent a chill down his spine. Oscar flinched as he looked into the cold eyes of the Nimmo.

"We're back at Neopia Central. Hope ye had a fine stay at the Haunted Woods. Come back ye hear?" the Nimmo said in a raspy voice.

"Oh, no SIR!! I will never come back!!" Oscar yelled at him as he stumbled off the ferry. Resuming his mad dash, but not being sure where to go, Oscar knew that he had to he had to get away. He wasn't watching where he was running, and ended up running into a Lupe.

"Hey, now... watch it!" the Lupe said, warning him.

"I'm sorry, sir, it's just... I had to get away from that awful place!

"The ferry?" the Lupe asked suspiciously.

"Of course not! There's nothing wrong with the ferry!" Oscar replied, exasperated. Wasn't it obvious that he meant those horrible woods?

"Well, then... what is it?!" the Lupe asked, impatiently.

Almost in a whisper, Oscar answered, "The h-haunted--", his voice trembled, unable to even say the words. His eyes grew wide with terror, and he simply shouted, "Never go there!!"

"But, that's just where I was headed," the Lupe said. "I'm interested in the Neohome that's being offered."

"Sir, trust me when I tell you this: YOU DO NOT WANT THAT NEOHOME!! It's a very dangerous place! Please do not go into those evil woods!" Oscar shrieked.

"Ugh... Buzz off! I have a ferry to catch," the Lupe said, pushing Oscar aside and boarding the ferry with uncertain eyes.

The End