Week 3: Alfred/Tino

The second Tino stepped up to the front gate of the mansion, he was ready to back out of the dare and be considered a pussy by all the kids at school. Though time and time again, he'd told himself that ghosts weren't real and therefore, it was impossible for the house to be haunted, just looking at the place was enough to instill a good, hearty fear of all things supernatural.

He shook himself then. What was he thinking? There was no such thing as ghosts, spirits, demons, monsters, or any of that other Halloweeny crap they were throwing up all over the neighborhood. Those things were just tales invented by people to explain all the bad stuff that happened to them. When he found his locker at school filled with dirt and fake spiders, or his house was toilet-papered, or his clothes disappeared while he was showering in the locker room, did he blame ghosts? Of course not.

Skillfully, he tossed his duffel bag over the iron fence, just managing to clear the charming spikes adorning the top, before starting his climb. The going was easy, despite the ornamental metal biting into his skin whenever it got the chance. Once he reached the top, though, he reconsidered again. Those spikes that had looked so fierce but small from the ground were, in fact, vicious daggers the length of his hand, from heel to tip. They were all just waiting for some silly boy to slip and impale himself on their charming, bloodthirsty points. Swallowing his fear, Tino edged carefully over them, praying he didn't fall when he had only one leg on the other side. He did not want an obituary that had anything to do with being stabbed down there by a fence.

It was with a deep sense of relief that he got the other leg over and started down, but one of the spikes caught his hand and proved to be just as sharp as it appeared, slicing his wrist wickedly. He hissed and scurried down like a monkey to examine the wound, sucking some of the blood off and rummaging in his bag for something to wrap it in. A piece of gauze from his handy first-aid kit was adequate cover, and he hitched his duffel over a shoulder, taking off for the house.

Alfred was on the verge of crying, dashing out of the run-down mansion, where everything creaked and seemed to sigh in loneliness. Because really, was he mad when he agreed to show off his supposed heart of bravery? He moved with careful steps, always trying not to make a noise, as if not wishing to make his presence noticeable. He had to laugh at himself. Here he was, sneaking around in hope nobody would notice him - in an abandoned house.

Come on, Alfred, run around the house like bigfoot as you always do, there's nobody here to even bother for fuck's sake. Alfred gulped and headed for the stairs. It was a wooden staircase, heading up to the first storey that was barely visual as it was completely engulfed in darkness. But that's where he needed to be, record a video throughout the master bedroom (they say screams of angony could be heard coming from that room) and the music hall (people say they have spotted light flickering from there occasionally, and music - there was also music).

It wasn't too late, he could still rush out of the house like a madman. But he wouldn't be a hero anymore, even though he had managed to scare himself last time when he had dressed up as Frankenstein for Halloween. That's right, Alfred Freedom Jones, everybody's hero and golden boy, was the biggest sissy when it came to supernatural things. Aliens were awesome, though.

"Okay, I'll do it. Madeleine would be so impressed, she would practically throw herself at me and kiss me senseless in front of the losers, and we'll make out and then we'll have seeehhhheeeeeex!"

Tino crept along the side of the house, testing windows until he found one with a broken lock. He lifted it carefully and slid in after his bag, and made the mistake of releasing the window. It crashed shut, rattling the panes, and he scampered away with a yelp. Once his heart rate had returned to normal, Tino padded back to retrieve his things.

The floor was so dusty, a clear trail of footprints lingered behind him as he began to explore. The last dim orange glow of dusk provided the only source of light in the dead rooms, and the dramatic shadows it formed made Tino shy from corners. Hulking shapes of furniture, covered with sheets, littered the first floor, and he dropped his bag on one that resembled a sofa. This was where he would make camp. It appeared to be some sort of den or parlor, with yellowing wallpaper curling off and bits of drywall missing beneath. The dust would probably play havoc with his allergies, but he would live.

Hair prickled up on the back of the Finnish boy's neck and he jumped around, but there was nothing behind him, only a cabinet with its dust cover blowing gently in a draft.

A loud crashing sound made him jump in surprise and utter horror, he had no control over his voice as he let out a high-pitched shriek. He grabbed onto the stair's railing to tightly press himself against a random baluster. One second, two seconds, three, four, nothing happened. Alfred blinked and hesitantly opened his eyes, he didn't realise that he had kept them shut all the time. The wooden steps creaked under his feet at his attempt to rise. Alfred coughed, embarrassed with himself. It was probably the wind, which made sense, since the weather had been nasty all day long. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check up.

Paranoia swelled in him with every single noise and every gust of wind that brushed his nape. The sound came from the main hall, where he had been before. There was only a wooden door, scarred by age, separating him from the room. Alfred took hold of the handle, tried to collect all of his remaining courage before finally pushing it open. It creaked open and blew up old dust, nearly causing him to sneeze. It was brighter in there, the moonlit parlour seemed almost peaceful with all the furnitures motionless on their rightful places. Still, it appeared all the more haunting.

He was just going to turn back to finish his dare as he spotted a dark sihouette standing there at the other end of the room. Alfred gasped in shock, turned pale and numb. Jesus Christ, who's there?

"Hey! Who the hell are you?" Tino cried out on impulse when he turned around and saw someone else in the doorway. It definitely wasn't a ghostly someone. In fact, it looked like a kid he probably went to school with. "What are you doing here? Did they send you to make sure I was following through or what?"

He narrowed his eyes, trying to see the other person through the gloom.

Alfred screamed like a girl, it was a ghost and it was talking to him. It was going to rape him, kill him, eat him and finally send his soul to hell...though the ghost sounded similar to a guy he knew from Matthew's -his brother- hockey team, but that was surely coincidence. More importantly, screaming was his current top priority. Alfred flailed in blind panic.

"SPARE ME GHOST, I'M STILL A VIRGIIIIINNN!!!!" Okay that was a lie (thank God), but it might make the ghost feel sorry for him.

He knew he shouldn't have agreed to do this.

Tino blinked in surprise, then laughed. "I'm not a ghost, dumbass. I'm perfectly alive. Wait, are you seriously a virgin? Wow, I'm sorry, man. And I thought I had problems. So what are you doing here, really?"

The Finn started to relax, more at ease now that he was sure the other person was just some guy from school or something.

"Huh?" Alfred squinted, the silhouette finally gaining a concrete shape. Someone looked at him with a mocking expression, that face...he actually knew that face. He recognised that boy. First he felt relief overcome him like a soothing breeze, then embarrassment. Ah damn, was he stupid or what?

"Fuck you, it was just tactic so that the ghost wouldn't kill me!" He snapped. He then remembered the other's question. "I'm here to do a stupid dare, you?"

He couldn't help but feel relieved at Tino's, that was his name right, unexpected appearance.

Tino chuckled to himself, calm now that he was sure of the other boy's identity. He looked exactly like one of the guys on the hockey team, and he was pretty sure he'd seen him at a few games. If memory served correct, he was one of the more annoying, loud jocky types, but if he was Matt's brother, maybe he wasn't as bad as the Finn recalled.

"No ghost is going to have mercy on you because you say you're a virgin. It might laugh at you, but it'll still kill you if that was its plan. And yeah. I'm here on a dare."

The boy smiled and held out a hand. "My name's Tino, and you're Mattie's brother, right? How do you do?"

"Ah yeah, I'm Alfred," he took Tino's hand rather awkwardly. Because it was indeed a strange sight. Two teenagers introducing each other in a house that was said to be haunted.

So, it was not strategically smart to reveal your virginity in front of a ghost. He would make sure to remember that, because that Tino seemed to be quite an expert himself. Or Alfred was just stupid.

"So," he cleared his throat, "I was planning to go upstairs, recording a few vids for the jocks at school."
He did not ask the smaller boy to come with him, yet his eyes were somewhat saying Dude, I don't need your help, not at all. But if you insist on coming, I wouldn't stop you. In fact, come with me this instant before I wet my pants.

"Upstairs, huh?" Tino stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. It didn't sound too bad a proposal. There was nothing there. It was just a house. And he would tell himself that again and again until he jumped the fence at sun-up and got the hell away. "Sounds like a plan. Better than staying in this hole of a room all night."

Deciding that the only way to get through this night without losing it was to be fearless and proactive, Tino trotted from the den and headed for the stairs. It seemed like Alfred definitely wasn't going first, since he had been staring at the Finn like a terrified cat throughout their conversation. "Come on. I want to check it out."

Alfred nodded in agreement and followed Tino, who seemed to be fearless, which made him feel better and safer. And he would give his best to not act like a whimp - it wouldn't do any good if news of him being a coward were going to spread in school. Better show his manly, strong and fearless side. He couldn't help but to think that he himself was starting to sound rather shallow. Oh great, I'm experiencing character development here, he thought.

Alfred prepared his brand-new HD video camera, set it on night vision. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's record a sex video in the master bedroom if nothing happens," he jokingly said in his attempt to cover his fear.

"Oh, I don't let people record me," Tino replied, utter seriousness in his voice and expression. "If it were to get out, my reputation would be ruined. If you're just looking for a good time, though, I'm your man." He grinned, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

The Finn skipped on up the stairs in a flouncy manner, humming to himself.

Alfred rolled his eyes. "I'm not into guys," he said, not quite in disgust, but just because he felt like he had to say that. "Besides, getting it on in a haunted house? Isn't that a big turn off?"
Why were they even discussing this stuff, he thought with an inner laugh.

And also, he didn't know Tino very well, because they nearly had no interaction with each other in school, but he sure had made a different impression on him. Alfred decided to voice his thoughts as they went further upstairs. "Didn't see you as someone to throw in lewd comments, honestly. I'm mildly surprised."

"Too bad..." Tino sighed wistfully. "Oh well! Maybe I'll change your mind yet," he went on optimistically, then turned back with a wink. "Hey, you never know. Some people probably find dust and decrepitness a turn-on. Just look at Hugh Hefner..."

Tino stopped to wait for the other boy at the top of the stairs. "Stick around. You'll find I'm full of all sorts of surprises."

Tino was having fun with this Alfred character. He wondered idly if the guy actually believed any of the crap he said. Alfred seemed like the gullible type. Sort of like a sweet but not-quite-all-there golden retriever. Matt's descriptions were spot-on.

Alfred stood there next to his new companion, completely mesmerized. "Oh really?"
He had always thought that Hefner was getting all the chicks because of his money, but maybe there were really girls with wrinkle-kinks out there. This night had too many revelations to offer.

He gulped. "Sure, surprise me. Just don't push it too far." This Tino guy was nothing like the impression he made, Alfred thought with a bit of a whiny inner voice.

"So, here we are. Now where're the master bedroom and the music hall?"

Tino looked at Alfred and giggled slightly. He wondered if the kid was just pretending, or if he honestly believed all the shit he was making up. "Yeah, really." The Finn laughed again and gave him a curious stare.

"Me? Push it too far?" Tino pounced on Alfred, pinning him against the wall and running a hand down his chest. "Never... Hm, you're pretty built, aren't you?"

He patted Alfred's muscular chest and pushed off him casually. "Master bedroom's probably this way. Music hall would be downstairs, to the left of the front door. It's the big room with the covered grand piano in it."

Alfred was confused by Tino's tone of speaking, could he really hear a bit of a flirtation? Probably just him hallucinating again, or not. He smiled, quite nervously. "Well, I am. Getting horny?"
He let out a small awkward laugh. Ah damn.

Alfred regained his composure and nodded at the direction where the bedroom was supposed to be. There was one door that was slightly wider than the others, it was also richly ornamented, in colours that were faded by time. He took deep breath, checked on his cam for the last time, looked at Tino with a meaningful glint in his eyes.

"Ready?" He opened the door.

Tino winked again. "A little. It's hard not to with such a studly young man as yourself around."

Tino stepped up beside him at the door and eyed it thoughtfully. It would probably be the best place for something creepy and otherworldly to hide, if creepy, otherworldly things existed. Because they didn't exist. Tino looked to Alfred.

"I was born ready."

Alfred was bewildered. However he couldn't help but feel flattered by Tino's words, and he found himself smiling, rather than backing away from the smaller teen. "I correct myself. Horny old man you are," it was true, the way Tino expressed himself just now sounded kind of like something an old man would say.

Then he glanced forward, focusing himself on the dark room that was now open for them to enter. The moment he stepped one foot on the room he felt cold. And he felt himself shiver, not only because of the frosty temperature, but also a fear. He raised his camera with shaking hands and entered. He cursed. "Fuck, this room is freezing."

It was a luxurious room that had lost its glorious days. The golden coating on many of the furnitures and partially on the ruined wallpaper was crumbled, faded and smothered in a thick layer of dust. It was made a kingdom of spiders as the webs were spread all over the room, untouched for years. The large bed with dark blue blanket and pillows, formerly shiny and silky, looked like...well as if it was still used. "Well... the plan for a making out session in this room is a goner, I guess." He said as he shivered violently.

"I'm not old, I'm mature. Dignified." Tino flipped his hair from his eyes indignantly, but smiled back at the other boy. "But I'm glad I can be here to stroke your ego."

When the door opened, Tino felt an immediate desire to step back as he was blasted with a chill. The very air of the room smelled dead and icy, like a catacomb far beneath the earth. All the little hairs down the back of his neck stood on end, and goosebumps broke out on his arms. As much as he wanted to stay on the other side of the door, he stepped in beside Alfred. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all. It smells wrong."

"This place looks like it hasn't seen a maid in a while..." Tino ran his fingertip along the top of the bureau and grimaced at the thick layer of dust he'd picked up. The entire place seemed to be falling apart, with the same peeling, crumbling walls that they had seen on the floor below. "My mother would have a stroke if she saw this place."

He turned his eyes to the bed, the only piece in the room, and probably the entire house, that seemed clean and regularly kept, if worn from...use? That was disturbing. Why anyone would want to live in this meatlocker was a mystery to the Finn. "I think we'd freeze, if not for bodyheat," he remarked. Chills were still crawling uncertainly up his spine.

"Okay, E-Everything in this room's recorded, so...let's go back downstairs?" He stuttered and made his way to the doorway, very eager to leave the cold, creepy room. He was about to step out when the door fell shut with a slam, on its own. He jumped a step back, startled. He stared at the closed door, the colour left his face immediately. He approached the door and pushed the handle, but it was locked. And that was the signal to break out in panic, wasn't it?

"You gotta be kidding me..." he gasped. He turned back, stared at Tino with horror. "How's that even possible? W-what should we do?"

"Um, yeah... Downstairs sounds great..." Tino backed away from the center of the room and back toward Alfred. He spun around with a startled yelp when the door slammed, and his hand wrapped around the taller boy's wrist in shock. The heavy wooden slab was firmly closed, on its own. Like someone had pushed it shut. The Finn felt his mind going blank in unsettling fear.

"It's locked? How is it locked? That's impossible, there is no..." Tino reached forward and tried the handle, then paled in anxiety. "Um..." He released the American's wrist and got down in front of the lock, examining it before pulling a pin from his hair and sliding it in. "Please... Work, dammit!"

Alfred subconsciously held on Tino's hand that had his wrist in a tight grip. Then the other tried to open the door with a pin and Alfred was slightly reminded of the movies that he loved so much. Yet he couldn't bring himself to feel excited because of that; after all, they were locked in a fucking creepy room. Then, he had the impression that it was somehow brighter than before. Alfred turned back and was flabbergasted.

The bedroom before him wasn't a dump anymore. It was immaculate and all the furnitures looked as if time never had an effect on them. The colours were vivid again, glowing in the candle-lit bedroom. "How the fuck?!"

The pin slipped from the lock and Tino scrambled to pick it up, only to realise that warm light shone through the room. He looked up at his companion in bemusement, and his jaw almost hit the floor when he caught a look at the room's dramatic metamorphosis. The dust had vanished completely, the walls were solid and covered with smooth, new paint, and candles glowed in the old-fashioned sconces. The place had elegance, sophistication.

"Shit." Tino picked up his pin and stood beside Alfred. "What did I miss?"