HellHounds: Witch's Ritual.

Chapter 2: Into The Cabin.

At 11:45pm, her father, Sheriff Ronan had clocked in for bed. The coast was clear.

Delphine slipped on a pair of black cutoffs and a black hoodie, she laced on her black hightops and shoved her flashlight and phone into her pockets. Shoving her skateboard under her armpit she crept down the stairs, wincing when one of the wooden steps creaked.

Once outside, she hopped on her skateboard and skated down the street. The breeze was crisp and cool, rustling her ginger bangs, she took a deep breath trying to calm her frazzled nerves as she brought her skateboard to a stop at the edge of the forest.

The figures, Dora, Reese and Alex were waiting for her, Alex had his phone balanced on a selfie stick. "So why exactly are we heading for old man Joe's cabin?" Alex asked as they made their way down the woods. The huge oak and pine tries took on ghastly forms under the pale rays of the moon.

"It's my initiation task to become a REAL member of the ballet club," she replied. "You're been in the club for nine months, shouldn't you already be a 'real' member?" Reese asked, "apparently that's not how it works," she muttered, "so we're trespassing because some blonde haired ballet chick commanded you to do it?" said Reese. "It's not like that," Delphine huffed, "besides did I mention we get invites to Polly's Halloween party tomorrow? Well today but you get the drift," she said. Alex stared at her side eyed, "now way," he mouthed. Reese furrowed his brows, "I'm I supposed to be excited or?" "You're supposed to be freaking out, Polly's parties are legendary!" said Alex, "we're definitely acing this challenge."

When they reached the forest, the other girls from the ballet club were waiting. "Good, I thought you were going to chicken out," said Irene, "I don't chicken out," Delphine replied chin in the air.

"Well then go in," she said.

A huge iron mesh fence separated them from the cabin, luckily a tree grew quite close to the fence so it was relatively easily climbing up the tree and using one of the branches to swing themselves over the fence.

The cabin loomed in front of them, old and abandoned. Delphine shuddered as a chill ran down her spine, "well let's get this over with," Reese groaned as Alex started streaming.

"Hey supernatural fans! It's me Alex Kade and today, I'll be debunking the haunted cabin in my hometown, Ceford Valley!"

"Of course I won't be alone, with me here are my best friends, Delphine Ronan," he said turning the camera to face her, she made a peace sign, "and Reese Norman," he said turning the camera towards Reese. Reese scowled and swatted it away, "get that thing out my face."

"Don't mind him, he's always a grumpy bast*rd."

"And last but not the least, Salvadora Fabio, My fellow supernatural YouTuber, stay tuned for The debunking."

Delphine swallowed the lump in her throat as she climed up the creaky wooden steps that led to the door. Luckily the steps hadn't been ravaged by termites. Dora opened the door, dust coated the doorknob, she wiped the dust off on her jeans.

The cabin was empty and layed with dust and conwebs, "Alex, You and Dora can take upstairs, Reese and I will take downstairs," Delphine suggested, "sounds good, we'll meet back here when we're done and holler if you see anything interesting," he said, "will do."

The living room was empty, the couches were covered in thick layers of dust as well as the center table. The paints were old and eerie, depicting, families of the 80's, 90's and 1700's, she ran her fingers along the wooden planks of the wall.

She gasped and stumbled backwards, when the wooden wall under her fingers swung back like a door revealing a dark corridor beyond. "Reese!!! Alex!!!! Dora!! I found something!!!" She hollered.

"Looks like a secret passageway," Alex muttered, "yeah, no sh*t Sherlock," said Reese, Alex glared at him, "let's check it out," said Dora.

The passage way was narrow and suffocating, so Delphine was happy when the passageway widened into a hallway.

They were stood in front of metal door with strange symbols etched onto it, "they kind of look like runes," Dora muttered as Delphine stepped forward tracing the symbols with the pads of her finger, she flinched and jerked her fingers away, when as flash of heat burned her fingers, "are you okay?" Dora asked, "yeah, just startled," she replied.

"Does anyone have any idea how to open it?" Reese asked gesturing to the huge bolts that kept the door locked, "no clue-" The bolts creaked and unlatched themselves, the four teenagers watched in horror as the metal door creaked and then swung open.

"What the hell?" Reese muttered, "do we go in?" Delphine muttered, "hell yeah!" said Alex.

Alex rushed into the room, followed by Delphine and a wary looking Reese. Dora stepped forward and then yelped when the door swing shut, the bolts latching themselves.

"What just happened?" said Reese,"the door just locked," Alex replied trying to open the door. It didn't budge.

Delphine took in her surroundings. The room was lit with meadival style torches so there was no need for their phones. It bathed the room in an orange glow, it was creepy but Delphine just assumed Larry probably came in a put up the torches.

The room was dominated by huge bookshelves well stocked with dusty thick hardback books, Delphine was sure she even spotted a couple of yellowing scrolls. The rest of the room had smaller shelves with antique trinkets lined up on them, she spied a beautiful jade gem, a jewelled box and a small blade, she reached out to grab it, her fingers grazed the hilt and a sharp jolt of pain pinched her fingers, she quickly withdrew her fingers glaring at the offending blade.

'What is it with this place and stinging objects,' she muttered to herself. And then she heard it. A rythmic thunp, like a drum. She made her way towards the sound soon finding herself in the corner of the room. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling and no rays of light reached that section of the room.

Delphine dug into her pocket and switched on her flashlight. The only thing in the corner of the room was an old, weathered, wooden chest with strange symbols carved on its wooden body and a massive lock in front, "someone really doesn't want anyone opening this," she muttered to herself. A rattle and then a thump from the chest, "the hell?" Delphine whispered.

"Guys come see this!" She yelled. "What's inside?" Delphine asked, "probably some rabid animal," Reese replied. The chest was thumpinf widly now, like a base drum, "What kind of freaky rabid animal does this?" Delphine argued, the box was no longer thumping instead whatever was inside was scratching at the wood, creating an annoying grating sound, "a rabid rabbit," Reese suggested as Alex placed his hand on the chest, "what the hell do you think-" The scratching stopped, "okay, this is getting seriously creepy" Delphine muttered.

"There's something written on the box," Alex mummured he had balanced his selfie stick on one of the walls, he hoped it would get a good angle of the antique room.

Delphine and Reese knelt next to him. Reese squinted, trying to make out the tiny text craved on the chest, "Inferno Beastia," Delphine read.

The symbols on the chest began to glow and the chest started shaking, the room temperature suddenly shot up so much so that Reese could feel beads of sweat dribbling down his forehead. "It looks like it's going to explode-"

The chest opened and the last thing Reese saw was flames.

Delphine gasped and sat up, she was leaning against the walls of the corridor, "what happened?" She groaned, "you tell me," said Dora, "the door unlatched itself and opened and when I went you three were passed out, I had to drag you three out myself" she explained, "thanks Dora," said Delphine offering her a weak smile, Dora nodded, "where are the boys?" She asked using the wall to assist her standing up, "scouring the rest of the house, they'll be back soon so we can leave."

"So you completed your task after all," said Irene, Delphine flashed her a sh*t-eating grin, "of course I did." Irene nodded and dug into the pocket of her denim dress and handed Delphine the sacred invitation card, "our outfits are fantasy themed," she said , "oh and Dora will add you to the group chat, ciao."