Benjamin and Me

This is a sequel to Benjamin and Me with permission of the original author.

The Return of Benjamin, Part One

It was a beautiful autumn morning in Pennsylvania as my brother and I made our way across campus to our first day of classes. We had been accepted into the prestigious history program at the University of Pennsylvania and while we were both excited, I was also nervous. My twin brother, Alex, was always the life of the party and rarely got nervous. However, I tended to be the opposite. I was always the quiet, reserved one out of the two of us and Alex was always trying reassure me, even though I didn't always believe him.

As we made our way across campus from our cozy loft apartments, Alex and I talked about the day ahead of us and joked about how the professors were not only trying to work our minds, but our bodies as well. While our apartment was only slightly off campus, our classes were scattered throughout, as well as being on the uppermost floors of the buildings in which they resided. So, it was a trek to get to our classes on a daily basis.

Nevertheless, it was always a delight to take in all the breathtaking views of such a campus. Our first class was in a Victorian-Style building dating back to the end of the 19th century, during the reign of Queen Victoria. As we grew closer, I couldn't help myself as I stopped outside and looked up, admiring its natural beauty. Studying history made Alex and I appreciate the subtleties of such things and how they managed to stave off the ravages of time so magnificently. Alex let me take it all in as a smile graced his face. He took ahold of my shoulder and it took me a minute to come off of cloud nine. With the simplest of waves, he led me inside, where there was a grand entrance hall that led up to the first and second floor auditoriums.

Walking in and noticing that I wasn't sure where I was going, I asked Alex where we were heading. Alex took out a simple sheet of paper, gave it a once over and said, "It looks like our first class of the day is in A1109, which is on the top floor of the building."

I let out a small laugh. "I guess they really are trying to keep us in shape, huh?" I say, looking up the grand staircase. Alex laughed as well before I tapped him on the shoulder and said, "You're it!" I started to sprint up the stairs with Alex in quick tow. By the time he reached me, we had reached the top of the staircase, both of us out of breath. We took a moment to catch it before we made our way around to find classroom A1109. Walking to the end of the main hallway, it didn't take us long to find A1109, which was a large, Victorian-Style auditorium from when the building was first constructed.

We let awe wash over us for a few moments before walking in and taking our seats. We were the first students to class, so we had a wide variety of where to sit. We knew we didn't want to sit in the front of the class because we didn't want to be the ones to answer all the professor's questions. But, we didn't want to sit near the back of the class either because we didn't want to be viewed as slakers either. Thus, we decided on somewhere in the middle would be perfect for us.

This class was Early American History, which focused on the `discoveries' of the Americas through the end of the American Civil War, as well as various groups of people that inhabited the Americas throughout these periods. The professor, Noonien Fantel, was one of the most highly regarded historians east of Ohio State. Alex knew how excited I was about the class, but also how intimidated I was by the professor. This class could make or break our entire academic future in one foul swoop.

Whether we admitted it to ourselves or not, Alex and I always had this bond that we couldn't describe. Some would've called it `Twin Telepathy,' but to us, it was just something we grew up with and learned to give no special attention. Today, we didn't need any special skill to realize how nervous and excited the both of us were.

As we got settled into our seats, we began getting ready for class. Since we had gotten to class so early, we knew that it would be awhile before anyone joined us and it gave us time to think. Without thinking, I picked up the pen I had taken out and began to tap it along the side of my desk. It was a nervous tick I had picked up while I was in my undergrad with Alex back home in Virginia.

He reached over and gently placed his hand on mine, quietly saying, "Jonathan, you and I know exactly what you're thinking. But, you need to stop thinking it because you are incredibly smart and talented, and you have overcome so many obstacles since we were little. This is just one step along the path of our lives and nobody's future is ever written in stone. Just think of how amazing this step is and quit stressing." When he finished, I looked up to see a smile growing across his face, from cheek to cheek. I let what he said sink in and I couldn't help but smile myself.

After Alex finished his little spiel, he released my hands and we realized that students had begun to fill the grand auditorium. As time grew closer to the beginning of class, it became readily apparent that our first class was going to be rather large. While we understood that graduate level courses had fewer professors and it was harder to get into them, we never expected the turnout that we were seeing at the current moment. Then, like clockwork, an older gentleman walked through the doors of the classroom and closed them behind him, making sure to lock them as well.

Making introductions short, sweet, and to the point, he introduced himself as the professor of the class, He gave an introduction to the class and his expectations that he had for us, which made me slightly more nervous than I already was. After his introductions, he offered anyone that felt they weren't up for taking his class the chance to leave. He gave them a few moments to collect their items and leave. When nobody got up to leave, he continued.

His first lecture was about the architecture of the period and how it played an important role in the lives of the people throughout the Americas. Starting out with simplistic structures of the native populations and early settlers, he quickly moved onto the more ornate architecture that came about during the American Revolution and Antebellum Period. Doctor Fantel made a point to discuss the changes in architecture that came about during the period of Early American History and how they played a part in the distinction between power, class, and prestige.

As the class began to wind down, Doctor Fantel finished his lectured and gathered us all at the front of the auditorium, where he started handing out packets. He explained what the packets were as he was handing them out to us. "Even though it's the first day of class, I didn't want to deprive any of you from the wonderful world of learning," he explained, as he was walking around to each student, making sure they got a packet. As he continued around the group of us, he continued, "This packet explains the details of your first project. Instead of doing a midterm, I decided that it would be beneficial to give a project in its place. Each packet contains information on a certain era of American History and style of architecture from that period. I want you to research the architecture and history behind it and for the midterm, I want you to present your findings to the class. The packets should cover everything I want done in your presentations, but if you have any further questions, feel free to come back and talk to me. Good luck and happy huntings!!"

With a simple wave of his hands, he dismissed us. As we walked out of class, every one of us were looking over our packets and what period we had to research.

Alex and I had received the Antebellum and Civil War era of American History. We were anxious to get started on our projects, realizing the magnitude of it. Nervousness washed over me again, but it was quickly replaced with a sense of calm as I remembered something Alex told me years prior. Alex had told me that history was an adventure, an exploration of a topic. We were detectives of time and authors of a story that nobody would know until we told it. It was our jobs to give a voice to those voiceless souls throughout history and make sure they were never forgotten.

Without realizing it, I had gotten so entrenched in the packet and thoughts that I hadn't realized Alex tapping my shoulders. As he squeezed them, he said, "Are you alright? You seemed a little lost in your personal train of thought for a second."

Smiling as I said, "Yeah, I was just remembering back to the midterm that our entire class flunked and made us retake. I almost dropped out that year before you told me that history was an adventure, not a burden. You saved me then, as you continue to do to this day."

Both of us began laughing from deep within our guts because the midterm I was remembering was the one where we almost got thrown out of school because we had plagiarized the professor. I wanted to just drop out on the spot instead of going through the student council trial. But, Alex told me that and I stayed and found out that the professor had plagiarized someone else anyways and got fired on the spot, where the dean made the entire class retake the exam.

"Yeah, I remember that midterm. It was so bad what happened, but nobody messes with us and tries to make my little brother feel like that. What do you say that we head to the library later on, so we can get a head start on our project and rock it?" Alex said, as we came down from our laughing fit.

Nodding my head, I say, "Yeah, let's go down to the library around 7 PM? That way, we won't be bothered by other students and it'd give us a little bit of time to grab a bite to eat after our other classes today." Alex nodded and we headed down the grand staircase and out the main doors to the rest of our adventures of the day.

The next few hours went by rather quickly. By the time we were let out our last class of the day, Alex and I were exhausted. We headed down to one of the local coffee shops, getting some coffee and a muffin to keep us going as we headed over to the library to work on our massive project for Early American History. After we paid the barista for the order, we headed back to campus and the library.

The library was another marvel of architecture, reminding me of the parliament buildings of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Lines racing towards the heavens, as if trying to touch the face of God himself. Walking through the cathedral doors leading into the main entrance, Alex and I found ourselves a quiet corner of the library to work on our project.

Alex pulled out his laptop, while I pulled out the packets for our project. I began looking through them and finally had the chance to look through it better than I did earlier in the day. Realizing the magnitude of the project, I came to the conclusion that this project was going to be more time consuming than either of us had originally imagined.

Doctor Fantel wanted an in-depth review and research of the architectural history of the period, as well as a review of a house from the period. While the only issue we really had to worry about was finding the property in this era, we also had to research all the homeowners of the house from the original one to the current one. Quoting him, he wanted us to "give a voice to the voiceless."

Looking over at Alex as he was typing away on his laptop, I say, "Alex, why don't you do some research on the internet, while I try to find some hard evidence for our project?" Looking up for a moment, he smiled and let out a small chuckle before saying, "Yes, dear brother. That sounds like an excellent plan to me, so good luck and may the odds ever be in your favor." As he looked back to his laptop, he took out his glasses and put them on before typing away on his laptop again.

Heading into the main library, I realized that it was rather massive and that I would need to put a plan of action together if I wanted to find the information I was looking for. I knew the librarians would be of help, but as I looked around, I saw none. Knowing that was rather late, I knew that I would have to come up with another plan of action. As I looked around, I managed to find a map for the library.

As I walked over to the map and looked it over, I realized that it was divided into several sections, one for each continent of the world. Finding the location for North America, I made a mental note of its location and began my journey up to it.

Since I knew I wouldn't find a librarian along the way, I decided that I would find a computer to aid in my search once I got to my destination. As soon as I made it to the North American section and entered it, I was instantly greeted with a computer and go to work searching for anything relating to architecture.

As I was searching, I began to hear voices around me, talking in hushed tones. Thinking it must've been students talking to one another, I paid it no mind and it went away as quickly as it came. As I continued to search, I found an entire section of the library dedicated to architecture of North America. Thinking that I hit the jackpot, I took out my notebook and jotted down the location of several sections that would have benefited me greatly and closed out the computer before heading down there.

As I made my way to the architectural section of North America, I saw several students talking with one another. However, as I got closer to my target, the amount of people in the library started to dwindle down until it became no students. Beginning to get the feeling of being alone and watched at the same time, I shake it off and continue onward.

As I rounded a corner, I began to hear voices similar to the ones I heard when I first stepped into this section. Though, the voices I heard now were rather different than the ones earlier. The voices I had heard before were lyrical, while the ones I heard now were more distressed. Becoming a little worried, wondering if someone was in trouble, I looked around to see if I could find where the voices were coming from, in order to help them. Getting closer to the section I was heading for originally as the voices got louder, I wondered if the people I heard were possibly one of my classmates, getting a head start on their projects. Nearing what I thought was the origin of the whispers, I began to tread lightly. Slowly, I made my way around one corner to the aisle in which the whispers were coming from and they suddenly stopped. A shiver coming down my spine, I was shaken a bit to the core. Refocusing myself, I realized that I was exactly where I needed to be and told myself that I had to do and I was getting it done.

Starting at the beginning of the section for Antebellum architectural drawings, I made my way down one more aisle in my attempt to find information that Alex and I could use for our project. As I made my way through the aisle, I kept thinking back to the voices I had heard throughout the evening. Thinking about the stress of the first day of classes and the lateness of the hour, I told myself that the voices I heard were just in my head and that there was nothing to worry about. Nothing more, nothing less. Quickly and quietly, I submerged myself in the work ahead of me as there were massive amounts of drawings and journals that I knew we could use, if only I could find one that stuck out.

Subsequently, after two hours of looking through documents, each began to fade into the other until I no longer could tell one apart from another. I slowly rubbed my eyes and took a look at my watch, which read 9:25 PM. Realizing the amount of time that passed and the futile nature of journey for this evening, I began to pack up everything I had amassed and began putting them back in their proper places. As I was finishing up, I looked down and saw a set of drawings and journals that I didn't immediately recognize. Thinking it must've slipped through the cracks as I was looking at the various other ones, I picked them up and flipped to the first page of the journal. As I read the inscription, the whispering came back again, louder than ever before and with more force, but I still couldn't understand what they were saying. However, as before, as quickly as they came, they disappeared.

As I became aware of my surroundings again, I looked down at the journal and the inscription on the first page, which read:

To my love.....may we find years of bliss in our new house. Thank you for being my confidant, my friend, and so much more. Thank you Pierce.

To many years more years together!

Love, Benjamin

As I read the inscription, I became intrigued immediately. Looking around on the page for a date, I found it on the top right corner. It was dated 7 November 1832, which meant that if this house was truly built, it would have come from the period Alex and I were researching and could be used for our project.

Taking my time, I read through the journal and gathered as much information on the architect: Benjamin. I was intrigued by him and the man he was supposedly living with and how it affected their daily lives in the early nineteenth century. If these two men were lovers, their public and private lives would've have shaped how they built the house, as well as local history and lore. I knew as I continued reading that I would need Alex's help in finding the house and more information on it.

Thus, I gathered everything I found and quickly made my way back to where Alex was working. Knowing my way around the library a little bit better, it didn't take me long to get back to where he was working. As I got closer, I saw him wearing headphones, so in order to make sure I didn't spook him, I slowed my pace down and when I got to the table, I laid the leather case in front of him and waited.

As he noticed my presence, he swiftly changed his attention from his music to the leather case. As he picked it up, I noticed he raised an eyebrow in curiosity and wonderment about the contents of the case. Looking it over a couple times before looking back up at me, he asked, "Find something good, I hope?"

Knowing that the journal would speak for itself, I kept quiet. When I didn't immediately say anything, Alex knew there was something he needed to see and completely understood the importance of my find. He turned away only to open the case and pull out all the drawings. As he looked through the various documents, his eyes grew larger and larger. Understanding the look in his eyes, I knew he came to understand what he was looking through.

The house was reminiscent of the neoclassical and antebellum period of American history and architecture. Archways, grand staircases, and so many other features that were apart of this period's architecture were on feature in this house. As Alex looked through the drawings he had pulled out, I came around and sat next to him. Pulling out a couple of the drawings for myself, I began to become entrenched in the beauty. Time began slipping away as he we looked through them and we knew this was the house we needed to study for our house.

However, there was one catch: whether the house was actually built. While we had the drawings in front of us and the journal from the owner, there was no proof as to whether the architect made good on the construction of the house itself, or as to where the house was located.

Laying the drawings down for a moment, I look over my shoulder.

"I wonder if the house was really built?" I asked Alex as he continued to look through the various drawings of the house. Stopping for a brief moment, he scratched his chin and thought about the question. He reached over to the carrying case and opened it, grabbing the journal from its confines. Opening it to the first page, he read the inscription that Benjamin made for Pierce and a little smile came across Alex's face.

After a moment, he started reading through the various pages of Benjamin's journal and tried to find any information as to whether Benjamin actually built his house, as well as where the house might've been built. But, it became apparent that the information we were looking for wasn't in the journal.

"Jonathan, there's nothing in the journal about whether the house was built. No address, no location, nothing. Are you sure that Benjamin actually built this place, or if it's even in Pennsylvania? Alex asked, as he continued to flip through the pages, trying to piece together the puzzle that was forming before our eyes.

As I'm looking through the various drawings for clues, I stop for a moment to rub my eyes and shake my head. "You know, I'm not even sure. Could it be something that he wanted to build for Pierce, but something happened and the house never got completed?" I say, looking rather exhausted.

Alex saw me rubbing my eyes, as well as my exhaustion. He looked up at the clock on the wall and realized why.

Laying the journal down, he came over and rubbed my shoulder and said, "Well, that's definitely a possibility. But, I don't think we are going to find what we are looking for when we are both exhausted from a rather long day of classes. What do you think about trying to find the answers to the puzzle after getting some rest and going to class tomorrow?" Looking up at my brother, I give in with a faint smile, acknowledging the fact that he was absolutely right. Nodding faintly, we begin putting everything away, into their protective cases, and make our way back to our apartment.

It didn't take us long to get back. When we got inside, we decided to shower and head off to bed. As I laid in bed, I couldn't help but be envious of Benjamin and Pierce. Having someone to call their own in the nineteenth century would've been hard, but they made it work and lived in a beautiful home nonetheless. It was something that I had hoped Alex and I would get one day, but it was a distant dream, but it was one worth fighting for. Turning the light off, I drifted off to a restless sleep....

------------Somewhere lost in space and time

Darkness.....lots and lots of darkness......

This darkness was an eternal darkness, a soul-wrenching darkness. It blurred realities and tormented the souls that it had stored away, which were screaming out in pain, wanting to be free. The souls were beautiful, power, and ancient ones. Captured in battle and stored in a deep, dark place until the day that the prophecy were to come true.....the prophecy of two......

------------The Next Morning

The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual and just relaxed in bed for several minutes before actually getting up. All throughout the night, I had dreams of the journal and nightmares of ghoulish creatures. Not only that, but I had dreamt that the house was real. Grabbing the journal out of the case, I propped myself up and started thumbing through it with a fresh pair of eyes. However, when nothing was readily apparent, I closed up and climbed out of bed. Heading downstairs, I took the journal with me as I went to get something for breakfast.

Walking into the kitchen, I noticed Alex was sitting at our kitchen table. It took me several seconds to realize that his laptop was out, as well as several books sprawled out, opened up to various pages. He was wearing his glasses, which reminded me of the ones that were used by Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potters series. Grabbing some cereal and milk, I walked over to the table. I kissed his head before sitting down and saying, "Good morning brother."

He finally looked up from the laptop screen and returned the platitudes. From the looks of it, Alex had been working for hours on doing some research. Returning to his work, I decided to start working in on my cereal and trying to get a peek at what he was working on. Noticing that had several maps up on the screen, I realized that he had been working on trying to find the location of the house we had found the previous night.

"You've been trying to find the house from last night, haven't you?" I asked, turning to get a better view of his laptop. Alex turned it, so that I could see it better, as well as explain what he had found. Pulling up several photographs from the era, he showed me several gentleman and I raised my brow in confusion. He explained that the pictures were of Benjamin and Pierce, who happened to be close to one another, as well as ties to communities within Pennsylvania. Not only that, but both were born between 1804 and 1806, making them the approximate age of the Benjamin and Pierce we were looking for from the journal.

Looking over all the information that Alex had collected, I let out a small chuckle and sat back in my chair as I continued to eat my breakfast. "Alex, how long did all this research take you?" I asked, debating on whether or not I wanted to hear the answer. He shrugged before answering, "About five hours and half a pot of coffee." Letting out a belch of laughter as I listened to my brother's story, I kissed him on the forehead again and hugging him tightly. Several moments passed before we let out of the hug and I looked back at the screen. Pulling up a map that Alex had pinpointed with three major locations on them, I realized that two were within an hour's distance, while the other was in a little town called Berlin, Pennsylvania. As I looked at Alex, I said, "When do we start?" His reply was short, sweet, and to the point.

"How about today?" he said, giving me a smile.

Nodding my head in agreement, we went ahead and planned the trip out. The trip wasn't going to take us long, but we knew that we had to have our ducks in a row before beginning. Alex and I decided that we would start our adventure after our last class of the day, which lasted until two in the afternoon. Calculating the best route, we printed it off and got our Toyota Camry ready for the adventure.

Throughout the day, both of our minds kept drifting. Mine kept drifting back to the dream that I had the night before, as well as to the house and journal. Thinking about how vivid everything was, it scared me, but also pushed me further and harder to find out more about the house and its owners. Also, I thought about the whispering I had heard the night prior, within the walls of the library. Shaking my head, I pushed it all out of my mind and continued on packing for the trip, as well as the rest of my day.

When the clock finally stroke two, Alex and I busted out of our seats and practically ran out of the door. Our classmates gave us unusual looks as we did that, asking us what had us in such a rush. Telling them that we were doing some research for Doctor Fantel's class, they nodded and understood completely.

It didn't take us long to head out. Approximately forty-five minutes into our drive away from campus, we took the exit that would lead us to the first house on our list. As we arrived and checked out the property, we realized that, while it was an Early American, it wasn't the one we were looking for. Making sure, we pulled out the drawings, as well as the journal and double checked. After making sure it wasn't the one, we hopped back into our car and made a twenty minute drive to the second house within the same city. Arriving at the second house, we realized that, while the design of the house was getting closer, it wasn't the one we were looking for.

Once again, Alex and I made sure this wasn't the house by pulling out the drawings and designs of the house. Hearing Alex sigh as he looked it over, I knew this wasn't the house. A flash in the sky signaled that a thunderstorm was brewing and by the looks of it, it was going to be a rather large one.

Leaning against the car as he put all the drawings away, Alex asked, "Do you want to get something to eat? I think I saw a cute little coffee shop on our way in. What do you say?"

Remembering the little coffee shop he was talking about, I smiled and said, "Sure, my treat. Plus, with this rain coming in, we won't be able to do much until it simmers down." Grabbing the keys out of my pocket, both of us hop back into our car and head to the little coffee shop Alex was talking about. By the time we reached it, the rain had started coming down and did so in massive droves and we quickly headed inside, as to keep ourselves as dry as possible.

The coffee shop itself was a cute little twenty-four hour coffee shop, owned by a little French couple. The wife manned the registers as the husband was cleaning up the shop. Offering us some menus as we walked inside, the wife said, "Take your time boys. We're open all night long around these parts." Looking over everything that was offered, I realized that they had so much to offer. Homemade sweets, teas, coffees, as well as so much more. It didn't take either one of us to pick something off the menu and order it. I paid the wife and she gave me the change as Alex and I waited for everything.

Once the wife handed us our drinks and pastries, we headed to one of the tables near the back. As we began eating our pastries and sipping on our drinks, Alex pulled out Benjamin's journal and started thumbing through it. "What do you think we're going to find? We've already been through it a couple times by now," I said, taking a bite out of one of the pastries that I had ordered.

Struggling to find his words, Alex didn't immediately respond, which was unusual for him. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he looks a little lost in those moments.

"I guess that I want the house to be real, not just for our assignment. But, for Benjamin and Pierce as well. I want it to be real, showing that true love can withstand the test of time," he says, taking a sip of his drink as he continues to look through the journal. Alex appeared to be entrenched in his thoughts and the journal, so I decided to avoid anymore questions as he took the time to work through his thoughts.

As we enjoyed all of our treats and waited for the rain to die down, we plan the last leg of our journey to Berlin, Pennsylvania. Being an hour drive from Philadelphia, Alex and I thought that it would be a bustling metropolitan area, but it only hosted about 1,500 people living there and meant that we head two hours more of driving ahead of us. Since I had driven the first portion of our journey, Alex graciously volunteered to drive the rest of the way to Berlin and back to campus.

Finishing up our treats, Alex and I looked out the window and saw that the rain hadn't given up yet and we had been sitting in the coffee shop for over an hour. We decided that we would head out in the next fifteen minutes, even if the rain hadn't let up. After that time, the rain hadn't let up and we decided to make our way up to Berlin. As Alex drove, I decided to look out the passenger side window and lightning was cracking all across the sky. Thinking back to when Alex and I were kids, I remembered that thunder and lightning would always put me to sleep. As I laid my head against the window, I dozed off to yet another round of bizarre dreams.....

Monsters, witches, and ancient pictograms....

Multiple images such as these filled my head as I slept in the car. None of it made any sense, but they kept coming quicker and there wasn't anything I could do to stop them.

As the images came into focus, I realized that I was back in the house from my dreams. This time, the images I saw were more vivid and I could make out more than I could the night prior. Walking around, I made my way to the main living area, where the group of men gathered and were discussing something. I couldn't make out what they were saying, even as I got closer to them. All I could hear was whispering, much like I had heard the day prior in the library.

As I got closer, I was able to make out the de facto leaders of the group and they looked eerily familiar. I couldn't place my finger on it, but he seemed familiar, as well as worried. Everyone gathered in the room had similar expressions on their faces. Waving my hand in front of their faces, they didn't flinch or even acknowledge my presence in the room.

Without warning, there was a massive panic and the room began shaking, as if the house was being bulldozed with everyone inside. However, people started appearing out of the thin air and attacking everyone. Two of them them were able to put some sort of protective shield up, but with only two men, I knew that it wouldn't last. I tried to yell for their help, but I was quickly jolted awake and realized where I was....

Alex made excellent timing to Berlin, making it into town around seven that evening. Since it was only the beginning of Autumn, the sun was barely setting, which gave Alex and I time to search for and around the property. Since we had been driving for several hours, Alex thought it'd be prudent to fuel up as soon as we found a local gas station, which we found rather quickly.

Slowly waking up, I asked Alex how long I had been out. Telling me that I had slept the entire last leg of the journey, he said that I had been tossing and turning the entire time, as though I was having nightmares. Deciding that it was best to let him know about the dreams, I explained everything that had happened over the last day or two, including every one of the dreams.

"That's strange, especially since they became more intense as we got closer to Berlin. You don't think they could be related to this house, do you?" he asked, as he pulled into the gas station. I shrugged my shoulder and said, "Honestly, I'm not sure. But, I'd love to find out some answers to those questions, if they are related."

As Alex pulled into the station, he parked the car and got out. Looking at the pumps, we realized that, since Berlin was so small, we'd have to pay for our gas inside. Laughing at our misfortunate, we headed inside and tapped on the bell to ring the attendant.

The lady manning the station was in her mid-sixties and rather sweet. Looking our way as we ringed the bell, she came over and asked, "What can I do for you boys today?" We smiled back and asked if we could get thirty dollars in gas on the pump we parked at. Alex handed her two twenty dollar bills and she made our change.

As she put everything into the computer, she said, "If you don't mind me asking, what are two strapping young men doing in our little town? We don't get many people coming to sightsee." She handed Alex the change and the receipt.

"Well, that's exactly what we are doing, in a sense. We are doing some research on a house in town and thought we'd come by to take a look for ourselves. Now, it's only a matter of getting to the house in question," Alex said, putting everything away in his wallet. The attendant asked which property we were looking for and once we explained everything, she immediately knew which one.

"When I was younger, a gentleman, Thomas Gardner, bought the house and expanded upon it quite a bit. It was beautiful beforehand, but even more so afterwards. He was such a wonderful man and did so much for the community. However, soon after buying the house, strange stuff started happening all around town," she said, stopping to take a sip of her tea. Alex and I looked at each other, wondering what those strange occurrences were.

Before we could ask anything, she put her tea down and offered some to us, but we declined.

Alex was quick to the draw, asking, "What kind of strange occurrences happened in town and within the house?"

The attendant gathered her thoughts before speaking. "Well, for the first year, it wasn't anything major. Just strange dreams for several of us in town, myself included. However, as their cadre grew, the stranger everything became. It got to the point where we had several meteor storms that nobody could explain. But, approximately ten years ago, everything stopped and they all disappeared. Nobody knows what happened to them, but when they quit coming into town for supplies, we knew something was up. Everyone looked to see if they had moved, but there was no record of sale and when they stopped paying their taxes, the city reposed the house and has been sitting vacant ever since. Such a shame too," she said, shaking her head in disgust at the fact.

Alex and I gave each other looks of understanding. Instantly, we knew what the other was thinking. "Do you think you could give us directions to the house? We'd love to see the additions that Thomas made to the house," I said, grabbing a pen and pad from my bag.

Shrugging, she agreed and I handed her the pen and paper. As she wrote the directions, she let out a small chuckle and said, "You know, it's like the past is starting to come back. You two are the second pair of twins coming by today, asking about the house. Just promise me that the unusual dreams aren't going to come back." After several moments, she finished writing the instructions on the pad and handed everything back to me.

Hearing about others looking for the house, it peaked both of our curiosity. "Do you think that you could describe the other pair of twins to us? In case we run into them at the house," I asked, prying a little bit more into her statement.

Thinking back for a moment, the attendant smirks and says, "Yeah, sure. They were about 6'2" with red hair and the prettiest blue eyes. They said they were exchange students from Temple University."

Thanking the attendant for everything, we head outside and pump our gas. As we waited for the gas, Alex and I talked about the information that we were given. With everything I told Alex about my dreams, as well as the other pair of twins looking for the house, we knew that something was going to come to pass as we made our way closer to the house and we had to figure out what it was.

The ride from the gas station to the property was quick, taking approximately ten minutes. As we approached the property, we noticed that it was enclosed with a considerable amount of foliage. Even though Berlin was known for it, the amount surrounding this property was considerable.

Alex drove around until he found what appeared to be a main entrance. Noticing that another car was parked in the same location, we assumed it belonged to the other pair of twins. Knowing that we were several hours behind them, as soon as we parked, Alex and I began making an action plan.

As we got out of the car and began looking around, we noticed that the main gate was locked up. Knowing that we had to find entrance, as well as seeing the years of neglect the attendant was talking about, we knew that we could possibly find a a way in along a weak spot in the brickwork. Alex and I decided to split up, knowing that we would cover more ground this way. Agreeing to meet up at the house, Alex took the North wall, while I took the South. Giving Alex the journal, we parted ways ande made our way along the wall.

The sun was rapidly setting on the horizon and we were losing daylight. Walking along the wall, several minutes passed without incident. Finding several holes along the wall, none of them were large enough for a rodent to get through, let alone a human. As I walked along the wall, an eerie feeling crept up into my spine, one that couldn't easily be passed on. Hoping that I would find a hole or anything I could get through sooner rather than later, my mind aimlessly wandered.

As my mind wandered, I had to stop for a moment, as I became nauseous and lightheaded. Taking a moment to regain my composure and stabilize myself, I realized that I had found an entrance to the property within the wall. Deciding that I wouldn't let this momentary lapse worry me, I head into the hole and onto the property.

While the property was beautiful on paper, it was even more so in person. Looking around and taking it all in, I pulled out the drawings to try and gained a bearing on where I was on the property. While I had given Alex the journals, I had kept the drawings for myself, just in case something were to happen to one of us. However, I knew that, after speaking with the gas station attendant, the drawings weren't going to be a perfect representation of the property either. But, they did give a general feeling for the property.

While looking over the drawings, leaves began to rustle in the distance and several branches snapped. Quickly looking up, nothing grabbed my attention as to what could've made the noises around me. Trying to remain calm, my eyes go back to the drawings, but my mind went back to wandering, trying to figure out what could have made the noises. Was I being watched and if so, by whom? So many questions, and yet, so few answers. It was time to start finding them.

Refocusing my energies back on the task at hand, I put the drawings away and began walking deeper onto the property, in hopes of finding the answers that plagued Alex and I for several days now. Not taking long to find a path, I hopped onto it and walked along it for several minutes. After not finding anything readily apparent, I began to worry.

However, as my apprehension began to rise further, I noticed something in the distance. Hearing the crackle of thunder and feeling the rain beginning to come down again, I decided to make my way towards it, in the hopes of finding decent shelter. Getting closer, I noticed that, while it wasn't the house itself, it was the horse stables which appeared on the drawings.

Finding the main entrance to the stables, I realized that the lock on it had been tampered with. I wasn't able to tell if they had been tampered with recently or in the far past, when the property was repossessed by the Town of Berlin. Pushing aside my fears to the pit of my stomach, I opened the doors and headed inside to safety.

Once inside, the storm began releasing ungodly amounts of rain. Looking at the aged roof of the stables, I could see and hear the slow drip of rain coming down onto the floor.

Looking around, it was readily apparent that whoever built the stables was quite proud of their craftsmanship, as well as the animals that were kept there. Several trophies adorned the wall, all of which had become dusty and tattered. Walking over to one of the biggest ones and taking an old rag from my bag, I wiped away the layers of dust that had collected over the last couple of years. After scrubbing and a little bit of elbow grease, I was able to finally read the inscription.

The inscription read, "The One Hundred and Seventy-Six Equestrian Competition won by Robin Billings with surrogate rider Bill Connor riding the Appaloosa, Gemini."

Pulling out my phone, I looked up the information on the equestrian competition from the trophy. Taking a seat on a bale of hay, I looked through several articles and photos from the event, which happened several years prior. One of the most prominent pictures that came up was from a local newspaper. The paper identified everyone in the picture as Bill Connors, the winner, as well as his father and trainer, Robin Billings. The article went on to explain that Billings wasn't able to compete due to a cheating scandal from years prior to this competition.

As I was reading, a sudden wave of nausea and dizziness came over me, similar to what I felt as I was coming onto the property. However, this time was worse. I felt more nauseous and as though I was about to pass out. As I began to black out, I could hear the door to the stable opening and I tried to look back at who it was. But, with the poor lighting and the thunderstorm raging outside, I couldn't make out who it was. The cloaked figure made it over in time for me to collapse onto the flooring and catch me.

To be continued

Jonathan Coleman

joncoleman9999@gmail.com