No one can beat my best friend Susanne in a staring contest. Not even Kaid, who can go without blinking for for two and a half minutes.
This year on Halloween, Susanne and I decided to visit the Xalcon Manor at the end of the street. This mansion was known for being the oldest mansion in our area, as well as the most haunted.
I closed the iron gate, turned around and was welcomed by the sight of the tall mansion. Susanne swung the door and disappeared into the darkness of the mansion. Me being the coward watched Susanne enter the mansion and then followed her. Looking at the cold brass lion door knocker gave me the chills. Right then I wanted to go back home,but I couldn’t leave Susanne alone.
Both of us walked on the the long dusty red carpet that lead up the stairs. As we were walking in silence, I looked at the cracked mirror, and stared at the broken refection of me as the Corpse Bride. I looked at Susanne, who was ahead of me, dressed up as Annabelle and looked as if she owned this mansion. I had a feeling that Susanne and I were not alone.
Towards the end of the corridor on the second floor was a huge painting of the owner, covered in dust and beautifully framed.
‘Agatha Lovelade
Born- August 23,1873,
Died- August 24,1962.’
was engraved on the plaque below her painting.
“She died the day after her 89th birthday.” I told Susanne. But she didn’t seem to care about what I was saying. She was staring with awe at the lady dressed in green, auburn hair falling over her shoulders, holding a bouquet of dead roses and wearing a sad smile on her face. There was a strangely disturbing look in Agatha’s electric blue eyes. I looked away from the painting and looked back at Susanne. She was still staring at Agatha- her electric blue eyes to be more precise. “Wow,so now you are challenging a painting to a staring contest.” I said, the sarcasm in voice on point. Susanne looked at me blankly, yet creepily in a certain way, then looked back at Agatha. She nodded slightly twice, without looking away from Agatha’s eyes.
I was getting strange vibes by now, but I started counting in my head, like always used to, while looking at Agatha and then back at Susanne from time to time. 30 seconds passed by. No one blinked. I didn't expect anyone to blink, anyway. A minute later there was no sign of blinking. 84 seconds. Susanne stared at Agatha’s painting as if her life depended on it. 107 seconds. Agatha has no chance of losing. I mean, she’s a painting, who was Susanne kidding? 134 seconds later Susanne starts tearing up. No blinking yet. I wanted to run down the stairs and go back home by then. 152 seconds. Susanne mutters something under her breath and Agatha is staring back at her as if she was going to suck Susanne’s soul out. 183 seconds later Susanne wins.
“She died the day after her 89th birthday.” I told Susanne. But she didn’t seem to care about what I was saying. She was staring with awe at the lady dressed in green, auburn hair falling over her shoulders, holding a bouquet of dead roses and wearing a sad smile on her face. There was a strangely disturbing look in Agatha’s electric blue eyes. I looked away from the painting and looked back at Susanne. She was still staring at Agatha- her electric blue eyes to be more precise. “Wow,so now you are challenging a painting to a staring contest.” I said, the sarcasm in voice on point. Susanne looked at me blankly, yet creepily in a certain way, then looked back at Agatha. She nodded slightly twice, without looking away from Agatha’s eyes.
I was getting strange vibes by now, but I started counting in my head, like always used to, while looking at Agatha and then back at Susanne from time to time. 30 seconds passed by. No one blinked. I didn't expect anyone to blink, anyway. A minute later there was no sign of blinking. 84 seconds. Susanne stared at Agatha’s painting as if her life depended on it. 107 seconds. Agatha has no chance of losing. I mean, she’s a painting, who was Susanne kidding? 134 seconds later Susanne starts tearing up. No blinking yet. I wanted to run down the stairs and go back home by then. 152 seconds. Susanne mutters something under her breath and Agatha is staring back at her as if she was going to suck Susanne’s soul out. 183 seconds later Susanne wins.
