~ by Amanda Pizzolatto & Aurora Mandeville
As anyone on Alixandria knows, genies are fascinated by otherworldly reports – specifically ghost stories. There is some speculation as to why this is, as genies are often quoted as having a connection to the other side; some hypotheses wilder than others. Perhaps they can just sense the spirit world and can’t see anything. Perhaps because they cannot die, they wish to find some way of catching that feeling? Perhaps they, too, wish to speak to their loved ones – the mortals who have passed on? Whatever the case may actually be, the entire race seems immensely enthralled by stories of the otherworld; so much so, that the fascination passes on to future generations of half-genies – the primary residents of Jardines.
Every city on the islands has a team of ghost investigators; every school has a paranormal club. Not all the inhabitants of Jardines can participate in the fun and excitement of a mystery, though they do follow the adventures of the ghost investigators most ardently. But those who are lucky to be part of such a prestigious group, find that not all adventures are to their liking. One such group, known as the ‘Haunted House Club’, from Midnight Gulch, certainly had its fair share of strange cases and close calls.
The members of this renowned club varied due to the fact that it was a high school club, but the cases best remembered were solved by a certain team, Nicky White and her brother Chuck, her best friends Lu and Jess Scarlett, his best friends Fred and Jon Mustard. Along with the club president, Nate Green, the club vice president, Jerry Plum, and the club secretary, Clara Peacock, the team had started out simply exploring haunted houses, until one haunted house proved to be rather exciting.
It all began when Nicky nearly fell through the floor, revealing a secret passageway. The group set about eagerly exploring it, only to discover a dreadful secret; the previous owner of the house found cruel satisfaction in the torment of numerous victims and the current owner, his son, had begun to discover his own evil delight in screams. The gang soon found themselves caged in the house by the owner, who was scared of their revealing his family’s secret. He captured the group one by one and locked them up in his dungeons, ready to torment his next set of victims – starting with Nicky.
However, if there’s one thing about the people of Jardines easily and quickly forgotten by the rest of Alixandria, it is that they still possess powers inherited from their genie ancestors. Though they rarely use it, in instances like the problems the Haunted House Club were facing at that moment, the genie side tends to come out in almost full force. While true, they do not have every single power of their genie ancestors, they didn’t need every single power either – what they did have was enough to get them out of a tough situation.
Fred and Jon instantly took the lead and Chuck’s recently acquired knowledge of locks proved to be useful. Using their knowledge of the house schematics, they were able to get everyone out safely before going back in for Nicky. A brief but intense fight ensued between the three teens and the owner of the house; in their attempt to rescue Chuck’s sister.
Fred and Jon thought quickly and managed to trap the owner in his own dungeon. The police soon arrived and, with the teens’ help, was able to put the maniac behind bars. It was thus that the adventures of the Haunted House Club truly began.