Chapter 2 The Note

The Note

Pulling out the letter from the bottle it had an address on the very top, 4432 Willoughby Way Malaga Island. The note was aged and browned, crinkled and cut. The words were hard to make out but Evelyn managed to read.

Dear Finder,

I see you have found my dog, and I thank you for that. Now you may be wondering why a bottle with a letter is placed around his neck and not just a simple dog collar. I am a fragile older woman who can’t make her way out of the house, having no family visit in quite some time can take a tole on you. So I ask you to please return my only companion back to my humble abode as soon as possible, I will have a prosperous gift waiting for you for your kind generosity.

Sincerely,

Ebony

“Ebony...Ebony.” Evelyn thought over and over, trying to remember her grandmother name. Her mother had only mentioned her name a few times, the name became cloudy. A few yards away a group of bums gathered around a fire. Drunk and disoriented they laughed and stumbled over each other. Looking around to find a different crowd to question, they seemed to be her only hope. She picked up the dog and stuck him under her arm and hesitantly walked towards the group of rowdy dirty men.

“Um..yes excuse me...would you men happen to know this address and how I can find my way to this house...see I found this dog and he’s lost and I've got…” Before she could continue one of the bums snatched the letter from her frail hand. “HHMMMM Willoughby Way ….that’s just up that...way...can’t be more than a mile or two down this road, right at the top of the hill, right beside the ocean, yep yep yeep thats were it be!” said the man with the beard who smelled like rum. “Just right up that way?” asked Evelyn for assurance. “Just up that way” the man said pointing and laughing with his drinking buddies. Evelyn knew these men were no good but took their word to get out of there as quickly as possible. She nodded and headed on her way.

The long road path was twisty but smooth. Any sudden sound startled Evelyn. This atmosphere simply wasn't her scene. There wasn’t anything else in the entire world that she wished for more then was to be home. Cuddled up in a warm bed with her siblings, having hot tea in her favorite teacup Ma had gotten her for Christmas, and especially the swing that hung on the front porch, where she would write stories of adventure and mystery in her journal.

The sound of the crashing waves on the shore was calming. Up Ahead there was a wooden table set up with lots of fresh fruit. The name Jack was painted in red on the wood desk. “Why would he leave all of this fruit out during the nighttime, what if someone stole it?” she asked herself. Pondering this question she carried on with the nameless dog.

Evelyns feet became quite sore from all the walking. The house must be coming up soon. A little way off in the distance a large mansion lay on the top of the hill, just as the men had told her. She approached it closer to get a better look. The house was clearly worn down, must've been hundreds of years old. The rusted iron gate added to the eerie feel of the house. The exterior was hard to make out in the dark night. In gold lettering 4432 appeared on the front of the house. This was it. Evelyn hesitated to knock on  the door at such a late hour but something persisted her to do so anyway. She placed the dog down and rang the grand doorbell to this haunted house.