A few days later, late afternoon, turning toward evening, in the secluded, forested area outside the city...
"Vroom."
"Screeech!"
A pickup truck stopped sharply in the middle of the wilderness. Nolan, in a white dress shirt, tie, vest, slacks, and black shoes, hopped down from the back. He walked to the cab, grabbing and shouldering his backpack.
"Thanks, sir, for the ride out here," Nolan said.
"Hey... you sure this is where you wanna be? This is a haunted forest, kid, don't mess around. Nobody in the whole damn village comes near this place," replied the driver, a middle-aged guy who looked seriously worried.
"Hmm (looking at his smartphone) Yep, right here. Thanks again, sir," Nolan answered.
"Jesus, alright, don't say I didn't warn you if you disappear and can't get out. I told you. Don't blame me for anything that happens," the driver replied, sounding a bit spooked himself.
"I won't, sir, don't worry. Appreciate it," Nolan said, bowing his head slightly.
"Fine, I'm taking off. I don't wanna be here any longer than I have to. Be careful out here, kid," the driver stated.
"Sure thing. You drive safe," Nolan called back.
The driver immediately started his engine and sped the truck backward in a rush. Nolan turned around. Before him was a footpath, just wide enough for walking, leading deeper into the thick, untouched wilderness. He took a step, looking straight ahead.
The woods were infamous locally as a spooky spot because people often heard strange, high-pitched shrieks inside—the cries of a massive, savage beast whose form the villagers had never identified. The locals drew a hard line around their village and had never cut a proper road into the forest.
Oddly, no creature or beast had ever come out of the woods to harass or bother the residents. But if anyone went in, for any reason, they were guaranteed to vanish, never to be seen again. No one knew if they were dead or alive, and naturally, no villager dared to organize a search, even if the lost person was family.
Nolan kept walking the footpath, his backpack full of clothes hitting his back. Finally, he reached the deepest part of the forest. He pushed through the thicket and stopped, his eyes widening at the sight of an enormous, European-style mansion. The building was shaped like two big, inverted 'L's joined together. Nolan smiled.
"Ok, I made it. Alright, let's hope everything in that email is true," he mused privately.
He looked at the huge mansion, double-checked the address, and looked again at the place, which looked like a haunted house in the middle of nowhere.
"Well, at least if I die, I'll go out satisfied... The main thing is I left when Mom and Dad were out, and I left them a letter... But I should probably switch the smartphone off first, huh," Nolan muttered.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out his smartphone, powered it down, and put it back. "Creeeak." Nolan pushed the huge, rusty gate open and stepped inside. He crossed the yard, which was choked with high grass and weeds, clearly overgrown and abandoned.
"CRACK!"
Thunder boomed, and heavy rain started to drench Nolan. He bolted onto the front porch and quickly dried himself off. He then turned to face the door, but just as his hand neared the doorknob, "Click," the knob turned, and the door opened. A servant, in a uniform and with a stiff, almost corpselike face, held the door open and bowed to greet the guest.
"Your name?" she asked.
"Nolan Edwards," Nolan replied.
The servant appeared to scan her clipboard for Nolan's name. She then looked back at him and bowed.
"Welcome to the mansion of Arthur J. Waldorf. My name is Beatrice. I will be serving you today, sir. Please follow me; the others are waiting," Beatrice, the polite servant, stated.
"Huh... The others? I'm not the only one?" Nolan thought.
Nolan stepped inside. The moment his foot hit the floor, Nolan was speechless. He had never in his life seen such a lavish lobby, with a massive crystal chandelier hanging in the center. Six pillars lined the room, each with a wall sconce casting a dim, flickering light that added a mysterious, almost spooky atmosphere to the place.
Straight ahead, opposite the entrance, a grand marble staircase split to the left and right. On the central wall, right at the split, was a huge, portrait-like painting of a man, but his face was blurred and unclear. The fine hairs on Nolan's arms stood up; besides the awe, he felt an aura completely different from any place he had ever visited.
"Mr. Nolan," Beatrice called out.
"Huh... S-sorry, I was just staring," Nolan stammered, a bit startled.
"Before we enter the dining room, I need to briefly explain the rules here," said Beatrice, who was pretty but utterly devoid of expression.
"Sure, go ahead," Nolan replied.
Beatrice began her explanation: Rule one, candidates must reside in the mansion for one month. Rule two, they cannot leave the compound at all and cannot use their smartphones while inside. Rule three, candidates should interact, but they cannot ask about backgrounds or share personal details with each other. Rule four, candidates are forbidden from falling in love. And rule five, candidates are permitted to use any facility in the mansion except for the study room on the first floor at the end of the right-wing corridor.
"Do you have any questions, sir?" Beatrice asked with her flat expression.
"Sorry, but how many candidates are there besides me?" Nolan asked.
"The total number of candidates is seven, including yourself. All candidates must live together in this mansion for one month. We, the servants, will only be serving you on the first day. Food and medicine are provided for the next 30 days. Any other questions?" Beatrice asked.
"Seven candidates, huh. Okay, that's it. No more questions (This is kind of weird, and the rules... they're a little intense)," Nolan answered.
"Very well. I must apologize, but please hand over your smartphone to us," Beatrice said, turning and nodding.
Another female servant arrived, carrying a box containing three smartphones and their chargers, each sealed in a clear plastic bag. Nolan lowered his backpack, opened it, retrieved his charger, and then handed both his phone and charger to the servant with the box. The servant immediately sealed Nolan's items in a plastic bag and then bowed to leave. After she was gone,
"Now, let us go to the dining room, sir. The others are waiting. Follow me," Beatrice said.
"Oh, are they all here?" Nolan asked.
"Not yet. You are the fourth person to arrive," Beatrice answered.
After that, Beatrice led Nolan gracefully down the corridor on the mansion's left side. She stopped in front of a double door and pushed it open. After being gestured in, Nolan stepped inside. The three people already waiting looked up at the door to see Nolan standing next to Beatrice.