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“Your best won’t be good enough. This is the one we’ve been waiting for. He drank from the spell. This is the one who will set us free from this prison,” she said. She pointed the parasol at Thaddeus. “No mistakes. Or else the Rider will see to it this is your last one. Is that understood?”

Thaddeus peered from under the leather brim of his hat. “I won’t fail you, Ms. Sinclair.”

Madeline Sinclair smacked the floor with the end of her parasol. She turned and exited the house.

Thaddeus took a sip of tea from his cup. “Open it up,” he said. “Let’s greet our new visitor.”

The ghouls grabbed the lid of the wooden casket and flung it open. Inside, with his arms crossed, laid the body of Hugo Dodds, resting peacefully in eternal slumber.

Thaddeus kicked the head of the casket. “Time to wake up,” he bellowed.

Hugo’s eyes sprung open. He gasped for air, filling his lungs as if he hadn’t taken a breath in ages. Hugo sat up and touched the wooden sides of the box. His eyebrows furled and eyes narrowed while taking in his new surroundings. He touched his chest, finding a hole where the stake had stabbed through his heart.

Hugo gasped at the sight of the ghoulish figures towering above him. He scooted back as far as he could in the wooden casket, holding steadfast to the sides. He examined the room once more before hiseyes focused on Thaddeus.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” Thaddeus said. “They’ll all be answered in due time.”

Hugo breathed heavily. His eyes darted back-and-forth from Thaddeus and then to the ghouls.

“Now don’t work yourself up. Please remain calm,” Thaddeus said.

Hugo furled his eyebrows and locked onto him. “Where’s Alice? How did you get in our home?”

Thaddeus set the cup down on a shelf. “I’m going to need you to remain calm and still.”

Hugo stood and jumped out of the casket. He backed into a corner of the living room. The ghouls turned to face him, moving close. His breathing labored. He picked up a statue to arm himself. He snarled, elongating his vampire fangs. The ghouls stopped moving.

“Where am I?” he asked.

“A place most curious and unusual,” Thaddeus replied.

“What happened to me?” Hugo shouted.

“Well, Mr. Dodds,” Thaddeus said. “You’re dead.”

To Be Continued