Carlson's New Mansion

Pixabay

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I am Carlson, and I have a big problem. You see I had just received a mansion in the countryside as an inheritance from a wealthy relative that had recently passed away.

What? You wanted to ask why inheriting a mansion was a big problem for me?

I understand your confusion. Normally, those in my position would surely think that inheriting a mansion was nothing short of a blessing. But considering what I’m going through right now, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. But to truly understand my predicament, we should start from the very beginning…

Everything started after I received a letter from a person named Norman Smith, who claimed to be the lawyer of Joseph McGregor, a distant relative of mine.

At first, I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I was going to receive a mansion as an inheritance? Me?

I read the letter again but the content was still the same. After several seconds of silence, happiness suddenly burst from me. I was elated. I have no idea why I was chosen to inherit Joseph’s mansion considering that I’m just a distant relative. But since I was chosen, who am I to complain?

The news excites me so much that I started jumping up and down to the point that my knees started hurting. And when the lawyer arrives days later and showed me the papers to be signed; forget reading the fine prints, I didn’t even read the entirety of the inheritance papers before signing them – a terrible blunder on my part.

Yes, signing the inheritance papers without fully knowing their content was a huge blunder. Even Norman gave me a strange look after seeing me sign the papers just like that. I should have been wary when I saw that look in Norman’s eyes.

Unfortunately, in my excitement, I completely ignored the sign that things were not as they seemed. Instead of confronting the lawyer for the strange look on his face; I instead choose to ask him what my new mansion was like.

According to the Norman, the mansion in question was at least 10,000 square feet. I’m no good at maths but even I knew that 10,000 square feet were really big for a house. What’s more, the mansion was already fully furnished which means I no longer have to worry about how to furnish such a huge house. Neat!

Thinking that I no longer need my old, rundown house, I decided to sell it. But to my disappointment, no one wants to buy the house at the price I wanted. Left with no choice, I could only sell the house way below market price.

…Looking at it now, I should have never sold my house as selling my house was no different from cutting my path of retreat. I guess hindsight is truly 20/20.

So after selling my rundown house, including the furniture for a pittance; I quickly bought a plane ticket and flew to the countryside to see my new mansion carrying just a single luggage bag filled with clothes, money, and some personal belongings.

“Huge!”

That was my thought when I first laid my eyes on the mansion. The design of the mansion was rather old-fashioned but considering that it’s a century-old building, it was only to be expected. Besides, as long as there’s water, electricity, heating, and plumbing, I don’t care even if the mansion was a century or two older.

Unlocking the big padlock with the key given to me by the lawyer; I pushed the gate open before entering the premises.

“I too, am now a proud owner of a mansion!” I shouted in excitement as I stare at my new property.

I have long envied those ultra-wealthy folks and the luxurious mansions I saw on television so owning a similar property made me incredibly happy and proud.

Having just stroked my ego, I sauntered to the door and insert the key into the door’s keyhole before pushing the door open.

“It’s cold!” I blurted out as my face was bombarded by the cold air the moment I opened the door. “Why is it so cold in here? What happened to the heater?”

I quickly flipped one of the switches on the wall and seeing the light turned on without a hitch, I let out a sigh of relief. As the lawyer, Norman promised, there’s still electricity in the mansion.

“Since there’s electricity, getting the heater to work shouldn’t be a problem,” I said to myself. “I need to find it quickly though, or I might freeze to death in my sleep.

Due to the size of the building, finding the location of the mansion’s heating system was far from easy. But with some persistence, I did find it eventually. With the fear of freezing to death no longer an issue, I was once again free to roam inside the mansion. But at the same time, the fact that the inside of the mansion was a lot colder than the outside completely flies off my mind.

I mean, all of the windows are closed so where did the cold wind that bombarded me when I opened the door come from? If only I have discovered the strangeness of the mansion then and there; I would have not fallen into my current predicament. How regretful… If only I could go turn back time and confront my old self because if I could, I would have punched my old self in the eye before dragging him out of the mansion.

But as the saying goes, there’s no medicine for regret nor do I have the power to turn back time. Right now, I could only leave with my decision…

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“Hey! What are you mumbling to yourself there, caretaker?”

A cold, eerie voice that seemed to be coming from the deepest part of hell wakes me up from my recollection.

No… I do not doubt in my mind that the “thing” speaking to me right now came from hell itself. I mean, how does one explain the existence of the “thing” behind me?

Although very reluctant, I have no choice but to face the “thing” behind me. As such, I could only mechanically turn around and hope for the best.

“H-hello Mr. Biggs. What can I do for you, sir?” I asked the “thing”, or rather, Mr. Biggs while giving it the most flattering smile that I’m capable of. Unfortunately, my smile always turned up very stiff when facing Mr. Biggs.

“Wipe that smile on your face, caretaker,” Mr. Biggs complained. “It’s disgusting.”

Ghost? Specter?

Those seemed to be the proper terms for these beings. Yes, you didn’t read wrong. I am indeed speaking to a ghost. No, I should correct myself. It’s not a ghost but a group of ghosts!

You guessed it. The mansion that I inherited was no ordinary mansion. It’s a mansion haunted by not just one ghost but nine! Yes, nine ghosts!

The source of my problem; the thing that had been mentally torturing me all this time was the fact that not only did I inherit a mansion, I also inherited nine ghosts that threats me as their caretaker!

I’m aware that I’m repeating myself a lot but that’s the only way I could express the preposterousness of my current predicament. No, no, I need to repeat it a few times so that you could understand how serious my situation was.

Anyway, I met Mr. Biggs and his cohorts of ghosts during my first night in the mansion. I was sleeping soundly on the large bed in the master bedroom when I was unceremoniously tossed out of the bed and into the floor by a powerful and invisible force.

Although still feeling disoriented after falling off the bed, I still forced my eyes open, and what I saw was the most terrifying sight that my eyes had ever laid upon in my entire life. Surrounding me were pale-faced and see-through men and women – floating and encircling me like I was some sort of exhibition.

One of the ghosts, Mr. Biggs, told me that I’m not allowed to sleep in the master bedroom as that was his room which was why he rudely interrupted my sleep and tossed me onto the floor. He also informed me that I am nothing but their caretaker and should therefore act as one.

Not sure where I got the courage but I argued back and told them that I inherited the mansion and therefore, should have the right to use the master bedroom. Unfortunately for me, Mr. Biggs and the other ghosts simply laugh at my face.

When I asked what’s so funny; their only reply was to simply ask me to read the inheritance papers again. Although feeling suspicious, I did what I was told and read the inheritance paper that I took from my luggage bag.

At first, I didn’t find anything suspicious but as I continue to read, my face grew paler and I almost fainted.

What on heaven’s name are the nonsense written on those papers?! A contract of servitude? The caretaker of Mr. Biggs and his ghostly cohorts?

What do you mean that as the inheritor of the mansion it was my responsibility to take care of this group of specters?!

“No, I cannot accept this. I should protest. There’s no way that I’ll spend the rest of my life under the service of a bunch of ghosts!” I shouted in frustration.

“What are you yelling for? You’re not going to tell me that you didn’t read the contract before signing it, did you?” Mr. Biggs asked while eyeing me with suspicion.

Hearing Mr. Biggs’s question, I could not help but feel awkward and shift my eyes away from him.

“You’re a fool,” Mr. Biggs mercilessly criticized my stupidity. “Unfortunately for you, the contract that you signed is binding. Even if the court denounced the contract as illegal; you still couldn’t escape your responsibility to me and my “family.”

“Y-you demon!” I yelled while pointing at Mr. Biggs in exasperation.

“Wrong. We’re ghosts, not demons,” countered Mr. Biggs before floating away.

“Just give up,” said a female ghost.

“Don’t worry; serving us is not as bad as you think,” said another ghost.

The other ghosts followed suit and tried to pacify my devastated self. Moreover, it wasn’t long before I truly understood what Mr. Biggs meant when he said that the contract I signed was binding.

Yes, it was truly binding in a figurative and a literal sense. The moment I signed the contract was the moment that I was bonded to the mansion.

Running away? That’s impossible. Trust me, I tried.

Even though I could still go out of the mansion, I would always find myself back inside after certain hours passed, much to my disappointment and horror.

Begging Mr. Biggs and the other ghosts to let me go? I did that too but to no avail.

Why? It’s because even Mr. Biggs couldn’t do anything once the contract was signed. The only thing that could release me from the contract was death. It was the same for every caretaker before me, including my distant relative, Joseph McGregor…

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