This is a tale that still shocks the life out of Swell town. The small community was shaken to its root by the strange occurrence, that years after the incident, the story still caused hearts to shudder and kids afraid to sleep at night. It was a tale of terror, a tale of woe, a tale of the young boy Vidon.
It was a very bright day that morning, a school day and Vidon was seen running down the stairs. He was minutes behind schedule and had to eat breakfast before his school bus came running along. And like a patient honouring a doctor's appointment, the bus was right at his doorstep. Shoving the most breakfast he could into his mouth, Vidon was out of the house and running through the yard to the bus.
"Bye mom" he had managed to say as he swallowed.
"See you later. Love you and be careful on your way back" his mother yelled back.
School was school and the day rolled by from class to class and activity to activity. Eventually, the bell was heard.
Grinnnnn grinnnnn grinnnn...
"That would be all for today class, I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow" miss Anne called out at the sound of the bell.
Vidon was one of the last persons to leave class, he was pretty smallish for his age, brown hair like his mother's, scrawny arms and legs but overall he was a decent looking kid. His father had left his mother while he was 4. He was still in the picture somewhat, at least birthday cards and Christmas gifts were sent in every year. Something to soothe his father's conscience but Vidon didn't mind much. He always looked forward to the chocolates and toys and was never disappointed.
The road home was usually lonely and unmotorized. It was an abandoned lane called svidlane. Vidon's mother had warned him against using the lane a few times, but it was quiet enough for Vidon to kick his ball without vehicular interruption, so it was always his choice.
"I am fine mom, I'm 10. Besides, I've used that lane for 2 years now" he always said to his mother.
The sun shone bright and Vidon was pleased with himself playing his ball for and with his imaginary friends.
"This is vidon Thelson with the ball, he just dribbled past the midfield like an invicible deity. The ball still with vidon as he moves to the defense. He's just 18 yards out. Will he make his move? No! He dribbles his was through the defense! He makes the move and he shoots the ball. He scores, its a goalllll!!!!"
Vidon was jumping around in excitement over his own commentary and victory.
"Vidon, Vidon, Vidon" he continued chanting, mimicking his imaginary fans.
As soon as he was out of planet imagination and back to earth, he began to search for his ball. Apparently, he had shot it quite far.
As he approached the Ball, he began to realize strange things happening around him. There he stood in front of a mansion he never knew existed. For 2 years he had passed through Svidlane and not once had he come across the Giant house with an equally gigantic keep out sign hung on the gates.
He bent down and picked up his ball. As he made to turn and go, the gates started to open on their own. Vidon had heard of automated gates before, so he wasn't really surprised. What surprised him was why a beautiful Mansion would be at an abandoned lane near his home, away from town.
As he was pondering in his mind, his ball suddenly leapt out from his hands and rolled into the driveway of the mansion.
"Did you see that?" He screamed surprised, forgetting he was alone.
Vidon was caught between entering the geographically misplaced mansion, and running home. Being the inquisitive child he was, he went in without a second thought. Just as he did, the gates closed behind him. He was shocked at first but then he concluded that it was the automation.
"I will quickly see who lives here, look around and be on my way. I'm sure the gate will open when I'm ready to go". He said to himself.
Getting closer to the Mansion, he realized that the beauty he once thought he saw was an illusion that didn't exist. The house was dark and ugly and the trees spooky. Their branches were laid out in form of arms and claws, they had eyes and mouth carved in them. The largest tree was just a few meters away from the house which from a very closer view seemed to have shrunken in size. The whole environment was ominous and smelt rotten. Vidon had to run for fear of his life.
The more he ran in the direction of the gate, the farther from it he got. He was not heading anywhere, neither was his view changing. He must have been running on a spot because he wasn't moving at all.
"Who are you and why are you here?" A voice called out to him.
"Please let me go home, I'm sorry for coming in when i shouldn't have. I was curious. Please I'm just a boy." Vidon pleaded with all the energy he had left and tears streaming down his face.
The more he pleaded, the more the eyes from the trees grew closer and tormented him. He was beyond scared, he was mortified and they kept the torment going.
"You're ours now, you belong to us!"
"No! I must go home" Vidon screamed in fury. The more he screamed, the more he was picked and thrown by the trees. They needed to break his will.
Vidon had no more fight left him. He was their puppet and they were his boss. Truly he was theirs.
For four months Vidon was missing and could not be found. The police had combed the Town endlessly and couldn't find him. His mother was shredded to nought.
One day, he just appeared out of nowhere on his mother's porch. His once depressed mother was glad to see him. The whole town gathered to hear the story of the missing boy.
He had narrated his ordeal, how he was made to tell stories and run errands for talking trees and all he went through. He had said that he was given only 2 months to come say goodbye to his mother. "They will come for me" he said in tears. They had thought he was mad, delusional from isolation and not believed him. He was admitted and subjected to several treatments they could afford. His mother was just relieved to have him back.
Two months after, she had woken up to an empty bed and yet again, a missing son. His room looked like it was struck by the devil. Finger scratches were seen on the wall and it was obvious that his son had been telling the truth. They had come for him. Her screams were heard almost all through town.
Pictures of the mysterious room were taken and the media was busy. Stories were put out on different newspapers about the mysterious situation surrounding vidon's disappearance.
His mother died 1year after. She was hospitalized throughout but it was no secret that the mysterious loss of her son was behind her early demise.
Families was scared and most relocated. No one really knew if the story was true or not and no one reallg wanted to find out.
