THE
HAUNTED MANSION "Part 6"
We now find our friends in yet another predicament they are about to
confront...their own worst fears!
SPLINTER
My sons, Ninjara and the Masters entered the door and found themselves
inside a storage room cluttered from floor to ceiling with rare antiques of
various stages of long neglect. Chests & trunks, clothing, toys,
rugs, lamps, mirrors, tables, chairs, blah-blah-blah...this was the unfinished
attic with exposed rafters and heavy beams, yet spider webs and dust covered
everything within this room.
CASEY JONES
At the same time, a loud thumping sound attracted everyone's attention for
it seemed to be coming from all directions at once, getting louder.
HAKIM
ALSTON
I wonder what is causing that racket, man? Hurts my ears.
ERIC BETTS
Me too, brother.
LEONARDO
Sounds like a beating heart, but very loud.
DONATELLO
I wonder where it's coming from? <Curious>
HERB PEREZ
I believe we shall discover the answer soon enough.
APRIL
O'NEIL
Making their way carefully among the nick-nacks and bric-a-brats scattered
throughout the attic the friends explore their surroundings, trying to pinpoint
the location of the thumping-beating noises. Suddenly...they come face to
face with a ghost dressed as a bride! She resembled a beautiful woman
wearing a bridal gown of either late 19th Century or early 20th Century attire
and strangely illuminated as her heart glowed red with each beat through her
dress.
SPLINTER
Yegads! Her face was twisted into a sad smile, eyes staring straight
ahead and yet, seemed empty almost in a daydreaming state. Her veil
billows out behind her as though held by unseen hands to allow her to walk an
imaginary aisle to an imaginary alter to marry her dream prince waiting for
her. In one hand was held a candle, in the other hand a bouquet of
flowers.
NINJARA
Good grief, she's so frightening to look at!
RAPHAEL
You got that right, Ninjara.
HOSUNG PAK
Why is she staring like that?
HOYUNG PAK
Perhaps she is daydreaming of meeting her true love one day so they will be
married and live happily ever after.
CHRIS
CASAMASSA
Reminds me of Princess Diana and Prince Charles when they wed in 1981 only to
divorce in the 90s.
MICHAELANGELO
And that led to her accidental death in Paris on August of 1997 when she and
her new boyfriend were killed during an attempt to escape the press when their
driver crashed the Mercedes Benz into an underground tunnel.
LEONARDO
Uh, I think there's more to come...
EVERYBODY
HUH???
DONATELLO
Check that out! <Points>
CASEY JONES
Against the far wall stands a broken-down piano with candelabrums atop this
musical instrument; the flickering candleholder reveals a shadow-figure of an
unknown person dressed in top hat and cape-cloak playing a somber version of
the Wedding March. Simultaneously several bats (Probably fruit bats)
swoop & dive among the junk piles in the attic near broken dormer windows,
screeching & squeaking. As the gang turned to run back out the door
another ghostly manifestation appeared and blocked their way.
APRIL
O'NEIL
He was a cloaked figure with an evil grinning face, a hatbox hung from one
hand. With each beat of his bride's heart, his head disappeared from his
body and appeared in the hatbox!
NINJARA
<Totally lost it>
We're trapped! There's no way out.
MICHAELANGELO
We're doomed! <Again he mimics Threepio in Star Wars>
MIKE
BERNARDO
Hold the candles, I'll try to open this window.
SPLINTER
The former Dragon Star champion walks to one of the dormer windows and
after several attempts managed to force open the stuck sill to raise it high
enough to lean outside and check his surroundings. By now the storm had ended
or passed leaving behind a clear night sky with twinkling stars and full
moon. He called back to the others who are acting scared.
MIKE
BERNARDO
Come on, we're in luck. There's a balcony out here.
DONATELLO
You found the way out?
MIKE BERNARDO
I believe so, there's a balcony or catwalk outside this window.
LEONARDO
All right! Finally we can escape this cursed house.
RAPHAEL
Yes!
JAMIE
WEBSTER
Then let's get out of Dodge City, pardners.
JOHNNY LEE
SMITH
After you, kemosabi.
CASEY JONES
Carefully the friends climb through the dormer window and onto the balcony
catwalk until they all stand and stare in surprise. The gang noticed they
were atop the mansion's roof with a bird's-eye view of the surrounding property
and the fence. Beyond was the family cemetary spread out before them like
a 3D maze.
HAKIM
ALSTON
Watch your step, the rain made everything slippery.
NINJARA
The candles went out again.
HAKIM
ALSTON
Just leave them we're outside now. Everything's going to be okay.
RICHARD
BRANDEN
Here's some steps down at the far end.
APRIL
O'NEIL
Ying Yang Man spotted a fire escape going down to the ground far
below. Unfortunately the others don't like where it leads to...
MICHAELANGELO
But they lead to the graveyard!
RAPHAEL
Do we have to go through there?
NINJARA
We can't go back inside there, <Nods head, jerks thumb over shoulder> or
we'll get lost again searching for another EXIT.
MIKE &
RALPH
NO WAY, UH-UH, COUNT US OUT!
LEONARDO
C'mon, it's the only way home.
RICHARD
BRANDEN
Besides, I'm sure we can locate the back gate in the fence in no time.
ERIC BETTS
So, let's get going, man.
HEIN NGUYEN
I'm all to that.
DONATELLO
Count me in, too.
ALL THE
OTHERS
DON'T WORRY, SENSEI SPLINTER, APRIL, CASEY. WE'RE COMING HOME!
SPLINTER
I knew they would find their way home safely, soon enough. Anyway
they began their descent down the fire escape to the ground level, passed
through the open front gate of the cemetary and began their walk through the
private burial grounds, trying to find their way out of this living
nightmare. They passed the mansion's old caretaker holding a railroad lantern,
too frightened to speak or move, his pet dog was cowering-whimpering at his
feet.
TO BE CONTINUED...