After spending part of yesterday investigating the disappearance of the Hermit IGEBM befriended two days ago, the gang have decided to spend a few days relaxing and focusing on things non-ghost related. Storm, however, has gotten curious about the spooky parts of Shiver Mansion.

Storm walks out of his room and hears IGE playing "Let the Storm Descend Upon You" on his saxophone in his room. He knocks on the door. "Hey IGE, wanna go into the basement and find out where those screams we heard last week are coming from?" he asks. IGE stops practicing and opens the door. "What part of that sounds appealing to me?" he asks. "Uh, I don't know." Storm says with a laugh. "Truth be told, I just don't wanna go alone." "Fine." IGE sighs. "I'll meet you downstairs. Gimme a few seconds though." Storm nods and goes downstairs, while IGE takes off his saxophone and puts it on his bed. He grabs a pair of flashlights leaves his room and goes downstairs to join his friend.

"Here, take this." he says, handing Storm a flashlight. "Ready to go?" "Yep." Storm says, testing the flashlight to make sure it works. "By the way, they have a second setting that turns on when you click it a second time." IGE says. "It's a sideways light." He clicks the button on his flashlight twice, and a light on the side comes on. He clicks the button again to turn it off. They go downstairs, the old wooden steps creaking below them as they descend into the darkness of the basement.

They look around and hear a quiet scream as they explore. Storm follows the screams and shines his light on the wall next to the dryer. "Wait..." he says, noticing a faint square outline on the dusty gray stone. He dusts off the wall and discovers a door. "IGE, look at this." IGE walks over. "Where's the knob?" he asks, noticing a hole where the doorknob should be attached. He shines his flashlight behind the dryer and washing machine and sees it lodged between the dryer and the wall. "Clearly whoever hid this didn't do a good job of it." the writer says, grabbing the doorknob and screwing it into the hole. He turns it and opens the door.

IGE and Storm walk into the room and discover something horrific: a torture chamber. In the room, they see a rack, iron maiden, breaking wheel, and a table with several tools, including various knives and thumbscrews. Hanging from the ceiling are several ropes, presumably meant for hanging. There is dried blood on the medieval machines, and Storm spots a rotted severed finger under the table. On the wall is a rack with various axes, but one is missing. "Welcome to my humble abode..." a voice says. "Who said that?" Storm asks, trying to keep his cool and hide his fear. He feels a presence behind them and turns to see the spirit of an executioner floating before him, holding the missing axe.

Storm screams as loud as possible, and IGE spins around upon hearing it. He tries to hide his fear, and speaks to the ghost. "Who are you?" he asks. "You may call me... the Axecutioner." the spirit says. "I was once an employee of Mr. Shiver, until he, ah, fired me, with quite a literal severance package." Holding the axe with one hand, he lifts his head up off of his body. "I used to torture people for him." the Axecutioner continues. "In fact, I still do. Boris, show yourself!" A slender, twitchy male ghost materializes on the rack. He has numerous scars on his arms, and there is blood on a cut on his chest. His arms and legs are tied to the rack, stretched to the maximum.

"DON'T KILL ME!" he shouts. "PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU!" The Axecutioner doesn't respond and turns to his guests. "You think I should finally finish him off after 4 years?" he asks. Before IGE and Storm can say anything, he walks towards the rack. "It's been fun, Boris, but I think your time is up." He continues stretching Boris' limbs until he is screaming in pain, and then, without remorse, he beheads the poor soul. His spirit explodes into green ectoplasm, which splatters all over the visitors. "Did he just... kill a ghost?" Storm whispers to IGE. "I think this our cue to leave." IGE responds. "Just back away slowly..." They begin to back towards the door. "NO!" the Axecutioner shouts. "I will kill you both!" "Run!" IGE shouts. He spins around and rushes out of the door, followed by Storm. The Axecutioner leaps into the air and flies towards them, but Storm slams the door shut behind him, trapping the ghost in the torture chamber. "I thought ghosts could go through walls?" IGE asks. Storm shrugs. "Maybe there's something special about that room's walls." he says. "Si's not going to believe this."

TOMORROW - "THE CEMETERY!"

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Cast (in order of appearance)
Stormy as Storm
IGEBM as IGEBM
The Axecutioner
Boris

Mentioned (in order of mentioning)
Mr. Shiver

Writing began 9-26-2023 at 5:50 PM EDT
Writing completed 9-27-2023 at 7:02 AM EDT
Published 10-10-2023 at 5:00 PM EDT
Written by IGEBM
Cover art by IGEBM

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Unnecessary-but-Interesting-to-Know Information

While writing this (during both sessions), I was listening to "Let the Storm Descend Upon You" (by Avantasia), hence the mention of it in the beginning of the story.

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About the Torture Chamber Scenes

If you all think it's too gory or anything (I put a trigger warning in the title and on the cover just in case), I'll change the text a bit. I don't wanna make anyone uncomfortable. (I have a feeling it's not too bad and I'm just overreacting, but better safe than sorry.)

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People I'm Tagging So They Can See This
Zibonzi, ShadowZibonzi, Firestar2477278, DarkIce8727742, Aspirin60, GhostlyBit_57, Silabear, Rob333, DarkRob333, TheMcPig, violiie, CesarCarter, Sp3nc3r_, Rakkitatoru, LeLovesJazz, CrownDeluxe, AxolotlArmy, BigFatPotat, ShadowOnTheLoose, WhisperOfTheWild, The Last Kirbalorian, Purpl3_, Elightin_elytra, GoldenScientist, Guts N Pixels, ghostoftheglade, EccentricEremite, LegendarySi