The Lady of Rust

- The story of a town you should not visit -

As far as myths and legends go, it is undeniable that people are attracted to fear. The sensation of adrenaline coursing through the veins, provoked by the thought of miserable failure. More often than naught, it is the image of grazing the hands of the reaper, the most frightening occurrence of the mind.

Every city and town keep their own secrets, stories only wished to be buried yet kept alive by the thrill sought. Relived in movies, books, and stories, the ghosts of old become monsters in the hearts and minds of the young and frail. Every place has a share of dark tales, of which most have been either long forgotten or disfigured from their pure forms. Maybe this is the same reason as what brings you here, dear reader. You have come to read the story of one of the many that have sought the Lady of Rust.

Here in the small town of Winterbrook, you can find a high value of history throughout the ages. Ever since its establishment, people here were quite fond of entertainment, no matter the source, as long as it was healthy fun. It is a well-known fact that people are naturally curious, therefore the need to scratch the urge of exploration is oft not neglected.

One day, an old theater was found deep within the woods, surrounded by a stone fence, topped by black iron rods. Nature found its way over the walls, sealing the building in a trap of vines and branches. Wildlife, however, had wholly abandoned the place, leaving an eerie aura that could chill a man to the bone upon arrival. Do not heed my words to the literal definition, but do be aware that the urge to flee will invade your mind. Negative feelings will kick and push you away from the theater. Listen to your instincts.

If you are still insistent on visiting the Winterbrook theater, then I cannot stop you. All I can do for you now is hope you return, or to spread the word about your experience.

If such a place exists, then why would people want to go there? You may ask yourself. Well, as the legend goes, the Lady of Rust is a statue made of iron that had decayed over time. Said statue is deemed as possessed by a dark entity that seeks to be released. Legend has it that this entity can grant you anything that your heart desires, but you must play a game with it. Do not be a fool. Chances are that you will lose.

In all my years, I have only seen two people come out of those gilded doors with their lives. However, their eyes alone told the stories of the horrors they had witnessed as tears flooded their eyes in a collision of shock and joy. I cannot speak for these two people any longer, for I do not know what became of them.

As times change with every passing day, and more people seek the infamous lady for what she can offer. The truth is often faded when it is passed from one ear to another, so I have decided to start recording these happenings here. This way, if anyone dares to venture into that accursed theater to come face to face with the dame of horrors, you cannot say that you were not warned. I wish that I could tell you precisely what you will see, but the experience differs from one person to the next. Instead, I will tell you this...

DO NOT GO.

I am the Groundskeeper, and without further ado, I shall now proceed to tell you about the latest person to go into that accursed place: Anna Rose.

November 9th, 1992

A young woman named Anna Rose had sent me an email a few weeks back, requesting more information about the wretched Winterbrook Theater. I sent adjacent every aspect of the legend, and every rule she needed to heed to survive the night. She was coming along with a group of friends who wanted to explore and possibly debunk the myths of the haunted place.

Dear Ms. Rose

I hope this email finds you well and that as well, you may stay. I can see that you seem enthusiastic about visiting Winterbrook with your friends. As much as we are looking forward to your stay, I hope that I can dissuade you with this message from going into that theater. There is a likelihood that you will not make it out with your life as your own.

Pursuing what you believe is a fantasy, with the chance of it granting you what your heart desires puts at risk everything that you love.

If my words aren't heeded as intended, then at least allow me to help you keep your life, that you may survive.

Please visit the old Oakslodge tavern in the center of town, which is where you will find me on any ordinary day, for I work there. I will give you a kit that will help both of us. As you see, I, too, am interested in knowing more about the truth of the Lady of Rust. What I propose is that in exchange for a survival kit, you will record the sounds you hear with the tape recorder I will lend you. Adjacent to this email will be a list of rules that you can print to take with you.

Please consider not going at all into that theater. It is in your best interest.

We at Oakslodge are looking forward to your visit.

- Malcolm Quint, The Groundskeeper.

I have taken the precaution to record the "Scarlet Nights," as we the locals call them. It is the time when the skies adopt a red hue in meaning that no one is to approach the theater grounds, for someone is playing a game with the Lady. I have purchased several hand recorders with enough tapes to last several ventures, which usually lasts about nine hours. Last night, one of those occurences exclusive to Winterbrook happened. A brave visitor, perhaps, but none that I was aware of.

I will never get used to the idea of people's lives ending for the sake of a game with an old iron statue, but I am no longer afraid of going inside because I know what I must not do.

Adjacent to the emails I am sending are the rules that I follow, whenever I go to explore:

- Never go inside if you haven't relieved yourself of basic necessities first.

- Always be stocked on supplies for one night, you may not know what will happen and if a game is triggered.

- You will need a flashlight and at least three small, plastic pouches filled with blood.

- You will need a blacklight. This will help you see who or what may lurk in the darkness. Most importantly, it will tell you when something is about to happen.

- Do not forget to bring rope and a flourescent marker. If you do, it is imperative that you do not forget about every turn your take, for if a retreat is necessary, you will need to know where to run.

- The theater doors will be shut by 18:00h. It is important that you do not get locked inside.

- Avoid looking it the mirrors. If you do, keep your eyes on yourself and only your own reflection, no matter what else you may think you see. Act as if everything were normal, and smile. That last part is very important.

- And the last of the most basic rules is: Do not look at the Lady in the face. If she talks to you, just run. Do not turn back.

Last night, Ms. Anna Rose arrived at the Oakslodge, to which she was greeted with a warm welcome. She looked much younger than I had imagined. Imagine dark-brown hair brushing her shoulders, freckles arching across her face from one cheek to the other. Amber eyes that shone like the yellow jewels that they were. Taller than the average woman in town, and a thin skin that showed the muscles of a clearly a seasoned traveler. Yet my concern for her life remained untouched by the calm of the moment.

I decided to lock myself inside my room, just above the tavern. As you can see, I don't like to get attatched to people that I know want to face the Lady of Rust. To meet someone you just might never see again. Life is unfair like that. Quite a shame too, because she and I were having such a wonderful conversation. She is funny and kind, and the more I knew about her, the lesser I wanted to let her go into that place. Best not to think about it now.