The evening sky over Boo Woods was blanketed over with dark clouds, illuminated throughout with a bluish–green cast. They foretold of a thunderstorm, but no rain had fallen as of yet. Instead, the creepy hue seemed to hang over the forest only to make it appear haunted.

Indeed, the woods did look forsaken. Dead trees extended in every direction, thick trunks and crooked, leafless branches stabbing skyward. The cries of small forest creatures, almost like a distant lament, echoed throughout the woods. But even so, the night somehow seemed still - too still. It was as if a great wave had swept over the woods long ago and demolished everything.

However, tonight there seemed to be something in the air – and not just the chilly wind that was picking up. It was not the same, dead feel that was there on every night; it was almost charged with a mysterious gloom, as if something was astir, something strange was afoot. Like so many things in Boo Woods, it's approach was vague - but it was there. The very trees seemed to stand frozen in anticipation of it.

It was on this night, and only this night, that everything suddenly seemed so different - and so dangerous.

The trees whispered through their empty limbs of evils unseen; something had happened. Something was going to happen; and it had already begun.

Someone was walking in the forest.

Deep in the woods, disturbing the gloomy aura of fog that hung over them, a beam of light moved in the night. Following the small, seemingly little-used path that snaked through the miles of ancient foliage, a lone young man passed silently among the trees. He walked, as he had for a long time already, rather rigidly as he surveyed his shady surroundings, clutching the flashlight which he'd been wise to bring. He was an intruder; and the forest had been getting to him.

He didn't exactly look like much of an intruder. He was dressed in plain, honest clothing; denim overalls over a long-sleeved shirt, which was a dazzling lime-green against the dead ferns. It matched the color of the hat he wore: a flat cap with a unique design. A white patch above the visor sported the letter 'L' embroidered on it in green, as a single source of identification. For a reason less obvious, he also wore thick white gloves and brown work boots.

Apart from the nervous demeanor which clearly emanated from him, he would not have been considered at all unpleasant to look at. He was slightly round in the mid-section and somewhat on the short side; but he had an impressive handlebar mustache, which fluttered faintly in the cool wind that played against him. It was a darker shade than the auburn sideburns and wavy hair that stuck out behind his cap. Above the mustache rested a big, round nose that almost dwarfed his thin, fair face. Bright blue eyes, alive with youthful innocence, scanned the forest dubiously. He may have been an intruder; but however one looked at him, he was alone.

Overall, he should have appeared a harmless traveler, trembling a little as he shone his flashlight doubtfully at the dark trees above him. Travelers certainly seemed a scarce sight in Boo Woods, and for a good and obvious reason. But despite all appearances, this young man wasn't just a lost boy - he was, in fact, going to meet someone.

Hard as it may have been to believe, he hadn't known anything about it when he'd woken up that morning. For him, it had been just another beautiful day in his shortly distant hometown of the Mushroom Kingdom; and he'd started it by going about his morning activities the way he usually did. It had been life at its simplest: take care of the house, deal with work, greet neighbors. All just the same as always.

His mornings sometimes could even be so repetitive that he actually yearned to check the mail: a one chance for news or excitement from the outside world to reach him. Usually he was disappointed on receiving it, of course - since when did mail ever mean anything good? But it was precisely when he'd checked the mail that day that it had all started – with a single unsigned envelope.

Curious but completely unsuspecting, he had opened the letter addressed to him. That was the first thing that grabbed his attention: he almost never got letters. Not the real, friendly kind. So it was almost a first.

But when he'd first laid eyes on the contents inside, he had been rendered speechless. He didn't understand it; it all seemed like something out of a crazy dream, something he himself could have imagined. It was insane and it was wonderful, and that was all he knew. He had wasted no time in confirming what it had quite plainly claimed - You've won a huge mansion!

In the midst of the sheer surprise that had followed, he had pored over it all and discovered that he appeared to have won some sort of contest – and a big, fully-furnished Victorian mansion was the grand prize. Included with the mysterious letter was another piece of paper, a map, which was supposed to show the proposed house's location. After it all, it had seemed quite legitimate.

There was just one minor problem: he hadn't entered any contest.

This was much unexpected, to say the least. He didn't remember entering a contest; and never before had he heard anything about a free mansion. Had someone else, a friend, signed him up to win the mansion, perhaps?

If they had, or if something else like a mistake was at work, he hadn't wasted much time questioning it. In any case, it was addressed to him; the entire deal was his. It appeared that fortune had turned in his favor for once, so he would be crazy not to try to take advantage of it!

Greatly excited, he had called his brother shortly thereafter and left him a message: "Mario? It's me, Luigi. You're never gonna believe this, bro... I won myself a big mansion! I know, it's crazy, but just call me back or I'll explain when I see you. Anyway, I really want to check it out tonight, if that's okay with you? Meet me there and we'll celebrate - what do you say?" He had proceeded to tell him where the mansion was supposed to be located and gave him an approximate meeting time.

He had been too excited to do nearly anything for the rest of the afternoon - too wound up to eat, socialize, or even get his thoughts together. His current house, while certainly home, was rather small and modest - a mere shack compared to the estate the papers boasted. How could one not be excited?

He hadn't told a soul besides his brother, Mario - perhaps a small part of him wanted to confirm it was real before telling the entire town. But in his mind, it was all a wonderfully amazing miracle; and for several blissful hours, that was his happy new reality.

Unfortunately, it hadn't been turning out quite so simply. When the evening had finally arrived, Luigi had set out, trying to follow the map he'd been given; but the night was dark, and he had soon become lost in the eerie forest which he knew to be Boo Woods. He had quickly realized that the mansion was somehow all by its lonesome on the edge of the great forest; a slightly disadvantageous location. After wandering around for what felt like ages, he had finally managed to get back on track – at least, he thought so. He sure hoped so.

This was the business that drove Luigi - a usually timid, quiet man - out into the unforgiving night.

Shivering a little, Luigi now glanced up at the stirring sky. Maybe we should've done this earlier, he thought to himself. Being lost in the woods by himself at night was creepy enough, let alone while soaking in the rain. He was starting to wish that he and Mario had come together - met somewhere else.

He's probably already at the mansion, Luigi reasoned as he trudged along. After all, he was supposed to leave first. And he almost never gets lost. Luigi knew that his brother would be fine in the woods on his own, but... well, Luigi wasn't quite so confident in himself.

   It wasn't that anything had hindered him as of yet; he merely couldn't seem to follow a simple map. That, and the fact that he tended to let his imagination get the better of him in the dark. For ages already the gloomy branches and faint mist had been watching him, teasing him; just begging him to turn his back for an instant. Luigi wouldn't dare.

   He had long heard of Boo Woods, even been near and around it before. The place was almost endless, each spot looking identical to the last - yet the entire forest was said to be contained in only a few square miles. Luigi now was convinced that it was an impossibility.

At last he stopped, coming now to the edge of the trees. Having momentarily put aside the flashlight, he pulled out the map from his pocket and studied it, tracing the path it showed with a gloved finger: a snaking path that led over the river and through this part of Boo Woods, towards the north. According to the paper, the mansion should have been located in the clearing which was just up ahead. It looked so simple; why had he become so confused? Luigi tapped the spot on the map with a relieved grunt. At any rate, it appeared he had finally made it there.

   That was when something perhaps quite unusual happened.

Right at that moment, two striking bolts of lightning – one after the other – sounded in the sky ahead. Lowering his paper, Luigi snapped his gaze up to the sound –

   And there it was.

The sight Luigi saw before him, in that instant, was nothing short of terrifying. There was no other way to describe the impact which hit him in that moment, as if he had been struck by a powerful force that demanded his utmost attention. It was like a distant predator that nevertheless defied distance; it was a monster, wreathed in shadow and framed by the heaviest of clouds.

   There, just a few hundred yards away, sitting atop a small hill, stood a mansion – a dark, menacing building, surrounded by woods and illumined with lightning. The power it seemed to give off - yes, power - was of such an unfamiliar nature that Luigi could almost hear it in the wind around him. It was as if the entire forest had been subjected to its rule; this creature was surely in charge, and it had been waiting for him.

Momentarily immobile, at first Luigi just froze - and stared. Was that... was that really the right place? The impression the house gave at first glance was a lasting one; already, standing there, he knew it was a sight he would never forget. It was a powerful picture to be sure, and he felt justified in being almost, momentarily, frightened.

   But this mansion seemed to be the one he was looking for; the map didn't show any other houses in the area. This must be it, Luigi thought slowly. Well... it's about time.

Observing it more keenly from afar, Luigi had to admit he was certainly surprised by its appearance - surprised was a rather tame word. He had really been expecting something more... what had he been expecting?

   At that moment Luigi realized with a jolt that the letter hadn't included any actual pictures of the mansion. Figures, Luigi thought. Who would really be interested in a house that looks like that? All he'd had to go on was the cartoony image on the map, which admittedly gave a much better impression. It depicted the house as white, with a bright green roof and shutters; complete with a lovely rainbow behind it. It couldn't have been more off from that in reality. Still, aside from that, the actual design seemed to be accurate as far as he could tell. It's probably very nice on the inside, he tried to reassure himself.

   The mansion was still, lonely, and beckoning. It looked somehow natural even in the middle of the forest, as if it belonged there. The black sky above it almost appeared to swirl, thick with a gloomy atmosphere, as if there was a spell over it. Above all, it looked utterly mysterious. Still... despite all circumstances, it looked inhabited somehow, as if someone might be inside it even now.

   It's probably my imagination - or something. Trying to convince himself that it looked friendlier in the daytime, Luigi took a tiny breath and dubiously started forward into the clearing. This was why he was here. This was his mansion - this was his mansion!

   It probably just seems creepy from a distance, Luigi told himself, ignoring the instinctive feeling that told him to turn around and run as far away from it as possible. After all, it's all by itself in the woods.

The clearing was large, and he had a rather long walk before him up to the mansion's gates. As he grew closer, more of the mansion's profile began to become defined. It was made of brick, but it was difficult to say what color exactly it was. Right now, it looked like an ugly gray-green that almost melded with the shadowy forest around it. Green was Luigi's favorite color, but this wasn't exactly the shade he had in mind. The corners of the mansion were made up of great stone pillars which seemed to support the overhanging roof. The roof was almost black, with a pointed chimney rising in the center to top it off, like a spire. A smaller chimney rose on either side.

It was all very symmetrical. It appeared to have three stories, distinguished on the outside by elaborate rows of stone carvings across the façade. Three large, equally fancy gabled windows adorned the highest story, and eight windows arranged in rows of four were laid out on either side of the door. Two more windows above the door completed the look – and nearly startled Luigi out of his skin.

If there was one thing he had absolutely not been expecting, it was for lights to be on in the mansion. But there it was: he was utterly mystified to find that the two windows over the door - and eerily enough, only those two - were glowing yellow, lit from within. Along with the door, which was the 'mouth', it gave the creepy sensation of the mansion having a face.

   Who... what could that be!? Luigi wondered for just a brief moment of panic - until he remembered Mario. Of course: Mario must have been there already.

   Nothing unusual at all.

The path Luigi had followed led through the grass right up to the mansion's fancy wrought-iron gates, set in a stone fence that enclosed the base of the hill. He walked slowly ahead, taking note, as he passed, of the wooden horse cart that lay in the grass off to one side. It appeared to have crashed there a long time ago, with one broken wheel still partially attached. Horses and buggies had been used there... I wonder how old this mansion is, he thought, realizing that it certainly wasn't new. And who used to live here?

As Luigi drew closer, he began to feel increasingly nervous. He couldn't exactly explain it; it was just so captivating. He was even too absorbed by the entirety of his new house that he didn't notice the small wooden shack, built against a scraggly tree outside the gate, which poured yellow light from one small window.

The first thing he did notice was the pillars on either side of the entrance: at the top of each stone carving was a small brazier for lighting a fire. In each one, a blue flame burned – as if someone had been here and known he was coming. He shuddered just a little and turned to the fence. The top was lined with sharp metal spikes, as if to warn intruders.

The gates weren't locked, so Luigi just pushed one open and stepped inside. This reminds me of a prison yard, he thought, shining his flashlight around. No, wait – a cemetery!

The next terrifying revelation was in the front yard: on either side of the steep stairs that led to the front door, he was utterly horrified to find gravestones scattered about the hill – eight in all. A few of the same dead trees also stood about, as if guarding them.

Luigi felt a chill run down his spine as he surveyed the graves, wondering why there were so many... None of them were marked, as if they had just been dumped there in a hurry. Horrified yet saddened, Luigi wondered what he was supposed to do with graves in his yard. Why would someone do that? Who are they? The owners? Trying to calm his racing heart, he looked for something else to distract him. No need to think about that now.

Overhead, perched on one of the branches of the trees, a pair of crows sat, seemingly watching him. One let out a soft caw and ruffled up its feathers, as if waiting for something to happen. Their presence didn't exactly make Luigi feel better; he knew that a group of crows was called a murder. He had always felt intimidated by the dark birds.

The mansion seemed to tower over him as he slowly ascended the steps up to the front porch. It seemed even more enormous when he was standing at its foot, but the tiny porch almost felt ridiculous in comparison. It was small but still nice... if one would call it that. More elaborate stone pillars supported the small overhang which covered the porch. It was like entering the mouth of a monster.

Luigi paused at the top to catch his breath. He wasn't sure if he was afraid or relieved to have arrived. Part of him wanted to get inside and out of the night, and the other couldn't believe he'd actually made it all the way onto the front porch. He was trying to summon up the courage to open the door when he remembered – what about Mario? In all the excitement since he'd entered the gate he'd all but forgotten his brother.

Luigi stopped and looked back the way he had come, over the forest. Why hadn't he met him here? Was Mario still out there, on his way? Or was he already here, and inside now? That would easily explain the fires and the lights on. He probably went inside, Luigi figured. Yes, that's it. Of course. He didn't blame his brother for going on in. Luigi would have liked to have been there with Mario when they looked at it for the first time, but if the house looked like that... he kind of preferred that Mario check it out first.

Well, I guess I might as well go in, then, he thought, still feeling kind of nervous. He couldn't exactly give an answer as to why.

   The double doors didn't make it any easier. They were of nice design, to be sure: old wood fashioned with metal plating around the doorknobs and an interesting layer of orange stained glass along the top. But right on the crack between the two doors was a small ornamentation: a scowling, white human skull. Thankfully it was too small to be real, and that was the only reason Luigi didn't scream. Why on earth would that be there? Are you kidding...?

Holding his breath, he slowly creaked open one of the doors - which were open - and immediately shone his flashlight in ahead of him like some kind of weapon. Trembling slightly like one in shock, he peeked his head around the door and looked cautiously into the darkness.

   "H-Hello?"