This story is influenced in part by H.P. Lovecraft's fantastic short story
The Rats in the Walls (
http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/rw.aspx), though the plot is rather different. I have this one well worked out, and as such it is not as open-ended as my other ideas.
Setting: An old, Victorian-era mansion in a modern time.
Characters: A young couple—Annabelle (24,
pic) & Edward (25,
pic)—and the owner of the mansion, Mr. Vincent Delapore (~35,
pic).
Looking for: Someone to play the female.
Over recent years, no place has aroused such fear and fascination in hearts of superstitious believers as Exham Priory. Once the home of a well-to-do family, the estate has fallen into negligence under the ownership of the reclusive descendent of the de la Poers, Mr. Vincent Delapore (who rather famously—amongst the locals, at least—adopted an Anglicised spelling of the old French name). Perhaps due in part to the failing state of the once grand mansion, curious stories have accumulated over the past ten years or so regarding Exham Priory. They speak of supernatural goings-on within its walls, and on occasion draw allusions to numerous missing cases in the area. There are those who will link any sad story in the press to an unnamed evil residing in Exham, but yet there also those who pish-posh it all as groundless superstition.
Whether truth or lies lie behind the rumours, Edward and Annabelle—both writers—decide that a stay at Exham Priory would be beneficial to the horror story which Annabelle is penning, and its location is more than manageable for Edward to pursue his own ends; he is writing a book on haunted houses and other locations about the country, and aside from residing in Exham for a time, he shall also be free to travel from the mansion to other sites near and far to research tales and rumours of mysterious occurrences and would-be hauntings.
During their stay in Exham, they shall be hosted by the reclusive Mr. Delapore, whose shrouded reputation is a far cry from that of his illustrious ancestors: barons, baronesses, explorers, businessmen, artists, and highly respected social figures one and all. What Edward and Annabelle find within the walls of his once great estate will chill them to the very core, and they will be lucky to escape with their lives.As I have said above, this story is less open-ended than my other ideas, but the ending itself is certainly not set in stone. I myself do not know whether Annabelle and Edward will come out of this with their lives, though I would like for at least one of them to live through it all. Whether that is the case or not is up to us, and—in part—to the story we write. I will do what I can to make this a chilling account of a trip gone wrong, and there are numerous things which I will leave undecided for now, but which we may discuss. For example:
I am aware that Vincent Price (whom Vincent Delapore is of course styled after) is fucking awesome. Should you decide that you would like your character to sleep with him on one of Edward's trips away, that can certainly be arranged. For the most part, he will be a mysterious character—possessed of strengths and flaws, warmth and cold, but very definitely human in personality.
The details of Edward and Annabelle's relationship are also up for discussion: whether they call each other by their full names; what their sex life consists of; whether either or both of them truly believe in the supernatural or whether they are sceptics.
You are also free to suggest anything which may contribute to the horror aspect of the story. I thought that one device we could utilise is for Annabelle to suffer from nightmares or some form of parasomnia while residing at Exham Priory. Perhaps she sleepwalks; perhaps she could initiate sex with Edward while asleep, only for it to turn ghastly at the end (perhaps giving the impression that she is somehow possessed, or speaking in tongues, etc.).