Welcome to Dry Lake Manor
Seven families gather in front of a black television screen.
In six of the families young adults sat not too far from their not so grieving parents, seeming confused, neutral, or outright bored with whatever they were gathered for. It is not like any of them really knew the old man, anyways.
A slim older gentleman with slicked-back gray hair hit the "Play" button on the VHS player.
"If you are watching this, then my dear wife Honora and I are dead. Well, to be more precise, if this is the tape you are watching, then Honora--God bless her--went ahead of me to a better place, and I've just now caught up with her." The frail, balding man on the sixteen-year-o
ld tape licked his lips and looked down as though skimming over a piece of paper before continuing. "I'm fully aware of what my estate is worth. And I'm also aware of what my children have done to enhance it. Which is to say: Diddly-squat. You have all spent your share of the inheritance long before I even wrote this copy of my will, and I do not intend to reward your greed and self-indulgence with any more of my hard-earned spoils, and that is that."
The room was filled with murmurs and the wails of one distraught daughter.
"However. I have divided up the majority of my current estate into eleven equal portions. In my written will, it states what I possess and who I intend to give it to. This will is signed, witnessed, and sealed and will not be read until precisely one year and a day after this video has been seen. If all goes well and as intended during that year, then my estate will be split as previously stated among my eleven grandchildren: Lilynette, Olivia, Melinda, Falona, Grayson, Justin, Craven, Raevan, Phil, Blythe, and Jerick. Now, at the moment, the oldest of my grandchildren is eighteen years old. If I happen to die before they are all of legal age, then this video will not be viewed until the youngest--Lilynette--turns eighteen." The man leaned forward and gave a stern look, as though perfectly capable of seeing his descendants through the camera despite the thirteen years that have passed since his demise. "Now listen, all of you, because this part is important. For one year and one day all eleven of my grandchildren must live in my house. They must reconnect with their roots and spend at least eight hours a day in the house my own grandfather built. That's eight hours a day, for 366 days. If any of them spend any less than 2,928 hours in that house, that grandchild's inheritance is forfeit and goes into my lawyer--Mr. Channing's--pocket alongside the money I have already set aside for him." A smirk stretched the ancient lips and the old man's eyes sparkled. "Now don't think it will be so easy. This old house is full of surprises. I've spent many a childhood year climbing up chimneys and down trapdoors to escape the monsters in my closet. In that year and day, I fully intend for all of you to explore the house and find the prizes and stories my ancestors and I have hidden for you. Or you can play it safe and stay in your rooms until the year and day is up. But what's the fun in that?"
Day One of Challenge
Date: May 6
Day of week: Friday
Time of day: Mid-morning
Weather: Intense rain storm with high winds. Umbrellas will be lost. Their resistance is futile.
Dry Lake Manor House
Town of Dry Lake
Laws of Dry Lake
Archives of Dry Lake
Ghosts of Dry Lake
Citizens of Dry Lake
DLM Contestants
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