The old mansion shook like it was having a terrible nightmare.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

The paintings on the walls moved.

The floor creaked.

And somewhere above them…

Something laughed.

Not the silly laugh of Sir Giggles.

Not the annoying laugh that made people angry.

This laugh was deep.

Cold.

Terrifying.

HAHAHAHAHAHA…

Benny Brown grabbed Max Miller’s jacket.

“Tell me that was your stomach.”

Max looked offended.

“My stomach does not sound like a demon.”

Benny nodded.

“Good. Because I was about to apologize to your stomach.”

Luna ignored them.

Her eyes were fixed on Sir Giggles.

The ghost who had scared the entire town looked nervous.

Very nervous.

“You said you were the only ghost here,” Luna said.

Sir Giggles floated backward.

“I said I never hurt anyone.”

“That is not an answer.”

“I know.”

“Then answer.”

The ghost sighed.

“Fine. I am not the only supernatural creature in this mansion.”

Max raised an eyebrow.

“How many things are inside?”

Sir Giggles counted on his fingers.

“One monster.”

“Okay.”

“Three angry spirits.”

“Okay.”

“A talking mirror.”

“Okay.”

“A cursed wardrobe.”

“Okay.”

“A chicken that may or may not be possessed.”

Everyone became silent.

Max slowly turned.

“A possessed chicken?”

Sir Giggles nodded.

“It is the most dangerous thing here.”

Benny looked confused.

“A chicken?”

“Yes.”

“More dangerous than a monster?”

“Absolutely.”

“Why?”

Sir Giggles whispered:

“It knows karate.”

Benny stared.

“I have many questions.”

Max raised his hand.

“First question: Why does this mansion have a karate chicken?”

Sir Giggles looked away.

“Long story.”

Luna crossed her arms.

“We have time.”

The ghost sighed.

“Fifty years ago, this mansion belonged to a scientist named Dr. Victor Crow.”

Max immediately became interested.

“Scientist?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of scientist?”

Sir Giggles became serious.

“A scientist who wanted to create the perfect creature.”

The candles flickered.

“He believed humans were weak because they had emotions.”

Luna frowned.

“So he wanted to remove emotions?”

“No.”

Sir Giggles looked toward the dark stairs.

“He wanted to create a creature with the strength of a monster and the intelligence of a human.”

Max whispered:

“That sounds like a bad idea.”

Benny nodded.

“Most terrible things begin with someone saying, ‘I have a great idea.'”

Sir Giggles continued.

“Dr. Crow created something.”

“What was it?” Luna asked.

The ghost looked frightened.

“The Laughing Beast.”

A cold wind moved through the room.

Max looked around.

“The name is not very creative.”

Benny nodded.

“They could have called it something cooler.”

“Like?”

“Sir Danger.”

Everyone stared.

“That is worse.”

Benny looked disappointed.

“Fine.”

---

Suddenly, a loud noise came from the kitchen.

CRASH!

Everyone jumped.

Max grabbed the nearest object for protection.

It was a spoon.

Luna looked at him.

“You are going to fight a monster with a spoon?”

Max looked at the spoon.

“I just realized this plan needs improvement.”

They slowly walked toward the kitchen.

The door opened.

Inside was complete chaos.

Plates were flying.

Cabinets were shaking.

Something moved behind the table.

Benny whispered:

“What if it attacks?”

Max whispered back:

“Then we run.”

“That is your strategy?”

“Yes.”

“You are a detective.”

“Exactly.”

“Shouldn’t you investigate?”

“I investigated. It looks dangerous.”

Suddenly…

A small chicken jumped onto the table.

Everyone screamed.

The chicken stared at them.

It wore tiny black sunglasses.

Benny pointed.

“That chicken has style.”

The chicken clucked.

Then it kicked a plate across the room.

BANG!

Max looked amazed.

“Okay.”

He nodded.

“I apologize.”

“For what?”

“I underestimated the chicken.”

The chicken walked toward Benny.

Benny stepped backward.

“Why is it looking at me?”

Sir Giggles sighed.

“The chicken chooses a victim.”

Benny froze.

“Victim?”

The chicken jumped.

Benny screamed.

But instead of attacking…

The chicken landed on his shoulder.

Everyone stared.

The chicken made a happy sound.

“What does this mean?” Luna asked.

Sir Giggles smiled.

“It likes you.”

Benny looked terrified.

“Why?”

“Because you smell like food.”

Benny looked offended.

“I am not food.”

The chicken tilted its head.

Benny whispered:

“Am I?”

---

They continued deeper into the mansion.

The hallways became darker.

The walls were covered with strange drawings.

Luna stopped.

“Look.”

Everyone looked at the wall.

There were drawings of Dr. Crow’s experiments.

Machines.

Creatures.

And one picture showed a huge shadow with glowing eyes.

Below it were words:

THE CREATURE THAT LAUGHS FOREVER.

Max looked at Sir Giggles.

“Is that the Laughing Beast?”

The ghost nodded.

“But something went wrong.”

“What?”

“The creature escaped.”

“When?”

“Fifty years ago.”

Max frowned.

“Then why is it still here?”

Sir Giggles looked at him.

“Because it never left.”

Everyone became quiet.

Benny whispered:

“That is not a sentence I wanted to hear.”

---

They reached a giant door.

It had strange symbols carved into it.

Luna touched the door.

Immediately, the symbols glowed.

A voice came from behind.

“Who dares enter my room?”

Max looked at everyone.

“Please tell me it is another friendly ghost.”

The door opened slowly.

Inside was a laboratory.

Old machines covered the room.

Broken bottles.

Ancient papers.

And in the center…

A huge creature stood.

It was tall.

Its body was covered in dark fur.

Its eyes glowed yellow.

But the strangest thing…

It was smiling.

The creature looked at them.

“You came.”

Max swallowed.

“You were expecting us?”

The creature laughed.

“Of course.”

Benny whispered:

“Why do monsters always sound confident?”

Luna stepped forward.

“Who are you?”

The creature smiled.

“I am the reason this mansion is feared.”

Sir Giggles moved in front of everyone.

“Stay away from them.”

The creature laughed.

“Still protecting humans?”

Sir Giggles looked angry.

“They are innocent.”

The creature smiled.

“Innocent?”

It looked at Max.

“This one steals snacks from his own office.”

Max looked shocked.

“How do you know that?”

The creature looked at Benny.

“This one once ran away from a butterfly.”

Benny became embarrassed.

“It was a dangerous butterfly.”

The creature looked at Luna.

“And this one searches for ghosts because she wants fame.”

Luna became silent.

Max noticed.

“Wait.”

He looked at the creature.

“How do you know everything about us?”

The creature smiled.

“Because I have been watching you.”

The lights went out.

A second later, they turned back on.

The creature was gone.

Only a message remained on the wall.

Written in red:

THE REAL MONSTER IS NOT ME.

Everyone stared.

Below the message another line appeared.

LOOK UNDER THE HOUSE.

Benny slowly looked at the floor.

“Under the house?”

Sir Giggles nodded.

“The basement.”

Max looked worried.

“Why does every haunted place have a basement?”

Luna picked up a flashlight.

“Because mysteries are always hidden underground.”

Benny sighed.

“And because horror characters never learn.”

They found the basement entrance.

The stairs went down into darkness.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Suddenly…

A scream echoed.

Everyone froze.

It was not from outside.

Not from another room.

It came from beneath them.

Max whispered:

“Someone is down there.”

Sir Giggles looked terrified.

“No.”

Luna looked at him.

“What?”

The ghost pointed down.

“Something is down there.”

The basement door opened by itself.

Cold air rushed upward.

And from the darkness…

A voice whispered:

“Welcome back, Sir Giggles.”

The ghost froze.

His face changed.

“No…”

Max looked at him.

“You know that voice?”

Sir Giggles slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

“Who is it?”

The ghost whispered:

“My creator.”

Everyone stared.

“Dr. Victor Crow.”

The basement lights turned on.

And at the bottom of the stairs…

A man stood waiting.

Old.

Smiling.

Holding a strange machine.

He looked at Max and the others.

“I have been waiting fifty years…”

He smiled.

“…for someone to bring my ghost back home.”