What Happened to John Robert the 3rd?

If you missed Part 1, here is the link, Behind the Gate 

Angela Rose was sitting at home on her bed, leaning up against her oversized cherry red pillow. Her favorite music was playing on the radio, but she wasn’t listening. She couldn’t stop wondering what had happened to John Robert the 3rd. No one seemed to know. There were plenty of rumors going around, but Angela didn’t listen to them. They were mostly crazy. There was one though that did pique her interest. 

Some say that he went through the gate to see what was behind it and never came out again. The raven was still perched on the gate every morning when Angela passed by. One time she stopped and stared at the raven. It stared back at her, and she wished that it would reveal the mystery. Did it know? Had John really entered through the gate? 

He had bragged to her often about going, told her how he thought everyone else was chicken. She didn’t pay him much attention, for he was always babbling away at her. He just wouldn’t be quiet! The guy was persistent too, always asking for a date. He annoyed her so much, but yet surprisingly she found herself missing him now. 

Jumping off the bed, she turned off the radio. She knew what she had to do. It was time for her to have a little adventure.  Angela Rose wasn’t usually spontaneous, but she would lose her courage if she spent too much time thinking about what she had decided to do. 

She hurried downstairs and out the door before anyone could stop her. Running down the street, she made it to the iron gate. She was panting a little when she got there. For a moment she stood at the gate to catch her breath and to gather up her nerve. 

She took her hand and opened the gate, the bird was quietly watching her. With her heart racing she walked through the gate,  and kept walking towards the mansion. It was very quiet and there was no sound of the raven behind her. She dared to look back and she was surprised to see him still perched on the gate. Maybe John was right, perhaps there was no reason to be afraid of a black raven. She never should have read all those spooky stories at bedtime. 

At last she came to the front door of the mansion, dare she open it? Should she knock first? Timidly she knocked and waited, but no one came to the door. She rang the bell and waited, still no one came. Everything was overgrown around the mansion. Angela Rose was thinking that the place really had been abandoned. So if no one was here, then where was John Robert? 

Twisting the doorknob she realized it was unlocked and her heart started to pound a little as she turned the knob and walked in.  She heard the flapping of wings and shrieked as 3 ravens came flying down the grand staircase towards her. 

2 landed on her shoulders with their talons digging into her shoulders. She winced from the pain. The other one perched on her head, pulling at her hair. 

Angela Rose froze as she saw someone coming down the steps with another black raven perched on his shoulder. 

“Well look who is here, what a surprise, Angela Rose!”

“Wh-what are  you doing here John Robert? Everyone is wondering what happened to  you!” 

John continued slowly coming down the stairs as he spoke. He had a slight menacing look on his face and Angela Rose felt some fear. 

“So what brought you here?” John Robert asked. 

Angela Rose was still wincing with pain as the ravens hadn’t released their grip, but John Robert didn’t seem to notice. 

“I…I… was looking for you.” 

“Looking for me? What you didn’t have to paint your nails or go visit your sick grandmother?” John Robert said snidely. as his eyes gave her a dark, piercing look and he slowly walked towards her. 

Angela Rose was really afraid now, as she turned to leave and the raven pulled on her hair, making her yell out! 

“Leaving so soon?” said John Robert as he placed himself in front of the door, blocking her exit. 

What happened next, no one is quite sure. All people had to go by was the story that Angela Rose had told. She had been found in the pasture in an unconscious state. 

When she came too, she told about her experience at the mansion and meeting John Robert there. Then her memory started getting foggy, but she told about a huge creature that had broken through the front door. It trampled over John Robert. Angela Rose screamed and the ravens flew away. She hopped on the back of this mysterious creature and  held on for dear life as it ran. The next thing she knew she was in the hospital, being treated for some deep cuts on her shoulders and a large gash in her head. 

The mansion’s front door was repaired and it still stands today. Decades pass, but no matter how much time goes by, the story continues. The story according to Angela Rose.