Back in 1993, things got real for me and my pal Gary. It was a summer weekend, and my buddy and I were always up for an adventure, and that night was no exception. We decided to sneak into our school after hours to explore and see if there were any secrets to uncover.

The idea was to look around and tag a couple of walls but once we were inside, we heard a noise coming off the gym. As any other 90s teenager, we decided to investigate instead of going back to the security of our homes (and avoid trespassing charges).

As we were sneaking around the building, we stumbled upon a group of people (a secret society?) in the middle of a weird ritual. They were dressed in long black robes and chanting in a language we didn’t understand. We were both shocked and scared, but also incredibly curious about what was going on.

There was this rumor passed around the town of a secret society known as the Order of the Black Rose, and they were rumored to be a group of powerful and wealthy individuals who had control over the town (yes, there are weird wealthy individuals in Southern Maryland too).

Suddenly, some of the society people noticed us, and they started to chase after us. Gary and I ran as fast as we could, dodging and weaving through the halls of the school, trying to find a way out. But those guys were hot on our heels, and they were not going to give up easily.

We finally made it to the main entrance of the school, but the door was locked. The society members were closing in on us, and it seemed like there was no escape. But then, Gary had an idea. He remembered a window in the janitor’s closet that was always left open for ventilation. We made a run for it, and we managed to squeeze through the window just as the people chasing us were breaking down the door.

We were outside, and we were finally free. But we could still hear footsteps not that far behind us. We ran as fast as we could, not looking back until we were safely at Gary’s house. We locked the doors and windows, trying to catch our breath.

I got to tell you if that was really the Order of the Black Rose, they were frightening. I can still see their piercing eyes that seemed to look right through you, and sinister grins that sent shivers down your spine. After thinking about it Gary and I were determined to find out what was going on and to stop them, no matter the cost.

From that day on, Gary and I were on a mission to uncover the truth about the Order of the Black Rose. And who knows what other secrets and adventures lay in store for us in the future?