The House

There’s a house in the woods, cocooned between two oak trees. Stories circulated throughout town about the owners, but no one knew for sure who they were. Secretive, deceptive–my father preferred the word private. Every once in a while, he’d tell everyone to mind their own business. A part of me thought he knew something. Another part of me believed he was trying to keep everyone safe.

My friends and I gathered for the night, journeying into the woods to see what madness we could stir up under the full moon. I hesitated at first but relented. Of course, I had to lie to my parents about where I was going. They didn’t like me being out late at night.

We ventured deeper than I thought we would. Charlotte’s lantern blew out. My flashlight refused to turn on. Johnny and Davison were useless. Their idea of light included a lighter and a pack of matches.

The decision to go to the house was questionable, but with the sky pouring rain on us, we felt it was the best option.

The house creaked as we pushed open the door. Davison shouted a few obscenities–his attempt at gauging whether it was empty or not. Not getting any replies, we entered the home, closing the door behind us.

We decided to stick together. Huddled in the main living area, we sat on the couch and stared at the fireplace.

“This place is creepy.” Charlotte’s eyes darted around the room as the rain pelt against the roof.

“We should head out as soon as it stops raining.”

“Are you kidding me?” Davison jumped up from the couch and walked over to the fireplace. He leaned up against the wall, pursing his lips as his eyes stalked the room. “Everyone’s afraid of this place. Why? Nothing bad happened here.”

“It’s mysterious.”

“Mysterious isn’t always bad, right?”

“Right.” Johnny got up from the couch and joined Davison. “There’s no reason to be scared.”

“Fine,” Charlotte said. “But if we’re staying here, then we need to make sure it’s safe.”

We moved around the house, careful not to disturb anything. The kitchen was small, with white cabinets, a black stove, and a stainless-steel refrigerator. The dining room sat off to the side. A chandelier hovered over a long black table with three chairs on each side.

“See, nothing spectacular. It’s just a house,” Davison said.

I ran my finger down the table as Charlotte walked over to the window. Pulling back the curtain, she stared out into the blackness as thunder crashed against the sky. A slight tremble ran through her body as she pointed out the window.

Johnny and Davison rushed over.

“What the hell is that?” Davison stepped back from the window as the power went out.

We moved closer to the window, staring into the night. A flash of lightning lit up the yard as a tall figure approached. Its long arms swung by its side as it ran toward the window.

Our feet stampeded against the wooden floor as we hurried out of the room. A loud thump behind me forced my head to turn. Charlotte crawled toward me. I grasped onto her hand, helping her to her feet as the figure crashed through the window.

His royal blue eyes met mine. His wrinkled gray flesh danced under the chandelier as the lights flickered on and then off. I ran out of the dining room and through the kitchen, pulling Charlotte behind me.

Johnny and Davison stood at the front door, pulling on the knob as they tried to open the door.

“We’re trapped!” Charlotte wrapped her arms around her body.

A loud thud above us sent our eyes trailing over to the stairwell. We inched closer as the noise moved across the ceiling. A door squeaked. Silence hovered over us as she came into view.

Her white nightgown swirled around her body as she turned toward us and made her way down the steps. “What are you doing in my house?”

“We’re sorry, ma’am. But we have to get out of here.” Davison stepped up on the first stair.

I grabbed hold of his arm. “Look at her eyes.”

Her brown eyes turned blue as her rosy cheeks faded to gray. Sharp fingers peeked through her gown sleeve as her arms elongated. Her brown hair shed, landing on the steps as she moved closer.

We backed up toward the front door. Her feet met the landing as the other creature made its way through the living room. Their sharp fingers tore through Davison and Johnny as Charlotte screamed.

I fiddled with the doorknob as Charlotte’s body slammed against the wall. My body trembled as my eyes drifted to the side. My head turned first, then my body. Greeted by sharp fangs, my scream was the last thing I heard.

© 2023 Rena Aliston. All rights reserved.