| He couldn’t shake the chill running down his spine every time he walked into his parents’ new home.
Well, new was in the eye of the beholder. The house they’d recently purchased was at least 100 years old, and as far as he could tell the house hadn’t been remodeled in recent history.
He didn’t like the feel of the place, but his parents were thrilled, and he tried his best to hide his discomfort from being in the house when his parents were around.
He wanted to stay as far away as he could, but he was home from school for the summer, so he chose to stay with his parents, even though every fiber of his being was protesting the decision.
He shrugged deciding that the eerie feeling was his own bias. He heavily preferred new homes with modern amenities. He had very little experience with such an old home, so he was sure this was all in his head.
He was content in his blissful ignorance until he heard his mother on the phone with a family member the next morning.
“…Shadows and noises every night,” she said. “We’re calling a contractor later in the week. It is an old house…”
The doubt started to gnaw at his stomach again, so he called a friend to get his mind off the house and distract him for a little while.
“I can’t believe your folks bought that creepy old place on the hill,” his friend said. “Thirty years ago, tonight, that family was never seen again…”
He pushed back his chair so fast it skidded across the floor and crashed to the ground. He threw some money on the bar, dashed to his car, and abandoned his bewildered friend to his drinks.
He raced home, but the sinking feeling in his stomach transformed into full on nausea the closer he got to his parents’ house. He didn’t know what he’d find there, but he was certain it wouldn’t be welcoming or pleasant.
He could see what appeared to a spinning, dark vortex above the gnarled boughs of the apple orchard, and it was expanding toward the house itself. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and an electric shock sung through his body and heightened his senses.
He slammed his foot down on the accelerator, screeched to a stop in front of the house, and barreled through the door.
He found his parents staring blankly at the picture window that framed the sitting room. He tugged on their hands, but they were frozen in place.
“Come on, come,” he said. “We’re in danger. I’ve got the car. Let’s go!”
They shook their heads and grabbed his hands in a vice-like grip. “Too late…we will go like everyone before.”
He screamed and did everything he could to escape, but it was futile. He watched in horror as the darkness crept toward his house. Salvation was just outside the door, but it could have been miles away.
His skin burned and darkness rolled before his eyes. He should have listened to the warning he was given.
His heart pounded and his screams died on his lips as his body burned from the inside out. He squeezed his eyes tight, but the last thing he saw was the darkness consuming the house and those he loved. | |
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