Lauren opened the door and stepped inside. The house was like the Tardis, there seemed to be so much more room on the inside that what could be seen from outside. The house was sparsely furnished but despite its size it felt warm and welcoming.
Two months went past and the small family had settled well into their new home. However, strange things had started to occur during the final stages of Laurens pregnancy.
Delsin watched, concerned, as Lauren became increasingly confused. She was playing computer games without the laptop being switched on.
Painting on an unseen canvas, humming gently to herself.
Lauren stopped at the top of the stairs to the basement. For some reason they had never ventured into the lower regions of the house and she couldn’t think why. As she placed her foot on the first step to descend she felt sharp pains shoot through her abdomen. Lauren rushed into the library, something didn’t feel right and she needed to get to hospital straight away.
Delsin readied the car but when he returned it was too late, Lauren held their new son in her arms and smiled. Delsin screamed as a low rumble echoed through the house and flames began to appear behind his wife.
The flames began to take over the room, Delsin called the fire department before talking the flames himself. Lauren did not move, she just stood surrounded by flames staring ahead. In a voice filled with sorrow Delsin heard his wife speak. “It doesn’t want a boy”.
After the fire, Lauren seemed to return to normal. However strange things were beginning to happen to Sebastian.
Moments after giving Sebastian his breakfast, Delsin returned to find the high chair was covered in mould. It began to happen at every mealtime. Lauren and Delsin had taken to feeding Sebastian on the floor as it was the only way to get food in him.
Lauren screamed as she entered the playroom to find her eldest son floating a few inches above the floor. On hearing the scream, Sebastian dropped to the floor and giggled. Lauren began to wonder if she was losing her mind.
Despite their fears Sebastian and Lionel were growing up well apart from the occasional oddity they both seemed healthy and very bright. Sebastian had become quite the loner but he was doing well in school and there had been no problems with food or floating since his birthday.
Lionel was not so lucky. Everything they tried to feed him turned. Delsin had to take him to the local diner just so the child wouldn’t starve.
It wasn’t just the food that turned. If he stood still for too long the floor beneath him would start to age and rot. It was as though the floorboards were allergic to him.
Things just got worse for Lionel. Invisible forces would pick him up and carry him around.
When Delsin placed him in his crib Lionel began to sink into the mattress as though it were water. Delsin grabbed his son and put him in their own bed to sleep.
At breakfast Delsin watched as Sebastian engrossed himself in yet another book. He was worried for his family. Why were these things happening to them?
The family tried to make the best of it. Lauren was expecting another child as they celebrated Lionel’s birthday. Since the pregnancy things had settled down around the house. Strange things were no longer happening. It was as if someone had just turned off the bad switch.
Time went by and all was calm, until Lauren went into labour that is. As her waters broke in the little garden, Lauren saw the plants and trees begin to die. A great stillness was in the air as though the universe was holding its breath.
Although the birth of their new daughter Leslie went without problems. When Delsin returned from the hospital with Lauren the food in the fridge had begun to rot.
Time was passing quickly and the strange occurrences were increasing. Lionel seemed to beak anything he touched and the reaction of the house to him was becoming more severe.
Leslie had had her birthday and as Lauren slept she made a decision. She would have to get her family out of this house before something bad happened.
Lauren had managed to nurse the garden back to health. She stood back and stared at the painting she had just completed. Where had that image come from? She did not even remember painting it. She stared in horror as the flames began to dance on the canvas, watching the woman burn. She shouted at Delsin to get the boys and went to look for Leslie.
Delsin grabbed Sebastian and Lionel and headed for the door, but it would not open. He tried the doors and windows in vain. A sinister laughter echoed through the house. They were trapped.
No comments:
Post a Comment