Face to Face (The New House Part VI)

I took several deep breaths. My mom was obviously worried, and if I couldn’t keep my cool I would only stress her further. This thing, whatever it was, had only made itself known to me, so it should let me in the basement, given that I was the one it seemed to want.

Right?

That was my logic anyway as I went down to the basement door and attempted to turn the handle. A part of me was screaming to wait for Carla, not only did she have the locket, but she was my courage, the only reason I was able to face this thing. However another part of me just couldn’t sit back and wait while my dad was down there alone. All sorts of horrible images were playing through my mind, and without realizing it, I had already opened the basement door and was walking down the stairs.

Whatever was down here had let me in, just like I thought. Lucky me.

“Ian?” my mom called, “How did you get the door open?”

“Stay upstairs, by the phone.” I heard myself say, “Just in case.” I couldn’t have her come down here as well. I tried the light switch at the bottom of the stairs. Nothing, the lights wouldn’t turn on.

Of course.

Suddenly there was a slam from above me, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. I turned and looked back up the stairs, where the door was now firmly closed behind me. I ran back and tried to open it with all my strength, but it wouldn’t budge. I was trapped down here.

I gulped. The fear was clinging to me now, working its way up my body. It was smothering. The
air down here was much different than last time. It was thick and heavy, and hot. It was way too hot down here.

And the smell, oh god the smell.

Wiping sweat from my brow, I tried to quell the panic that was beginning to take hold. I was truly in this thing's lair.

“It’s alright,” I muttered. Talking to myself, not a good sign; then again it sure beat having a
complete freak out. “Think happy thoughts, Carla, the strength she brings with her.” I felt myself calm down a little. I was still scared, but I could do this.

I looked around as best I could in the dark. I could see the vague outline of the basement as light peeked in from the crack beneath the door above the stairs.

Then I heard it.

The deep, heavy breathing, steady and powerful, and only getting louder.

Behind me!

I whirled around just in time to see something emerge from beneath the stairs. Jesus it was huge, easily over 8 feet tall. I couldn’t believe it was this big. A nightmarish creature of shadows and darkness, all I could clearly see of it were its eyes, a freakish yellow, and its mouth, stretched into a wide grin, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth.

Finally the panic triumphed, and no amount of happy thinking was going to stop it this time. My mind literally shut off. I fell to my knees, tears pouring down my face as my emotions deserted me. I knew I should be scared, I knew I should be screaming and trying to run away, but all I could do was stare at this towering monster that stalked towards me, step by step. There was no way my father could still be alive, not if he met this thing and now it was going to kill me too. It wrapped a long clawed hand around my neck and grinned.

“Ian!”

That snapped me out of it; her voice. Carla was standing at the top of the stairs, the locket in hand. “I have it!”

“Carla no!” I shouted, picking myself up, strength surging through my body as I wrenched myself from its grip. I couldn’t this thing get her too. “Get out of here, right now!”

Too late.

The monster saw her, its eyes locking with hers and its twisted grin seemed to grow wider.

Carla, however, was far stronger than me. Rather than crumple like I did, she stood her ground.

“Here,” she said, holding up the locket. “This is what you want right? Take it!” With that she threw the tiny trinket down the stairs, where it landed against the far wall.

The creature leapt at the locket, its movements more like a dog’s than a person. It was distracted though, and I took that opportunity to race up the stairs, moving as fast as I could, diving through the open door and taking Carla with me, landing in a heap.

The monster, however; gave chase. Bounding on all fours, the creature practically flew up the stairs, and it was Carla’s quick thinking that saved us; as she slammed the door closed with a kick just in the nick of the time. There was a heavy thud as the creature slammed against the door, and I thought for sure the hinges would give but they held strong.

The monster slammed its bulk against the door again and again, but the door stayed firm, until finally, it stopped, and we could hear its heavy footsteps thump down the stairs.

We could only lay there, our minds in shock.

Finally, after what seemed like hours Carla asked,“Why did it give up?” Her voice felt faint, like it was far away. “It could probably break down the door so why?”

And then my mom screamed.

I wanted to panic; I wanted to freak out, to run and run and hide somewhere and never come out.

But I had to try and be strong, strong like her. So I stood up, no small feat but I managed, and held out my hand to Carla, who took it and pulled herself up.

We tore through the house checking every room, calling my mom’s name over and over.

But there was no trace of her.

She was gone.

“That’s why it stopped,” I muttered, “It got her instead.”

And then we both heard it, a deep low rumble that resonated through the very house, shaking the walls and making the floor vibrate.

The chuckle. The same damned laugh of that monster.

The creature laughed and laughed, and the rumbling grew stronger as the walls began to shake so violently they started to splinter and crack. The pictures we had hung on them fell to the ground as the house felt like it would collapse any second. Carla and I spared a brief glance before panic overtook us. We ran out of the house as fast as we could, and even when the house was long behind us, we could still here the laugh ringing in our ears.

Born an Angel

So I decided to take a quick break from the New House series; which is nearing its end, by the way, and post something sent to me by a good friend of mine.

I didn't write this piece, instead I served as an editor of sorts, but after going through it and getting permission, I wanted to post it here.

****

I couldn’t help but take her hand, noticing just how much smaller it was than mine. Her hands were rough though, and her grip was far from gentle. She looked up at me; her eyes clouded, as though she were incapable of taking in the things around her without first filing them through a distorted filter. It was like looking into a storm cloud, full of fury and chaos, but still just so damn beautiful.

But there was no way I could have known that even someone so small and fragile could be so full of loathing and darkness, and have the ability to do so much damage. Maybe I was so blinded by the fact that I believed we were meant to be. The moment I touched her hand I knew that she would be a part of my life forever Still...I wish I had known, I wish I had paid more attention to the soul behind the face.

She gave me a small grin and whispered, "I was born an angel you know."

Cryptic and sudden; it seemed more like a warning than a statement, but those words flowing from her lips wrapped themselves around my heart. From now until time stopped moving forward I was hers, and as I looked back on that moment, for just a second, it was as though her eyes cleared up and somehow she realized she belonged to me too. My love for her resonated deep in my heart, and no longer content to simply hold her hand, I took her into my arms and held her with all my strength.

A tear slid down my cheek as my soul responded, “I know."