Psychology Degrees are Useful

Empty Walls

  You felt your breath shake. You shook your head. "No..You aren't some kid.."
You weren't terribly afraid. More like.. anxious. You wanted to know what this was. You jumped hearing the door receive a knock.

You rushed down the stairs to get it. Swinging it open. Malcolm again..Had it been a week?

"You.. don't look too good." He frowned some, looking you over.

"Just.. trying to adjust still. Uh..Can I ask you some stuff?"
"Yeah..yeah.." He stepped in. Walking to the kitchen with you at his side.

"What do you want to know?" He began stocking food.

"What was the real Brahms like?"

"Odd..Least, that's what Mr. Heelshire says. I don't know much."

"Anything interesting?"

"Well..Alright." He sighed. Moving to sit down. And you joined with urgency.

"Brahms died when he was eight. On his birthday. That same day..The girl who had come out once a week to play with him..She was found in the woods, head smashed." He didn't want to hide things this time. So..he gave up what he knew.
"Police came to question..and the place was in flames. Burning down. The Heelshires made it out, Brahms didn't. Burned alive.. that's the story, at least. The..doll..came about after."

"They didn't find her killer?"

"No.."

"Everyone thinks it was Brahms. Alright..that helps. Another thing.. The walls. They're so thin.."

"Old home, you know. Probably just a side effect of that."

"They seem empty."

"I think you're a little paranoid. Let's finish up. Think you should take some time to relax."

"Yeah.. Thanks, again." You stood slow. Beginning to aid in putting up the food. You soon turned, upon hearing noise. You sighed.. "Shit.."

"Don't worry about it. Just the house settling." You took his slight advice to ignore it. So you did..

You two talked a bit more. Soon, he left. You remembered seeing an attic. You always had been too curious. You jogged up the stairs, quickly yanking the attic down with the hook. You tossed the tool aside, and went straight up. All in only a few minutes.

You slowly peeked up into the dank area. Eyes sliding to watch all around. You pulled in all the way. You now became the noisy one. Searching for..something.
Anything.. that would offer comfort. You found the picture book after searching everywhere else. Snatching it up.

Flipping through, you found a pictures of little Brahms and soon..a girl. You stared into the image. You soon shook your head. You were driving yourself crazy. And invading privacy.

You put it back, and climbed out from the musty old room. All going smoothly.. thankfully.

Your feet carried you to see the doll. You lifted it once again. You followed along the walls. Knocking sometimes..curious. But soon, you just stopped.

You felt gross. You hadn't showered in a day or two. You set the doll down with music again. It seemed to help a little more now. As long as you promised to return.

     Desperate to get cleaned up. You went into the shower. Your clothes had been going missing left and right..so you decided on something comfortable.

You were under the water quickly. Relaxing for now. Bedtime approached quickly as well. Days went by faster and faster.
You readied yourself, then Brahms. And did the usual ritual. Finishing off with the kiss.

You wandered to your room. Letting your body collapse onto the bed. You let yourself sink. Mind drifting...

You got curious again. Lifting from the bed. You spoke. "Brahms." You knocked on the walls. No answer..
What a stupid attempt. At least..you thought so, until movement came. You rushed to see what the doll did. And it had just moved a little.

     You put it back as it had been before. You tried it..again..and again. Making sure you weren't crazy and imagining it.

He moved, most times. Sometimes an inch. Sometimes across the room.

Your mind only settled when it was consistent. You laughed and hugged the doll. "Maybe you are haunted..I'm sorry I woke you. Let's get you back to bed." You sighed, laying the doll down slowly. Pressing another kiss.

You wandered back to bed, only tapping on the walls that caused hollow sounds. You sighed. "Just thin walls..I'm ridiculous."

You tossed yourself onto the bed. You could sleep now. And it didn't take long. You didn't feel eyes on you...so..You slept easier. Much easier.

Until you got thirsty. You woke abruptly. Groaning. You lugged yourself from the covers. Lazily stepping toward the kitchen.
You stopped at the bathroom along the way. Stumbling your way to get a glass of water.

You filled a cup, slowly taking in the liquid as you sat. You needed a minute.

You simply sat, enjoying the cool feeling and that odd need for the taste. A sleepy brain just made water taste so good. You drank two cups down. And..then you felt hungry. So you ate, of course. Late night snacks were the best.
And you found junk food! Malcolm was nice enough to give you some simplicity in food.
You tore open the bag of cereal and opened the milk. Pouring up a nice bowl of a sugary goodness. You plopped down. Shoving your face full.
Brahms was behaving now. Again. No trouble even when you stepped away. He was quiet..

You probably let your guard down too much. But your mind was elsewhere. Focused on the sweet taste in your mouth. Your eyes hit a clock when you finished the small meal. Shit.
Quickly, and still lazily, you put all away.

An hour had passed now..Up to bed again.

Somehow not tripping, you went upstairs. Too tired to care. Your eyes hung heavy. Sleep coaxing you once again. Damn whatever god controlled it. You were always so damn tired.

     Your hand landed to your doorknob after a good while. A silent yawn escaping before the door pushed open. You stepped in and shut it. Eyes adjusting to the dark of the room. It was far darker here than in the halls.

And you hadn't even been awake enough to notice the noise. What a poor soul you were. Two weeks and you had yet to learn to listen out.

The noisy walls. The creaking. The crashes. The doll moving. Interruptions. And an upset in the home when Malcolm visited. All should've been signs. Maybe your subconscious put it together. But you never acknowledged.

You were stupid. Foolish. And fell right into place.

It was only when you noticed something in the corner of your eye, that you stopped. Frozen in place until your eyes turned. Someone was there.

You swallowed. Rough. You ran to open the door. Stopped when an arm wrapped around you and yanked you backward.

     You whimpered, tears already present. You felt the breath on you. Even when you fought, you were unable to break the grip.

You flailed, squirming and kicking as you were dragged to the bed. Nothing worked. Oh god..oh fuck. You were going to die. Weren't you?

You were thrown to the bed. And pinned. Hands held down by much larger ones. And you couldn't even kick. You were belly down, and the figure pressed to your back.

A breath was taken by the man. Before a cool porcelain touched your neck.

"You really are lovely.."