THE NIGHMARE HOUSE

PROLOGUE

"Mindy,mindy , wake up".

I woke up to my little brother drenched in sweat. His eyes had plunged into the tiny sockets. He hadn't slept for 3 days,however there were more serious concerns than that.

"I saw him again. The boogeyman . He said he would find me . He always does".

"I tell you what . Let me hide you this time. When the boogeyman will come you face him and tell him I am not afraid of you ... you giant ... stuffed melon on bandages. You know what just pull one of those bandages. You will see he will all fall apart. "

"Will he go away, Mindy?" Sam asked me.

"Of course , you see he is not at all as scary as you think. He is like a little potato wrapped in all these bandages. Give it a pull and he will scurry away"
"Thank you mindy. Can I hide in the closet"

"Sam,you will get a back pain. And how do you plan to lie down"

"Oh,dont worry mindy.I will fit . Plz can i hide "

"Just for today ok.And I have to take you school today so no more waking up. You go to sleep and we will get ice-cream tomorrow."

And I went back to sleep. This house feels so strange . I keep remembering mom and dad and the wallpaper feels so soft .Still a nice upgrade to the terrible terrible rented apartment . The bed is so luxurious and the owner was so nice to let me have them with...

"Mindy,mindy. Wake up"

I turned halfway with dimlit eyes " No ice-cream tomorrow sam" but it wasn't sam. It was mom. She was standing so close to bed. I could smell her breath  hot garlic and ketchup. Her face looked so beautiful . Is that how i imagine her or do people turn prettier once they die. Maybe without a decaying  physical form our souls can take the form we desire most. Eternally beautiful and at peace.

I tried to move my hands. Tried to close my eyes. It was sleep paralysis. Cant move,cant talk.Just look into her eyes and try to stop . To get out of the dream that is haunting me ever since she left. Suddenly her face moved closer to mine and shouted out "Mindy,mmmmiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnddddyyyyy"

I woke up with a jolt. It was sam's voice. I dashed downstairs towards the cupboard and opened it. It was empty. I searched and search "SAM,SAM ,Saaaaaam" . The dreadful silence that I was craving since 10 years had finally caught up to me. I searched franctically for him . Then I tipped upon something.

There was something in the closet. It was a bandage. White long and tipped with blood.

I would discover SAM later that day, but it would be too late.