The clouds whisked in and out of the clear blue sky, the wind smelling faintly of the rain that had filled the streets the night prior. A dark blue pick-up sped past a series of signs, each warning onlookers to continue no further. However, the truck continued until it stopped in front of a piece of land that was surrounded by a very large chain linked fence. A small woman with short black hair that parted to the right jumped out of the dirt plastered truck, slamming the door behind her.
She walked around to the back, opened the passenger door, and removed a pair of bolt cutters. She waltzed toward the fence with confidence and then cut through the metal. She peeled back the fence and stepped through. She gave a crooked smile. As she walked she spotted an old barn-like farmhouse that laid in the middle of a wildflower and weed riddled field, the shingles worn after years of weathering and the wood that it sat on was now spotted and brittle; the building looked like it was ready to fall into itself at any moment. She stopped, the prickled weeds cutting into her ankles, and looked the house up and down. A chill ran down her, it was as if the windows of the house were doing the same to her.
"This is just what I need!" She dropped the bolt cutters beside her and walked up the set of stairs that led to the home. Her hand wrapped around the rusted doorknob, it turned and the door thrust open. A wave of dust swirled and rushed toward the now open door, landing directly in the woman's face; she gave a series of faint sneezes, "Whew!" She ran her hand up to her face and gently rubbed her nose, surpassing any other sneezes that had dared to come forth. She entered the barrier of the building, it felt as if it was welcoming her with open arms at this point. The door and the decades old hole in the ceiling gave way for light, in what seemed like the family room, and revealed the series of cobwebs and the many previous belongings of the deceased owners. A grin spread across her face as she took in her surroundings all at once, "Yeah, this is definitely what I need."
A fireplace that sat at the end of the room called out to her, a series of photos plastered with dust sat above it and joined in with the beckoning, waiting eagerly to be looked at once more. Her feet began to almost move by themselves; she could barely contain her excitement. She picked up a small bronze frame and wiper her hand across the surface, the dust now clinging to the palm of her hand and to the bottom of the rings that sat on her thin fingers. She smiled once more as she observed the photo of a small boy with freckles and a young dairy calf that were occupying the frame. She placed it down and proceeded to pick up the second frame, but heard a noise that came from above her. It sounded as if someone was pacing back and forth. She raised her head and watched as the dirt fell from the tiny cracks of the ceiling as each step hit the floor; the creaking of the floorboards and the booming of each step echoed through the house and through the crevices of her mind. Her heart began to race, she breathed steadily in hopes to slow it back down to a normal pace, "This is why you're here. Get it together Mia!" She breathed once more and decided that now was the time to check out the second floor of the decrepit house.
She reached out and placed her hand on the railing, it felt as if there was a lump in her throat. She shook her head. Her hand ran up the rail as she walked up, the stairs giving a creak after each step.
Mia reached the top of the staircase, the footsteps seeming to stop as she did so. She breathed in and out in a calm manner, her heart slowing to a normal beat after each in and exhale. Her eyes closed and she imagined what would be waiting for her in the room that the footsteps had bellowed from just seconds ago; her hazel eyes opened and stared restlessly into the distance. She whipped her body toward the right, a single wood door staring at her. As she gazed it felt as if the hall was beginning to stretch into an ever growing task, one that was mocking her as it did so. The door that stood at the end seemed to distort, her heart began to race once more. Mia placed one foot in front of the other and began toward the door, even though her brain was telling her otherwise. The distorting began to slowly fade and reality set back in. All that sat in front of her was a standard wood door that was installed in the home decades, maybe even a century, ago. Mia reached out her hand, ready to twist the knob and reveal what waits on the other side of the door; her head eased down and she watched as the knob began to slowly turn before she had a chance to place her palm on it. She yanked her arm back, the knob twisting back and forth in an attempt to unlatch the door from its resting place. Mia held her breath as the latch gave a slight click, the door now hesitantly moving into the room.
A shadow, thin and tall, stood at the end of the room studying her. Mia's lungs began to burn, her heart felt like it was going to explode, and her body felt as if it were going to collapse. The creature's mouth began to open. It looked as if the jaw that it once had was now becoming unhinged, a ring seeming to escape its lips. Mia's face was painted with terror, partially unaware that her leg was seeming to buzz. She ran her hand against the leg of her jeans, the phone that was sitting in her right pocket was crying out for attention. She sank her quivering hand into her pocket, her eyes fixed on the monster, and pulled out the device. She slid her finger across the screen, the phone brightened as she did so. The creature watched her and then evaporated, with that the room was now empty. All that was left was a sense of dread and a tingling feeling of regret that pit itself in Mia's stomach.
"Hello?" Mia let out a breath, her lungs desperately grasping for air. She placed her hands on her knees and hung over as she tried to regain the oxygen that she had lost, "Helloo?"
"Um, yes. Hi," Mia slowly raised back up, her eyes and face were now as red and as swollen as a ripe cherry.
"Mia! I'm so glad I could get ahold of you! So, how is the book coming?"
"What?" Mia tried to wrap her head around both the encounter and the phone call.
"The book Mia. How is it coming?"
"Well," she was unsure of how to tell the woman on the other end, "Lisa, it may be a little longer until I get it to you. However, I now have my inspiration!" The line went silent. All that could be heard was the raspy sound of Mia's breathing.
"What do you mean it will be a little longer? You promised me a new book in six months Mia."
"I know, I know, but I promise that I will get it to you by the end of the year. On the plus side, I think this will be my best book yet!" Mia gave a smile, grabbed the handle to the door and closed it behind her. She stood in the hall, her mind now wandering around things that had nothing to do with the creature that she had just encountered. It was as if she had just forgotten about the incident.
"It better be Mia," Lisa gave a sigh and her voice softened, "I swear, sometimes I wonder why I ever signed you."
"Because you love me and my books," she laughed and Lisa quickly gave on in return.
"You're lucky I've known you so long. Besides, I think your mom would kill me if I stopped representing you."
"It wouldn't surprise me. She is truly a terrifying woman."
"Anyway, what is this new inspiration that you have found?"
"Well, you remember those stories about the old haunted farmhouse at the end of road 66?"
"Yeah, the ones about the family that was murdered in the upstairs bedrooms. What about it?"
"Well, guess where I'm standing."
"Mia! I thought they had closed it off to the public because so many people were getting hurt."
"They did, but it was nothing that dad's pair of bolt cutters couldn't handle," she gave a mischievous smile.
"You have got to be kidding me! What if you get arrested?!"
"Then I get arrested," she shrugged her shoulders and continued down the hall toward one of the other rooms, "Anyway I've got to go, lots and lots of work to do. Ya know?"
"I'm serious Mia, you should leave there right now! Do you know what it would do to your reputation if you got arrested?" Mia was becoming annoyed.
"Bye Lisa."
"Mia, don't you dare ha...," the line went silent as Mia hung the phone up. She smirked and shoved the device back into her right pocket. 'Alright, now onto the next room,' thought Mia. She looked behind her, at the previous room, and gave a shudder.
Mia continued on until she reached another door that sat on the opposite end of the hall and to the left. She twisted the knob and the door creaked open. A small bed laid in the middle of the floor.
She looked around at the rest rest of the room. She turned, spotting an old oil lamp that sat on a rickety table beside a series of old, worn books. Mia picked one up from the top of the pile and placed it in front of her nose. She smiled. It smelled musty, but in a good way. In a way that only a true lover of literature could appreciate. She embraced the smell of the book, so much so that her eyes glistened and her heart sang. Mia placed it back in it's rightful place and moved on throughout the room.
A small burlap bear sat at the front of, what seemed like, a child's bed. One eye sat lower than the other, the stitching began to come undone and revealed the sheep's wool that was stuffed inside, the material began to look withered, and the hairs that the bear once wore were now sparse. Mia, distracted by the ragged bear, walked around to the other side of the bed and almost lost her footing. She looked down to see a hole in the floor, she looked up and saw the identical hole that laid in the ceiling. She stared down through the gap, the front door just in sight. She sighed.
Mia spun around and began toward the door in her current room, the floorboards creaking beneath her every step. As she exited the safety of the room she suddenly stopped. She stood, silent, as the door at the end of the hall emitted a series of strange scratching noises. The same door that had held the creature within it continued to beckon her with a series of mysterious sounds, each bringing forth her curiosity more and more. Mia just stood there, unsure of whether or not to open the door once more. Her breath echoed through the hall, the rhythm of her heart rang through her ears like war music. Then, the music came to a halt. The door swung open hitting the wall that laid beside it. Mia, reluctant to come forth, began to move. She moved with great caution and yet greater curiosity-it looked almost like a form of ritualistic dance. The beating of the door against the wall mimicked the beating of her heart as she came closer to her symbol of terror. Boom, Boom, BOOM!
There she was, standing in the frame of the door. Her face narrowed and her eyes expanded with fear. And there they were, standing at the other end of the room. The woman, her dress almost sticking to the curvature of her body, held the hand of a small boy who closely resembled the one in the picture frame below. The two of them stared at her, their eyes meeting hers. Mia stood there, silent, as the woman released the hand of the small boy and gave a terrifying smile.
The child and the woman then parted, revealing the dark figure that had been hunched over behind them. Its body began to unravel, its bones giving a series of cracks as it did so. The creature stretched out, its body now in a standing position. It quickly turned and looked at Mia, only there were two small slits where its eyes should be resting. It let out a deep throated cackle, and the slits threw open. A couple of black orbs sat in its sockets, each seeming to stare more and more into her soul. Mia stood there, silent. A large shark toothed grin spread across its face and before Mia had a chance to react the creature leapt at her, tearing the sleeve of her shirt.
Mia fell back, her heart and mind racing. She pulled herself back and watched as the creature crawled toward her, the clicking of its tongue and bones growing louder with each spider-like move. It reached out and curled its long fingers around her ankle. It pulled her toward it, a strange substance now seeming to sweat from its pores. Mia screamed in fear and kicked at the creature, it looked stunned as she did so. She jumped up, her body trembling, and ran for the door. The creature let out a hiss, a sound nothing like the ones that it emitted moments before.
Mia cautiously turned her head, her body refusing to move anywhere other than forward and out of danger. On the floor, where the creature had previously been, was an oily, black snake. The snake let out another hiss, a small puddle of that same strange substance laid underneath it. It lunged toward her once more. She gasped and slammed the door shut before it had a chance to take hold of her.
Mia slumped against the door and tried to catch her breath, the creature slammed against it. She jumped, startled from the loud bang that the creature had created behind her. Her hands shook uncontrollably. She looked down at the tear in her shirt only to see that there were several small droplets sliding down her chest. She raised her trembling hand, a stream of tears fell from her eyes. "Why couldn't I have just written a romance novel?" she said shakily. Another bang emitted as the creature hit its body against the door, it was obviously growing angry.
Mia ran toward the stairs and began down them, her foot just missing the fourth step. The air escaped out of her lungs and her body tumbled down the stairs, bruises collecting all over her as she hit each wall and hit each step. She laid at the foot of the stairs, pain surging throughout her ragdoll-like body. She grabbed the railing beside her, pulling herself up. The pain skyrocketed.
Mia wheezed and proceeded to cough into her hand, crimson splatters painted her palm. Her eyes widened, she reached her forefinger up and ran it across her thin lips. Blood was smeared across her finger. She clenched her stomach and violently coughed again, blood sprayed onto the railing thus decorated small sections of the steps below it. Mia's mind raced with dark thoughts, thoughts that all revolved around her dying in some manner or another. She held her abdomen, a greater pain began to surge through her.
Mia gradually lifted up her shirt, a colorful array of bruises were revealed. But, what really caught her attention was the bulge on the left side where her ribs sat. Mia gently ran her hand across the strip of purple, the pain was unbearable. Her eyes rolled back and she gave a sigh, "I need to get to a hospital and fast."
Mia placed one foot in front of the other, her body warning her to move with caution with every step. She hunched over, blood and bile spewed from her and onto the floor like a watering hose onto a prized garden. Her vision blurred and the lights that surrounded her faded in and out. She turned, curious as to how long she had been here. She looked toward the dusted windows. The sun was still up, but it was a little more toward the South now.
"I have to hurry. I need to get there before dark," she said, afraid to drive under the veil of darkness while she was in this condition. Mia slid her feet, the fireplace now in sight. She gave a painful smirk, knowing that that meant the door wasn't much further. The sliding of her feet hastened, her heart fluttering at the idea of escaping this nightmare. She stopped.
Mia looked at her left shoulder, a blood-like substance that had the consistency of tar sat on her. It percolated and steamed, and yet it didn't burn. Mia reached her hand up to the substance and scooped some onto her fingers. She didn't even have to place it up to her nose to realize that it smelled of iron and burnt rubber. She looked up, the strange substance seemed to be dripping from the ceiling. Then it hit her. It was dripping through from the room that she had trapped the creature in.
"No!"
Mia stumbled and ran, the hole in the ceiling and that door that sat only inches away from it were just in sight. The substance seemed to follow her from above, a low growl emitted from the upstairs bedroom, and the strange goop fell onto her from above. Mia wiped furiously, trying desperately to get this foul smelling stuff off her, but it was no use. A creaking noise followed by a moan, that was released from the house itself, emerged. Mia looked up, the sound of splinters breaking echoed. The wood on the floor above gave way and the substance engulfed her, her entire body screamed as the debris fell on top of her. The world went black.
Mia's eyes fluttered, it felt like something heavy was sitting on her chest. It was hard for her to breath. She rolled her head up and was just able to see the same dark figure sitting on her chest. It smiled and ran its hand across her broken rib. Its smile grew and it jammed its finger into the deep bruise. Mia screamed.
She looked up, just able to see the hole in the ceiling. The sky was painted with pinks, oranges, and purples. She smiled, ignoring the beast on top of her, "I always loved the way the sky looked when the sun began to set." The creature pressed on and the room began to fade. Tears began to trickle down her face once more, "No. Please, I just want to watch a little bit longer." With that Mia's world went dark yet again.
A mist seemed to cover Mia's eyes, she was unsure of where she was or what time it was. A full moon shone through the hole of the ceiling, its rays landing directly on her, "Oh, that's right. I remember now." Mia solemnly wheezed, breathing felt like a tedious task to her. She lifted her head slightly, pain surged through her neck and then down to her spine. The creature was gone. As Mia continued to lift her head up she saw it. A ray of moonlight danced on the small wood beam that had pierced through Mia's abdomen and then through her lung. She reached her hand up, removing all of the small pieces of debris. She could now see the wound clearly . Mia reached her shaking hand up to the injury and placed it at the base of the beam. She removed it and placed it in front of her face, it was covered with blood. Her blood.
"I-I need to take it out.... to remove it," Mia said, almost as if she were trying to convince herself to do so. Mia breathed a few painful, shallow breaths and reached both hands up toward the wood. Her right hand stuck on the beam from the blood that was left on it. Mia grasped onto the beam so tight that she knew her knuckles had turned white from the pressure. She then went to another thought, hoping that it would distract her from the matter.
A memory, one of her sitting in her basement with her best friend raced through her mind and she smiled. Just then her hands pulled up, Mia screamed out in pain as the wood had become dislodged from her abdomen. She sat up once more, the ray of moonlight still shining on her wound, and saw the blood as it began sliding down her side. She could feel the pool of crimson collecting beneath her and could feel its warmth underneath her shirt. Mia banged her head down as she could feel her body going limp from blood loss.
The room began to spin and Mia could smell the faint stench of burnt rubber and iron. Her body began convulsing, while Mia laid there incapable of anything. Yet, aware of everything. Mia's mind then forced her back to the basement.
She watched from the background as a young Mia and an equally young Lisa ran through the basement, pulling individual pieces of paper off of clothing wire. Mia bound the pages and eagerly shoved it at Lisa, "Here. Read it." Lisa smiled and grabbed the pages. It seemed like the two of them were sitting there for hours.
Mia sat alone in her small chair while Lisa sat with a red pen in her hand and the pages directly in front of her. She flipped the last page and looked at Mia.
"Mia! This is really good!" Mia gave a shy smile, "It's probably the best one that you've written."
"You really think so?" Young Mia quickly sat up, excitement racing through her. Lisa smiled. Mia watched the two from the back of the room, a smile spread across her face.
As she listened to the two girls she began to hear a faint buzzing noise, followed by a sharp pain in her abdomen. She looked down. There was a good sized hole in her, and there was a lot of blood that was rushing from it. Mia looked up toward the girls in hope of some sort of help, but they were unaware of her presence. Mia cried out and even screamed their names, but neither one could hear her. Mia's body went stiff and she began to shake uncontrollably, "What is happening to me?!" Her eyes darted around the room, "Somebody help me!"
Mia's eyes searched for the girls, but in an instant they disappeared. Mia was there alone, dying. She could hear them giggling in the distance.
Mia's body jolted up into a sitting position, her breathing was quick and raspy. She looked down at the injury, it was much smaller than before. She lifted her shirt, the bruising had faded and the broken rib no longer looked nor felt broken. Mia looked puzzled, she placed her hand on the wound. A thick, sticky red substance slowly poured out of her. She raised her hand to her nose and smelled it. It smelt of burnt iron and rubber. "What is happening to me?" Mia repeated in a whisper. She then forced herself onto her feet.
The pain was so faint that she was unsure that it was actually there. She walked toward the door, the creature waved its hand at her and gestured toward her and toward the outside world. She opened it and walked out with the dark figure. Still nighttime. Mia could see the full moon that sat in the sky, accompanying the stars. The creature reached up and grasped her hand. She look toward it, and it toward her. They gave a menacing smile.