“Quiet, Martha. It’s not our place to meddle,” Bernie’s voice was firm but dripping with fear.
“She should be warned,” Martha said firmly.
Keri did not understand why, but the words the old woman said made an uncontrollable rage begin to burn deep inside of her. She turned to face the woman, “There is nothing wrong with my house. You need to keep your thoughts to yourself.”
When their gazes met, Martha suddenly grabbed her throat, unable to speak.
“Martha!” Bernie rushed to his wife and caught her in his arms before she collapsed to the floor.
“What have you done to her?” Bernie cried out. “Leave, and never come back!”
Without saying another word, Keri turned and walked out of the store. How dare you speak to me that way. I love my house, and it WILL be beautiful again.
On the drive home, Keri thought back to what had transpired in the hardware store. “Why did they both seem so afraid of the house?”
She decided to put that all behind her and focus on fixing up the house.
***
A feeling of contentment consumed Keri as she stepped through the front door. Noticing how tired she was, Keri decided to take a short nap before unpacking the boxes in the kitchen.
After lying on the sofa, it only took a few moments before she began to float off to sleep.
“You did well today, my child,” the now familiar voice whispered in her ear. “You have begun to restore the life to this house, and in time it will once again be the grand mansion it once was.”
At hearing his voice, Keri felt joy surge throughout her entire body. “Yes, it will be beautiful again.”
***
“Keri, I’m home,” Mike called out, then set his briefcase down in the foyer. “What smells good in here?”
“I’m making your favorite; lasagna, a tossed salad, and garlic toast.”
Mike stopped and looked around. “I don’t know when you found time to cook. You’ve really cleaned up this place. Did you polish the floor? It looks like it’s brand new.”
“I just did a little cleaning, that’s all. Now, go wash up, dinner is ready.”
Keri grabbed the pan of lasagna from the oven and placed it on the table next to the salad. She then put the garlic toast in a basket and set it on the table as well.
“I heard the most tragic news when I stopped in town to fill up my car on the way home. The wife of the man who owns the hardware store died suddenly today.” Mike sat in his chair and pulled it up to the table. “They’re saying she had a stroke. I guess it was quite a surprise since everyone there told me she seemed to be in good health.”
“Yes, that is quite tragic.” Keri reached for the basket with the garlic bread and handed it to Mike.
He took a piece and set it on his plate. “Anyway, they said her husband is quite upset and keeps talking about a demon that came into the store today and killed his wife.”
“The poor man is just distraught. It must be hard to have your spouse suddenly die like that.” Keri could not explain it but knowing the woman had died seemed to fill her with joy. “Let’s eat before our food gets cold.”
***
As the moon shone through the bedroom window, a silent voice beckoned to Keri. “Come, my child, we have work to do.”
***
The road was dark and foreboding on the drive to town. She knew where she was headed but did not understand why.
“He is waiting for you, my child,” the voice said.
Keri turned the car down the long driveway and stopped in front of an old house with a wrap-around porch. After getting out of the car, she quietly closed the door, surprised at how the dog lying on the porch remained asleep.
The cool night air caressed her skin through her thin nightgown, but she did not notice. Placing her foot on the first step, it groaned. She paused a moment, her breath catching in her throat with the fear she would awaken the sleeping dog.
“Do not fear, my child. I have prepared everything for you,” the voice prodded her onward.
Keri then placed her foot on the next step and was pleased when there was no sound. Glancing over at the dog, Keri noticed it was still sleeping soundly. After taking a deep breath, she took the last two steps up to the door.
A dim glow of light escaped from under the door. When Keri reached for the doorknob, the door creaked, then slowly opened, as though welcoming her to enter. The flickering of the dying fire filled the room, creating a haunting feeling. The door slowly opened wide, showing the man asleep in a rocking chair in front of the fireplace.
That’s Bernie, the man from the hardware store, the words formed in her mind, as she found herself drawn to him.
“Why am I here?” she whispered.
“You know why. He must die. He is another sacrifice to restore the house to its once beauty and grandeur.”
“But I don’t understand. How is that possible with his death?” Keri knew what the voice meant, but a part of her did not want to accept the truth.
“You must do this, or the house will die. It needs the sacrifice to survive and regain its life-force. Now do what you must,” the voice commanded.
Keri walked over to the sleeping man and glared down into his pain-filled face. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and met her gaze.
“What are you doing here?” Bernie mumbled with a raspy voice.
“You know why I’m here,” she said with no emotion in her voice.
“You’re here to kill me just like you did Martha, aren’t you? I’ve heard the tales about that house, but I always thought it was nothing but bullshit.” Bernie tried to get out of the rocking chair but found his legs would not move.
Keri did not respond, she merely looked at this simple man and wondered what it felt like to know you were about to die.
“I do have one thing to say before you kill me. Once the house is finished with you, you will die as well. Anyone who has ever lived in that house has died a horrible death.” Bernie then closed his eyes and awaited his fate.
Keri smiled, “Your death will be a great addition to the house. Thank you for your sacrifice.”
Bernie opened his eyes and laughed. “Your soul will burn in Hell with the demon who built that cursed house. He was crazy and murdered so many innocent people in his quest for immortality. He finally sold his soul to Satan for the opportunity to live forever. I grew up hearing the stories about that house, but I never believed them; I guess I should have paid closer attention. The entire town has watched that damn house suddenly appear restored after several strange deaths in the area. Then those who bought it would die and the house would again sit vacant for years. Then once the house is completely run down again, someone new will move in, and the strange deaths begin again. Go ahead, you devil bitch, do what you must. I’m ready to join my beloved Martha anyway.”
Bernie closed his eyes again. After a moment, Keri reached out and touched him on the forehead. His body trembled, and a burst of light shot forth, leaving an empty shell of the man he once was sitting in the rocking chair.
***
“Didn’t you sleep any last night?” Mike walked into the kitchen with an expression of concern on his face. “You’re up early this morning.”
“No, not much. I just wanted to get busy on the house.” Keri reached for her cup of coffee and took another sip.
“Well, I need to get going. I have an early meeting this morning with a new client.” Mike leaned over and gently kissed Keri on the cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Keri yawned then reached for the coffee pot to refill her cup.
***
“It’s happening again, just like it did forty years ago,” Clara, the Post Master whispered while she glanced around the post office lobby. “I don’t know why the town just hasn’t torn that house down. It’s cursed I tell you, cursed.”
“You know why they don’t. Anyone who tri
es to destroy that house dies a horrible death. We’ve all heard the stories of what he did in that house. All that devil worshiping stuff and sacrificing those people,” Chuck, the feed store owner said in a hushed tone.
“Well, I don’t like it one bit. Two wonderful people have died suddenly after meeting that woman. How many more have to die before she’s done?” Clara held her hand to her breast, feeling her heart beating rapidly with fear.
“I don’t know, but I sure hope that I don’t cross paths with her,” Chuck’s voice quivered at the thought of facing the one sent to gather souls. “Well, I need to get back to the store. Take care, Miss Clara.”
Chuck picked up his mail and said a silent prayer that he was not chosen as a sacrifice for the cursed house.
***
Keri stood in stunned amazement at the beauty before her. She could not explain it, but somehow the walls inside of the house now appeared to have a fresh wallpaper, and the wood trim looked to be freshly stained.
“How is this possible?” she asked herself, but she knew the answer. It was the sacrifices made the day before that were restoring the house. She reached out and touched the wall. “You are alive, aren’t you?”
***
A thick fog had settled in around the small town, making those who understood the current events to stay safely inside their homes. Mike had stayed late at the office, so he was glad to see the town’s Welcome sign appear along the side of the road through the fog in front of him. The last couple of weeks had been strained whenever he went home. Keri seemed distant, and whenever he asked her how she was getting the house renovated so quickly, she would tell him that it was none of his business.
“None of my business, what the hell is that supposed to mean?” Mike did not like the feeling he had growing inside of him. It was as though the house did not want him there, but how was that even possible?
Turning on the road leading to their house, the fog seemed to grow thicker.
“Damn, I can barely see. I should have stayed in the city for the night,” he groaned, straining to see through the thickening fog.
She no longer needs you, a voice whispered in his ear.
“WHAT?” the word escaped his lips with such force, it nearly caused him to run off the road.
You heard me. I said, she no longer needs you. She has me, and that is all she desires.
Mike reached up and rubbed his eyes, trying to remove the thoughts stirring in his mind. What was happening to them? They used to be so happy and had such hopes and dreams before they bought that damn house. When he opened his eyes again, the image he saw sent chills throughout his entire body.
There standing in the middle of the road, surrounded by thick, swirling fog was Keri. Swerving to miss her, Mike plowed head-on into an old Southern Live Oak tree.
The blood on Mike’s face, mixed with pieces of broken glass felt cold as the night air filled the car. He reached for the door handle but found the door jammed shut.
“Keri, help me,” his words were a mere whisper because of the steering wheel compressing his chest.
A deafening silence filled the air, as tears filled his eyes, and all hope of escape evaporated. Suddenly, Mike heard a crackling noise come from under the hood of the car. “Oh, God, no.”
The muffled cries of panic filled the air as the flames grew, steadily moving toward him. “Please, I don’t want to die! Help me, Keri, please, help me!”
Struggling to see through the smoke and fog, Mike wondered if he had only imagined seeing Keri. Smoke filled the inside of the car, stinging his eyes and filling his lungs. Wiping away the tears from his eyes, he now saw Keri standing in front of the car.
Smoke and fog swirled around her body, creating a ghostly appearance. As their gazes met, a smile of satisfaction appeared on her lips.
“You will be a perfect addition,” were the only words she said, as the flames completely engulfed the car.
Keri stood in silence, watching the gruesome scene all play out before her. She knew she should be sad, but she wasn’t. Keri knew this sacrifice would nearly finish the renovation of her beloved house.
***
The morning sun burned through the thick fog, creating a sense of rebirth as the new day began. Keri had awoken and was thrilled to see the latest improvements to the house. Now, not only was the inside of the house completely restored, but the outside looked as though it was not just freshly painted, but newly built.
Standing in the yard, admiring its beauty, she knew the renovation was nearly complete on the home she loved above all else. Keri was aware there would be questions regarding Mike’s death, but she was in no mood to worry about it now. She was far too happy to dwell on such things.
Come to me, my child. It is time to join me.
“Yes, I want to be with you for all eternity,” she felt a sense of peaceful contentment as she walked toward the house. “I’m ready.”
With each step up the staircase to the top floor, the house seemed to take a breath, awaiting its final sacrifice. She glanced over at the mirror, standing in the corner. Do not fear, my child. You will forever be with me.
Squaring her shoulders, she walked to the stained-glass window and paused, resting her hand on the window latch.
It is time. You know what you must do.
An eerie chuckle filled the room as she opened the window and stepped out on the narrow ledge. The warmth of the sun beat down upon her but went unnoticed. The only thing she felt was the cold, welcoming embrace of evil.
A strange smile crossed her lips while she looked down and watched the once dead and desolate landscape surrounding the house transform into a beautiful, lush garden.
“You live again with beauty and grace,” Keri said with a pleased expression on her face. Knowing her task was complete, she stepped off the ledge into the bright morning sun.
***
Thirty years later…
“Oh, honey, I know it needs a lot of work, but I can make it a grand showplace again.”
~~~
As you can see not all haunted houses are the same. Sometimes, they are not merely places for the dead to roam the empty hallways, but are in fact, living and breathing themselves.
I hope you enjoyed reading Boding Evil and Sacrificing Souls. You can find more of my work on my website.
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