Short Story by: May Rivera
June 15, 2019
The new house was wholesome, pleasant to look at, with white walls screaming to be adorned and the smell of crisp cleanliness echoing throughout its two story glory. The house even had an intercom system that allowed us to communicate throughout the house. How was I so lucky to call this not so humble abode my new home. I felt content to give my children this safe haven to grow up in. My husband John was determined to upack as much as he could before his upcoming business trip. This meant I would have to face the rest of the unpacking alone along with my 7 year old son Ben and 4 year old daughter Brie. Lucky me.
The house was spacious, almost out of a dream. There was den with a large closet that was perfect to place the childrens toys. I opened the large closet in the den, to my surprise it was not empty. The closet had 4 shelves filled with children's books and toys covered with dust. I reached out to get one of the books, the pages were sticky and some of the words were faded. I flipped towards the last page of the book and noticed a dark figure scribbled with pencil in such an intricate manner. For a moment I saw the scribbles move, zoning me out. “Mom!!!!!!” yelled Ben. His scream awaking me of this weird trans. “Brie hit me hard” Ben kept repeating until the book in my hands caught his attention. Ben took the book out of my hands and immediately was enamored from the the bright illustrations and bold words which I did not notice before. I got a bit creeped out and told Ben the book was old and most likely was trash. Ben took a look at the closet with countless of books there and his eyes filled with happiness. Despite my initial refusal to keep the books, the insistence of a 7 year old twisted my will. Ben quickly forgot his sister’s previous assault and called out for her in pure bliss to check out the books and toys.
The time came for John to leave for his trip. I didn’t want him to go, I felt uneasy but understood the demands of his job. As John kissed us goodbye a static noise came from the intercom startling me. It was a distant child like giggle. John quickly dismissed the static as technical interference and lovingly embraced me with “Hun, its fine”. As the kids tugged on their dad’s legs for their exaggerated goodbye's, the phone rang and I dashed across to the kitchen. I yelled behind “Love you babe” and went towards the phone. I spoke with my mom for about 10 minutes, when the intercom bell rang, I pressed the receiving button and John’s voice said “Goodbye hun, don’t worry about being alone”. I pressed the button to reply and beg John to wait for I wanted another hug before he left. He didn’t respond so I hanged up the call and ran to the front door. The door was closed and John’s car was not in the driveway. I called out for the kids and both of them looked down from the second floor railings with a confused face. “Where is daddy?” I asked. Brie responded “Daddy left.” Ben added “Daddy left when you got on the phone.”
After a long day of unpacking kitchen boxes, I prepared a fancy dinner of Mac & Cheese for the kids and I. As bedtime approached Ben and Brie insisted to pick 2 books from the closet in the den for their bedtime stories. As I read the books, I noticed once again these books also had the dark figure of scribbles. “Do you see this” I asked Ben. Ben looked confused and in giggles said “Mommy that’s a tree”. I smiled and tucked my little darlings in their beds for I was tired as well. I was awakened at 3am by the intercom, it appeared my kids were awake and playing. I could hear their little giggles, so I struggled to get out of bed and go put order to my disruptive children. I went to Ben’s bedroom first and was alarmed to see him sound asleep. I figured that Brie was the wild one awake and playing. From the door entrance I saw Brie also asleep, as I got near to her, the intercom loudly belted children giggling. A rush of fear trickled over my body. If my children were asleep whose giggles were these? I grabbed Brie in my arms and went to Ben’s room to awake him. That night we all slept together just out of precaution.
The next day I awoke in disbelief of the erie giggles I heard them so clearly. I blamed it on exhaustion and continued the dreadful task of unpacking more boxes. Around noon Brie took a nap in her room as Ben played with the toys in the den. I called for Ben in the intercom to come down stairs for his snack. He quickly came down stairs and sat on the table with me. The intercom started making static noises once again and a voice yelled “Mommy” out of it. I ran upstairs to check on Brie and she was sound asleep. I returned down stairs trying not to scare Ben and resumed unpacking boxes. After a few moments of me reassuring myself that all is ok, I went towards the intercom again to see if something was physically wrong with it. The cold cry of a child once again filled the room crying “Mommy, mommy help me!” I stumbled across a chair and dashed to Brie, which I was sure she was in trouble. Brie was asleep in her bed, undisturbed. I grabbed her and went down stairs with tears falling out of my eyes. Was I going crazy? Brie was awake at this time and looking at me confused. Ben asked “What is wrong mommy?” I could not tell him the truth, well at least was I thought was the truth.
“Babe, you're just tired, relax and I will be home soon.” The calming words of my husband over the phone as I laid in bed. The kids were asleep in their bedrooms. I refused to let my imagination fool me due to exhaustion. I drifted to sleep thinking of the dark figure made out of scribbles. Distant giggles woke me up from deep sleep. I ignored the giggles and turned around in my bed facing inward. I felt cold little fingers run down my back. I froze and opened my eyes in horror. I laid still. The fingers pressed harder on my back, scratching down to my skin. Then all of a sudden with force two hands pressed down on my forearm and I let out a scream from the depths of my being…..“Ahhhhh!!!” I stared at two brown eyes oddly familiar. My little girl, startled searching for comfort in her mom instead encountered a terrified face. I quickly grabbed Brie to come to bed but she insisted we go get Ben first. We went To Ben’s room and he was sitting on his bed under the covers. “Ben, I am here. What’s wrong sweetie?” Ben responded “There is a boy in my room, and he does not stop laughing and playing with my toys.”. My skin raised with goose bumps. Suddenly words stumbled to get out of my mouth. We went across the den, heading back to my bedroom we all noticed the toys in full motion. Trains, dolls and firetrucks beeping,singing and moving with an invisible force. Ben and Brie started crying and I held them close to me. I tried to find logic in what my eyes were seeing. I got down on my knees where the toys were moving and started to remove batteries as I attempted to hold back tears. I placed the toys on the floor and threw the batteries to the corner. Slowly we walked to my bedroom entrance just to see the toys I just removed the batteries resume to full motion. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest as my children clinged to me with cries of fear. I dragged them inside my bedroom and closed the door, for I could not think of another solution. I locked the door as we heard the sounds of toys right outside my bedroom door. Soon the sounds were in unity with giggles, the giggles of children not my own. We sat in bed crying until Ben and Brie fell asleep. I reached my phone to call John. I explained to John about the giggles and toys. John knew I was terrified. He could her the raw anguish in my voice. John promised to take the first flight back and encouraged us to get out of the house.
The house was mostly quiet as dawn arrived. A low buzzing sound of static on the intercom was nagging my ears. The once wholesome house that welcomed us now was dark and filled with fear. I felt that this home was not ours and this was our eviction. The phone rang, it was John. He caught a red eye flight back to us and was on a cab heading towards us. I felt relieved. John informed me that the house used to belong to a family that would foster various children. The parents were cruel and abusive to the children. Inclusive online reports claim a child died under their care due to neglect. Story goes that the remaining children rebelled and strangled the foster mom in her sleep. Before John could continue, I told him that we were heading towards the door. John insisted we stay connected on the phone call. I put the phone in my pocket and awoke the kids. Slowly We reached the bedroom door, the door creaking ever so loudly that I wanted to cry. I squeezed the hands of my children and told them to hold tight and walk quickly. As we walked past the den, from the corner of my eye a toy chair was slightly rocking. Brie looking behind her, whispered to Ben “The boy is still in your room”. Ben was horrified. Those words gave my legs the boost they needed to rapidly go down the stairs with my children in tow. I kept yelling “Look forward, hurry!” It seemed the journey from the stairs to the front door was long. The call with John dropped. I felt followed, as much as I wanted to follow my own advice and look forward, curiosity got the best of me. I looked back and I saw this raggedy little boy dirty with scribbles over his body heading towards us with a look of anguish, murmuring “Mommy” in a disembodied voice. The sound of creepy giggles surrounded us. I firmly told Ben to open the front door as the ghostly boy approached us. I felt his cold fingers down my back that sent chills to my soul. His fingers pressing down as his giggle came close to my ears. Tears filled my eyes and with every ounce of strength I had, I pushed my children out the door to the safety of outside this home. I fell to the floor with icy small hands wrapped around my ankles pulling me to the shadows.
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