“And one day,” he said, his voice now close to my ear, as if he’d whispered directly into it. “You’ll die. Just like me. And when you do ….”
I heard the click of my bedside lamp being turned off.
My eyes shot open to stare at the dark.
“I’ll be there.”
THE LAST
HAUNTED HOUSE
STORY
LOOK AT YOU. LOOK HOW cute you are.
You and your friends.
Yes, please. Come in, come in.
Come on inside.
The front door is locked, of course, but there are lots of openings. Windows I’ve left loose. A cellar door unchained; the chilled dark beneath is perfect for youthful exploration.
Ignore the rumors. You’re brave children.
And look!
You brought sleeping bags.
Delightful.
I’ve been so lonely. Too lonely. For too long.
Oh good! You found the broken window. Shame you didn’t notice the cellar door first. I love the feeling of warm life in my cold bowels. All that pumping blood. All that fear. But the window will do nicely. Yes, come in. That’s right.
If I may ….
It’s just a little cut! Yes, the broken glass is sharp here. You’ll soon find that everything here is rather sharp. Your friend is crying, so sweet. Ah! Oh! The blood … I can taste it. On the floor, on the windowsill ….
Don’t argue, don’t argue, children.
Come closer, come deeper inside.
There’s so much I want to show you.
THERE, ARE WE ALL BETTER now? You and your friends?
You found the living room, how nice. A perfect place to settle in and play some games. Tell a few stories.
I see you brought flashlights. That’s too bad. I always prefer candles. The flames create wonderful shadows on my walls, in my hollow corners. Good and scary, those shadows. Who knows what hides within them, right?
Come on now, let’s all get cozy. Sleeping bags are rolled out, I see. Snacks! What a cozy night. A sleepover in my great belly.
And now my favorite part.
Story time.
Each one of you have a haunted house story to tell, and each one is suitably frightening.
Wonderful.
I have a haunted house story as well.
But I’ll wait my turn. Let the dark grow darker, the shadows deeper. Wait until everyone is firmly settled for a long night of fun.
By the way, I’ve quietly sealed the windows, locked the doors. Trust me when I say there’s no way out.
Of course, the cellar doors are still unchained.
