"We're here ma'am", The strained voice of the driver stirred me up from my slumber, a short dreamless sleep, it was short, but peaceful, the most peaceful sleep I've had in months, " Thank you", he let out a short "mhm" then proceeded take out the boxes from his trunk, I let myself out of the vehicle, my gaze fixated on the tiny house in front of me, it was small and nice, humble, just how I preferred, "It's done ma'am", Beside the driver was my boxes, stacked neatly, "Oh that's so nice of you sir", I decided to pay him in cash, of course with a tip, he seemed more grateful for the tip that the actual cash, He zoomed off, wishing me good luck, I would need it, all of it
It was evening, the canvas of the sky painted with luxurious hues of blue, yellow and red, the air cool, the birds chirping happily, as if excited to see me, I smiled foolishly at myself, I picked some boxes up, and walked to the door, mom let me have the spare key the day before, I let myself in, as soon as I got inside, I was hit by the scent of closed doors and forgotten summers, the house smelt musty, not bad, just musty the living room still looked familiar, the soft beige paint on the walls fading in some places, the couches still the same material I remembered they were made out of, the coffee table still in its place, as I bent down to look, it still had those gracious scratches, I smiled foolishly at myself, On the walls leading to the bedroom, Our family photos still hung proudly, the frames were dusty, but not too dusty, I guess the housekeeper that stayed after my grandparents death did a jolly good job, one in particular frame stood out to me though, it was a picture of the whole family as I remembered it, it had grandpa, grandma, mom, and me as a toddler, it seemed it was taken a few days after we left for town, I looked closer at myself, and something caught my eye, I was wearing a silver necklace, the same one I was wearing right now, I reached down, cupping the silver in my palm, it's material cold against my warm palm, the locket hanging from the delicate silver chain, the locket was an intricate play of curves and lines, with a tiny iridescent stone etched in the middle, it was definitely a beauty I had come to appreciate… a part of me, mother had always instructed I never take it off, I never understood why… the buzz of my phone snapped me out of my trance, I reach out of the back pocket of my jeans pulling out my phone, it lit up casting a blue glow on the walls, it was mom, I sighed, bringing the phone close to my right ear "hi mom", "hey baby", I could almost hear the smile from the other end of the phone, "are you there yet?, she inquired, "yeah", I sighed, She yapped about how I should stay out of trouble and avoid anyone who acted strangely, I closed my eyes, Willowdale has always had folklores of mythical creatures, the townsfolk believed them, mother claimed she didn't, and it was just myth, but sometimes it seemed like she did, "Don't take your necklace off", she sounded serious, I wanted to question her, I wanted to know why, but I was exhausted, maybe tomorrow, "Okay, bye mom", I blurt out loudly and hung up, I wanted to look around, but it was late, I moved my luggage to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, I looked around the room, it felt like a time capsule of my childhood, frozen in memories. Although smaller than I remembered, the bed, once a cozy haven for late-night stories, now wore a patchwork quilt that grandma hands had lovingly stitched together. The soft pink walls, though chipped in places, still held a gentle glow. The small dresser, its drawers missing knobs like empty eyes, stood sentinel against the wall, its surface etched with the faint marks of my childhood scribbles. In the closet, a few tattered dresses hung like forgotten dreams… I dragged myself out of bed and changed my clothes to my pastel pink bathrobe, and made my way to the bathroom, hoping the water was still running, it seemed I hadn't run out of luck just yet, it still ran. I unwrapped myself from the familiar scent of the bathrobe, as the warm water swept all over my body, it seemed to wash away some of the fatigue, but I couldn't help but feel a little tense about starting this new chapter in my life…
Sunday came by like a blur, I cleaned up the bedroom, and basically the entire house, although I made sure not to change the placement of things too much, it was a tiny house, and I felt obligated to leave most things as they were, it made the house feel a lot more nostalgic and I knew grandma would love my decision, I took extra time cleaning the family portraits, my eyes lingering a little longer on grandpa and grandma, mothers parents, I faintly remember the day the housekeeper called mother to inform her her mother had passed due to old age, it was hectic, she sobbed violently, I was just six, I barely understood what was happening, grandpa followed barely two weeks later, it devastated her, they were to be buried together, it was a small funeral, people wearing all black and holding handkerchiefs, some people crying here and there, I was engulfed in my mothers embrace all through gathering, it was like she was afraid of letting me out of her sight, the sky was gloomy, the weather seemed to grieve with us, I didn't cry, I didn't understand what death meant, after the funeral, we came home, this house, we stayed overnight then left, never to return again… that was all I could remember, I made sure to wipe their potraits down with extra care, after all, that was the last memory I had of them.
Sleep that night was peaceful, no dream, no voice and no red eyes. I wanted to feel relief but I didn't. I strangely longed for it, I wanted answers. I'm home, now what?, It was definitely supernatural, I knew it, I couldn't bring it up to mother cause she would quickly dismiss it, she always did, anytime I brought up some stories from our town I heard in shushed tones from people's lips, she always dismissed it as rumor,"Forget it, people make up stories all the time" she would say, her gaze firm, but now I would do it myself, I had to, I had to know the truth about our hometown and about my dreams…
I mumble a quick thanks to the taxi driver, paying him with cash as I turned to face the huge mansion in standing proudly, in front of me, its towering spires and turrets reaching like skeletal fingers towards the sky, Ivy crawled on the walls as if trying to claim the structure as its own
The mansion loomed in silence, its windows dark and hollow like the eyes of something ancient and watchful. The front doors, tall, arched, and made of heavy oak, were carved with patterns that had long since faded, their edges chipped and worn from decades of rain and wind.
A chill swept through the air, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth and aged wood. The gravel beneath my feet crunched loudly in the suffocating quiet. The mansion's grand fountain stood in the middle of the courtyard, beautiful, its marble angels carried quiet aura in their faces. I looked up at the windows
a single one the upper floor flickered with light faint, golden, and fleeting before vanishing again, as though someone had been watching and quickly withdrew. My pulse quickened. The wind sighed through the nearby trees, their branches brushing against the walls like skeletal hands.
The longer I stared, the more alive the house seemed. Despite the unease curling in my chest, I took a step forward. The air seemed to thicken around me, humming faintly with something old… somethi
ng waiting...