December 28th
The local boys chased each other around the woods, careful not to trip on overgrown roots or dare to step on a toad. One of the boys with brown eyes of no more than 13 stopped at the tree line as the others ran a bit farther into the woods.
“Stop”, the brown-eyed boy called to his friends, “We shouldn’t go that way”
His two companions snickered at him and they resolved to finish their exploration, not ready to end the day and think of school.
“Why not ?”, questioned the oldest of trio.
“Don’t you know?”, said the brown-eyed boy, “There is a house just beyond there. . . a haunted house”
The brown-eyed boy extended his hands into the woods, teasing his friends with frightful noise.
The youngest , and third member of the party, went further
into the woods his baseball cap over his eyes, his friends close behind. Deeper into the woods the three
walked in silence till they came upon the large manor, windows drawn shut with
long spiraling bars over each, there was a large iron gate that swung open, as a wa
rning and
a welcome.
It was nearing twilight and the house appeared long since abandoned. A mist rolling off the lake ebbed closer to the gates.
“It’s an abandon house, just plain and simple”, the brown-eyed boy as he kicked the dirt, “nothing interesting”
“Let’s get closer”, suggested the oldest boy now ready to explore.
The brave group approached the swinging gate and as they reached the gates the ground beneath them began to quiver, shake almost followed by a thump.
“What was that?”, asked the brown-eyed boy
It was followed by another thump and the boys turned to see a black crow had fallen to the ground, before another could speak more birds fell dead to the ground.Terrified the oldest and brown-eyed boy ran.
The youngest turned slowly from the house, intent on coming back.
“The people in that house”, Joshua spoke to himself, “they are just like me. . . I’m just like them”
Had either of the children stayed for maybe a second they would have noticed the highest window facing east, they would have seen the curtains forced open and the dim figure of a woman with her hands and fist beating against the glass.
Possible they would have also seen the thin white hand cover her mouth and pull her back into the darkness.