House of Screams (Come on Writers!!)

Agnes Deerfield grew up in this neighborhood. She was a long time resident. She remembered running on the beachfront in her town with little sister Abigale. She was ever protective of Abigale because she was a little different than all of the other kids. She acted strangely sometimes but Agnes couldn't love her more. The other kids would make fun of her sister when she wasn't around and it bothered her. So she spent most of her time with her little sister. She wouldn't let anyone make fun of her.

Abigale could see things. She saw things that she couldn't quite understand. She could remember what she had seen with vivid detail but it didn't make sense to her. Her fragile mind wasn't able to comprehend the imagery. Angry grown ups sometimes. Places other times. Fire and the sounds of crying. It was strange to her. It didn't mean too much but it was upsetting to her and she didn't know why. So oftentimes when she had these visions she would step away from everyone and hang her head as she tried to make sense of it all. The other kids would perceive these actions as funny and tease her. "Abigale eats dirty snails, she will grow a little tail." they would begin to chant as Abigale sorted through the imagery in her mind. She couldn't hear the children but she knew what they thought of her and that made her sad too.

Agnes would storm over and take her sister by the hand. "You leave her alone! I'll kick your but if you keep saying that!" the children would listen. Agnes was one tough kid and nobody was about to confront her. She would take her sister to their room where she would watch Abigale mutter strange things under her breath for hours. It was ok. Abigale always snapped out of it after a while. Agnes would be there for her sister when she did.

As they grew older Abigale stopped having these episodes. They were both more into boys and make up now then anything else. It was when Abigale met that one boy that things began to unravel. He was a bad boy in town and everyone knew it. He didn't belong with Abigale and Abigale was far too pretty for him anyway, but Abigale would hear none of this. Although her sister Agnes would plead with her to stay away from him, Abigale knew he was the right one. Nobody could see him as she did. She could fix him. She was his only hope and she knew she could reach him.



[edit on 9-7-2009 by jackflap]

The years went by and Abigale eventually married Devon. It was a tumultuous time for the whole family as she recalled countless phone calls from Abigale crying that Devon said this, or Devon did that. It was not the best of time for Abigale or for anyone who knew Abigale.

She remembered the strangest call. Things had quieted down between the two for a while and everyone could breathe a sigh of relief for a bit. The phone call was late as she recalled and she thought to herself, "Oh great, here we go again." as she picked up the receiver.

"Listen Aggy." Abigale said calmly. Aggy was what she called her sister and Agnes liked it, but heaven help anyone else who tried that stunt. "We found something here. You know we had been working on renovating the basement right? Well when we took down the wall by the deep sink we discovered something. Devon didn't want me tell anyone! He is obsessing over it or something. He won't even let me see it anymore. It's a book of some sort. When I touched it, I had the same feelings I had when I was young. It was bad Aggy, and I knew it. Devon seemed fascinated by it. He has been spending all his time with it in the basement. Hold on here he comes."

"Who are you talking to at this hour? Give me that." Agnes heard over the telephone. It was Devon and he had hung up the phone. Agnes settled back into bed and decided that she would call her sister back in the morning.

I will never forgive myself for not going over that night...my sister was never the same again. I never did see the book that we had spoke about, but I was told by others that it was a book on summoning servants from the dark side. I remember rolling my eyes and thinking yeah right! But looking back it makes sense.

The next time that I saw Abigale she looked years older. She had even developed a large streak of gray in her hair. She wasn't my sweet Abby anymore. Whenever I tried to speak to her, she sneered and hissed at me. Something had taken hold over her. Once when I told her that I would pray for her, she slapped me across the face and told me go to hell...she then laughed hysterically, evilly for what seemed like an hour. I was afraid for her and myself!

Originally posted by Greenize
I will never forgive myself for not going over that night...my sister was never the same again. I never did see the book that we had spoke about, but I was told by others that it was a book on summoning servants from the dark side. I remember rolling my eyes and thinking yeah right! But looking back it makes sense.

The next time that I saw Abigale she looked years older. She had even developed a large streak of gray in her hair. She wasn't my sweet Abby anymore. Whenever I tried to speak to her, she sneered and hissed at me. Something had taken hold over her. Once when I told her that I would pray for her, she slapped me across the face and told me go to hell...she then laughed hysterically, evilly for what seemed like an hour. I was afraid for her and myself!

Then one day, out of the blue i had visitors .

To my utter shock , there stood Abigale and Devon on my doorstep , smiling .... uneasily.
Devon was wearing that same cream coloured suit he had worn at his wedding , it now hung from his bony frame.
Abigale wore he hair up , just like she did in High-school ........ Oh Aggy , I`ve missed you ! : i thought
I opened the door and before i could speak, Devon thrust a boutique of flowers towards me , reluctantly i excepted them.

Holding the door ajar I usher them in. As Devon brushed pass me, i could smell the cheap whiskey from his breath ......cracked lips bearing a strained smile.








what did they want from me ?


[edit on 9-7-2009 by UmbraSumus]

[edit on 9-7-2009 by UmbraSumus]

[edit on 9-7-2009 by UmbraSumus]

"Hey there you old bag", he slurred. "I need to go out for a bit and cry baby doesn't want to stay home by herself...I'm leaving her here with you because to be honest, she is getting on my damned nerves." With that, he made his way back out the door and after a moment, I heard to car leave the driveway. My sister looked terrible. "Abigale are you okay"? "No, I am scared Aggy. That house is evil, I always felt it, but ever since Devon found that book it has gotten worse. Things, invisible hands..slap me, claw at me, push me...I hear voices Ags...and I know that Devon does too, I actually hear him talk back to them...he...he is getting scarier everyday...I don't know what to do"!
" The other night, I thought that he was asleep, so I got up from the bed and went and got the book. I lit a fire in the fireplace and was about to throw it in when all of a sudden, I heard so many voices..loud angry voices...things in the room started flying around and hitting me...I..I was so frightened...that is when I saw him...Devon standing in the doorway, glaring at me. He walked across the room and ...well... he hit me so hard Aggy that I was knocked out. When I came to later, him, the book and the voices were all gone. I have to get out of there sis, I can't take this anymore"!

[edit on 10-7-2009 by Greenize]

It was then that Agnes remembered the amulet. Her grandmother had given it to her. She told Agnes that it was given to her many years ago by an old indian woman and was told that it would protect her against evil. She went and got the amulet and put it around Abigales neck. She could still see the anger in Devons face when he returned to get Abby, how he had torn it from her neck and thrown it to the floor cursing her as he pulled a crying Abby out the door. This same amulet she had given to the young boy. She prayed that it protected him and his family...it could their only hope!!

[edit on 10-7-2009 by Greenize]

Morning came , unknown to us.

I did not awaken ,rather than realise i was staring at the ceiling and it was now bright . Thoughts ran from themselves , peace was found amidst the forgetting .

What is it that i`m meant to be doing ?

..... breakfast ........ kids

Eyes searched out answers with distance stares , we ate in silence .

Only one thought emerged :
" Kids , i was a little too hasty moving us into the house so soon "

" I need to sort out a few things with the electrics and plumbing , shouldn`t take but a few more days .. o.k ? "

So when ye` finish eating , move your stuff back into the trailer . Its a little crampt but it was fine these past few weeks , a few days more won`t matter much.... Hurry on now

Lisa squeezed my hand .
She looked so exhausted , she must not of had a good night sleep either .

I sensed that i knew and yet ...... i knew nothing , fleeting fragments ...... figments .

I need to get out of the house , clear my head.

I need to see someone about that painting .

Jonathan and Lisa moved the whole family back into the trailer that very
morning. The children were warned to stay out of the house unless
accompanied by their father or mother. They were not to go in by them-
selves for any reason.
The family cat was found dead just outside of the bedroom door and Lisa
assigned the task of burial to Little Jon and Liza, both of whom acted as if
it was an honor to perform this final farewell for "Mittens". With the cat
wrapped in a brown grocery bag, off they went to find a suitable resting
spot among the towering oaks.
From her second-story window, Agnes Deerfield watched the strange
comings and goings of her new neighbors across the way. She ventured
out only after she was positive they had moved back into the trailer. She
walked over to the other side of the road and knocked lightly on the
trailer's door. Instantly Lisa appeared to greet her, climbing down and
reaching out to shake Agnes's hand. "Nice to finally meet you Mrs.
Deerfield, what can we do for you?"
"Are you, are you all okay ?"
"Why yes, we're all fine Mrs. Deerfield, just a rough night, why do you
ask?" answered Lisa.
"Call me Agnes, honey. Saw some lights late last night and wondered.
Heard some banging too."
Lisa looked at the genuine concern on Agnes's face and thought an honest
reply was needed. "Well, to tell you the truth, the house spooked us last
night. We've been living in this small trailer so long that we'd forgotten
how different night sounds can be in a big old house like this. Kind of silly,
isn't it ?"
"Not at all my dear, not silly at all. Some houses scare me. This house
scares me. Not silly at all." "Are you planning to leave ?"
"Oh no, no. Nothing that serious. We just have to get some things
straightened out before we formally move back in. That's all."
"Maybe you SHOULD leave." Agnes then related the story of her sister
Abigale and Devon. When she finished she was shaking. "Never saw either
one of them again. No one's ever seen them again ! And it's been more
than three years now. You're the first to move onto the property in all that
time ! Maybe YOU should leave now !" "Before . . . before . . . . . ."

The house stood empty again. The painting of the white-haired man now
hung by itself in the dining room, a place where it appeared to fit just
perfectly. . . . as if it had hung there before, some time in the past.

The house was silent and still, except for a cold breeze that made its way
from room to room and floor to floor. Reaching the attic, the breeze moved
along the side of one wall until it came to a darkened corner, where it
began to stir up loose dust. Below the dust cloud sat a table, and on the
table sat a very old-looking book of biblical proportion. No, the correct
word was anti-biblical ! And suddenly the book opened, pages turning as if
they had a mind of their own. As more and more pages turned, the air
became heavy and unstable. And then the book slammed shut.

Down in the dining room the painting still hung in its place. But if one was
to take a closer second look, one could see that the painting was not quite
the same anymore. The man with the white hair was still in the picture, as
insanely angry as before, but now there was something else ! In between
the branches and bushes, a cat now gazed out at you in terror !

Before Little Jon could even finish getting the hole dug, Liza had lost interest. She didn't like him anyway she explained as she went on her way. Jon however did. Mittens was his cat. He would miss him...he would miss watching him swat his toy mouse...HIS TOY!!! He had bought Mittens that toy with his allowance and it was mittens favorite toy!! He had to get it and bury it with the kitty. Getting it meant going back into the house. He would get in trouble if he got caught, but he had to take that chance!!

Taking a quick look around, he was certain that no one was watching, and Little Jon made his way across the yard to back door. He quietly pushed the door open and peaked inside, right...then left...all clear. He closed the door behind him, careful not to make a peep incase anyone was outside...like his dad! He paused for a moment to try and remember when and where was the last place that he had seen the toy mouse. He thought that it was in the den, in front of the large fireplace. He had been playing with his hot wheels on the stones and Mittens had been there beside him playing with the mouse. Little did he know that there were many others in the house with him...watching him...waiting on their orders...or permission rather...

He made his way through the utility room and kitchen and was walking down the hall passed the dining room when he heard something...someone....calling his name...."little Jonathan"...come here little Jon', the voice said in near a whisper. "Who is it", ask Jon, more curious than afraid. "I am a friend Jon, now come here I want to show you something"! More curious now, Jon decided to go and see who was talking to him. "Where are you?", he asked.
" Here, in the dining room, hurry here and see what I have for you"! Jon walked excitedly to the doorway and entered into the dining room. There was no one there. "Hello..., he called, I am in the dining room and I don't see you". He was startled when the voice that he had heard a moment ago, spoke to him again, louder this time! "I am right here Jon, I can see you and guess what my boy, Mittens can see you too!!!"...it was coming from .... the painting!!! He saw Mittens, there in the picture with the mean old man, a total look of fear on his face" "There on the floor dear boy you will find what you seek..." Jon looked on the floor, and sure enough, the toy mouse was there, torn to shreds... "You get out of my house, all of you or you will all look like that damned toy...you tell your mommy and daddy that...now RUN you nasty brat.... RUN!!!!"

Little Jon ran all the way back to Mitten's grave, where he threw in what
was left of the favorite toy. Carefully he covered the entire grave with
rocks, then left to find his younger sister.
Back at the trailer, Jonathan and Lisa were preparing to enter the house
together, in search of "the book". Agnes Deerfield's horror story had put
them on edge, but it had also given them direction. They both now agreed
that finding that book and getting it the hell out of the house was the only
logical thing they could do if they wanted to continue to own the property.
Holding hands, they mounted the porch and entered through a side door.

As they entered the house, Jon told Lisa that he would take the upstairs rooms and she should search the rooms on the lower floor. "Lets do it this way so that we can find the damned book and get out of here!"
Lisa agreed and watched as Jon took the stairs two at a time.
Jon went from room to room, searching closets and cabinets. Lisa was doing the same thing...they had both found the same thing...nothing...Jon walked back to the bottom of the stairs and called Lisa..."yes", she answered. "I am going to check to attic...do you want to check the basement or would you rather wait until I can go down with you"? "No, you go ahead and check the attic, I will be okay down there by myself." " Are you sure?" "Yeah, I am a big girl, I think I can handle it, " she said with a wink. Jon was glad to see her smile..it had been a rough couple of days.
Jon made his way back up the stairs, and reached for the cord that hung from the ceiling, as he tugged the cord, the stairs unfolded and slid down in front of him. He hurriedly made his way up into the loft. Again, he reached over head and tugged on the cord that hung there, the room suddenly brightened as the light came to life. He hadn't realized how big it was up here when he was there earlier. He had seen the painting without ever turning the light on. There are actually some very nice antiques up here, he was thinking as he scanned the room. An old vanity, complete with the stool, a old mirror, one of the great big old ones on the stand, he would have to remember to get that later, Lisa would love it. His eyes were drawn to an old wooden carousel horse in the back corner. He could fix that up and make it nice... something for the kids to play on. Distracted from the task at hand, he made his way to the back of the room for a closer look at the horse.It was like a maze and Jon turned and weaved his around the room full of newly found treasures...the book for which he searched was just around the next turn...waiting...longing to educate him....

Lisa entered the basement, her heart pounding all the way down the steps...she kind of wished that she had waited for Jon. She laughed for a moment when a memory of her dad came to mind...when things got tough he always said "gird up your loins girl"...she could hear him saying that to her now. She pointed her flashlight to the ceiling, looking for the string that would bring a much needed relief of light...there it was...click...light flooded the dingy space...and there really wasn't much of anything down there. The washer and dryer...a table for folding clothes, ironing board, deep freeze, the wood furnace and some boxes...wait...behind the boxes... a door...she hadn't noticed it before...she thought about it for a moment, and decided to go on check it out...besides, Jon was busy in the attic... she painstakingly moved the boxes, old and musty, storing god only knows what, she would pilfer through them later, right now she wanted to know what was behind the mystery door. Finally, she had moved the last box...she slowly walked over to the door...turned the knob...squreeeekkkkkk...was the sound the old rusty door made as is opened...

Just as Jon rounded the corner where he might have discovered the book, he heard the most blood curdling scream that he had ever heard in his life...OH MY GOD, he thought, that was Lisa!!!!

Jonathan bolted for the ladder. In seconds he was backing down the stairs
as quickly as possible. His carelessness caught up with him as he neared
the bottom of the ladder and his right foot slipped between two rungs,
scrapping the skin from his shin and causing him to trip and stumble and
fall to the floor in pain. But another hair-raising scream from Lisa brought
him to his feet again and he was off.

In the basement, Lisa had found Abigale and Devon . . . or what was left
of them. Their bodies hung from a steel rod that spanned the length of the
closet. Abigale looked as if she had gone first. She was securely tied-up,
her hands behind her back, with rope coiling up and around her neck many
times . She hadn't hung herself, that was for sure ! Under Devon's body a
fallen chair seemed to indicate suicide, that maybe he had hung himself
after he'd taken care of Abigale . . maybe. Both of them had their eyes
wide open . . and their tongues hanging out ! Maggots crawled over them !
Lisa began to vomit and cry at the same time, while screaming
hysterically.

Nothing moved in Agnes Deerfield's room. She had heard the screams and
she had been watching to see . . if that couple would make it out. So far,
nothing ! The fools, hadn't she told them to leave ? But they hadn't
listened to her, had they ? Just like Abby, and that freak Devon, they
hadn't listened either ! And look what happened to them !

Little Jon stayed in the trailer as instructed, . . babysitting. When he heard
his mother scream he had wanted to run over to the house and find her,
to see if she was okay, but he remembered his dad telling him that the
best thing he could do to help was to stay with his brothers and sister and
watch over things. He checked on the baby again, just to make sure.
He double-checked the lock on the door, to make sure it was fastened. He
checked the windows. He waited and listened. And he shivered !

Jonathan ran down the stairs to the first floor. He could hear Lisa crying
as he neared the basement door. "Hang on honey, I'm coming !" he
shouted through the door. Grabbing the doorknob he turned it violently
and yanked, . . but the door wouldn't open! It wouldn't budge ! " WTF is
going on around here," he screamed to no one in particular. "What the
hell is going on ?"
He kicked the door as hard as he could, splintering it close to the jamb. He
kicked it again . . . and the door flew open, and hung sideways on loose
hinges, enabling him to sweep by and head down the stairs. Lisa lay in a
pool of her own puke, covering her mouth with one hand as she gagged
continuously, and pulling maggots off of her clothes with the other, her
eyes wide with terror. She was startled by Jonathan's sudden appearance
and screamed a very high-pitched shriek as he bent to help her.
As he tried to pull Lisa to her feet, Abigale's decayed body picked that precise moment to fall from the steel rod, and right on top of both of them!
Maggots were everywhere ! And both of them were screaming at the top
of their lungs !

Jon added to the pile of vomit after he had throw the rotting corpse off of himself and Lisa. Lisa was now unconscious, her mind no longer able to take the horror that she innocently discovered. "My God, Jon cried...what kind of sick ass place is this"? He went over to the corner and grabbed a roll of plastic that he had placed there earlier. He had bought it to secure and cover their belongings after they were loaded on the flat bed trailer for the move. He wrapped her first...gagging at the smell of rotting flesh and the sound of the feeding maggots. He then carefully took Devons body down and wrapped it as well, placing them both away from him and Lisa. The stench was was overpowering and he knew he needed to get Lisa to fresh air, but a second door, at the back of the closet now had his attention. He moved slowly to the back of the closet, reached for the knob...."NO Jon, don't open it, Lisa yelled, lets get the hell out of here. We need to call the police!" "You go Lisa, get out of here...I will be out after I see what else is hidden in this hell hole of a house!" "Then I am staying too, I am not leaving you down here alone Jon". Do you have your flashlight Lisa, its dark back here and I would feel better if I had more light!" Lisa looked around and found the flashlight that she had carried down with her, she turned it on and entered the closet behind Jon. "Jon look, a cord, there in the corner...there must be a light in there....pull it and see!" Jon reached and pulled the cord and instantly, a warm glow spilled from underneath the heavy wooden door. Jon reached again for the knob, turning briefly he confided in his wife that he was afraid of what they might find. Slowly, he turned the knob..

Jonathan turned the doorknob . . . and pulled.

Immediately the two of them were bathed in soft light. They stepped in
over the threshold. Bushes and trees appeared as if by magic, and Lisa
had a distinct feeling they had been here before. Together they walked
forward . . until they saw the white-haired man heading in their direction !
He hadn't seen them, so they ducked down and quickly backed up and out
of the door. Jonathan closed the door and muttered "Jesus" under his
breath. Both of them stood on shakey legs, wondering what they had just
witnessed !
"What kind of room is that Jon ?" Lisa asked in a whisper. Jonathan found
himself also whispering, "I don't know babe but I swear to God I've been
there before. I know I have !"
They waited ten minutes, then tried the door again. But this time Jon put
a wedge in the door so that it wouldn't close all the way. He didn't want
anything going wrong if they ran into some trouble. Slowly they reentered
the room, and watched as the bushes and trees magically appeared. There
was no sign of the white-haired man ! Walking alongside a stonewall fence,
they were surprised when the short path curved back to the left and
disappeared. When they tried to follow, they could not ! An invisible
barrier of some kind prevented them from going any farther in this
direction. Lisa took this opportunity to gaze out ahead . . . and was dumb-
founded at what she saw. It was . . it was . .their dining room!

They were looking down . . . into their dining room! Just then Lisa said, "I
know where we are Jon, I know where we are . . . we're in the painting !
We're in the painting that's on the wall in our dining room ! Only . .we're
"in" the painting too ! Just then Mittens jumped up on Lisa's shoulder . . .
and she began to scream all over again !

Jonathan swatted the cat off of Lisa's shoulder and grabbed her hands,
pleading for her to stop screaming. She calmed down enough to hear Jon
tell her that something was coming after them, something in the trees !
They began to run back towards the door, anxious to get the hell out of
there !
Ten feet left to go when the white-haired man rushed between them and
the door, bringing them to a screeching halt ! Jonathan pushed Lisa behind
him and turned to face the crazed man . . . Devon. He wasn't dead and
covered with maggots, and he no longer appeared to be angry . . . but he
did appear to be highly agitated. He looked at Jonathan and asked, "What
are you doing in here ? You need to get out, now ! You need to get out of
here and find your kids ! Cause if old Agnes gets to them first . . well, I
don't even want to think about it !" "Go on, get outta here, now !"

"What are you saying?" yelled Lisa. "What do you mean?"

Devon took a second to gather his thoughts, then said, "Look, I'm a ghost
trapped in here forever, but you're not trapped in here, yet, so get out of
here ! It's Agnes' the one you want, it's Agnes that done kilt my beautiful
Abigale, . . and the others ! And she'll kill you too, and your children, if'n
ya'll don't get outta here. Now get !"

It didn't take much encouragement. Lisa and Jon broke for the door at the
same time. And found it . . . closed and locked !

A shadow moved silently down the stairs, then across the road.

Little Jon worried about his mother and father. He hadn't heard anything
in the last twenty minutes.

He got up to check the lock when the scratching began.