House of Pain-Short Story-REVISED OPTIONAL ENDINGS

With a steaming cup of coffee in hand, I stepped inside and sighed and looked around the spacious yet empty living room of the cute bungalow I’d just purchased. A new day had dawned and like the bare walls and rooms would soon be filled, I hoped that some day that I’d be filled with peace and fulfillment. After everything I’d been through, I needed a purpose for living.

Shouts from outside my little house interrupted my thoughts. My best friend, Kathleen yelled at the driver of the moving truck. I walked onto the porch and had to smile. Kathleen, with her red hair blowing in the wind, motioned for the driver like a traffic cop, to stop as the truck approached my front steps. Over the past year, she’d helped me through some tough times.

Kathleen and I, along with the two hired movers, started unloading items from the truck. As I moved one of my items, I accidentally bumped into the young surly, dark-haired man with a grumpy disposition. To be fair, he could’ve been grumpy because I’d just about knocked him over with a brass lamp. But when we brushed up against each other, there was a brief, strong connection like lightning bolt to metal. Static electricity? Whatever it was, it was powerful.

He looked into my eyes. I looked into his. His blue eyes shimmered and flashed sparks like fireworks on the fourth of July. My heart raced and I stood frozen, speechless. Kathleen bumped into the other young man with a big box hard enough to force both of them to drop what they were carrying. Both men cursed in unison. Kathleen and I shrugged our shoulders in unison.

All of a sudden, the black sky lit up and a crack of thunder roared to the accompanying pounding rain.

“Okay, everyone stop,” said the annoyed callous, dark-haired man. “We have one too many hands in the pot here. Why don’t you ladies take a tea break or something?” he said as he placed a small duffel bag on the porch.

The other man, short and stocky, stopped and smirked. “All right, Steve. I think they get the point,” he said shaking his head as he brought in more boxes.

Finally able to speak again, I said, “Yeah, Steve, we get it.” I wasn’t too happy being told what to do. “Anything else?”

“Nope,” he said not looking up as they moved my lavender loveseat into the living room. “Nice color,” Steve muttered.

“Were you commenting on the color of my furniture?” And, as the movers walked across the creaky wood floor, I heard a long drawn out moan coming from…somewhere. I couldn’t tell for sure where. Now, I’m hearing things, I thought.

“It is a little bright, isn’t it?”

“Well I like it, and that’s all that matters. Come on Kathleen,” I said with determination, “we can start unpacking dishes while the big stuff comes in.”

As I turned the kitchen lights on, lamps busted and shattered to the floor.

“What the hell is going on? Man, it’s pitch black in here.”

"We just need to replace the lamps, Missy. Don’t get all worked up. Do you have a flashlight?”

"Yeah, somewhere. I pulled a box from under the sink. “Here’s one. Isn’t it strange that they would all go out at the same time?”

“There might be a short in your wiring or something,” Kathleen added as she looked up at one of the ceiling lights. “You shouldn’t get stressed. Remember what your doctor said. Maybe we should take a break and get something to eat. You’re too thin for that tall body of yours.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. I ate earlier. Anyway, I’m a cancer survivor remember?

“I’ll get the broom,” Kathleen said shaking her head as she made her way to the closet.

I walked back into the living room and noticed that each time Steve came in with another box or piece of furniture, he looked around as if hearing someone calling his name.

“Everything okay?”

He hesitated. “Yeah, why?”

“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost or something.”

He stared at me, face tense and tried to speak but was hoarse. After clearing his throat, he said, “Of course not.”

“Did you hear anything when you were bringing in the sofa?”

“Yeah, but not sure what.” Shifting uncomfortably, he placed his fingers through his wavy, brown hair as he looked around and added, “I need to bring the rest of your things inside.”

I looked for anything unusual throughout the rest of the house, which didn’t take long with only a few rooms to walk through, and still wondered where the noises were coming from. The floorboards? Actually, the moans and soft wails were coming from everywhere. As rooms filled, one by one with my belongings, I felt pain filling the air. Suddenly, I bent over and put my hand across my abdomen.

“Hey girl, what’s the matter?” Kathleen asked.

“I feel terrible. Must be nerves.”

“Sit down on the couch for a minute. You look as white as a ghost,” she said as she sat down next to me.

“You’re working too hard. Maybe this move was too soon after your surgery.”

Subconsciously, I touched my old t-shirt that covered the empty place my right breast used to be and said, “Why do you need to bring that up? I’m trying to put the past behind me." And as I lay down on the sofa, I heard them. Heard the scratching, the scattering. I felt them. Felt the restlessness, the anger. My head pounded and beads of sweat covered my body. I placed my hand over my mouth and ran to the bathroom, just in time to let go of the contents of my stomach into my very own toilet. That’s great, I thought. Just great. I’d already had my share of vomiting over the past few months.

Steve walked in as I strolled out of the bathroom, just in time to catch me wiping saliva off my face with a hand towel.

“Not feeling well?”

“What makes you ask that?”

“Ah, well…nothing. I just thought you looked…under the weather.”

“Heard any other noises?” I asked hoping for subject change.

Steve looked down at his work boots. “Maybe. You?”

“Come here and sit down,” I said as I put my hands on my ears. “Do you hear anything?”

He sat down for a minute, rubbing his square skin and said, “Yes, I know what they are. You’re not gonna believe me though.”

“You know what they are or who they are?” I muttered. I began to think that I was on the show, Candid Camera. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

“Both. I’m here to help you with more than the moving.”

“What are you talking about?” I paced the floor, back and forth, looking up at the ceiling, not finding any answers there. “You’re freaking me out more than these voices or noises or whatever the hell they are.”

“Look, I can’t explain everything now. Can you ask your friend to leave? I’ll stay behind so I can explain what is happening.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. Then, it’s just you and I? How convenient for you. Do you see blonde roots?” I touched my short, spiky brown hair for added effect and continued, “Well, there aren’t any. So whatever you’re trying to sell, I’m not buying. Got it?”

He just sat there. Probably thinking of his next move.

“I’m going to get the last of the furniture, and then send Paul on his way so I can explain this to you.”

“Fine, but Kathleen stays with her cell phone nearby.”

“Okay. Don’t you sense a connection with me?”

"Yes,” I mumbled wrestling with my emotions. “What does it all mean?”

“Your house is in pain because evil spirits reside here. Our combination-your goodness and my sensitivity is pushing them over the edge.”

“What sensitivity? This is insane,” I said standing up too quickly. Feeling dizzy, I fell to my knees and covered my face with shaky hands. “I just don’t understand.”

“I know it’s a lot to take in, but I am telling you the truth. We need to cast these spirits out to the place they belong.

“We?”

“I need to perform a small ritual, but we’re in this together.”

As they talked about the plan, the house became a place of misery. Water poured down the walls of each room like tears of a forlorn lover. The cries and moans became loud. The power surged on and off.

“Come on Missy, this is crazy,” Kathleen demanded with hands on wide hips.
We both watched as the picture window fogged up with big letters spelling, “get out,” that cracked down the middle in a zigzag shape. Death and dirt and rot floated out of all the air ducts filling the rooms like dread filled my soul.

“All right, that’s enough. We’ve got to leave. Now.”

“You go ahead, but please don’t tell anyone,” I begged. More lamps blew out, splattering glass everywhere. The floorboards lifted up in places and flapped up and down like a seesaw.

“I can’t leave you!” she said standing close to me.

“Yes, you can,” I said hugging her tight. “ I trust this guy. Now, go.”

As Kathleen walked out the door, and she turned back just in time to see the heavy wood door slam behind her so hard that she lost her balance and tumbled down the steps. The door locked as she got into her car and left.

After pulling a note and a candle out his duffle bag, he said, “Okay. I think I have everything ready. First, we need to hold each other and…”

“Embrace? Get real.” I heard a loud crack when the ceiling split and pieces of plaster landed just inches from us. I looked up at the hole in the ceiling and said, “All right, let’s get rid of them.”

He lit the candle and wrapped his muscular arms around me like a warm blanket. I could feel Steve’s firm body under his flannel work jacket. As Steve read from a small piece of paper, I felt an odd sensation and warmth spread from my toes to my face. A rush of air pummeled into us like a huge wave, which knocked us down. Steve grabbed me again, which caused blood to rush to my head. I would have fallen straight to the floor if Steve hadn’t caught me.

One by one, the white streams of mist followed the fog-like entities like the tail and string trailing a kite, twisting and twirling as they rushed through the house, up and down encircling us, then swirled between us pushing outward, but we held on. All except one finally screeched past us and found there way out of the house by any opening they could find.

“Help me,” in a child’s voice, the little stream of haze said. “I don’t want to go.”
“Are you sure this is an evil one? I whispered.

Ignoring her, Steve yelled, “Demon, be gone!” And with the wave of Steve’s hand, the swirling haze raced past us and flew through the electrical outlet and was gone.

“Is that it? I asked quietly, out of breath from holding it for who knows how long. And as I asked the question I knew the answer. The silence was beautiful. I took a deep breath and exhaled sweet, fresh air. The house had stopped crying, but it needed some serious repair work. The apparitions were gone.

“Why were they here in the first place? And how did you know what to do?”

“I am one of the keepers.”

“The keeper of what?”

“The secrets of the dead-good and evil.”

“So why were they here?”

“I did some research on the history of your house so I’d know which spirits we were dealing with. These particular evil spirits were organized and sneaky. They found a loophole, for lack of a better word, and escaped the road to hell and from the one who seeks them. There was a madman who had lived here at one time and blood had been splattered here. Badness can be felt. And so they came here for refuge.

“Who is after them? Not the dude with red horns?”

“Something like that. I think these souls have been hiding out here for quite some time. This little place of yours has changed owners many times. At one time, there was a madman who had lived here. Blood had been splattered here. The essence of evil resided here so what better place to take refuge.”

“Well, are these spirits where they belong now?” I asked as I bit the edge of my fingernail to shreds. “Are there others like you?”

“I think they are on their way. And yes, there are many others like me. I’m part of the secret group that helps keep things in check between the good and bad spirits. Have you ever heard of the Manichean struggle?”

“I don’t even understand what you’ve asked me.”

“Do you believe in good versus evil? How about heaven and hell?”

“I don’t know, but after this experience I’m a step closer to believing. I only have one more question, for now. How did you know that spirit was really evil?”

“I just knew. Evil surrounds itself with evil. Good surrounds itself with good. Normally. And in time you will believe.” And, looking into my eyes he took my hand, and said softly, “I need to be going. I have more work to do, but I’d like to see again.”

I smiled. “Sure, just as long as no spirits are involved.”

He grinned and said, “You’re a survivor and have a goodness about you that is known in our circle. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re called upon in the future by our group.”

“Who me? A keeper or whatever? I’m just taking life one day at a time. But, I guess I could help kick some ghost butt if necessary.”

He lightly kissed me on the check, and for a brief moment, I closed my eyes. When I opened them, he was gone.
OPTIONAL ENDING#1:
I didn’t tell Kathleen everything that had happened, but at least I knew why I got such a good deal on my house. And, as the sun once again shone brightly outside my windows, I thought life might be worth living after all.
OPTIONAL ENDING#2:
Twist Ending-Noticing the front door slightly ajar, I slammed it shut. As I went to the kitchen, a breeze passed through me several times until it finally rested within. I knew what needed to be done, but I wondered if I’d found my destiny after all.

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The End