Every family or town has its own tales told to children so they’d behave well, or don’t do anything stupid or harmful.
In my family we had one of those, it was called home sweet home.
Why was it called home sweet home? That’s because there was a rumour that a group of teenagers ran away from their families to find out what it was like to be free. They brought all they needed with them food supplies, water, warm clothes and blankets. They found a house in the woods and stayed there, after a few weeks they had a shortage on food and soon died of hunger. Tourists eventually found their bodies and buried them under the house so their spirits would forever be “free”. They say that anyone who has ever trespassed on the property has never been found or seen since.
My mum told me that she never wanted me to go out alone after dark or never go into the woods. I didn’t know what to believe, I heard about this tale so much I was craving for the truth. I checked to see if my parents were asleep, and for my luck they were. I kissed them both on the forehead and whispered goodnight. I placed fresh batteries into my flashlight, dressed into warm clothes and I slid my arms into the straps of my backpack filled with equipment I might need. I put my oldest pair of sneakers on and headed for the door.
I entered the woods, trees looming over me. I have been extremely paranoid since I left the house.
Finally I reach the old house. The porch was completely rotten, possibly from the years of rain. The paint peeling off the sides of the house. A once beautiful home looked like a hallow memory.
As I entered, shattered pieces from the chandelier had fallen. It smelt horrible in there. The smell of rotting wood and decaying animals that probably got trapped in the house over time.
I looked ahead, I hear a clock ticking but the hands weren’t moving, all the clocks in the house were frozen on 12. Out of the corner of my eye I could’ve sworn I saw the figure of a young lady. Suddenly I heard loud footsteps. Something was in there with me. I was not alone.
I had finished exploring the house and its treasures and decided I should leave. As I reached the door a cold breath of air collided with my neck. “Such a pretty face” I heard from the scratchy voice behind me. Even though I was scared, this was what I came to learn. As I turned, I met with piercing red eyes in the darkness.
A young girl who looked to be in her late teens was staring at me. I noticed her hands were bloody and wrinkly. Her clothes were torn and wet. Her hair was black and dead, cut off to her shoulders.
“Problem?” She questioned me.
“No, no I was just admiring your beautiful home”
She looked at me in a very intimidating way, she knew what I was there for.
“Would you like to play a game?” She smirked.
“I really should get back to my …”
“NO” She says loudly as she cuts off my sentence. “Let’s make a deal if you win, you get to go home to your family”
“And if I don’t?” I reply.
“You die.”
I was petrified, there was no other way to leave and besides if I didn’t play… I would die anyway.
“I accept your challenge” I say in a frightened shallow voice.
“Good” She says, again with a smirk. “The rules are simple, you hide and I seek. The game ends when the clock reaches 6, good luck” I suddenly run for the kitchen and grab any weaponry I could. I headed upstairs to one of the bedrooms, silently crying of fear in one of the closets.
A voice from downstairs “Ready or not, here I come”
Shaking, sweating and fidgeting, all I can think about is if I didn’t question the tale, if I had listened to my mother and not gone out alone, I wouldn’t be here. I hear the sounds of creaking floorboards as the creepy girl steps into the room. I quickly hold my breath, I can’t afford to make any sudden movements.
All I can hear is the girl repeating over and over.
“You never should’ve disturbed me, now you’ll pay. You and your filthy family too”
My heart stopped beating for a second. “She wouldn’t know about my family would she?” I think to myself as she leaves the room. As I was in the closet on the floor leaning against a draw I noticed an air vent in the crack of the closet door. I had to be fearless at this point, I opened the closet door and raced for the vent. It was old and rusted, I was able to yank it off quickly without any hassle.
I climbed into the vent and later found myself in the attic. I decided that I’d stay in here until 6 so I was able to go home. There were a few boxes and rugs in here, but they were all old and dusty. I opened the boxes to see what was inside, and they seem to be pictures of families that came her over the years. There was a picture of 5 teenagers, 3 boys and 2 girls. At that moment I had realized the tale was true. 5 teenagers who ran away into the woods to get away from life itself.
In the corner of the box was a clock “gosh, 12 o’clock are you serious!” I thought to myself. “Hold on a second, all the clocks in the house are stuck on 12”. The girl told me the game would end once the clock reaches 6 she played me, it’s a never ending game. I have to get out of here before she finds me.
I tried to get out the window but it wouldn’t budge. I could hear that the girl found where I was hiding as she pulls down the attic ladder and says “There is nowhere to hide up there, come down my pretty”. There was nothing else I could do I panicked and threw the clock at the window, it shattered. I climbed through to make my escape. As I reached the roof I climbed down the gutter and ran for my life I turned my head to see if she was still in the attic. Just by chance she was standing on the porch with the widest grin as she yelled “GAME OVER”. She started sprinting.
I ran for my house it was hope and protection. I was lost. I forgot my way back home, I can’t see it’s still dark out, and my flashlight is blown. I can hear the sounds of leaves being crushed by footsteps behind me. I get more anxious as I fade into the dark woods. Fighting for my survival. I take a minute to catch my breath.
Everything stops.
The wind stops blowing. There is no more sounds of life, I can’t see anything. I’m stuck here in the middle of nowhere.
Just as soon as all was gone, a sharp scratchy voice from behind me whispers “I win”
From that day on none has ever found my remains, she hid them under the house with all the other innocents she killed.