The House of Wood

by Anthony Price

  The chair swung in an arc towards his head, bringing it down as hard as I could. Again and again I hit him. Still he struggled. I gave it one more try.

  The chair shattered across his shoulders, knocking him unconscious. At least that’s what I hoped. Hot air filled my lungs as I took deep breaths. Acrid smoke was beginning to climb its way up through the floorboards. I ran in to the child’s bedroom and shut the door, trying to block out the smoke. I used everything I could think of. The wardrobe, rotten bed sheets, even my own hoodie. But still it seeped through.

  Shutters banged. Outside it sounded as if the birds were going crazy, beating their wings against the house. No doubt they were scared by the fire. So was I.

  Justin’s words echoed through me.

  You’ll never be rid of me, Rachel. You may as well give in.

  I was trapped…

  Chapter Twenty

  “Is that it?” David asked, his eyes narrowing. “Surely that can’t be all?”

  “That’s it,” Rachel replied. She was getting tired of his constant questioning. “The flames got out of control and then the fire department arrived, the end.”

  “But how did you escape? What happened to Justin?”

  “For Christ sake, David, there isn’t any more to tell. He died, the house burnt down. I thought you were going to try and help me get through this. Instead, all you’ve done is dredge up all these memories. Don’t you understand how hard it is for me?”

  “Of course I understand, I just want to help you.”

  People were beginning to look now, their nervous faces sticking out like ghosts in the gloom, wondering if the sudden uproar would spill over on to their tables. But she didn’t care.

  “That’s the thing though, you don’t understand. No one has ever understood what I’ve had to go through.” Her blood was boiling now. She could feel the surge of anger coursing through her veins. She wanted to stop but she couldn’t. “You weren’t there, how could you understand? I’ve lived the same nightmare again and again for three years. I can’t sleep, I can’t go out alone. Jesus, I can’t even come back to visit my parents because it’s too hard to remember. That one night has taken away my life. My only comfort, was knowing that the house no longer stood. But now it’s back and it will never be over. I just want it to be over.”

  They sat there in silence, Rachel sobbing into her napkin. A blonde waiter came over to ask if everything was okay; some of the other customers were apparently complaining about her outburst. Well screw them, she thought. The whole damn world could go to hell for all she cared. David informed the waiter that everything was fine, but could they have the cheque. The guy shot off in the direction of the bar.

  Embarrassment had started to seep in; Rachel couldn’t believe that she had gone through that entire tirade in the middle of a restaurant. She could feel her cheeks burning, as they turned scarlet in colour. She heard David fidget in his seat. No doubt he was as embarrassed as she was. Everything she touched just went wrong.

  “Look, I’m sorry if I pushed you too hard.” David said, breaking the silence. “I’m used to patients that are tough to crack.”

  “Forget it,” Rachel replied. “I just feel so trapped, David. I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m so angry all the time.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not your fault. This was my idea. I thought it would help to talk to someone, but I guess I was wrong.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. It’s hard to confront our greatest fears and I think just by getting this far, you’ve taken a huge step in dealing with it.”

  She paused for a moment, not sure what to say.

  “And you’ve certainly made a new friend,” he added, with a smile.

  “Thank you.”

  “Anytime. Although, maybe next time we could just go out for a meal. No talk of houses.”

  Rachel felt that familiar sense of relief that she had only ever experienced with the man sitting opposite her.

  “I’d love to see you again, but I don’t know when I will be leaving town.” The sooner the better, she thought. “Maybe you could drive up to Fort Kent for a visit?”

  “That would be great. I’ve got some vacation time due next month. I’ll come up then.”

  “Excellent.”

  Her heart soared. It hadn’t been an easy night, but maybe it was worth fighting through the pain of her memories after all. Maybe this was the turning point? Life certainly couldn’t get any worse, she thought.

  The waiter returned with the cheque. Rachel wanted to pay her half, but David refused to take any money.

  “How are you getting home?” He asked.

  “Ummm, I was going to call a cab to take me to the bed and breakfast.”

  “I can’t let you do that. How about I drop you off?”

  “I couldn’t ask you to do that. You’ve got your new place to sort out.”

  “You’re not asking, I’m offering.” He smiled at her. “Honest it’s no trouble.”

  “Well, if you’re sure?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t. I’ll just go and pay the bill.”

  Rachel waited by the front door of the restaurant. A sudden flash of light, followed by a low rumble, announced the storm was picking up again. She was glad David had offered to drive her back. The rain was coming down so hard it looked like a waterfall coming from the sky. There was no way she wanted to wait for a cab out in that. She heard footsteps behind her.

  “Shall we get going?” He asked, offering her his arm.

  She took it, and the two of them walked out into the stormy night.

  The rain pelted against them as they shot across the car park towards the car. David tried to shield them with his jacket, but the wind was blowing so hard, the rain was lashing down sideways. As they reached the car, he swung the passenger door open and Rachel jumped in. Within seconds he joined her, shutting the rain out behind him.

  “Wow, this storm is wild,” he said, shaking the loose drops out of his hair.

  “I know. I’ve never known a storm like this before. I hope Nathan and Becky are okay.”

  “I’m sure they’re fine.”

  It went quiet in the confined space of the vehicle, as Rachel buckled her seatbelt. She still felt guilty for blowing her top in the restaurant. There was one thing that had been bugging her all night.

  “What is it with you and Nathan? He really seems to have a problem with you.”

  “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”

  She sat back and stared out of the window. “There must be a reason. Come on, tell me. I told you all of my secrets.”

  David stopped fiddling with his seat and looked at her. “I can’t. Sorry.”

  Rachel was disappointed and a little annoyed. “You don’t trust me.”

  “It’s not that, it’s-”

  “Then tell me.”

  David sighed, gripping the steering wheel tight. “Okay, but you’ll have to promise me you won’t say anything.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yeah okay, I promise.”

  He fidgeted in his seat and adjusted the rear view mirror. “Nathan was one of my first patients.”

  “Oh my God, why? What was wrong with him?”

  “There was a huge shoot out over on route fifty. He saw several good men get shot and die that day. He was sent to me with P.T.S.D.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s post-traumatic stress disorder. A lot of soldiers, or people in any stressful situations can suffer from it.”

  Rachel was shocked. Nathan was one of her best friends and had been since they were children. She hated to think of him suffering. It did explain a lot about his behaviour though, she thought. It was another thing that she had to feel guilty for. Maybe if she had been here, then she could have helped him through it. It seemed as though she wasn’t the only person that had changed since she left.

  “Anyway,” David continued. “When he
came to me he was showing extreme signs. Bouts of violence and uncontrollable anger, insomnia and anxiety were all present. There were complaints about his drinking. I tried to help him as best I could, but…” he let the sentence trail off. He cleared his throat. “It’s getting late, but is it too late for a coffee?”

  “Erm.” She was taken aback by the sudden change of subject. “I don’t think there will be anywhere open at this time of night.”

  “You could come back to my new place. It might be nice to have some company, as it’s my first night there.”

  Was there a hint of something else in his voice? She wondered. In a way she hoped there was, but she wasn’t ready for anything like that yet. Although she doubted Becky would be home very early. She didn’t want to be alone with only the ghosts of her past to keep her occupied.

  “Just coffee.” It was more of a statement than a question.

  “Of course.”

  “Okay then that would be lovely.”

  As she got herself comfy in the passenger seat, David turned the key in the ignition. The engine hummed to life, as the wheels drifted forward across the car park towards the main road.

  Rachel’s mind was racing with jumbled thoughts of the past. And Nathan. David had been a perfect gentleman all evening and she felt bad that she hadn’t been as honest with him, as he had been with her. Nathan was in a mess, by all accounts, and she didn’t want to end up in the same predicament.

  “Do you think I have P.T.S.D?” She asked, not taking her eyes off the open fields speeding past in the window.

  “It’s a possibility. You certainly went through a traumatic experience. From what you’ve told me, you’ve been exhibiting some of the text book symptoms.”

  The car filled with silence again. Oppressive. It was as if there was something growing in between them.

  “I wasn’t being completely honest with you earlier.”

  “Oh?”

  Rachel took a deep breath. “There’s a bit more to the story than I told you.”

  David kept his eyes firmly on the road. “Go on.”

  “I’m not sure I can.” Her heart was beginning to race, the beat matching the tapping of the windscreen wipers swishing backwards and forwards to clear the rain. “It’s never really been clear to me, as if I’ve shut it away.”

  “Maybe if you closed your eyes, it would help.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Try it. You’re safe here.”

  It was time she let go. She closed her eyes.

  “The fire was everywhere. The thick smoke filled my lungs, making me choke. I knew if I didn’t get out, I would die…”

  ***

  It was as if the house was trying to join the fight. The flames licked at my flesh, searing the skin. Beams began to crack and splinter. But they held. I didn't know how long it would be before they started falling. I ran straight to the window in the upstairs bedroom. It was getting darker in the confined space. I couldn't see anything. My eyes were streaming with tears, a mixture of sweat and acrid smoke. I had no idea where Justin was. As far as I knew, he was still sprawled out on the landing where I left him.

  As I reached the window, my only thought was to try and jump; I knew at that kind of height, my legs would probably break, but broken bones could be mended. Death is forever.

  I unhooked the latch and went to push the glass upwards. It didn’t budge, not even an inch. I tried again. Still nothing. Panic started to seep in, as the fire licked at my heels. Years of dirt and grime had jammed it shut. I was trapped. The only other way out of the house was to go downstairs and back out the window I had broken earlier, but the fire was worse down there. The living room no longer existed and the kitchen was slowly being consumed. The whole house was made of wood. It wouldn't take long for the rest to go up in flames.

  I tried to stem the panic rising in me by taking deep breaths, but I couldn't breathe. The smoke was too thick. My knees buckled beneath me and I fell to the floor, my head banging on the wood. The blow didn't knock me out, but I wish it had. I can't really explain what happened next. All I remember is the horror.

  At first I thought I had passed out, drifting through some hellish nightmare of my own creation. Coming towards me, their arms outstretched, were the dolls. I watched them as some dragged their hideous bodies closer, their fingers scratching along the floor. It was the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen in my life. I still see them now, on nights when it's cold and dark. I see them in the shadows and in my dreams when I sleep. I don’t think I'll ever forget them.

  Scratching to my right made my ears prick up. I turned my head. Standing right beside me was the one with its face half smashed in, the fire reflecting off its single eye. In its hand the knife hung over my head, poised to end my life.

  I rolled away from the blade, as it slashed down towards my face. The red hot sting of the edge biting into my cheek, as the full force of it missed. I tried to scramble to my feet, but I lost my footing. My back slammed into the dresser with a loud crash. The doll came straight for me, lunging for my throat. Shooting my legs out like pistons, I sent it howling across the room. Within seconds the others were on me, their grisly fingers scratching and pulling at me.

  I fought for my life in that bedroom. They were like the Devil's rejects spat from hell. The shrieking rose louder as they attacked. If the fire didn’t get me, the dolls would.

  My legs and arms seemed to work on their own, kicking and punching out at my attackers. Their limbs snapped and twisted, but still they came at me. One by one I fought them down, smashing their hideous bodies to pieces. Then the leader was back. It snarled at me. The knife glinted in the flames.

  “You fucking slut, you’re not going anywhere.”

  Something in me snapped. I don’t know how and I don’t know if it was my imagination, but there was something in the voice, something familiar. For a split second, it sounded like Justin. Whatever it was, it turned my heart to stone.

  “Come and get me, bitch.”

  We flew at each other like wraiths. The doll slashed at me with the knife, but I swung my leg as hard as I could. It dodged my kick and came at me harder. I grabbed the deformed body, dashing it against the wall. I’ll never forget the screaming. It tore through my soul to my very core. And then it was silent, only the roaring of the flames could be heard. The blade sat lifeless on the floor. I ran.

  The hallway was engulfed in flames, as the house was beginning to collapse in on itself. There was no way out. The stairs had gone, eaten away by the all-consuming flames.

  I felt something grab at my ankle. My instincts caused me to kick out, thinking it was the doll back for revenge.

  “Rachel, please help me.”

  I couldn’t move. Justin had a hold of my leg, clawing at me. I don’t know whether it was insanity or fear in his eyes.

  “Please, I love you.”

  “Screw you.”

  I kicked him in the head, knocking him unconscious. He had fooled us all. I wasn’t about to let him do it to me twice. I knew that within minutes, the building would crumple like a house of cards. Then I saw it. The window at the end of the hallway.

  Taking a deep breath, I prayed my idea would work. I covered my face with my arms and charged forward. Straight at the window…

  ***

  Nathan took a long drag on his cigarette before tossing it to the floor. He couldn’t believe the weather, so uncharacteristically stormy for the time of year. He could feel the electricity in the air. It made the hairs on his neck stand on edge. It was as if something was building, an ominous portent. He only hoped it was his imagination.

  High heeled footsteps behind him drew his attention.

  “Hey, I wondered where you got to,” Becky said, her blonde hair billowing out behind her in the wind. “Are you coming back inside? It’s getting wild out here.”

  “Yeah I guess we should be going back in. We don’t want you catching pneumonia.”

  She smiled, a cheeky twinkle in her ey
es. “Well I’m sure you could nurse me back to health.”

  He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her in close to him. The rain tapped on the tin roof of the shelter. “Could I now?”

  Before she could answer, their lips locked together. His tongue explored the velvet softness of her mouth. It felt good. All his doubts and fears evaporated in that moment. Everything would be fine, he thought. Maybe it was possible to get his life back on track, to forget the past and move forward.

  They parted, Becky’s face a slight pink.

  “Wow,” she said, breathless.

  “Good?”

  “Definitely good.”

  They both laughed. Something coming along the road caught Nathan’s attention. He stepped forward from under the tin cover.

  “What is it, Nate?”

  He didn’t answer, just stared at the speeding car. His fear rose like bile in his throat.

  “Talk to me, Nathan. What’s wrong?”

  He spun towards her and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. “Did Rachel take her car on the date?”

  “I-I don’t-“

  “Did she or didn’t she?”

  “Ow, Nathan you’re hurting me.”

  “TELL ME!”

  “No I don’t think she did. David was driving. What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He let go of her and stalked off towards his own car. Becky followed him in to the rain. She grabbed him by the wrist.

  “What’s wrong? Why do you need to know?”

  “We’ve got to get to the sheriff’s office,” Nathan replied, his words strained. “He’s taking her to the house.”

  “Why? Why would he take her to the house?”

  “He owns it. He isn’t interested in helping her.”

  “But why? What are you talking about?”

  Nathan’s fear was growing. He had to hurry.

  “Don’t you see,” he said. “He wants to recreate the past.” His eyes looked towards the house. The final piece of the puzzle slotted in to place. “He’s Justin’s brother.”