Dark Ends: A Horror Collection

by Sara Bourgeois

  I thought that perhaps the scratching had been something else. Maybe it was just creaking wood from the house settling. With the scratching noises gone, I’d been getting better sleep. That meant I’d misplacing my things less often too. I think.

  Anyway, back to the housewarming party. I was starting to think that no one was going to show when at 6:30 I was still sitting alone in my living room with my nose in a book. The I remembered that my college friends didn’t care about being on time. They still thought being fashionably late was cool.

  This knowledge suddenly made me feel separated from them. My friends were trying to ring one more year of carefree irresponsibility out of life, and I had no desire to participate. I wouldn’t have been sad if no one came to the party, and I could pass out on my couch wrapped around a psych textbook.

  That was not in the cards. The doorbell rang a little after seven, or I should say it squawked. The device was ancient and barely worked, but it was enough to rouse me from my reading.

  I opened the door, and Riley, Tanner, John, Kenny, and Lance were outside with a keg. I stepped back and waved my arm to welcome them in. After that, a steady stream of people poured into the house until the downstairs was completely full and people had to spill out into the backyard. I had no idea who all the people were, but apparently, word got around that there was a party.

  After retreating upstairs to my bedroom, I called Cameron. This party was supposed to be for my friends and me, and it didn’t feel right without him there. He agreed to come over, so I went downstairs to wait for him.

  My intention was to go out on the front porch and sit in the quiet for a few minutes. For some reason, having all of these people in my house was making the place feel hostile and alien to me. It didn’t feel like home.

  Before I could make it out the front door, John handed me a beer and Riley shoved a shot of bourbon into my hand. I knew that I shouldn’t drink them and that I needed to lay off alcohol even on the weekends. But, my mouth started to water as soon as the alcohol burn hit my nose. I felt this pull in my gut that was more like a sucking need.

  Just one more time.

  I told myself as I threw back the shot and then chased it with the beer. I immediately felt more relaxed, and the hostility emanating from the house started to fade away. It was as if I’d appeased an angry friend, and that was the first time I thought that there might be something sharing the place with me.

  “That’s my girl!” Riley shouted and then danced her way back into the crowd.

  “Hey, Sammy. How have you been?” John said and shoved his free hand into his pocket. “Congratulations on the job, by the way. Riley told me about it when she invited me to the party.”

  “Thanks, John.”

  I was about to say something about the glass and how I hadn’t ordered it yet when someone bumped into me from behind sending me crashing into John. He wrapped an arm around me to keep me from falling even farther, and our eyes locked. It was a weird time to have a moment, but here we had one just the same.

  His mouth felt like it was a centimeter from mine, and for a moment, I really did want him to kiss me. Then the door swung open behind us, and Cameron stepped through the threshold. I suddenly felt guilty and pushed myself away from John a little more forcefully than I’d intended.

  “Thanks again,” I mumbled and shot out the front door with my cheeks burning from a sudden and inexplicable humiliation.

  I wasn’t sure if Cameron or John would follow me out, and I wasn’t sure which one of them I wanted to come after me. I heard the porch creak, and when I turned around, it was Cameron.

  “You okay?” He asked earnestly. “Was that guy bothering you?”

  “No, it was nothing like that. He’s an old friend.”

  “A friend, huh?”

  I think I picked up on a hint of jealousy in his tone. I sat down on the steps and wasn’t a bit surprised when Cameron joined me.

  “If you’re hinting about the awkward embrace thing, someone ran into me, and I fell. John just caught me.”

  “I don’t know if I’d describe that embrace as awkward.” He said, and this time there was definitely some jealousy.

  “Are you jealous or something?” I teased.

  “Yeah, actually a little.” He said and brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear.

  “Do you want to get out of here?” I asked.

  “Samantha, it’s your party.”

  “No one is going to notice I’m gone. Trust me.”

  “What if something happens. You don’t want to leave and have the cops come, or these people burn the house down.”

  “Riley’s boyfriend Tanner is here. He and John will keep things from getting too crazy.”

  “Alright, if that’s what you want.” He stood up and offered me his hand.

  “You have to drive, though. I had a beer and shot.” I said and realized I’d been an awful host. “I’m sorry. I invited you to a party and then didn’t offer you a drink. Do you want to stay and grab a beer?”

  “Nah. I don’t drink. Let me take you someplace. When we come back, I’ll confer with your responsible friends, and we’ll get this place cleared out a respectable hour.”

  “That would be amazing. Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  Chapter Five

  Camron took me out for milkshakes which was pretty much the sweetest thing ever. We sat and talked for a couple of hours, and then he took me home. He and Tanner had the house emptied out by eleven.

  John was gone by the time we got back. I’d need to call him. I don’t know why, but it felt like we should clear the air. I wasn’t his girlfriend, but it also didn’t feel right to keep stringing him along. Not going out with John was supposed to keep my life simple, but now even not dating John was getting complicated.

  I needed new friends. But, maybe I didn’t. I had my house and Cameron, so perhaps that was all I needed. Shutting out all of the old stuff from before I got this place would make things easier.

  What was I saying? I suddenly felt confused and very anxious. I looked up and saw a bottle of bourbon sitting on my coffee table. While I had said that I’d stop drinking, it wouldn’t hurt to have a little more. I’d quit tomorrow.

  The bottle was almost half full, but somehow, I’d managed to finish it in just under thirty minutes. I tried to stand up so I could go to the kitchen and get a glass of water, and the room tilted.

  I could also swear that the shadows in the corner of the living room had moved toward me. I blinked my eyes, and then rubbed them with the backs of my hands. When I looked again, everything was where it was supposed to be. It didn’t help.

  The room being righted again made my stomach churn, and I felt the acidic mix of booze and milkshake bubble up into the back of my throat. I found my feet and sprinted as fast as my heavy, drunk legs could carry me to the little guest bathroom that was added under the stairs between the hallway and the dividing wall.

  I opened the door and fell to my knees. I’ll spare you the details on my being sick, but I was in there for what felt like an hour. Every time I thought I had to be done, it would start all over again. When the episode was finally over, I was left shaking and sweating on the bathroom floor. I had my arms curled around the toilet like I was hugging an old friend.

  Just before I could pass out with my face resting on the commode seat, someone grabbed my hair and yanked it back hard. My eyes flew open and found no one there, but there were footsteps up the stairs. They moved down the upstairs hall to the empty bedroom. That door slammed, and it took everything in me to stifle the scream.

  Adrenaline shot through me, and I got up from the bathroom floor and ran out the front door. I managed to have the presence of mind to grab my purse on the way out. From the curb, I searched through my bag for my cell phone without taking my eyes of the front door. There was an intruder in my house, and I had to call the cops.

  I looked up at what is my bedroom window, and there was someo
ne up there looking down at me. They were standing a bit back, so all I could see was a silhouette. But, there was definitely someone there. The night air was suddenly filled with a blood-curdling scream, and it took me a moment to realize that I was one screaming.

  Porch lights went on at a few houses around me, and some of my neighbors shuffled outside in their robes and pajamas. They were staring and pointing at me, but I didn’t care because I’m not alone anymore. Sirens approached my street, and I allowed myself to take a deep breath.

  When I saw the blue and red lights turn the corner, I relaxed a little more. A police cruiser pulled up in front of the house, and two officers stepped out. They were both men just a little older than me, but they were tall and vigorous looking. I felt safe.

  “Is he still in there?” One of them asked me, but I’m not sure which one.

  “I think so, but he could have gone out the back door. Or, if he went into the basement, he could be on the other side of the house. The door to the cellar is in the pantry floor.”

  “Do you know if he’s armed?” The other one asked while the first calls for backup.

  “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

  “I’ll cover the back door until backup gets here.” One of them said.

  In a blur, one of them went through the front door, and the other walked around to the back yard. I waited on the front lawn biting my fingernails to the quick. Another patrol car arrived with lights on but no sirens, and two more officers disappeared toward my house.

  After a while, the other two officers came out, got back in their cars, and drove away without a word. A few minutes later, the first two policemen who’d arrived on the scene came out the front door looking annoyed.

  “Ma’am, could you come here please?” The one with the blonde hair said.

  He motioned me over to the spot where they stood at the bottom of my porch steps. I couldn’t focus my eyes well enough to read his badge. I thought I’d thrown up all of the alcohol I’d drunk earlier, but apparently, I hadn’t.

  “Ma’am, how much have you had to drink tonight?” The other one asked. “And if you say anything other than a lot, I’m not going to believe you. Frankly, you reek of alcohol and vomit.”

  I just nodded my head in agreement. As the adrenaline wore off, I could feel how intoxicated I was. I swayed on my feet as I waited for the officers in front of me to tell me what was going on.

  “Let me cut to the chase.” The blond one said sternly. “There’s no one in your house. There never was anyone in your house. I mean, not after the party you had earlier, anyway.”

  “What if they went out through the back door? Or, what if they left through the back door in the other side of the house?” I asked as I tried to steady myself.

  “Ma’am, all of the doors except the front are locked from the inside.” The second one said.

  “But, what about the windows? The guy could have gone out a window.” I felt my stomach heave, and suddenly all I wanted to do was go inside and lie down.

  “The windows are all nailed shut from the outside. Both sides of the house. None of the windows were broken, so there is no way anyone came in or went out of them.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on.” I rubbed my eyes in an attempt to remove the double vision plaguing me.

  “Look, Lady. I don’t know if you’re just mental, drunk, or you still think prank calls are funny, but pulling this crap at three a.m. is dangerous and annoying.” One of them said. I wasn’t sure which one.

  “It’s three? I could have sworn it was just after midnight when it happened.”

  “It’s actually almost four now.” Said the blond one. “We’re going to go because we’ve got drunks and wife beaters to deal with. I sincerely hope no one died because you pulled this stunt. Go to bed, and don’t do this again. We’ll arrest you next time.”

  I hung my head and walked back into the house. When I got back inside, the apartment had taken on that same oppressive feel that it had during the party. It was as if I’d angered something, and I could almost feel it seething around me.

  It had to be my imagination. The oppressive sensation had to be a manifestation of my guilt and shame over getting drunk again. I’d drunk too much, had a nightmare, and humiliated myself.

  The lump on my forehead was harder to explain away, but perhaps I had actually hit my face on the toilet. Maybe I’d slipped in my drunken stupor. All I knew was that I wanted to go to bed.

  So, I made my way up the stairs and fell into bed. I was able to fall asleep, but it didn’t last long. Just before dawn, I heard a small thump at the bottom of the stairs. I brushed it off at first because I thought that I might have just startled myself awake.

  Heavy footsteps started up the stairs, and I jumped out of bed. I crossed the room in a flash and slammed my bedroom door shut. I threw the lock and then dove back into my bed.

  I grabbed my cell phone because I wanted to dial 911, but I couldn’t. The thud of the steps reached the upstairs landing, and I heard them turn toward my room. I thought it would break down the door and come at me, but instead, I heard it turn again and go into the spare room.

  The next sound that reached my ears was one that made my blood run cold and sparked insatiable curiosity in me at the same time. I’d moved to the wall and had my ear pressed against it so I could hear what was going on in the other room. What I heard was the soft shuffle of feet and then the gentle creak of my spare bed’s springs. Someone had gotten in the bed?

  I couldn’t call the police, and I also couldn’t just go back to sleep. I looked around the room for a weapon. The only thing I had was a giant nursing textbook I’d discarded on the floor next to the bed.

  After picking it up, I crept to my bedroom door as quietly as I could. I turned the lock and moved out into the hallway without a sound. I could hear someone in the spare room snoring and tossing a bit as if they were trying to get comfortable.

  When I stepped into the doorway and saw that the bed was completely empty, I ran back to my room, grabbed my pillow and blanket, and sprinted down the stairs as fast as I could.

  I spent the rest of the early morning hours, until the sun came up, on my porch. If I was smart, I would have called my Dad and told him I was moving back in with them as soon as I knew he’d be awake, but in those twilight hours, a ravenous curiosity seized hold of me.

  As terrifying as the events in my house could be, there was a mystery to solve, and I was going to get to the bottom of it. All I had to do was summon up the courage to go back into the house and take a shower.

  Chapter Six

  Step one in solving the mystery of Overwatch house was getting myself a trusty sidekick. No, I don’t mean a new best friend. Well, yes, that’s actually what I do mean, but not of the human variety.

  A trip to the animal shelter was in order. At first, I’d thought that I wanted a dog, but then it occurred to me that with my school work and a new job, I didn’t have the type of lifestyle that a dog fits into comfortably. It would be okay for me, but I didn’t want to bring a dog home and then leave it alone all the time.

  That meant my new pet would be a cat. I’d never owned a cat before, but from what I understood, they were entirely independent. Before I went to the shelter, I stopped at a pet store to get supplies. Thirty minutes and a hundred dollars later, I had everything I needed and then some.

  My next stop was the animal shelter. The only place nearby was the county animal control facility. I couldn’t believe how drab and depressing the place was, but I felt better knowing I would save at least one animal from a short life of suffering.

  A grumpy lady behind the counter gave me two forms to fill out, and I wondered if working here for a long time made you jaded. Once the paperwork was complete, I handed it back to her. She let out a little huff and then stood up to lead me back to the cat holding area.

  “I’m the only one here, and the high school girls who come in to help out with the viewings don’t get in un
til after two thirty. If you find one you want, just come back up to the desk and let me know.” She said and walked away.

  It was hard for me to look at them knowing I would only be able to save one. I figured I’d walk down to the end of the row and see if I could find any kittens, but I only made it halfway down the row of cages when a little orange paw shot out from a cage and grabbed my sleeve.

  “Tut.” The name on the pen read.

  “Like the pharaoh?” I found myself asking the skinny, underfed ginger kitty.

  He meowed at me and then tugged on my sleeve to bring me closer to the cage. I leaned in, and he pressed his head against the bars of the pen. I don’t know why, but I pushed my head against it too. Tut started to purr loudly.

  “I’m going to go get the lady, and I’ll be right back for you buddy.”

  And that was that. I paid the fee, put Tut in the carrier I’d purchased at the pet store, and we went home. As soon as he got out of the carrier, Tut took off to explore the house. That’s when I knew that the notion about cats being completely independent was correct.

  With the cat in the house, I felt better. I was less afraid, and it fortified me for the detective work I felt I had to do. While Tut poked around behind the living room furniture, I decided to use my new-found courage to explore the basement. I couldn’t understand what was going on in my house if I hadn’t been in every part of it.

  I went to the coat closet and found the box of emergency supplies my dad had insisted I keep handy. There was an enormous Maglite flashlight in the bottom, and I smiled because it was both a source of light and a potential weapon.

  Flashlight in hand, I made my way into the pantry. As soon as I looked at the worn wooden door in the floor, my stomach churned, and most of my courage fled. I remembered that there was some liquor stashed in my cabinet from the party the other night. I figured just one swig from the tequila bottle would give me the boost I needed to descend into the dark depths of my house.

  Just like in a cheesy 80’s horror movie, the hinges on the door creaked loudly as I pulled the door open. The staircase was nothing but thin boards held together on either side by more unfinished wood, and it was steep. It didn’t look like much more than a ladder that was set at an angle. Never mind ghosts, I’d be lucky if I made it to the bottom without breaking an ankle or my neck.