The Ghosts of RedRise House

by Caroline Clark

  Soon they lay on the bed, sipping wine and watching the movie. They were so close but not quite touching. Still, she could feel her breath coming too fast and was sure he would hear the sound of her pounding heart. This was turning out to be a wonderful excursion, and this was just the first night.

  The camera shook, and something darted across the screen. Shelly let out a squeal and grabbed Jack’s arm. He jumped as well and then they were both laughing as the laptop bounced off his legs.

  “Sorry, but I love this film,” Shelly said.

  Jack raised his left arm and nodded his head for her to lean against him. Shelly snuggled into his shoulder and said nothing as he reached down and pulled the laptop back. Her heart was pounding overtime now. Some of it was for the scene she knew was coming, but most of it was the feel of his shoulder beneath her head and the touch of his arm around her. Jack would protect her from anything.

  Shelly tensed as she waited for Toby to creep toward the bed. It was such a scary scene and one that had given her nightmares for weeks after she first saw it. Now here she was in a haunted house and watching it again. What was wrong with her?

  She held her breath as the shadow crept across the screen. On the bed, the unsuspecting person slept. Shelly leaned forward wanting to shout at Alex to wake up, wanting to shake her. Just as the spirit appeared the sound of piano keys came from within the house.

  “Did you hear that?” Shelly asked. She could see from the look on Jack’s face that he had.

  “Was it on the film?” he asked.

  “No, I’ve seen it a few times, that was not on it.”

  Jack paused the film. They listened for long seconds there was nothing, they both started to smile. Then it came again a discordant jumble of notes that raised the hair on her arms and filled her stomach with ice.

  “What was that?”

  “A piano?”

  “I don’t think there’s one in the house. Rosie would have said.”

  Jack eased forward straining to hear. “Maybe she didn’t have time to tell us everything, maybe it’s upstairs.”

  “Yes, but the house is empty.”

  56

  “What should we do?” Shelly asked and then regretted the words. This was why she was here, why they were both here. To investigate the unknown and the unexplainable. To find the spirits of the children and to set them free and here she was jumping like a child on a ghost train.

  “Remember what Nick said, maybe we should grab our things and go.” Jack had closed the laptop and was reaching for his jacket.

  “No, we need to go see what it is. Maybe it’s the children trying to send us a signal. To let us know they are here.”

  Jack’s Adam's apple bounced as he swallowed. “Couldn’t they do it in the daylight?”

  Shelly shook her head and laughed. She knew what to do, and she was feeling better already. Pulling her mobile out of her pocket she turned on the camera. They would record what happened, and they would have their proof. “Come on this is what we wanted.”

  The corridor was dark and yet she could have sworn they left the light on. Ignoring the feelings of dread, she headed for the stairs with nothing but the light of her phone. The noise had definitely come from upstairs. It was somewhere just above them so they would have to turn left at the top. She turned to see that Jack was following.

  He had grabbed a torch and a bottle of Holy Water and was fumbling with them as he hurried along. Almost juggling and it brought a smile to her lips. They were a great team. He had remembered the equipment, where she was all courage and rushing into danger.

  The torch came on behind her throwing her shadow forward, it reared up like a gargoyle and set her heart racing. It was just a shadow, and yet at the thought of danger, it turned into something more. She slowed down, and Jack almost bumped into her as she stopped at the bottom of stairs.

  They were dark and stretched up before them. Feeling along the wall, she flicked on three light switches. Nothing happened for long moments, she wondered if the power had gone again. Then gradually the chandelier came to life. It was as if it was powered by gas and took a while to come to full pressure. Slowly the light got bright enough to chase away the shadows. Then the hall lights followed sluggishly coming to power, and lastly, the lights on the stairs lit up one at a time. Gradually revealing more and more of the staircase and eventually the landing above. It looked so empty, so desolate and she wanted to turn and run.

  “Have you heard anything else?” Jack asked.

  Shelly jumped and let out a little shriek.

  “Sorry.” He smiled and shrugged.

  Shelly let out a breath. “The atmosphere is getting to me. We should be quiet, we don’t want to scare anything away.”

  Jack nodded and moved forward to unhook the rope that prevented them from ascending the stairs.

  He nodded again and indicated for Shelly to go first only she couldn’t move. Her knees had frozen in place, and she couldn’t breathe. What if something was up there? What did she really think she could do? She glanced at the door of the house, and for a moment she wanted to run, then she remembered a night six years ago.

  The terrible storm, the desolation, and then the sound of her sister’s voice. Telling her to try harder. To get up and move. It had been a miracle, had changed everything and had given her this drive to help spirits. Shaking her head, she cleared the memory. This was not the time to be looking back. It was time to go up those stairs and to help those children find peace.

  Smiling at Jack, she pressed record on the phone and started to walk up the stairs. They were brightly lit and yet the higher she climbed, the darker it seemed. Her feet sank into the plush carpet on the first few steps. The wood of the stairs shone with polish but as she climbed the carpet became thin and threadbare. Her feet could hardly feel it and what they did feel was slick and loose in places. The wood on the stairs was cracked and peeling. Ignoring the feeling of despair that threatened to crush her she kept walking. This was what she wanted, what she had worked for and she would not give in to her fear.

  As she neared the top of the stairs, the piano tinkled again, and she stopped dead. Jack almost rushed into the back of her. She could feel the heat from his breath on her neck, and it gave her courage.

  Letting out a breath of her own she noticed the air mist before her. When had it got so cold? Then she understood, it meant there was a spirit close.

  “Look at our breath,” she said and moved the phone, so it recorded the mist they were both making.

  Jack’s jaw was set tight. She could see the fear in his eyes, but he nodded, supporting her and she turned the camera back and took another step on the slimy carpet. She was both terrified and excited. Wanting to run forward and run away at the same time.

  “Just promise me one thing. When things start to happen, get out of here quickly,” the priest’s voice was clear in her mind. She wanted to do as he bid, but she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t let Stacey down.

  Holding her breath and ignoring the urge to rub her arms she took another step.

  The sound of a child crying echoed from above, she almost stopped, but she knew if she did that would be it. She would run from this house and never return. Slowly she kept moving, hoping that the phone would record the sound.

  Her breathing was ragged now, would drown out the crying. As she took another step, a shadow darted across the top of the staircase.

  “Did you see that?” she whispered and felt Jack’s arm on her shoulder. His fingers were warm, clammy even.

  “We should leave,” he whispered in return. “We can come back in daylight.”

  “No.” Shelly had said the word before she could think and now she regretted it. She wanted to leave, was afraid to stay but how could she leave when this was what she wanted. She took another step and wondered if she should call out to the children. It seemed like a good idea.

  “We are here to help you, to free you. Show yourself.”

  The words echoed abo
ve her, she took another step. The stairs creaked, and a single D flat sounded in the silence. It hung in the air mocking her.

  Taking another step she listened. The note faded and nothing else could be heard. Not even creaking or the wind outside. There was no sound of traffic, they were too remote for that, but she didn’t think she had ever heard just nothing.

  She took another step and another. There were only three steps to go now, she could hardly draw breath. Her chest was tight, her heart pounded so hard against her ribs she wondered if it would burst. If she didn’t move now, then she would turn and run. So she took the next three steps in quick succession and turned left. There was another staircase leading up into darkness and a long empty corridor with doors leading off on both sides. She looked around. Jack was just behind her and behind that was an identical corridor. For a moment she imagined a creepy kid pedaling a scooter along it. Stop it. She had to shake the vision from her head.

  “What now?” Jack asked, Shelly almost screamed.

  Taking a deep breath, she got ahold of herself before she replied. “We check the rooms and see if we can find a piano.”

  They started along the corridor.

  The sound of laughter echoed through the night. It was not a nice sound but mocking, cruel, and it turned her stomach to ice and her knees to jelly.

  Ignoring the laughter, she walked on, the phone held out in front of her. The picture through the phone looked so different. So stark and eerie that she had to look away from it.

  They came to the first door, it was open. Inside was an old piano. The lid was up and as they watched one of the keys depressed, and a sad note echoed around the room.

  “Let me help you,” she said.

  The piano lid slammed shut, and the door slammed shut in front of them. From below them came the sound of a scream and a crash.

  “What was that?” Jack asked.

  “It came from our room.”

  “We have to leave,” he said and grabbed her hand.

  Shelly let him pull her back toward the stairs, but somehow she knew that they would not be able to leave. She had been a fool and had made a terrible mistake, and she wondered if she would live long enough to tell him she was sorry.

  57

  Jack pushed Shelly in front of him and looked behind them. Why had he let her persuade him to stay? Why had he let her persuade him to come here?

  The corridor was darker now. The lights fading and he turned and raced after her.

  Shelly reached the top of the stairs and turned to run down them. The sight of her, just feet ahead of him, filled him with love as her ponytail swung behind her. Fast on her feet and so brave she shamed him with his gut full of fear and shaking legs. She disappeared from his view, and the darkness caught him.

  Panic weakened his legs, but he pushed on as fast as he could and yet the further he ran the further he had to go. Pumping his arms, he pushed faster, harder. A shadow appeared in front of him, just a hole in the darkness, but before he could stop it was gone. Something touched his ankle and then he was falling.

  The torch spun out of his hands, spiraling in the air like a crazy disco light, it landed on the thin carpet with a clank. Wheeling his arms, desperate to stay upright he plummeted after it, but it was no use. He was going down and hit the carpet hard enough to slam his shoulder into the floor and to knock the air from his lungs. The bottle of Holy Water was still clutched in his fingers, and his first thought was about the glass and injury.

  It was fine, still intact.

  Gasping for breath, he tried to stand to follow Shelly but something grabbed his ankle. Then he remembered the feel of something on his leg just before he fell. Someone, something had tripped him, and now it wanted him.

  “No.” Kicking out he tried to push it away. The pressure released off his ankle and he scrambled toward the stairs. It wasn’t far, and yet it seemed further than they had walked to the room and he had been running for how long? It seemed like forever. This made no sense.

  “Shelly, get out of here,” he shouted, but the words were swallowed by the darkness.

  Torch, where was his torch? It had landed just in front of him. Turning he spotted the oasis of light and scrambled toward it. The carpet was slimy beneath his knees and hands. Part of him imagined it as wet skin, and he wanted to get away from it and take a long hot shower, but that was after he got out of this God-forsaken hellhole.

  On and on he crawled, the carpet so thin he could feel the wood beneath it, but he was getting closer. The torch had landed with the beam pointing away from him. It made little dint in the cold, black, hell he had found himself in. But he crawled faster, it was weak, but it was hope and so close.

  A shadow crossed in front of the torch but before he could react something cold grabbed his ankle. This time the grip was strong and no matter how he kicked he couldn’t free his leg. Still, he tried, kicking and grunting he lashed out at the darkness, but there was nothing there. No matter how hard he kicked, his legs contacted with nothing but the floor and yet the pressure on his ankle was still there.

  It was like bony fingers squeezing so hard they would surely break the bone. The fingers jerked him, and he was flipped onto his back. Raising his arms, he held the Holy Water out in front of him expecting an attack, but nothing came. Nothing was there just the terrible darkness that hid everything.

  Once more he was jerked and then dragged away from the stairs. Panic flared inside, but there was no time. The carpet burned against his back and his head smashed into the floor stunning him for a moment.

  “Help me, Jesus help me,” he screamed into the night as he was dragged along the floor away from the torches beam and into the darkness.

  Was this the end?

  Jack pushed Shelly past him, she didn’t hesitate. Something was happening, and she knew she had to record it. Fear and excitement raced inside her, so far they were neck and neck. There was also a touch of anger. She was here to help these children, but they were messing with her. The carpet slipped beneath her feet, and for a moment she was falling. Fear raced ahead, and she let out a yelp, but she landed on her right leg, though it gave slightly, she stayed on her feet.

  The extra momentum swept her down the last few steps, she landed hard on the wooden floor. Without hesitating, she ran down the corridor and burst into their room. The laptop was on the floor. The screen flashing and anger was back in the lead but only for moments. As she approached the laptop, she saw six pairs of bare and dirty feet.

  A hand squeezed her lungs, expelling all the air. Gasping she stared at the feet but was aware that the room was filled with a high pitched keening sound. It grated on her nerves. She looked up. There were three girls and three boys, standing girl, boy, girl, boy, girl boy. The girls wore dark, old-fashioned work dresses. The aprons that hung over them were tattered and stained. The boys had dark trousers, patched at the knees, that didn’t quite reach their skinny ankles, and they wore some form of smock top. As she looked at them, the fear changed to pity. They were wretchedly thin and looked so frightened with their heads bowed and their dirty, matted hair.

  “I’m here to help you,” she whispered but doubted they could hear it above the keening noise.

  Where was it coming from? What was making it?

  Shelly realized that she still held the phone, but it was pointed down at the ground. Lifting it, she looked at the children through it. At either side of them was a tall shadowy figure that stopped her breath in her throat.

  Shelly looked back at the children, the shadows had gone. Back through the phone and they were there. Difficult to see, they moved, coalesced and shifted, but something was holding the children here. They were pinned between darkness — she had to save them.

  How she hoped that this was being recorded for it was exactly what she needed to prove Rosie’s innocence.

  “How can I help you?” she asked.

  The keening stopped, and the children all raised their heads.

  Shelly began to scr
eam as she saw the deep slashes at each of their throats. Blood ran from some of the wounds, others were simply dirty, crusty holes that began to flap as the keening started once more.

  It is your turn, a voice said inside her head. You help us by joining us.

  Shelly ran from the room and only then did she realize that Jack was missing. The children had separated them, and now she was to be sacrificed. Was Jack already dead?

  58

  “I wish you could have been there,” Gail said as she reached across the table and took Rosie’s hand. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but we have become such good friends.”

  Rosie put her other hand on top of Gail’s and squeezed. “Thank you, but it’s all right. I know you all feel sorry for me, don’t, I’m free. Living with Matron inside of me was a much worse prison than this. Now show me the ring.” Rosie pulled her hands away.

  Gail laughed and lifted her left hand off the oak table to better show off her ring. She loved it so much, had loved it before she saw it but when she did, she was blown away. Jesse knew her so well, the ring was everything she wanted. Pretty and yet practical. Six diamonds surrounded a rose ruby and were all set in rose gold which made even the diamonds glow with warmth.

  “I love it so much,” Gail said. “Almost as much as I love this chappy here.”

  “Oh stop it,” Jesse closed his grey eyes and turned an unmanly shade of pink. With his brown hair shorn so short, you could see that even his head was blushing. “Less talk about us, how are you doing... really?”

  “I’m good.” Rosie turned her eyes to Jesse. “Amy comes to see me at least once a week, and they are letting me write. I’ve finished my last book and have spoken to my agent.”

  “That’s great.” Gail took Rosie’s hand again. “I wish we could get you out and in time I believe we can.”