The Search for Abraham Portman - Book the First [ON HOLD]

~Chapter 1: Serene Findings~

I was on the computer, trying to lose myself in online games. A year had passed since he had gone missing.

I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned to find my father, he looked distracted, his eyes not quite focussing on anything specific.

'Jake, we're going to clean out your Grandfather's house, alright? It's been way too long.'

I'd always resist when he asked, but I didn't this time. Maybe I'd feel better if I helped. I said I would help him, and did just that. I turned off my computer, and ran down the stairs to the front porch. Aunt Susie was there too, loading the car with cleaning supplies.

My mother decided to stay home, 'I'm not the one for cleaning up!' She had exclaimed.

***

The car ride was a short one, most of it with Aunt Susie's awkward attempts to break the ice, and Dad humming along with a tune warbling out the radio. I'd just stared out the window, watching the scenery go by.

Before long, we pulled up to the lane where my grandfather's house stood; a little pastel cottage, in a lane full of them. I saw an old, blind man as we drove by his cottage. He was out gardening, I assumed. He stared at me with the whites of his eyes, which was quite strange, and creepy, but I dismissed the thought.

We pulled into his driveway and entered the house, my thoughts cleared as I breathed in the fresh air. I was feeling a sort of odd calm, and I was okay with it. It was much better than feeling utterly depressed.

We pulled open the door to the house, and the insides were untouched, just as it'd always been. Everything was organized. The only thing out of place was a thick layer of dust on every object, making the interior look semi-sepia, like an old photograph.

My Dad and Aunt Susie started on sorting through objects. They were almost merciless, throwing out things I wanted to keep. We ended up arguing, tempers flaring high. I said some pretty offensive things, like how he didn't care about his own father, and that he was being unfair.

By the time we were done arguing, I was flaming. I walked into the room that lead out to the back door. I suddenly felt a flash of pain in my gut, like I was being punched, and doubled over. I took my time to straighten, the pain now subsiding to a steady throb.

When I finally looked up, I started to feel something strange, a feeling that pointed to the window, which looked out into the forest beyond.

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I almost passed out. I forced myself to breathe and started to walk toward the window.

I was almost there when my hand brushed against a wooden desk. I looked over to find a chair beside it. A few strange, and creepy, photographs littered the top of it, ones that my grandfather had shown me when I was younger.

'This had been his workspace,' I realized, and all of a sudden, I could imagine him sitting there looking at those messed-up photographs.

I opened one of the compartments, and found a single piece of paper in it.

I found 'To: Jacob Portman' written on the visible side of it, in a neat handwriting. I was starting to feel uneasy, between the sick feeling in my gut, and the fact that my grandfather had meant for this to fall into my hands, as it had now.

I was going to turn the piece of paper over, to see if it had anything interesting written on it, but sensed some movement outside the window. I froze, then looked up to see a path of stepped-on flora, leading right into the forest. The trail had been made recently, too, and drips of a gooey-black substance littered the part in vivid intervals.

I carefully folded the piece of paper and stuffed it into my shirt's pocket. Curiosity had gotten the better of me, and I suddenly felt that need to follow the trail.

I exited the house through the back door, and walked up the beginning of that trail. I wrinkled my nose as the stench wafted from the darkness. I pulled out my phone and used the screen to provide myself some light, just enough to see the trail, and in I went.

***

The further in I went, the more unbearable did the stench become, and the pain in my gut unmistakably strengthened. I was clenching my teeth to stop myself from crying out in pain.

It was just that bad.

By the time I started to want to go back, I walked into a clearing, the area housing only a few stray leaves, and nothing else. When I turned to make my way back to the house, I heard a ruffle of leaves just to my right.

I froze, then slowly turned my head to look at the trees at my right, to see nothing but darkness.

I cursed under my breath, then brightened the light of my phone, so that I could see whatever stray animal was hiding among the trees.

I immediately hoped that I hadn't, a terrible fear flowing through me. I couldn't think clearly, I couldn't process it.

I just couldn't.

It looked like an animal alright, but one more frightening that any creature I'd ever seen. It had tentacles sprouting from its body, was pitch black, and had terribly large eyes that dripped with the black substance, making it look like it was crying.

I felt like crying myself, but before I knew it, the creature was gone. It had disappeared, back into its hunting ground; the terrible darkness.