The House Without Eyes

A/N: Tw for possession, murder, flashbacks, death, the paranormal, rituals, probably mind control too? ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

  The pitter patter of the rain could be heard, highlighting the already dim lighting of the coming darkness of night. Graceful footsteps could be heard as two people walked side by side, the sound of their shoes squelching in the muddy path as they walked towards the house. Thunder rumbled, a flash of lightning following soon after.

  Reuben looked to his companion as this happened. “Arius, it’s… rather dark. It was bright and warm less than an hour ago,” he said, looking around hesitantly into the surroundings that had changed drastically as they had walked to the house. There was a grand fountain, and within that fountain, there was a glimmer that caught Arius’s eye. Arius reached into the fountain, causing Reuben to freeze in his tracks. “Arius!” Reuben yelled, reaching out to him and grabbing his hand before he could grab the thing within the fountain, “That is not a good idea, heavens no.” Reuben adjusted his hat, and loosened his scarlet tie that accented his black collared shirt.

“Well, I checked the door and it wouldn’t open, Reu. We need to get in to do our job!” Arius exclaimed, reaching once again into the fountain. He pulled the object out. It was a crowbar, aged with rust and grime from years of sitting in a fountain unattended. Arius uses the crowbar, busting the hinge of the door with a bang. He fell back, Reuben managing to catch him.
 
“Good grief!” Reuben gasped with the shock of his friend falling onto him. The door shuts again, and Reuben gets up, dusting his shirt. “Drat! Now my clothes are dirty.” Reuben puts his lanky, cold hands onto the doorknob, slowly twisting it. He slowly opens the door, taking a deep breath. Arius slowly followed Reuben into the dimly lit house, a shiver going down his spine as the door slams behind them with a cold gust of air.

  “So… What do we do now?” Arius asks, gulping down fear as he looks at the door. Or, what used to be the door. The door wasn’t there anymore, now replaced with painted mahogany walls in grotesque condition. The paint was chipping with time, revealing the gorgeous wood beneath.

  “I say we st--” Reuben's words are cut off by the lights suddenly going dim. He made a guttural noise, blood running cold at a hand on his spine. “A-Arius, stop.”

“I’m not touching you, Reu,” Arius looked to Reuben, revealing his gray eyes from the cover of his silk cloak that he wore. “I swear.” Arius then grabbed Reuben's hand and took off running into the hallway to the left. They end in the master bedroom.
 
The sound of a music box could be heard, had they been listening. The tune was that of a lullaby that Reuben wishes he had heard more of as a child. It was his mother’s lullaby that she would use to help him sleep when the nights got rough. Reuben’s demeanor loses its sternness, Reuben covering his mouth a little. “I… hadn’t heard this in years,” he softly murmured as he picked up the music box. The lights come on, causing Reuben to drop the music box in shock, and it shatters, little gears falling onto the floor. Despair filled Reuben’s eyes, and he looked to Aurius. Arius gave a knowing look and placed a hand onto his shoulder.

  “She’s still out there, Reuben. I know it,” Arius says in a softened tone.

“No, you don’t know that! You never even knew her!” Reuben exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in a fit of frustration that made his pale cheeks turn red with an almost rage.

That’s where you are wrong, Arius thought as he stayed silent, I’m a lot older than you think I am. Reuben shook his head and cleared his throat.

  “I am sorry, that was very uncouth behavior of mine,” Reuben apologized, looking away as red went across his face a second time. His apology is left unanswered, and he feels a cold shiver go down his spine. “Arius?” A cold hand grasps his shoulder and what little color in his face fades. “Ar…” Reuben slowly sunk to the floor, eyes closing and body going limp. Arius turned around, footsteps echoing as he briskly walked towards Reuben.
 
Reuben’s eyes fluttered open and he looked towards Arius. His eyes were a muddy gray color instead of his normal dark brown. Arius softly gasped.
 
“You aren’t Reuben, are you?” Arius asks, eyes narrowing as he questioned. Instead of the voice he had come to know as his best friend, a sinister voice replied.
 
“I am not,” The entity's wide smile comes across its face, and Arius gasps. He scoots back in fear as the entity walks towards him lifelessly. Arius pushes the entity back, Reuben's body crashing to the ground with a thud. Within a moment, Reuben’s features come back and he looks towards Arius.

“What happened?” Reuben inquired, rubbing his temple. He slowly stood up again and he stepped closer to Arius, whose eyes were wide and tearful. “Why do you look like you saw a ghost?”

“Because I did,” Arius shakily says, standing up. “We need to get out of here, if we still want to be us by the end of it.”
 
Reuben silently left the room, Arius following quickly. The house was still very dimly lit but it was enough for them to see. They quickly went to the front door, which was still gone. Arius let out a fearful sound and his eyes darted around the room he had entered. The floorboards creaked quite a bit, the sound of quiet footsteps able to be heard.

A man with scar across his neck and bandages covering his eyes waved. He was silent, but seemed to ‘look’ at Arius, dead in his own eyes.
 
“Oh, hello…” Arius stammered, letting out a sigh of relief. “Are you here to explore as well?”
 
The man nodded, writing on Arius’s hand with his finger. “I am here to explore the house. You are not alone here,” and without another word, he slips away. Arius looked to Reuben, his eyebrows narrowing with distrust.