The Haunting of Raskin House

Chapter 1

The desolate landscape surrounds Raskin House as it lies cloaked in the dying light of the evening as Natasha and Joe stand on the threshold of their new home. The aged structure stood before them a relic of the past drenched in eerie quietness.

Joe shivers, his breath visible in the cold air as he pulls his coat tighter, "It's Fucking freezing!" He mutters

"No fucking shit! It's November!" She retorts, her dark hair catches the last strands of the winter sunlight. Her voice carries an otherworldly timbre, her vampiric senses acutely aware of the darkness, yet she seems unafraid.

Joe chuckles nervously as he eyes the foreboding house, "You're taking the whole vampire-thingamajig remarkably well."

Natasha smiles, with a hint of uncertainty flickering in her eyes, "I'm still adjusting but this house, it's different but it's not unsettling at all."

As they cross the threshold of the house, the air around them seems thick with the weight of history, a palatable scent of antiquity lingers within the walls. Natasha's eyes immediately adjusted to the dimness while Joe squints, attempting to identify the shapes in the shadows.

"This place has an odd vibe, Tash," Joe says, his voice lowering slightly, "I can't shake this feeling of being watched."

"It's just an old house, Joe," Natasha reassures him, though a chill ran down her spine, a sensation she isn't entirely accustomed to anymore.

Together, they explore the rest of the dimly lit rooms, the large size of the house seems to swallow their voices into its depths. Unbeknownst to them, an ominous presence stirs in the heart of Raskin House, biding its time in the recesses of the unknown, its malevolence yet to reveal itself. The couple remain oblivious to the forces that awaits, their presence a mere flicker in the grand tapestry of the house's secrets, a tale only just beginning to unfold.

Natasha's exploration leads her to the depths of the house where she stumbles upon a forgotten library. The musty scent of all of the old books lingers in the air, their spines bearing witness to the passage of time. She traces her fingers across the worn leather covers, feeling a strange kinship with the stories nestled within the ancient tomes. As she immerses herself in the volumes, Joe's voice echoes through the corridors.

"I know exactly where I'll find you, Tash. You and your love for old books," He calls out, his footsteps drawing closer.

Natasha looks up, her eyes reflecting the dim light that seeps through the half-closed curtains, "I can't help it. There's something enchanting about this place," she replies, a smile gracing her lips.

As Joe enters the room, Natasha feels a tightening in her abdomen. She places her hands on her belly feeling the stirrings of  Braxton Hicks contractions, "Joe, something feels odd. I'm having these contractions, but it's too early for labor, isn't it?"

Joe rushes over to her, his eyes begin to fill with a mixture of panic and helplessness, "Are you in pain? Should I call someone?"

She shakes her head in an attempt to mask her worry, "No, it's not painful, just... uncomfortable. I don't think it's time yet, I'm only just 36 weeks."

Joe places his hands on her shoulders, "Perhaps it's the house playing tricks. How about I order us a pizza and we can have a cup of tea."

Reluctantly, she leaves the library behind, allowing Joe to lead her into what will be the sitting room, but for now it's just a pile of boxes. Natasha's mind becomes preoccupied not only with the strange sensations from her body but also the allure of the hidden tales within the books, stories that whisper secrets that are yet to be told.

As Joe retreats to the kitchen to make some tea for them both, he realises that there's still no electricity yet. However he has a temporary solution to the lack of electric, two cans of orange Fanta, which was in his bag since lunchtime.

"Well, I couldn't make any tea since the electricity isn't on yet, but I found these," Joe announces, holding up the Fanta cans with a grin.

"Fanta is fine, as long as they're not flat." She remarks. She accepts the can and pops it open, the sound of the fizzing breaks the silence of the empty house.

Just as Joe was about to sit down, the doorbell rings, it must be our pizza he thought as he goes to answer the door. He takes the pizza from the delivery driver thanking him for the pizza and takes it to Natasha.

Yuck! Joe thought as he gives Natasha her vegan pizza and he pulls out his margarita. He chucks the plastic bag, which carried the pizzas in to the side and they dig in.

As they savour their unconventional meal, the house seems to sigh around them, the creaks and groans of its ancient structure a constant accompaniment to their quiet conversation.

"It's strange, being here without our things,"Joe remarks, glancing around the almost barren room.

"We'll make this place our own," Natasha reassures him, her voice becoming quieter and taking a small bite of her pizza, "It's a fresh start for us, even if it's a bit eerie right now."

With each passing moment, the weight of the house's history seems to press on them. Natasha and Joe sit side-by-side, eating their meagre meal, they remain oblivious to the malevolent entity stirring in the corners of the house, its presence growing more palpable by the hour.

But the tenebrous secrets of Raskin House lies dormant for the time being, waiting for the perfect moment to unfurl their ominous intentions, while Natasha's early contractions and the peculiar sensations within the walls hints at the unsettling turn their lives were about to take. The couple's quiet meal unfolds against the backdrop of a looming malevolence, a prelude to the sinister events yet to come.

As the couple finish their impromptu meal, Natasha's phone buzzes with a text message. Joe passes Natasha her phone, they recognise that the sender is Stephanie, who has been curious about the move.

Stephanie: Hey Tash! Just checking in to see how everything is going. I hope you're not doing too much heavy lifting. x

Natasha: Hi Steph! The move's going well, except for the fact that there's no furniture here yet so I couldn't do any heavy lifting, even if I wanted to. It's a bit barren here at the moment, but we're making do with what we have. x

Stephanie: Well, that's certainly one way to start fresh, isn't it? Just remember, you can always find some great antique pieces to fill your new home. x

Natasha: Thanks Steph. I know our house isn't much yet but it's got the potential to be stunning, I can feel it. x

As Natasha and Stephanie continue to share messages, Natasha feels a glimmer of hope. Stephanie's assurance and willingness to help sparked her imagination, reminding her that they were not alone in their journey to turn Raskin House into a welcoming and warm home.

With their dinner finished and the texts with Stephanie bringing a sense of comfort, Natasha and Joe settle down for the night, knowing that the journey ahead would be filled with both challenges and hidden treasures. The malevolent entity lurking in the shadows remained concealed, for now, as the story of Raskin House continue to unfold, its chapters yet to be written.