Splatters: "The Meal"

"The Meal"

November, 1822

Two soldiers of the English army of Welfarn were climbing a sickly hill on the edge of town on a blank, grey morn. At the top was a fairly large house, the Morrison residence, which they approached unhappily. The house was tall, dark and unwelcoming, looming over them intimidatingly as they stood on the porch. Alexander gripped the disturbing, lion-faced door knocker and banged it on the dark, scratched up wood. He and Eugene waited there impatiently for a surprising minute, until Eugene grabbed the knocker and irritatedly knocked it once again even more times. The door was fiddled open while he knocked, and quickly opened to reveal a short middle-aged woman. She was pale, and her eyes were dark and sunken, but her pupils were a shocking, bright white-ish blue, like shining pearls found within dead, rotting clams. "Pardon me," she softly spoke, "I had my hands full with fixing up something in the kitchen. You must be from the army, yes?"
"That's correct, madam," responded Alexander, perplexed at her unusual kindliness. "We have been assigned here for quartering."
"Of course. Please, come in. Vacate the cold." Grinning, she backed into the house and let the two men in. The first that their eyes met with was the three children standing in the living quarters. They all had bright eyes with darkness around them, just like their mother. They all glared blankly at Alexander and Eugene with deathly aggression and sick curiosity. Next to them, sitting comfortably in an armchair was a tall, wide man with the same eyes. He bore a shaggy, unkempt black beard and wore a grey fiddler's cap. He too glared at them like a cold stone statue. The woman led the soldiers upstairs to their room. She quickly introduced them to their beds, a study desk, and the lavatory. She then snuck back downstairs to let them explore. Alexander sat himself in the torn-up armchair and looked around at the leaves and dirt littering the floorboards. Eugene walked over to his bed and stared over it. He grabbed the corner of the sheets and quickly turned them over, revealing more dirt and leaves, tears in the fabric, and some squirming insects. "Lord above," he said. "What a shithole. Can you believe this?"
"Eugene, be quiet," responded Alexander sternly. "If they were to prepare this poorly for guests like us, then they likely were hauling too heavy a load to have to add this to it. We mustn't shame them. Would you rather be slumbering under a tree in the freezing rain?"
"No. Fine. Whatever." Eugene, cringing, aired out the sheets of grime and dirt while frustratedly mumbling, "Crank."
The two of them spent the rest of the morning in that room cleaning and getting situated. Alexander unloaded his bags of his tools and books, and Eugene polished and stored his guns, each of which he had given stupid names. After seeing the horrid restroom, they both had decided that they were to leave the house and spend a penny amongst the trees when they had to. Alexander was just as stunned as Eugene at how filthy the home was, but he pushed himself to tolerate it while Eugene complained aloud to him. Later that day, Alexander had come back to the house after strolling through town for the evening. As he entered the doorway at the side, he was alerted at the sound of Eugene yelling. "You stupid child! What are you thinking, bumping into me like that?! You've got nerve to be harassing an officer!" As he continued to yell at the little girl in the living quarters who had bumped into him, she stood completely still like she was made of stone. Her eyes, blank and lifeless, stared at the ground with not the slightest twitch. Her nose was crinkled and her lips were curled in like she was barely tolerating pain, or was holding back an overpowering urge.
"Eugene!" Alex snapped, causing Eugene to stop and look at him. "Calm yourself! I'm sure it was not intended. Act like a soldier, not a king!" Eugene scoffed angrily and stomped upstairs.

. . .

"Does this family seem... strange to you?" Alexander suddenly asked Eugene while they lounged in their room, the windows getting dark.
"I don't know," he responded tiredly. "Why do you ask?"
Alex pondered. "Its, ah... nothing. Don't put mind to me."
Their conversation was broken when, from downstairs, the Morrison mother called, "Oi, soldiers! It's supper time! Come on down before it gets cold!"
They both got up and slowly walked to the top of the stairs, confused."Does that seem strange to you?" muttered Alex to Eugene.
"What about it?"
"These folks seem a little too cheery, don't they? They seem happy we're here. That never happens. It has no reason to happen. There is something going on with these people."
"Put a sock in it. I'm starving. Let's go," said Eugene, trotting down the steps. Alexander followed. They saw no one as they came down. Eugene led, and Alex slowly walked into the hallway, still seeing no one at all. Alex suddenly felt intense pain pierce his skull. He did not realise that he had been hit on the head until the second before he passed out.