The House

Inheritance

Amber and Ashley stood outside looking at the antique house that stood on a huge lot. It had to have at least five bedrooms, and there weren't any other homes nearby for miles.
​"I don't think I can go in there until someone cleans it," Amber replied, straightening back to standing. The house had been unkempt for many years. One step inside had her recoiling from the smell.
​"I can't imagine how expensive a maid service would be for this big ole house." Ashley gestured dramatically with her hands to emphasize how big the house was.​
​"He left a little money behind. I can use the money to make it inhabitable." Amber wasn't exactly in the best of financial situations. She was barely scraping by. Each month, she worried if she'd be able to make rent.
​Ashley placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I hope you see the blessing that this house is. Your uncle may not have left it to you because he was an asshole, but it's a blessing. It's just hard to see it right now because the house smells like a toilet." She smiled. She was always there with the humor when needed.
​Amber laughed, "Yeah, I've learned to make lemonade from lemons. That shit be good too." She laughed. "The thought of no rent sounds fantastic. And one thing I know is how to stretch a dollar. He left me enough to get this house in shape." Both ladies knew too well the struggle. They met at a homeless shelter when they were both put out of their foster homes. All the homes she had stayed in weren't awful, but even her last decent home put her out on her eighteenth birthday. Once they met, they were inseparable and managed to find jobs and an apartment to share. Things went great for them until Ashley fell in love. Within two years, she was married and pregnant.
Even though Amber was sad about her best friend moving out, she was happy for her. She loved her goddaughter. That baby got whatever she wanted. If Aunty Amber had it, she did, too.​Amber was feeling hopeful, and it was terrific. For once in her life, she had something that was hers. She felt nothing for her great uncle, who hadn't chosen to leave the house to her. She was sure it was only by default. He hadn't saved her from foster care when her parents were killed in a car accident. There's no way he hadn't been informed. Her mother was his only family left. Yet, he didn't even come to her funeral. He couldn't have cared. She was going to care for this house, though. Not because of him, but because she knew what it was like not to have, she would cherish this blessing and not ruin it.
​"Alright, let me know when sleepover night is," Ashley said as she began to walk to her car.
​Amber nodded back to her. She turned to look at the house from her car. She wasn't sure how she would feel about being so far away from other people, especially while alone. She would have to make it work, though. This was her fresh start, and she wouldn't mess it up. After staring for a few minutes, she got in her car to get home and get things together.

​Amber spent the next couple of weeks getting the house in order. She found a maid service that specialized in abandoned houses. They had experience in any possible scenario for cleaning a run-down house. Her great-uncle let the place go as his health began to decline. The service took up a good chunk of her inheritance, but she managed her money well enough to get the house professionally cleaned, the internet wired, and repairs. She even had enough money to live off of for a few months. She worked at a diner and mostly lived off of tips. It wasn't a lot of money, but she managed to keep the rent paid and lights on, no matter how tight it was. She was going to have to find another place of employment. The commute would be an issue; she would have to find something that paid better and closer.
​The cleaning service was outstanding and worth every penny. The house was immaculate. To celebrate, Amber invited Ashley for a sleepover. Ashley brought movies and food while Amber supplied the drinks. They stayed up for hours laughing and drinking until they dozed off on the couch. Amber woke that morning to find that Ashley had gotten up and left her on the sofa overnight. Not sure where her friend had wandered off to, she got up and wandered the house. She was a bit ashamed at how unfamiliar she was with her home. She began walking upstairs, thinking she might be in one of the bedrooms. She heard a noise coming from downstairs as she started on the stairs. She stopped and listened, confused about why her friend would be down there. It was creepy downstairs. She turned to go down there instead when she bumped into Ashley.
​Confusion was plastered on her face as she looked back to where she had heard the noise and then back to Ashley. "Weren't you just downstairs?" She asked.
​Ashley had the same look of confusion, but it seemed to be at the question Amber asked. "Girl, I went to the bathroom. You got three of them. I went to the one right there." She said as she pointed in the opposite direction of the noises Amber had heard.
​Amber didn't want to focus on the noise because it was apparent that only she had heard, so she shook her head and shrugged. "I guess I was hearing things. Want breakfast?" She asked, changing the subject.
​"Does the energizer bunny keep going and going?" Ashley asked, laughing.
​"Give me a minute. I picked up some stuff on the way here yesterday."
​Amber put together a big breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, and gravy. The two ladies sat down and enjoyed it.
​"You did your thing," Ashley said as she licked food from her fingers. "I must also tell you that this house is gorgeous; whatever cleaning crew you hired, you must leave them a raving review." She said while putting a bit of toast and gravy in her mouth.
​"It is; I left them a five-star review and will recommend them to anyone I know who needs a cleaning service. It is a beautiful house. I guess I have to get used to the noises."
​"Yeah, old houses make noises. I guess it's from the settling. Give it a few nights, and you'll be used to it."
​"Did you hear noises?" Amber hoped her friend had heard something, too.
​"No. I slept like a baby. I enjoyed my stay." She smiled.
​Amber replayed the noise she had heard again. She didn't want to make a big deal about it. It could have just been the house settling, but she was scared someone had been downstairs. "I thought I heard something downstairs."
​"It's a big house. Relax, honey, you will have to be patient with this house. I wish I could stay a few more nights with you, but I don't think James would be too happy about it. You can call me anytime you need to, though. Once you get used to the noises, you'll be ok." Ashley had to be trying to reassure her friend. It was not working.
​Amber knew she couldn't say much more about the noises, so she let it go. She wasn't over it, though. "Yeah, I guess." She said to save face.
​"Good. It just takes time. I had fun, though. We'll have to do this again." Ashley said as she began gathering her things.
​Amber tried not to show her disappointment with her friend leaving. She was becoming anxious about being alone in the big, creepy home. She wondered if anyone else could spend a few nights with her. She came up blank. Ashley was her only friend. She walked up to her and pulled her into a big hug. "Thank you for spending my first night with me. Just let me know when you can do it again." She said as they pulled out of the hug.
​Ashley paused and looked at her friend. "Are you sure you're ok? You seem a bit off." She said with concern plastered on her face.
​"Yeah, it's just a big house. Until I get used to the sounds, I will be on edge. Don't worry about me, though. I'll be ok." She smiled.
​"It is a big house. I love you girl. Call me if you need me." She smiled back and headed out the door.
​Amber watched as her friend loaded up her car and drove off. She stood in her front yard for a few minutes after she left, hesitant to return inside. After a few moments of thinking, she decided that having a security system would comfort her. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and called to get one set up.

​A few days passed since Amber's first night in the home. The first night alone was agonizing. Things got better for her after that. She hadn't heard any more noises that sounded eerily like footsteps, so she had begun to settle in. She even started working on her art. She was starting to feel at home when the noises started back. It was early morning while she was painting in one of the upstairs bedrooms when she heard the footsteps again. She grabbed her phone to look at the cameras covering downstairs but saw nothing. Her motion detectors also picked up no movement. The alarm wasn't giving her the peace of mind she wanted. She knew something was wrong, though. Slowly, she reached into her nightstand, grabbed her gun, and headed towards the noise. If someone was in her home, they were going to regret it. Amber was an excellent marksman and never missed. It was one thing of many she picked up while living on the streets. Holding the gun gave her more courage as she continued towards whoever awaited.
​ Daylight shone through the windows downstairs so that she could see clearly. She walked around, gun pointed, looking everywhere. Her phone began to buzz, alerting her that it was now detecting motion. Maybe she was losing her mind because she continued to hear footsteps behind her as she looked around. She turned around, gun aimed, and was ready to fire, but there was nothing. Her eyes began to water. She wasn't sure if it was fear or anger. She couldn't be sure that she wasn't losing her mind. Was she hearing things? Is that what made her Uncle so disconnected from family? Could it be the house? She didn't know if she could continue living in the house. Part of her wanted to give it up. It wasn't worth the stress. She put the gun down and placed her face in her hands.
​"I'm sorry." A male voice called from behind her.