Curiosity Kills

Chapter 7

We sat there for what seemed like hours.  I couldn't wrap my head around what had just happened.  Hayden started crying next to me and I leaned down and wrapped my arms around him.  I wanted to do more and somehow convince him that everything was going to be alright but I knew that I couldn't.  Nothing could ever convince his seven-year-old mind that anything was going to be okay anymore.  He should not have had to witness the murder of his own brother.  I just sat there, holding him, until his sobbing died down to a whimper.  I took his head and made him look at me.  I tried to speak but the words kept getting caught in my throat.  I forced myself to be strong for Hayden.

"We're going to get out of here.  I will make sure we do, no matter what, but I need you to be strong."

He looked away and I could see more tears forming, but he didn't let them fall.  He looked up and I saw determination in his face for the first time since we got caught up in all this mess.

"Let's do this, for Luke.  We have to make sure we don't forget about him, David"

"We could never forget about our own brother, and you're right, we won't let his death be in vain."

We both stood up and turned back towards the hallway, back towards our potential end.  I was more determined than ever to make it out of there alive.  I would not let this unknown force win.  We walked slowly down the hall and found two more doors.  I hesitated a little before opening the door of the room on my right.  It looked much older than the rest of the house as if it hadn't been touched in over one hundred years.  It opened easily and the contents of the room were a bit surprising. 

 It was a small bedroom seemingly owned by a young child.  This was probably Tara's room.  Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and there were cobwebs everywhere.   From what I could see underneath the dust, the room was decorated with pretty pinks and purples and there were dolls everywhere.  All but one were lined up side by side in a most organized fashion.  The one that wasn't appeared to have been carelessly thrown to the floor as if its' owner disliked it more than the others.  It certainly didn't look like any of the other dolls.  While they were all dressed in frilly dresses and had perfectly curled hair, this outcast doll was dressed in a plain black dress and had long, tangled black hair.  It hadn't been cared for as well as the other dolls.  

Hayden walked in behind me and went over to where the doll was laying on the cold floor.  He bent down and picked up the doll and then proceeded to fix her dress and hair.  Quietly, he perched her onto the bedspread in a way that made her look like she was the most loved doll instead of the one most hated.  I pulled him away from it in fear that he might have disturbed another spirit, but nothing out of the ordinary happened for once.  A small gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew through his hair alone, as if to say thank you.  

This house used to be a place of happiness I began to realize.   Something was really out of place here and had caused so much suffering and pain that the entire house succumbed to it, except for this one room.  For some reason, this room was left unchanged.  It was the only room that had a hint of color and life to it.   I felt bad that this had happened to such good people and I wished there was a way to reverse it.  I put my hands on Hayden's shoulders and slowly led him out, firmly closing the door behind me.

I looked up at the final door in front of us.  This was our final chance to find a way out.  We had to be prepared for anything because everybody knows that the last door is always the worst.  I put my hand on the knob and turned to look at Hayden.  He gave me a reassuring glance and I turned the knob.