Crooked Man

S I X T Y S E V E N

"This isn't the house I found you in front of." I shake a bit. I know that Owen was in Cornwall this morning. Why are we staying in Humphries?

"No, this is the house I live in."

I look at his face. He looks at mine.
"Alright! Now that we discussed that one, let's go inside." He says nervously.

I carefully walk in after him.

When we enter, all I can smell is...what is this smell? It's so sour.

There's the living room right in front of you when you enter the house. And there's a kitchen in it. It's cozy. But it's very messy.

"I thought it was bigger." Owen mumbles quietly.

"Hmm?" I ask, although I did hear what he said.

He stares at me angrily and looks me in the eye. "You still ask too much. We're in Clemonte! You cannot judge everything."

"Okay." I silently say.

"Let's just sit down for a bit." He says, sitting down on the blue couch.

I sit down on the brown bean bag in front of him as he massages his head.

"So...what do you do!" I ask, still shaking a little.

He doesn't open his mouth. Doesn't even look at me. That's when I realize I must get out of the house as soon as possible.

"Can I go out for a minute?" I ask.

That's when he looks at me. "No." And then he closes his eyes and keeps massaging his forehead.

"Can I at least go to my room? If I have one?"

He moans as he stands up and says, "Follow me."

I do as I'm told. We walk to the stairs that are in the shape of a circle.

I'm pretty sure I see blood on the stairs but I try not looking. Maybe it's just...sauce?

Owen looks inside the rooms one by one and he points a room. "This is yours."

And I walk in it. I sit down on the bed that would probably break if I was heavier.

"What's in that bag? You didn't have it in the morning." He asks.

"Oh no! I always had that bag! I don't go anywhere without it!" I say.

He looks at me one more time and closes the door.

I take out the book. Open it and keep on reading. It says:

So you see, there are some rules you must never forget.
1. Damaged people are dangerous. They know how to make hell feel like home.
2. Never trust a person who takes you in for the night. You don't wanna know what goes on here at night.
3. They're all mad.