The Other Side

The Accident

Matthew groaned in pain as he reached up to his forehead.  He rubbed it gently to try to ease the migraine he was currently suffering from.  "What happened?" He said as he rubbed his still closed eyes.  He slowly opened his eyes and looked around himself.  "Okay I guess the real question should be, where am I?" He said as he looked around his strange surroundings.  

He found himself in a creepy old house.  The wood seemed like it was falling apart under his feet with every step he took they cried out in pain.  He had never been here before so figuring out where here was, was bound  to be a issue.    The worst part was he couldn't remember how he had even gotten here.  He ran his hand through his short blonde hair as he examined the house.  At least it was empty.  He shook his head confused then headed towards the front door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Came a child's voice as he grabbed the door knob to leave.  He jumped in surprise as he saw a young girl standing behind him.  "Where did you come from little one?" He asked as he bent down to be at height with the young girl.  "Oh I've always been here..." She said a sadness in her voice.  Matthew was confused by that statement but wasn't sure he should push the issue.  He decided to instead change the subject.  "Okay.  Well, can you tell me why I shouldn't leave?" He asked her curiously.  "Oh that's a easy one.  If you leave you will die." She said smiling sweetly and completely unphased by what she had just said.  Matthew of course was completely taken back.  He stood up confused.  "Wait why would you say that?" He said feeling almost threatened.  "Well sadly it's true..." She said her voice trailing off.  "Here come with me I'll show you." She said reaching for his hand.  Matthew looked over her nervously but decided to follow her anyway.  She led him to the window and pointed outside.  There he saw a horrible car wreck.  But that wasn't the worst part.  "What the hell?" He yelled as he saw himself inside of the car.  "What is going on here?" He said as he started to panic.  "Calm down that won't help you right now.  You don't have much time if you wish to live..." She said in a calm tone trying to get him to relax.  "This is impossible..." He said as he wiped the window to get a better look to make sure he was seeing the scene correctly which of course he was.  "It really is, honestly you are the first person to join us in quite sometime." She said as she looked him over curiously.  "Us?" He asked not sure he understood what was going on here.  "Of course I am not here alone." She said giggling in a haunting way that chilled Matthew right to the bone.  "Who... who are you?" He finally asked.  The girl looked completely out of place.  Almost as if she was from a different time.  She had long straight black hair that was tied up in a red ribbon and she wore a white party dress with a red sash around the waist.  But the dress was torn and and dirty.  She took one part of her dress into each hand and curtsied to him.  "I am so sorry I am unsure as to why I have not introduced myself yet.  My name is Delilah." She said as she stood back up straight.  That was a strange name to him definitely not one that was used often and she was so young she couldn't be any older then twelve.  "Do you know what happened to me Delilah?" He asked her unsure of what else to ask.  She nodded.  "Yes sir, you were in a horrible accident as you can see.  You were hurt very badly and sadly this house is cursed." She said looking down sadly.  "Cursed?" He asked.  "Yes sir, cursed.  Any soul stuck here when they pass will remain here forever..." She had a sadness in her voice as she finished.  "Do you mean you are a ghost?" He asked half joking knowing that was impossible.  "You do not have to believe me sir.  You will discover more on your own.  You only have one possible way to escape.  You must break the curse in order to return to your body before it is too late." She warned him.  With that as he was looking at her about to ask yet another question she disappeared right in front of him.

Matthew gasped in fear as the girl disappeared right in front of him.  Was it true.  Could she really be a ghost?  He was so confused.  He looked back out the window at his car.  That was definitely him and since it is impossible to be in two places at once he had to believe she was telling the truth.  But what was he supposed to do?  He would have to break a curse.  How was he supposed to do that when he had no idea of what kind of curse he was dealing with or how to break it?  He took a deep breath as he tried to analyze his situation.  That of course was impossible.  There was no thought process that could possibly help him with this.  He didn't even know what "this" was.  He turned away from the window to have a better look at the prison he now found himself in.  The house was old and dirty.  It looked as if no one had lived there in years.  He really started to feel bad for that poor little girl.  She must have been stuck here for quite some time.  He wished there was a way to help her but he would have to figure out how to help himself first.  He decided he would have to take things one step at a time.  Starting with getting out of the house and then he could worry about helping Delilah.  

He slowly began to walk around the house trying to figure out anything he could but he didn't even know what he was looking for.  It made things very problematic.  But that didn't change his mind.  He knew Delilah was correct.  His time was very limited and he had to figure out a way out.  He searched the cabinets, drawers, and closets.  But there was nothing to be found.  "Delilah" He called out hoping the young girl would appear again.  He didn't know what to do and he needed help.  

"Let the dead rest..." Came a whisper that seemed to ride the chilling breeze that blew through the wretched house.  "Who was that?" He asked as he jumped in fear.  But there was no answer nor would one come.  Matthew felt completely lost.  What was he supposed to do?  It was clear he was not alone.  He would have to find the girl again and beg her to help.  He took a deep breath as he approached the stairs.  They creaked and and moaned under his foot as he started to make his way up.  He took each step as delicately as he could fearful that he would fall through the stairs if he didn't.  As he reached the banister at the top of the stairs he looked down the halls of the house.  There were rooms to either side of him.  Lots of rooms.  He had no idea the house was that big.  "Which way to go?" He said looking to his left and then to his right trying to decide.  It was then that he felt that eerie air yet again blowing across his right cheek.  He took that as a sign and turned right.  He walked down the corridor looking at everything as he went.  There were old paintings all over the walls.  He looked at them curiously wondering if they would give him any clues as to what was going on or what happened in this place to begin with.  But they didn't.  He didn't see the girl in any of the pictures.  He carefully checked each one for Delilah but she wasn't in any of them.  She must have been trapped her like he was.  He decided to himself.  But he had a feeling he would see her again and could ask then.  

As Matthew continued to walk down the corridor he noticed something strange.  A warmth.  The rest of the house was cold and empty but he definitely felt something warm.  He would have to check it out.  He continued to walk towards where the heat was coming from.  Soon he came found the door the heat was coming from.  He looked at the door closely, it didn't look any different from the rest of the house.  He shrugged and reached for the door handle.  He twisted the knob and slowly made his way into the room.  It didn't look any different then the rest of the house but it was warm.  He looked around to try to figure out where the heat was coming from.  But there was no source that he could tell.  It was just a rickety old bedroom.  The bed was falling apart and it was just as old as the rest of the house.  He itched his head in confusion.  He even began to wonder if he made it up.  Could it have only been in his head?  It was so confusing.  

"YOU WERE NOT INVITED!" Came a voice out of nowhere.  Matthew practically jumped out of his own skin in fear.  A man appeared in front of him and was directly in his face.  "GET OUT!" He screamed again at Matthew.  Matthew yelled and fell backwards to the floor as the man appeared out of thin air.  Matthew could tell he shouldn't be here he stumbled to get to his knees quickly crawling out of the room.  As he left the door slammed behind him.  "What was that?" He said as fear clenched onto his heart.  He reached up to his chest trying to calm himself down before he gave himself a heart attack.