The Unknown

Chapter 3

        The heat from the melted candle was unbearing and caused me to wipe my legs quickly. Wax from hours prior had cooled onto my skin, flaking off with every scratch my nails came to contact with it. Pushing myself from the liquid puddle of wax, my back shone into a beam of light. The light of dawn entered through the cracked kitchen window, raining down in a spotlight effect. The warmth of the new day greeted me. 

        The sound of crunching leaves and an odd low howling drone of a vehicle cut the silence of the brisk morning. I hurried to my feet, almost stumbling from the sudden rush of blood to my head, and glanced out the front window. The palms of my hands and nose greeted the cool window. My breath left hot marks on the glass. 

        A woman dressed in business attire emerges from the front of the vehicle, followed by a male and female. Something about the first woman was hauntingly familiar. Almost feeling her presense was comforting, but horrified me.

        "This home may be old, but is still very nice and ready to be remodeled. The rustic 1797 victorian like home seems to be suitable for your needs," the business woman's voice fades off. All three of their faces were undistinguished. Too far to be in focus. 

        Finally some human interaction, I cheered to myself. I headed off to the front door and attempted to open it, but it wouldn't budge. The locks won't move, nor would the doorknob. The footsteps outside and voices grew louder. The doorknob soon began to twist and jingled. In full panic, I ran and hid behind the large couch in the living room in time for the three of them to walk in. I peered underneath the couch, able to see all three pairs of their feet.

        I zoned out the older woman's voice and just watched the feet walk in and out of the room. Slowly, I cautiously rose up to my knees and mid-crawled. I hurried to prop up into a walk into the hallway, causing the floor to abruptly creak underneath my weight.

        "Excuse me?" I called aloud as I followed the voices. My voice echoed in the hallway. They bounced on the walls and the floor, trying to find the other bodies in the house. I entered through the doorframe of the dining room, hearing the business lady continuing to give a brief overview of the home.

        "The only downside of this home is that it's what people these days refer to as haunted," said the main lady. Mumbles from the other two followed to reply. Their words were inaudible and confusing, seeming to almost feel like a different language.

        "Hello?" I called out again, within earshot of the three. I turned the corner and greeted them with their backs all towards me. "Excuse me, I was just-" 

        "You! You're her! Martha! Is that her?" the second woman cuts me off, spinning around from the other two. Her hand jumps from her side, trying to grab my arm. I pull back only to feel her fingertips brushing my wrist. I pulled back my hand in defense.

        Confused and startled, I turned and ran. I was trying to be noticed, but I felt as if I was just detected for the worst. Dread was all I felt. The words bounced around my head as if oddly familiar. The feeling of being captured led me to flee. Something in me kept driving me to get away. I sprinted out the door, jumped down the top of the stairs to the bottom, falling and scuffing my knees and palms. The pain was nothing, the only thoughts were to get up and run. I was oddly pettrified. My feet dug into the dirt with each running step I took. Dirt kicked up behind me in my trail.

        Then I heard their footsteps and voices behind me. Then they stopped. Questions to where I was followed. I soon turned back and walked over behind a tree, cautiously in view of them, but it seemed like they couldn't see me at all. I was pleased with being undetected.

        "That was her that I told you guys about in the car. Every year.." Martha's voice trailed off when I stepped closer. The leaves crunched underneath my toes. 

        "She seems sweet, but I'm really not into this type of thing," said the male. They walked back into the car with Martha's apologizes following. They came as they went with the sound of the drone of the vehicle and autumn's leaves crunching . . .