The Pianist: A Tale Of Horror

Chapter 8

Suddenly, the door opens. It's Karine, the housekeeper. She says she heard a scream. When she sees Émilie on the ground, she goes to call Mr. Costine. Closing the bedroom door, she glances at the old book still open on the table. Lisa hurries to pick it up and hide it in her purse.

Throughout the day, Émilie remains in bed with a fever. She only wakes up for a few minutes. The doctor that Costine called gave her a blood transfusion. Lisa asks him if she should go to the hospital but he says nothing, takes his briefcase and leaves.

Lisa looks out the window and sees the gates of the castle closing and the dogs being released into the garden. She takes her phone and tries to contact the police but notices that something is blocking the signal, she then understands that they are now prisoners of Théodore Costine.

During the night, Lisa keeps watch in an armchair at Émilie's bedside. She is about to fall asleep when she hears Theodore whisper her name in her ear. Her brain freezes. She can only obey his voice. She gets up, leaves the room and, as if hypnotized, climbs the stairs to Théodore's room.

 She opens the door and enters the dark room. She doesn't see anyone but Theodore's voice calling her again. She walks straight ahead to another door inside the room. She opens it and finds a staircase leading down to total darkness. Theodore's voice whispers again: "Get off Lisa!". Lisa's legs start to descend before she can think.

 On the dark staircase, she begins to hear music. A mournful piano tune comes from somewhere in the underground. As it descends, the melody becomes more and more powerful, it seems to come from everywhere. At the end of the stairs, Lisa finds herself in a cave in which a large old table is installed. Theodore is sitting at the table on a Gothic chair with a very high back. To her left sits Nadia, dressed in a sumptuous black evening dress with a deep neckline that reveals her very white skin. To Théodore's right, Karine is also in an evening dress. In front of them, rare meat is presented in porcelain dishes.

 Lisa looks at them disconcerted. Nadia laughs then serves red wine for Théodore. Lisa asks: "What are you doing?" A woman's voice coming from the dark part of the table said: "love".

 Lisa turns her head and sees Marie, sitting at the table. She is eating meat, while her eye sockets are empty and streams of blood and a viscous liquid like egg white flows from the two red and black holes onto her plate.

 Lisa screams and steps back wanting to leave but Theodore says to her: "Come on Lisa!". Her legs become stiff and she is unable to walk. She sits in a chair near Théodore, he pulls aside the collar of her shirt, leans his head towards her and kisses her neck. Lisa closes her eyes and does not react. Theodore transforms into a huge wild beast. Lisa hears its growls and smells his pestilential odor. Its claws sink into her body. He grabs her neck and bites her. Its long fangs sink into her flesh and it begins to suck her blood wildly. Lisa screams in pain.