Pictures Within

Thomas went into his bedroom, where he began to read a book. He needed to think about something in this world, everything that's happening in this house is not from this world.  How much he wishes he could just go back to boarding school, at least there he knew what was going on.

Mr. Riddle set the table without Thomas.  When Mrs. Haddy noticed that Tomas wasn't helping Mr. Riddle.   "Sir Riddle where is the boy.  He should be helping you," she said as she sat down.  Mr. Riddle approached Mr. Haddy and served her blood wine in a glass that took the entire bottle.

"Mrs. Haddy, the boy did well today.  Bullies followed him home.  I happen to come across one of them.  This is why you have this fresh drink.  How does it taste?" he asked with a smile   "I was wondering why my drink tasted sweet and young.  It's wonderful.  But where's the boy?" she asked again.   "I told him to go take a nap.  This is all new to him, I didn't want him to smell or see the dead body, so I send him away to his room.  If you need him, I will gladly go get him for you." he said as he  Served her dinner.   

"Well, no let him rest, I want him out again tomorrow," he said as he grabbed a cooked arm and began to tear pieces off.   "Madam it's too soon for another.  The townspeople don't even know that this one missing yet.  We must wait at least a day or two." he explained  "Why?  What's the difference?" she asked as she drank her blood.  "Fine, you decide when it's the right time.  Just know that if I run out of blood and feed, I will eat that boy, grandson or not," she said with an evil grin.     

"Good, Mrs. Haddy that isn't the best thing to do," he said as he served her another bottle of blood.  "So you sure he won't come out and surprise us?" she asked.    "Yes, Madam, he was told to wait for me to call him if I don't call him, he won't come." explained Mr. Riddle   "Great, cause I just can't stand this human skin.  Do you have any new skin for me?" she asked as she stood up and began tearing her skin off, with no blood exposing.   It was just human skin that was covering who she really was.    Her skin was lizard-like, her face was like a bat's with the winds to match.  She opened her mouth when two large fangs appeared, he placed the glass near her fangs, and like a straw, it sucked the blood in the glass in minutes.   Mr. Riddle didn't dare to look at her, he knew that if he stares, he would be the next person on her dinner table.  So as he served her more blood, he kept his eyes on the bottle making sure his their eyes never meet.

He also made sure he kept his cool when he was around her.  When Mrs. Haddy was down she stood up from the table.   Grabbed the bag with the new skin and began to transform herself again into Mrs. Haddy once again.

This is something that Mr. Riddle couldn't take his eyes away.  It was like something out of this world.  Once Mrs. Haddy was done, she headed to her room in a very happy mood.  The boy was working out after all.

Mr. Riddle cleaned up the kitchen.  Then he went to check on Thomas.   "The boy must be hungry, let me invite to the kitchen to eat dinner.  I really don't like eating alone.  I'm just surprised, I still have an appetite, after all, I've just seen." he muttered to himself as he walked down the hallway and knock on Thomas' room door.      Thomas opened the door, "Sir what do you want me to do now?" he asked as he opened the door.   "No, lad, I don't need you to do anything, I wanted to know if you would like to join me for dinner?" he asked,  "I thought I already ate dinner?"  Thomas replied.    L"No, boy that was lunch, not dinner, come with me to the kitchen." he suggested as they headed to the kitchen.

As they walked through the hallways, Thomas glanced up at the portrait, when Frank's spirit came close up and took his tongue out of Thomas.   The boy jumped up and away from the picture.  "Hey, what was that about?  It's just a portrait, that all it is," he said as they entered the kitchen.

Mr. Riddle set up to plates and sat down with Thomas to eat their dinner.  When they were down the boy stood up to place the plate inside the sink, when he stepped on something gross.  Whatever he stepped on, popped like a little bag o ketchup.   "What did I step on?" he asked as he looked at the bottom of his shoe.   "Wait, boy, I'll get that for you," said Mr. Riddle as he took Thomas shoe off, and noticed that he must start paying attention to detail when he cleans up, for Thomas had just stepped on an eyeball.    Mr. Riddle cleans up the mess and then gave the shoe back to the boy.

When they were done eating, Mr. Riddle sent him back to his room.  Thomas didn't want to walk the hallways alone.  "Excuse me, sir, I seem to get lost now and then.  Can you walk me back to my room?" he asked as he grabbed onto his hand.  "Boy, just following the painting and you will be in your room before you know it," he said as he shoved him out of the kitchen.   "I must clean up here.  Tomorrow is another long day.  Good night boy." he said as Thomas began to walk down the hallway to his room.

He knew there wasn't any way he was getting by them without them noticing.  He covered his ears and kept looking ahead, trying not to glance up at the picture.   The spirits in the picture noticed that he was trying to ignore them, and they didn't like to be ignored.  One, by one, they started to whisper, "Hey, boy we know you can hear us.  Please, don't ignore us. We need your help." said another little girl named Lilly.   Thomas steps became faster as he ran into his room and slammed the door behind him.   So many different voices and spirits, he really felt like he was really losing his mind.   "Shit, I'm getting used to all this, but walking through that hallway talk everything I have, and it scares the crap out of me." the boy whispered as he washed up and went to bed.