Mr. Whitlock

2 - The House

Many people came to speak with Marie once they all left Charlotte's hospital room, but the only one she dared to converse with was her dear cousin Margot. As children they were very close, being nearly the same age and growing up only minutes away from each other. But they had drifted quite far apart after Marie left home all those years ago.

"It is so strange that grandmother would give her old house to you," Margot said as they walked the hospital halls together.

"I'm not sure whether to be grateful or concerned, in all honesty." Marie said with a laugh, "Grandmother believes the house is haunted, yet she still chose to give it to me." she spoke her thoughts aloud, turning the idea over in her head.

"Oh, I didn't think of that. I wouldn't worry, though. My guess is she finally decided it was time for someone to live in that old house." Margot said with a shrug.

At that point they had made it outside and the family began to split up. Margot looked around for her parents and younger brothers, her back now facing her cousin.

"Wait, Margot?" Marie called as she was walking away.

"Yeah?" she said, turning around.

"Meet me at the old house in thirty minutes." Marie said with a sly smile. "I think it's about time we explore something that's been hidden for far too long."

Margot grinned and nodded before walking away.

Perhaps their friendship wasn't so far gone after all.

***

The house was even more breath-taking than she had imagined.

Windows lined the cold grey walls in perfect symmetry and ivy framed the daunting doorway making the house appear as abandoned as it was. The porch was dark and shadowed, vacant other than two wooden rocking chairs.

Marie arrived at the house before Margot, and occupied her time by staring at the terrifyingly beautiful architecture. A part of her felt afraid-not of silly things, like ghosts and monsters, but of uncovering secrets that perhaps were better left untouched.

She trusted her grandmother, though, and knew there must be a reason she was chosen to inherit the house.

Then she heard the soft sound of feet crunching against autumn leaves and turned to see her cousin.

"I can see why she thinks it's haunted." Margot said quietly, feeling odd disturbing the unsettling silence. Marie nodded, then gestured for her to follow. The girls carefully made their way up the steps to the door and paused before entering.

Immediately a wave of musty, stuffy air that had been trapped inside those walls for far too long permeated the outside air. They both began coughing as dust filled their lungs and stung their eyes.

They both stepped inside and Margot slid her hands along the wall in hopes of finding a light switch, and was relieved when the chandelier above her flickered on. It was warm and dim, but provided enough light to see the room around them.

Colorless pictures of serious faces stared back at Marie as her eyes thoroughly scanned the peeling wallpaper of the living room. One large painting of a man, woman, and girl appearing about six years old hung above the fireplace. The blue eyes and oval face of the little girl looked familiar to her, and she then realized it must be a picture of her grandmother with her parents.

Marie had never seen a picture of her great-grandparents before and never knew much about her great-grandfather, for the family didn't talk of him much. Her great-grandmother, on the other hand, was much mentioned by Charlotte. Her name was Anamarie, a strong woman who seemed to have held her little family together for as long as she could. Being who Marie was named after, it was nice for her to finally connect a face with a name. It made her seem more real.

Anamarie's face and posture matched everything Marie had heard about her. Poised and composed, with an elegantly serious expression on her face. As beautiful and dignified as she looked, there was a sort of helpless pain hidden behind her eyes.

If Charlotte was, in fact, six years old in that painting, then this was just shortly before the family completely fell apart.

Marie had heard brief explanations of the story before, but much was left out that she could only wonder about.

All she knew was that when her grandmother was a small child, her father Alistair began work as a scientist. He was very invested in his studies, but one day in the middle of the night convinced his wife and daughter to flee the house forever with the idea that it was 'haunted', leaving all of their belongings and never returning.

Charlotte never explained why, and perhaps she still didn't know. But Marie had a small glint of hope at that moment that something in this house would give her the answer that she wished for.

Marie snapped out of her daze when she heard a loud crash somewhere above her. At that same time she realized Margot was no longer in the room with her, and assumed it was her who made the noise.

She then decided she would quickly explore the rest of that floor before meeting her cousin upstairs and making sure she was alright.

The kitchen looked like a moment captured in time. Old ingredients were organized neatly on the counters, and the table in the breakfast nook was fully set with the loveliest china. A lunch was perfectly made and packed in a bag draped over one of the chairs, ready to be taken somewhere the next day.

Marie didn't realize that the room stunk of decayed food until she made her way into the fresh scent of the dining room. A different set of china was neatly displayed on this table, with more inside the large china cabinet. Next she passed the sitting room, so polished that it appeared it had never been lived in. And when she reached the hallway she opened each door she passed, peering inside just long enough to look around before moving on. She came across a small bathroom and laundry room, then finally circled back to the stairs.

But just when she was about to go up, her eyes caught a door at the end of the hallway that she hadn't noticed before. She quickly walked over to it, expecting just another boring room, and was puzzled when the door would not open.

At first she thought it was just stuck since it hadn't been opened in a long time, but the harder the tried to open it the more she realized it must be locked. But why would a door be locked from the inside?

Just then, Margot came hurrying down the stares.

"Marie? Are you alright?" she asked when she saw her. Marie took a second to respond, then came to the conclusion that she was just concerned of how long she was taking.

"Yes, I'm fine. But are you? It sounded like you took quite the tumble up there."

"What? You mean that wasn't you?" she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"No..." Marie stretched the word out for as long as possible.

"Well then, it seems grandmother may have been right. This house really is haunted."

Marie laughed, despite not being able to tell if she was joking or not.