The dare
It was a dark and stormy house. It did not so much face the east as scowl at it, perpetually resenting the intrusion of the sun’s light into its gloomy solitude. A lone tree burst through the bare ground of the front lawn like a ghastly arm, its arthritic fingers bent, clawlike, reaching up to shield the windows from the glare. The porch was a jaw that jutted brutishly, with fences like square, yellowing teeth. I didn’t like the house when I was eight, and nearly four years of hurrying past it on my way to school and back did nothing to change my sentiments. Which is why I was regretting ever opening my big mouth, as I stood on the sidewalk, facing the house that looked like it should be joined to the neck and shoulders of a terrible giant. Many a boy had fallen foul of the words “I dare you”.
At least I was right. I turned to Bob and Paul and said, “See? I told you this was the scariest house in town.”
“Y-Yeah, right. The only person scared of it is you!” Bob taunted, to hide his own unease.
“So go in ahead of me, why don’tcha?”
Paul thought for a minute, and responded with, “Well, you led us here, so that makes you Leader. And, and the Leader should go first.”
Brilliant. I didn’t have a good comeback. Being called Leader was kind of cool, though…
“Fine, I’m Leader, I go first. But you have to follow my orders!”
I thought, it’s just an empty house, right? It’s not like we’re breaking in to anyone’s property. I still hadn’t convinced myself, but I took a deep breath, and stepped onto the dirt lawn anyway. I took another step, then another, and looked back. Bob nudged Paul, and they quickly caught up with me.
Despite the midday sun, my hand felt clammy when I finally touched the doorknob. The two of them behind me seemed just as fearful and excited as I was. I had heard of hyperventilation, how people who are really, really excited breathe too quickly and it’s not good for you, so I tried to control my breathing. In, out. In, out. I gripped the doorknob, feeling the smooth, cool metal surface press against my palm. I was almost afraid it might bite me. I squeezed my eyes shut… and turned it.
The door was locked. I should have expected that. I was a little disappointed, but feeling more relieved than anything else, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I had been holding, and the wind on the nape of my neck told me they had, too. Locked door, too bad. It was the perfect excuse to go home.
“It’s locked. Let’s go.” They nodded eagerly. We turned, as one, and got as far as the last step, when a gust of warm air blew. From right behind us. It carried a smell, too, the smell of old things, like the section of the library where they keep books that feel like they could fall apart in your hands. Only wrong, somehow. It reminded me of the time I found a poor dead bird on the street, its feathers all torn and bloody, beak crushed and where its eyes should have been, there were only black, sunken pits, covered, like the rest of its body, in flies and tiny, moving white things. I almost puked at the sight, but I held it in this time. Barely.
I wanted to keep running, away from the ghastly thing that I now knew was not a house, but my feet had lost all their strength. I stood there, trembling helplessly, my heart desperately trying to hammer its way out of me and away from the monster. I swallowed, and fought my curiosity, because I was sure…
“Paul, Jake, look, the door… the door’s open…”
“I thought you said it was locked?”
I turned back and saw Bob take a small step towards the door, a strange smile on his face, like he was listening to a favourite song. His head was tilted back, mouth hanging slack, and his eyes were fixed on the windows. He took another step.
Paul had been looking at me, but now he turned his head towards the house slowly, his body swaying slightly, eyes open but not seeing, and nodded in response to some question I could not hear.
“Guys, it’s a Bad Place! Let’s just go home. I lost, alright? Let’s go!”
I could hear the voices now, too. Soft, soothing, cajoling voices. Come in, they said, be a good boy, now. We have toys, and interesting rooms to explore, and you would never go hungry, no, we’ll take care of you…
I imagined us falling down a giant hole, straight into a pit of acid, or lava, or the fires of Hell…
I imagined giant rats in the dark, the never-ending pitter-patter of their claw-tipped feet, the chitter-chatter of their sharp fangs following us, surrounding us, tightening around us, the gleam of their wicked eyes as they got closer and closer…
I imagined portraits tracking us with their eyes, and animated suits of armor stalking us, clankety-clank, until we ran out of breath, and the cold steel of the raised claymores would reflect our wide open eyes, our hands raised in reflex, and I’d be screaming, screaming at the top of my lungs…
I opened my eyes to find myself crouching on the sidewalk, Bob and Paul gone. The sun had tainted the sky red, and I glanced around frantically. Did they see me crouching? Did they laugh and leave me? Or… inside! they went inside! I gulped, and stood, shakily. I kept my eyes away from the house, and stumbled home. I had never had a headache before, but I knew what it was to have one now. What now?
I still hadn’t come up with a plan by the time I reached the corner of Froth and Emerald, just two blocks from my house. I looked up at the sign, just to make sure. When I looked down, Bob and Paul were standing a little way ahead of me.
“Hey! Hey Bob! Paul!” I hurried to meet them.
They turned slowly, precisely, in the same direction.
They’re not really Bob and Paul, they’re only shells, only shells
That shocked me into silence for a moment, but then Bob grinned, and held up a hand.
“Yo.”
I smiled, tentatively, unsure of what to say.
“Where did you go?” said Paul, now wearing the same grin that Bob was.
Grins too wide, too wide
“Err, the… the house, down by Zircon street…” I spluttered, “I thought you two…”
“What house? We’ve been waiting here for you all day.”
I looked behind me and back at them, confused.
“C’mon, it’s time to go home. We’ll play basketball tomorrow,” said Bob.
I nodded, still trying to process everything. They were there! Right behind me when I tried the door! How–?
The House took them, took them and spat them out, empty inside zombieszombieszombies
It was crazy.
but you know it’s true, it’strueit’strueit’strue
I shook my head to try and forget about it all. My friends were still here, still alive, and that was what mattered. Although, whenever we played basketball, it seemed like they didn’t react as fast as they used to. Maybe I just got better as I grew up. Or they were tired, or
zombies
something.
It’s been two years since my family moved away, and they must have moved too, because nobody ever picks up when I call. Sometimes I think about going back there, just to pay a visit, but it’s not like we have relatives there. My parents would never take me. Then I remember the house, and I think, just as well.
Copyright 2010 Zhi Hong Li
