01: The Sandman

“This place is creepy,” Jill said stepping from the car. She glanced up at the old building and let out a frustrated sigh. The windows were all boarded up and there was vulgar graffiti spray painted on the cracked and peeling walls. The dead and wilted garden on the side was a place marker for some long ago resident that apparently had a thing for flowers. The overgrown, dead grass was all that remained now and the trees even seemed to grow in an ominous and eerie shape. “What are we doing here?”

“Humoring Daijah,” Quiana replied as she grabbed a sleeping bag and suitcase from her trunk. “Besides, it’s a month off from work, school, family and other woes. Just try and have fun with this, it might surprise you.”

The wind picked up and caused Jill to pull her sweater tighter around her arms. She rubbed them absently as she stared up at the house. The broken shutters on the windows and raggedy old front porch made the place appear to be smiling wickedly as though taunting her. The “beware of dog” sign made her think twice about stepping inside the gate but the light on in the house assured her someone was there. “Let’s get inside. I just hope it looks better than this.”

She grabbed her things and followed Quiana towards the front door.

“Oh good! I’m not the only one that came,” Leah said as Jill walked towards her in the foyer. “I was beginning to get really freaked out.”

“Yeah, I can see why,” Jill sighed looking around the room. “How on Earth did she even find this place? And why here?”

“Because the ambience is perfect for what I have in store!” Daijah smirked stepping from around the corner. “Welcome sisters! We’re waiting on a few others to show; Kalene, Freedom, Karima and Nedra are waiting in the living room,” she said turning towards the hall. “This way, Ladies.”

Karima straightened up as she saw them enter. Nedra had a smile on her face and the others were still laughing from the joke she’d just told. “Girls, we have company!” Daijah announced as Quiana and Jill took seats around the room. “Get comfy; I’ll grab some more snacks.”

The girls sat around discussing life, love and trying to figure out what Daijah had in store for them. “She’s been gone a while,” Kalene said looking into the hall. “How long does it take to make snacks?”

“I’ll see if I can find her.” Freedom stood and walked through the double doors leading out of the living room. “Daijah?” she called tentatively as she searched her surroundings. Spiderwebs, dust and rotting old pictures hung precariously on the walls of the decaying hallway. The wood on the stairs was eaten through by termites; the parts that wasn’t taken with age or weather.

She entered the room adjacent from the corroding dining room and heard whispering behind closed door. “DJ?” she knocked once and heard the chattering silence.

Daijah stepped from the room with a tray of snacks and a smile. “Hey. Did you need something?”

“No, we were just wondering where you went is all.”

She pointed to the tray. “I had to slice more cheese for the crackers and ham.”

“Oh. Who were you talking to in there?”

“I was speaking with my sister. She wanted to come and join us but had a change of plans at the last minute. She’s a scaredy cat really, I never expected her to come anyway. She’d never be able to live through what I have planned.”

“And what is that exactly?” Freedom asked peeking over her shoulder.

“Oh nothing,” Daijah smiled. “It’s a little surprise for later. Come on let’s get back to the others, we should be ready to start now.”

Freedom stood staring at the door as Daijah started down the hall. An uneasy feeling washed over her as she thought about what “surprise” could be lying in wait behind that wooden panel. Having a slumber party at a decaying and decrepit manor was shock enough; she didn’t know how much more she could handle herself.

“Are you coming Free?”

“Right behind you,” she turned with a smile and headed back to the group with Daijah.

Nancy had arrived and was waiting in the living room as they rejoined the others. “Great, looks like we’re all here,” Daijah smiled. “Let’s begin shall we?” she pulled out a book from the cabinet near the refreshments and sat it on the table.

“D.V.L’s Twisted Tales,” Nedra read. “What’s this?”

“I thought we could tell a few ghost stories to get ourselves in the spirit of the season. This is a collection of short stories and poems I found while going through some things in my attic. We can each take turns reading from the book.”

“No thank you,” Quiana said standing. “I’ve seen enough horror movies to know reading something from a book that just ‘mysteriously’ popped up in an attic, basement or family inheritance is NEVER a good thing Dai. Count me out.” 

“Fine, you can have the honors of first reading. Something short and sweet so you can say you got your turn over,” she said handing her the book.

“No! I’m not doing it!” she tossed the book to the table and it opened to a page.

“Looks like it chose you,” Nancy addressed the opened poem. “The Sandman.”

“Yeah Qui, humor Daijah,” she winked tossing her words back at her.

Quiana sighed. “Fine,” as she took a seat back in her chair. “But if something big and nasty comes looking for me, I’m pointing them in your direction!”

She picked up the book and began to read:

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**Lyrically inspired by Metallica’s Enter Sandman and a poem my Mom read to me as a kid.

"Sandman come to me tonight,
comfort me til morning light.
While spirits unrest and evils roam
I invite your presence into my home


Just up the stairs and down the hall
my silent prayers to you I call
as darkness falls and shadows loom
I bid you welcome to my room."

"Rest your bones beside my bed
Lay your hands upon my head.
Cast your spell of slumber deep
and stay beside me as I sleep.

A soothing hand to me you lend
as you keep me free from sin
if I should die before I wake
I grant to you my soul to take."


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