09: Death Knocks Once

“Everyone grab a light and a coat. We have to go find Holley,” Daijah said stepping towards the front door and waiting for the group to get ready. The wind howled outside and the tree branches scraped against the windows and shutters causing a long scratching sound that got louder as the wind picked up.

“Wait, shouldn’t someone stay here in case she comes back?” Quiana asked as she pulled the wick up in one of the oil lanterns.

“Are you volunteering?” Leah smiled.

“Yes. I wouldn’t want her to come back to a dark and empty house and think we just abandoned her. I’ll stay and see if she makes it home safely.”

“I’ll wait with her as well,” Karima said walking into the living room and taking a seat.

“Ok, don’t leave the house and stay together. We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Nedra said taking the lantern from Quiana and handing it to Nancy.

“Don’t worry about that,” Lizzy laughed. “There’s nothing less enticing than a dark and scary night outside. We’ll stay here.”

Nedra, Freedom, Kalene and Leah started after Daijah. The piercing night air moved in around them penetrating through the thin materials of their shirts and jackets and chilling them to their bones.

“When we get back, I’m taking a nice, HOT bath,” Kalene sighed as she pulled the sides of her coat in around her. “It is FREEZING out here!”

“Let’s show Karima what we found,” Lizzy smiled and stepped towards the door. “She might find it really interesting too!”

“What did you find?” she asked looking curiously at both Lizzy and Quiana.

“Just a little of the ‘history’ Dai said was in this place,” Quiana shrugged. “Some newspapers, artifacts and such that one or more of the old landowners left behind. We can’t get to it though. It’s behind a locked door and we haven’t been able to find a key.”

They led her up the stairs and towards a door she’d not seen before. She hesitated as it opened up and a puff of dust fell from the corners. Lizzy knocked away a falling spider web and entered into the room first. “It’s behind a bookshelf! A hidden door that leads to a panel of glass and another room that we can only imagine was used as an escape from the family.”

“I’d have locked myself in it for sure,” Quiana agreed.

They reached the glass wall and the girls pointed Karima towards the newspapers that were sitting prominently in the windows along the sills. She examined them each with a quick nod before backing away towards the last on the row. Something about the article caught her eye and she stepped closer to have a better look at the picture.

“What’s the matter Karima? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Lizzy said watching the blood drain from her face. 

“That’s because I have,” she said stepping closer to the door and staring at the newspaper. “The man on the front page, he’s the one I saw walking towards the graveyard the first night we arrived.”

“That’s impossible Karima,” Quiana said shaking her head. “That paper is dated October 31, 1864.”

“Exactly.”

The silence was broken with the banging on the door
I glanced at my clock and moved stealthily along the floor
Who could be calling at this time? I thought.
The hour is late, what is it they sought?

I peered briefly through the tiny crack
a faceless man stood and I quickly drew back
I could not be seeing what my eyes said I did
I looked around the room, behind the door I hid

The figure stepped inside and with him the cold air

the scythe glinted towards me as I said a silent prayer
the dark cloud around his feet followed close as he hovered
deeper in the corner I drew and my eyes I covered

“Do not be afraid, I shall make this fast.”
“Your fate has been dealt and shall come to pass.”
“Death knocks once and your time is through.”
“It has been written and I have come for you”



Continue ---->