Haunted House Tales

by Riley Amitrani

  “Are you the carer?” A man said. Claire turned to face him in the neighboring garden. He was wearing trousers held up with braces and a white sleeveless vest underneath. His garden was well kept with a flowerbed of red roses coming into bloom.

  “Yes, I’m from an agency,” Claire said. She turned and headed to the door. She knew that she only had twenty minutes to meet her new patient and couldn’t spare any time for small talk. In that time, she would have to wash her, dress her, help her take any medication she needed and prepare her something to eat. It wasn’t enough time, and it definitely wasn’t enough time to give them what they normally wanted, which was companionship.

  “She doesn’t like new people.” The man called out after her. “She might not open the door.” Claire carried on walking. She got to the front door and rang the bell. The window next to the doorway had a net curtain up, stopping her from looking in. She opened the letterbox and peered through.

  “Mrs. Ashby?” She called out. She sighed. She was annoyed that she didn’t have the key to this property. Waiting for the patients to unlock the door was half of the battle. She looked into the hallway. She could see something move on the patterned carpet. It was a ginger cat. “Mrs. Ashby?” she called again. “It’s Claire here. I’m from the agency. Can you let me in please?” She shouted through the letterbox. She tried the doorbell again. She took a step back and looked at the bungalow. In the situation of no answer, the protocol would be to call her supervisor and go on to the next job. But Claire didn’t like the idea of leaving. She noticed that the window to the kitchen was ajar. She walked over to it, put her hand inside and lifted it off of the latch. The window swung ajar and was easily big enough for her to climb through. Claire looked around the garden and saw a recycling box. She carried it over and put it underneath the window. She stood on top of it and climbed inside.

  Once in the kitchen, she looked around. The house was quiet save for a wind chime blowing in the wind near the open window.

  “Mrs. Ashby?” Claire said. She moved to the doorway and looked into the living room adjoining the kitchen. A door behind her creaked open. Claire spun around and jumped back. She looked down. It was the ginger cat she had seen through the letterbox. It had pushed open a door leading from the kitchen to the hallway. “Oh, it’s only you. You gave me a fright.” The cat sat on the floor and stared at her. Claire walked into the living room. There were a couch and chairs with frilly white covers. On the side table was a glass of water and a bottle of pills. She went out of the living room and into the hallway. She looked at the front door she had looked through earlier. It was locked from the inside. Mrs. Ashby must be here somewhere. She wiped her sweating hands on her tabard and opened the door to a bedroom. There was a bed in the middle of it, a few pieces of furniture, but no sign of the woman. She got to the last room, the bathroom. She stood outside for a minute and hesitated. She had seen dead people before when she had worked in a care home. But this could be the first time she would find a woman dead in her own home. She counted to three in her head, then swung the bathroom door open. The room was empty. The woman must have been taken for a day out by her children, and no one had bothered to tell the office. But that didn’t explain how the door was locked from the inside. She went to the front door and unlocked it. Then she realised she had better leave the house how she had found it. She headed back to the kitchen window and climbed out of it, pulling the window shut behind her. As she did the recycling box slipped out from underneath her. She fell onto the floor. She put her hands out to break her fall but landed with a thud. She sat on the floor for a moment, dazed. Then she felt something warm and fluffy against her arm. It was the ginger cat. It nuzzled up against her. She rubbed the cat and sat for a moment until she gained her composure. Claire put her hands on the floor and pushed herself up. As she did so, she noticed a shed at the end of the garden, with its door ajar. Her phone started to ring in her pocket. She took it out.

  “Hello?” She answered.

  “Hi, Claire. It’s Simon here from the office. Are you at the house of a Mrs. Ashby?”

  “Oh hi, Simon. Yes, I’m here now, but I think she’s out. She isn’t home.”

  “Well, that’s what I’m calling you about. She didn’t answer the door yesterday either. We called her daughter who lives in Yorkshire. She said that they aren’t very close. They only speak on the phone once a month.” As Claire listened, she walked towards the shed. “Can you call the police? Something might have happened to her.” Claire didn’t answer. She lowered the phone from her ear as she got to the shed. A bluebottle flew out of the ajar door. “Claire?” She could hear Simon call down the line. She pushed the door open. Inside was a body slumped on the floor, face down with a pool of blood surrounding her. She could see sticking out of the back of the woman’s head was the end of a pair of gardening shears. They had gone in through her eyes. Claire turned around and ran.

  The ginger cat watched from the end of the garden as Claire ran. Its eyes glowed red as it watched.

  New Beginnings

  18th September 2017

  12 Apex Apartments

  Reading

  10:34 AM

  “Careful with that one!” Lisa shouted at her boyfriend Josh as he chucked a box onto the floor. “That has the china in it your mum gave us.” He rolled his eyes at her. He didn’t think much of the old-fashioned china set anyway. He walked into the kitchen and looked at a few boxes until he found the one marked ‘kettle.’

  Lisa Jeffreys and Josh Anderson had just moved into their first flat together. It was in Reading close to the main station. They had met as freshers at Reading University three years previously. One drunken night had resulted in a kiss in the back of a taxi, and since then they were inseparable. After both securing jobs in the city they were able to stay in Reading, and more importantly, stay together.

  “Tea or coffee?” Josh shouted to Lisa who was still bringing in boxes from Josh’s car.

  “Tea please,” Lisa said. Her phone rang. She put the box down on the kitchen cabinet and grabbed her phone out of her jeans pocket.

  “Hi is that Lisa? It’s Carol here from the cat rescue.”

  “Yes, speaking,” Lisa said. She sat down on the arm of the sofa.

  “I know you came in last week and spoke about rehoming a cat once you had moved.” The woman continued. “I know it is short notice, but we have just had a few cats in and are starting to get really full. Do you feel able to rehome one yet?” Josh came over and placed a cup of tea on a box.

  “Yes, in fact, we are all settled in, and we’d love one. Can we come in this afternoon?”

  Lisa jumped up and punched the air when the woman confirmed. Lisa hung up and looked up at Josh who was standing next to her.

  “Have you just agreed that we will adopt a cat?” Josh said. Lisa stopped jumping around.

  “Maybe,” she said coyly. “We’ve said loads of times that we were going to get one. I don’t want to miss the opportunity.”

  Josh turned his back on her and leaned on the sofa.

  “Why are you turning from me?” Lisa said. Then she realised that he was breathing heavily.

  “Have you seen my asthma inhaler, Lisa?” He said between breaths. Lisa ran to the kitchen counter and took a blue inhaler out of her handbag. He grabbed it off her and puffed it into his mouth. He held his breath for a few seconds.

  “You’re lucky I always carry a spare. You need to be more careful and remember where you put things.” Josh took another puff and after a few minutes regained his composure.

  “Yeah I know I need to be more careful. It’s just with the move and everything I don’t know where anything is. Anyway, back to this cat you’ve agreed we will have,” he said.

  “Yes, I know we’ve just moved in but if we say no now they may not let us have one in the future.”

  “Are you kidding? This place is such a mess. We can’t get a cat now. And we both commute, what will it do all day?” />
  “Relax,” Lisa said. She got up and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Now is as good as ever, you said you wanted a cat as well.”

  “Yeah I suppose, but you have to sort out getting all the stuff.” Josh pulled her arms off of him and went into the bedroom. He shut the door behind him. She could hear banging as he started to put together their flat pack furniture. He wasn’t happy.

  ~

  “These are the ones ready for rehoming. As you can see we have quite a few. I can let you in to meet any you like the look of.” Carol, a member of staff at the cat shelter, spoke as they walked past row upon row of cats. They were all locked in their individual cages where they had a cat bed and room to walk around. Lisa stopped to look at a tabby cat barely bigger than a kitten. She put her hand on the cage, and the cat bounded over and started to lick her hand.

  “This one’s sweet,” she said. She turned and realised that Josh wasn’t with her. He was looking at another cat further down. Lisa followed and looked into the cage. Inside was a large ginger cat. The cat was sat in its basket, facing the wall with its back to them.

  “There are some younger ones over here,” Lisa said, moving on to the next cage. Josh was still looking at the large ginger cat.

  “This one seems interesting,” he said.

  “That’s Quinn,” Carol said standing behind them. “He’s been here three months now.” The cat seemed to sense they were talking about him. He stood up and arched his back, stretching. He turned around so they could see his round face with dark green eyes. One of his ears had a bit missing, and his whiskers were dark brown. His face looked downcast.

  “Three months? Why so long?” Josh said.

  “He’s an adult cat. People go for the younger cats before the older ones. It’s a shame really. Quinn is very even-tempered, and the vet said he is very healthy.”

  Lisa walked back and joined them. “Why’s he here?” Lisa said.

  “Let’s see,” Carol replied, looking at his notes. “It says here the previous owner was a man in his sixties. He died in a house fire. Quinn managed to escape, but the poor man died in his sleep.”

  “That’s tragic,” Josh said. “Can we see him?” Carol nodded and opened the cage. She looked to Josh and Lisa.

  “Don’t worry. He won’t bite. He is very tame.” Josh put his hand into the cage. Quinn sniffed his hand from a distance, then got a bit closer. Josh rubbed the side of the cat’s head. The cat leaned into him, seemingly enjoying it. “I like him,” Josh announced. “He’s chilled. I think he’d be content when we are out at work.” He put his other hand in and picked him up. Quinn didn’t seem to mind. Josh held him in his arms. Quinn stood up on his paws and climbed up his arm. Josh leaned forward. They all laughed as Quinn walked along his shoulders. He then jumped onto the floor and started weaving between his legs.

  “We could go and have a look at some others if you want?” Lisa said, thinking about the cute kittens she had seen further down the corridor.

  “Can’t we have this one?” Josh said. “I think he’s lovely. And we don’t want a kitten, do we? Far too energetic.” Quinn was stood up now and had turned around to face them. Lisa looked at him. She thought Quinn was ok, but she had her heart set on a kitten.“We could,” she said. “But do you not want to look at the others first?”

  “I don’t know. I just think if we are going to get a rescue cat, we should adopt one who really needs it. The kittens will be rehomed soon. And besides we only have a small space, surely it is best to have an older cat who won’t mind.” Lisa stood and considered. As she did so, Quinn came up to her and started rubbing against her bare legs. She bent down and stroked him. He started to purr.

  “Ok,” Lisa said. “Let’s adopt Quinn.”

  ~

  When they got back to their block of flats, Lisa carried Quinn inside in his cat basket. Josh stayed downstairs to sort out the car. Lisa liked their new flat. Well, it wasn’t new, but it felt new to them. It was in a solidly built, yet quite ugly sixties tower block. She let herself into the front door and into the communal hallway. She got to the lift and saw a sign saying it was out of order, so she started to take the stairs. She negotiated past a bike in the hall and a pushchair. Then she saw a lady in her seventies or so coming out of one of the doorways.

  “Are you new here?” The woman said. Lisa stopped and turned back.

  “Yes, I am. I’ve just moved in upstairs,”

  “I know,” the woman said. “I saw you and your husband moving in yesterday. The delivery men walked over the lawn so many times. I do hope they haven’t damaged it.” Lisa didn’t correct the woman’s assumption that she was married, nor commented on the delivery men.

  “Well it was nice talking to you,” Lisa turned to go.

  “I’m sorry love, I shouldn’t have said about the delivery men. My words get the better of me sometimes.” The woman said. Lisa turned and looked at the woman. She was very slender and wearing a faded cotton dress and cardigan.

  “There’s no need to apologise,” Lisa smiled. The woman wasn’t listening. She was too busy looking at the cat basket, with a frown upon her face.

  “Is that a dog in there?” The woman frowned.

  “No, it’s a cat actually,” Lisa said. The woman’s face lit up.

  “I love cats. It has been years since I have had a pet as one. You must come in for a cup of tea and let me see her.”

  “I’m a bit busy right now, and it’s a him,” Lisa said. The woman’s face dropped.

  “Oh, that is a shame,” she said. “Well, it was very nice meeting you. You are a pretty young thing.” Lisa felt guilty. How could she not have time for a little old lady?

  “Well maybe just a quick drink,” Lisa said. She followed the lady in and shut the door behind her. The ladies flat was a mix of patterned carpets and curtains. It smelled of lavender and dust. Lisa sat on the edge of a green sofa covered with floral cushions. She could hear the woman making a drink in the kitchen. Lisa sat there, not sure whether to offer to help or not. Before she had made a decision, the lady started to walk back to the living room carrying a tray topped with tea and biscuits. Lisa jumped up and went to grab it

  “Here let me help,” she said. She took hold of it and set it down on a table and poured two cups of tea into china mugs.

  “No sugar for me,” the woman said. “And strong.” Lisa made it to her liking then sat down.

  “So, have you been here for a long time?” Lisa said.

  “Yes, forty years now,” The woman said. She looked into the cage. Inside Quinn was fast asleep. “I’d like to see him when he wakes up.”

  “Of course,” Lisa said. She nudged the corner of his cage with her foot, hoping for it to be sooner rather than later.

  “I used to have four cats,” the lady said. “I loved them so much. But now I am just too old to have them. “I’m Doris by the way.”

  “My name is Lisa.”

  “So, Lisa, where do you come from?” Doris said. Lisa was about to respond when she saw movement in the cage. Quinn had woken up.

  “Oh look, my cat is awake,” Lisa said. She sat down her cup of tea and opened the cage up. “Come on out Quinn. There’s a lady who wants to see you.” Lisa waited a second. Quinn was showing no interest in coming out, but Lisa didn’t want to wait around. She lifted the cage up a bit and tilted it forward until he fell out onto the floor. Lisa put the cage down and picked him up. He struggled a bit, but soon stopped. “Would you like to hold him?” Lisa said. Lisa realised that holding Quinn didn’t feel as natural as she hoped. But Doris was excited to take him from her. She set her cup of tea down, and Lisa sat placed him on her lap. Quinn sat down and faced away from her. Doris started to stroke him.

  “Oh he is a lovely cat,” she said. “He feels lovely and warm. If you ever go on holiday and need someone to look after him, you let me know,” Lisa smiled. Maybe having Doris as a friend wouldn’t be a bad idea.

  “Do you kno
w, when I had cats I used to talk to them?” Doris said. “I’m sure I could sense what they were saying back. I’ve always had a funny way with animals. I’ve never had much of an understanding of men, but cats I understand.” She picked up Quinn and turned him around to face her. She held him up until he was looking straight into her eyes. “Why hello little man, what’s your name?” She said to him.

  “His name is Quinn,” Lisa said. She looked at her watch, wondering if she had been there long enough to be polite.

  “Ooh,” the woman made a shocked noise. “I haven’t seen one like this before.” She let go of him, and he fell onto her lap. “He is a very strange cat. There is nothing nice about him at all.” She stood up, dropping Quinn to the floor. He ran back inside of the cage. Lisa shut the cage door on him.

  “Is something wrong?” Lisa said.

  “Not with me, no, but there is something wrong with that cat of yours, he has a very strange personality, very strange. I can’t take to him.” She started to put the empty cups back onto the tray. She picked it up and started heading back to the kitchen. “I don’t like him at all. I think you two should be going. You can come back again Lisa, but don’t bring that thing with you!” Lisa looked at Quinn who was contently laying in his basket. What a strange woman, Lisa thought.

  ~

  That evening Lisa sat on the sofa with Josh surrounded by unpacked boxes and partially assembled furniture. The television was propped up on an unopened box containing books. Lisa could feel her eyes drooping as they watched a drama series. Quinn was asleep in his brand-new cat bed in the corner of the room near the balcony. Next to his bed was a scratching post and on the floor a toy mouse, a ball, and a fake pheasant. They had gone a bit overboard in the pet store and bought everything they had liked.

  “See, he looks settled in already, I knew I had an eye for cats,” Josh said, noticing Lisa staring at him. Lisa didn’t reply. She wasn’t sure why but she wasn’t warming to their new pet now they had him at home. He wasn’t as affectionate as she had hoped a cat would be. She had imagined having one who would run in to see them and sit on their lap in the evenings. Quinn seemed most content when left to his own devices.