Carlton House

by B. Groves

  “Jordan! No!”

  Jordan wasn’t even listening. He would stop and watch Hannah try to grasp any part of him through the hole in the door.

  Jordan hit the door again, and this time the lock and the latch fell to the floor with a dull thud.

  Lily’s vision had cleared, but she swallowed in fear. She couldn’t get up and run away because of the blow she’d received from Jordan.

  Jordan dropped the mallet and wrestled the door open to reveal Hannah standing on the threshold.

  “Oh, my God,” Jordan said. “When’s the last time you showered? Holy shit. What’s that smell?”

  Long jet-black hair surrounded an ashen grey face. Skin peeled from on some places around her neck and cheek.

  Hannah lifted her head to reveal diseased and bloodshot eyes. Black veins covered her hands and neck.

  Her dress had shriveled down to threads in many places, including the bodice, but had enough fabric to cover her breasts. Reddish-brown stains covered the dress over the front and the one sleeve. The dress was missing one sleeve highlighting an ashen arm with the black veins snaking their way up to her shoulder.

  Jordan covered his nose with his shirt. “Holy shit, that stinks.” Jordan gagged and choked but smirked. “You should thank me. I released you from this tomb.”

  Lily searched for one last moment of strength. She leaned against the wall, but she was in too much shock to run. Her fear had frozen her in place. Tears flowed down her cheeks because she knew it was only a matter of time before Hannah attacked Jordan and would turn to Lily for her next meal.

  Lily caught the stench coming from the room and wanted to vomit. Pure death came from that room. Over hundred years of a decaying corpse trapped inside a room that ate raw flesh.

  Jordan peered into the master bedroom and laughed. “Wow. Lily, you should see this. It needs more than cleaning. Holy fuck. I think it needs to be condemned.”

  From her vantage point, Lily only saw the outline of a canopy bed, maybe a dresser, a nightstand and a huge candelabrum on one side of the master bedroom.

  Jordan laughed as Hannah stood there gazing at him.

  She cocked her head to the side and studied him as he continued to make quips about the stink coming from the room.

  Jordan raised his hand and pointed down the hallway. “You’re free little bird. Go fly—”

  Jordan never finished his sentence. Hannah had reached out with her hand and grabbed him by the neck at lightning speed.

  Jordan made an odd gurgling sound as Hannah lifted him off the floor with one hand.

  Lily would never forget the sound of the growl that escaped her lips.

  Lily inched her way up the wall into a standing position.

  Jordan’s face turned crimson red as his features twisted into fear. He struggled and tried to pry Hannah’s hand from his neck. His eyes bulged out of their sockets. His feet were kicking around everywhere trying to reach Hannah.

  “Jordan!” Lily screamed.

  Hannah dropped Jordan to the floor. He gasped for breath and tried to roll away from her, but Hannah was exceptionally fast. She plunged on top of him and held him down by his shoulders.

  Jordan’s screams terrified screams reverberated through the hallway.

  Lily tried to move closer to help him. He turned his head to her and cried for help, but Lily didn’t have the strength to help him.

  Hannah bent down and took a bite out of Jordan’s cheek.

  He screamed even louder in pain as Hannah came up with a chunk of skin. She chewed on it and swallowed. Her mouth now dripping with blood.

  “Hannah, no!”

  Lily moved closer to Hannah, but it was too late. Hannah leaned down again, and this time aimed at Jordan’s neck. Jordan’s last scream went silent as blood shot out from where Hannah bit him. Blood pooled on the floor and Lily watched in horror as Jordan’s feet stopped kicking and the gurgling sounds coming from his mouth faded.

  Lily wanted to cover her ears from the sick ripping noises coming from Jordan’s body.

  She needed to escape. She had no other choice.

  Lily glanced one last time at Jordan. His eyes stared at the ceiling as Hannah continued to feast on his neck.

  Lily sobbed as she turned to run. She clutched her stomach and kept herself steady against the wall not knowing if she’d reach the stairs before Hannah turned her attention to Lily’s flesh.

  She chanced a glance behind her and realized that Hannah’s attention had gone from Jordan to her.

  Hannah stood from her kneeling position.

  Lily cried out and tried to move quicker. If she could make it to the stairs, she might have a chance.

  Hannah snarled at her. She was catching up to Lily. She smelled Hannah’s foul stench right behind her.

  Lily made it to Harry’s portrait. His frightened eyes watching the whole scene playing out before him.

  Lily didn’t stop. She had reached the banister and gripped it.

  Lily screamed when a powerful hand grasped her shoulder and forced her to turn around.

  She fell backward as two dead eyes met hers.

  “Lily,” Hannah snarled.

  She tried to move away by crawling down the steps, but something held her foot. Hannah pried her sneaker off her foot along with her sock. A cold, spongy hand wrap around her ankle.

  Lily was so terrified that she froze. She couldn’t struggle out of the grasp.

  Then something strange happened. Hannah glanced to her left and studied Harry’s portrait. She inhaled a deep, raspy breath, her grasp loosening on Lily’s ankle. Lily watched Hannah’s expression turn from shock as she stared at Harry’s portrait.

  Lily tried to move away but the moment Hannah had with her son’s portrait didn’t last long. It seemed to make her angrier as she turned back to Lily tightened her death grip on Lily’s leg.

  “Hungry,” Hannah wheezed.

  “No!” Lily screamed.

  Lily struggled to free herself when the front door flew open.

  A gust of wind flew by Lily. Hannah let go of her leg and let out a sickening wail as something forced her to let go of Lily’s leg.

  Lily heard bumping and thrashing behind her.

  Lily turned around and saw Hannah fly backward through the air and into the master bedroom. She landed on her back on the floor while Michael rushed over and circled her.

  With help from the spindles and the banister, Lily stood up to watch Michael place himself into a defensive position.

  He tried to communicate with Hannah to soothe her, but his soft words didn’t seem work and Hannah’s expressions turned even more savage.

  Her legs thrashed around on the floor. Michael held her arms in place. She belted out two unnatural screams and Lily wasn’t sure but she thought Hannah was speaking a few words back to Michael.

  Michael tried to haul her out of the master bedroom. He gripped one arm, but Hannah fought back by trying to bite down on his hand.

  Michael successfully dragged her from the room, and he led her over to the other room with the locks still in place. He reached into his pocket and fumbled with his keys.

  He dropped them and tried to pick them up. Hannah was crying out and punching at him.

  He shifted and struck her hard against her face. She reeled back, but instead of subduing her, it made her hit him even harder.

  Hannah cried out again. This time she successfully bit down on Michael’s hand.

  Michael yelped in pain and released Hannah while he grasped his hand.

  Hannah reached and gripped Michael by the neck.

  “Michael!”

  Michael raised his hand to stop Lily from moving closer. “No, Lily. Run!”

  No, she wouldn’t run. She would not stand by and watch Hannah torture him. Lily looked for anything to use as a weapon.

  Hannah threw Michael into the master bedroom as if he were a small toy. Michael struggled to get up from the floor, but Hannah was too fast. She pounced on top of him and he
ld him down. He tried to force her off, but she was stronger than him.

  Lily frantically searched for any kind of weapon. Michael, weakened by being away from the house all day, lost his strength to fight back.

  Lily glanced in every room but found nothing, but she ran over and grabbed the keys lying on the floor.

  Hannah was defeating Michael. He was still fighting, but he barely gained an inch as they struggled to overpower one another.

  Lily fumbled with the keys. She didn’t know the right one for the lock. None of the keys were working. Sweat was pouring down her face and stinging her eyes.

  Lily stopped trying to fumble with the lock when realization smacked her in the face.

  Lily let the keys drop to the floor. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the talisman.

  Lily heard a thundering crash behind her. She saw Michael slumped in a corner with his eyes closed.

  Lily gripped the necklace in her hand. This was her last chance to save herself and Michael.

  Chapter 20

  Broken

  Lily dug her nails into her skin. She inhaled sharp shaky breaths and had to dig hard within herself to find the bravery to act and confront Hannah.

  “Hannah,” she called.

  Her heart pounded against her ribcage. Her hands shook so hard she thought she would drop the necklace any second.

  “Hannah,” Lily said louder trying to sound brave but failing.

  Hannah turned away from Michael. Her attention back on Lily.

  Lily willed herself to walk over to the middle of the hallway. She stopped near Jordan’s body. Her foot now soaked with his blood. Lily didn’t have time to think about Jordan lying on the floor—dead. She had to keep her attention focused on Hannah.

  Lily swallowed in fear as Hannah limped towards her. She had her head cocked to the side, her black hair flowing over one shoulder. She grinned and inside her mouth, Lily saw rotted fangs covered in blood. There were fresh blood stains covering her dress from her feast on Jordan.

  “Hannah, do you remember a few hours ago?” Lily asked. “Do you remember?”

  Hannah stumbled for one brief second but she continued on.

  “We talked. Woman to woman,” Lily said in a shaky voice. “It was only us. Just us. That was all we needed.”

  Hannah gasped for air. She put her hands out as if she was ready to attack.

  Lily gripped the necklace even harder. She had one chance.

  “You said, ‘free me.’ Do you remember?”

  Again, Hannah hesitated.

  Lily tried to plaster a smile on her face. “That’s right. You remember, don’t you?”

  Hannah stopped. She blinked several times.

  “He did this,” Hannah rasped, raising an arm and pointing at herself. “He made me.”

  Lily nodded. “I’m not making excuses for Philip. What he did… I can’t imagine your pain and suffering. It was misguided, but he did it out of love. He loved you so much that he didn’t want to lose you.”

  Hannah placed her hands over her head and wailed into the air. She removed her hands from her head and looked them over. Her body shaking as she sobbed.

  Lily moved a step closer. “You don’t have to suffer anymore.”

  Hannah’s hair was covering her face. Lily took another step closer, fear almost closing her throat.

  Hannah cried out and gasped a word.

  “What did you say?”

  Hannah’s head shot up and stared straight at Lily. “Harry.”

  “Yes, Harry, your son. He loved you. He missed you.”

  Hannah threw up her hands as she belted out another piercing wail. She repeated Harry’s name as she pulled at her dress, her hair, and scratched at her face.

  “He’s waiting for you.”

  Hannah bent over again, gasping for air continuing to mutter her son’s name.

  Lily stood only inches from Hannah. She would need to move at lightning speed.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw Michael, but it was only she and Hannah at this moment.

  Lily knew she didn’t have much time. Hannah was in the throes of her grief but who knew how long that would last.

  Lily uttered a silent prayer and pressed the talisman against Hannah’s exposed arm. Hannah’s skin made a hissing noise, and smoke rose from underneath the talisman. She ignored the smell of burning flesh and tried to hold the talisman in place.

  Hannah let out another ear-piercing scream making Lily step back with the talisman still clutched in her hand.

  Hannah stood straight up. It was obvious from the fury on her features that Lily was in grave danger.

  Michael cried out her name from the room. She saw he was trying to gather his own strength to come and help her, but it would be too late.

  Lily turned to run, but Hannah tackled her to the floor. A soft, mushy body fell on top of her but that was deceiving since Hannah had enough strength to lift a full-grown man in the air.

  Lily tried to crawl out from underneath Hannah, but a hand came down on the back of her neck to hold her in place.

  Lily lay there with her cheek against the cool wooden floor. Hot, rotten breath came close to her ear.

  “Trick me,” Hannah wheezed near Lily’s face.

  “No, I was trying to help you,” Lily gasped. “I was trying to release you.”

  Hannah forced Lily to turn onto her back. Her eyes widened from the terrifying creature on top of her.

  Lily tried to keep her calm, but she was shaking so bad, she thought she would fall apart.

  Lily tried to block Hannah’s attempts to bite her with her free hand. She put her arm over face and grimacing from the scrape of pointed teeth against her skin.

  Lily tried to kick at Hannah to escape, but Hannah was extremely strong and too fast for Lily to make any progress.

  Michael came up behind Hannah, grasped her shoulders, and pulled her off.

  Hannah cried out and Lily hurriedly sat up. Hannah struggled against Michael’s grip.

  “Hurry, Lily!” Michael yelled. “Do it!”

  Lily hurried to her feet. Michael was holding Hannah back as she thrashed around with her arms.

  Hannah kept trying to bite at Lily. That’s when Lily had an idea.

  Lily eyed the talisman. She gathered a deep breath. It was now or never.

  Lily saw the opportunity. She bunched up the necklace with her fingers and counted down three seconds.

  Hannah opened her mouth once again, and Lily shoved her hand with the talisman inside Hannah’s mouth as far as she could.

  Hannah wailed again and clamped her teeth down on Lily’s hand.

  White hot pain shot up and down Lily’s arm. Sharp fangs broke through her skin. She felt them penetrating her flesh and thought she heard the crack of bone as Hannah clamped down on her hand.

  Lily shrieked in pain. The hallway swayed sideways. Cold sweat poured down her face. She fought the urge to lie down and give up. Her breathing came out in shallow breaths.

  She had no choice but to leave her hand inside Hannah’s mouth until the spell took effect. If it did.

  Hannah’s bloodshot eyes opened wide. She opened her mouth. The teeth lost their grip on her skin and Lily pulled her hand back as fast as she could.

  Lily stepped back holding her injured hand. She looked up when she heard glass crackle inside Hannah’s mouth.

  Part of the necklace dangled from Hannah’s mouth. She quit fighting Michael’s grasp on her shoulders.

  Hannah’s eyes closed and the talisman fell to the floor. The little capsule was cracked and empty.

  Some blue liquid dripped from Hannah’s mouth mingling with the blood from Lily’s hand.

  The air changed around Lily as though a burden were lifting from the house.

  She searched around as she clutched her hand and tried to stop the bleeding. The house rattled on its foundation. Michael had been sprawled out on his back and he sat up with his eyes wide, looking around.

  Hannah sway
ed in place. She keeled over and choked. She shrieked in agony while her body contorted into unnatural angles. Her face turned towards the ceiling and she opened her mouth. A thick black tar substance came shooting out of her mouth. It splashed the ceiling and fell dripping back to the floor, parts of it splashing onto Hannah and Michael.