Chapter Thirteen
Buried deep in the suburbs of Calgary was a row of houses on a quiet street. Midsize sedans and SUVs were parked along both sides, leaving the driving lane barely wide enough for two vehicles. Old-growth trees sheltered the neighbourhood from the sun with their long, flowing branches.
After walking several blocks from the bus stop, Ben and Kyle approached the house.
“It should be this one on the left,” Kyle said.
They set their bags down and observed their new residence for the first time. The house was a little more rundown than they were expecting, but it would have to do. It was a small two-level dwelling with a rickety porch and peeling paint. By Ben’s estimation, he figured it was at least fifty years old. The landscaping looked like it had not been done in years. Tall grass and weeds took over what was probably a nice lawn at one point. It was the only house on the block that looked like that.
“Welcome to your new home,” Ben said.
“Likewise.”
Although it lacked curb appeal, there was no telling what the interior looked like, and there was only one way to find out. They picked up their suitcases and lugged them to the house. Once up the front steps, they saw the porch littered with soggy newspapers and a worn out welcome mat.
“Whoever left you this house sure wasn’t worried about what the neighbours thought of him,” Kyle said.
“Based on what I’ve seen so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find Mr. Gringer’s skeleton still sitting in his favourite arm chair.”
“Do you think we’re going to find a dead body in there?” Kyle asked.
“Let’s hope not.”
Ben opened the screen door and inserted the key into the lock. He pushed his way into the house and a strong odour pushed back.
“Dang, it sure smells like someone died in there,” Kyle remarked.
“It’ll be fine. We just need to open some windows and air the place out.”
The curtains were drawn, preventing light from penetrating. Ben tried flipping on the light switch, but nothing happened. He had not expected the electricity to still be running, but it had been worth a shot. When Ben’s eyes adjusted to the light, he concluded the interior of the house more or less matched the exterior. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, the décor was dated, and it had thick, orange shag carpet throughout. There were stacks of junk lying about — newspapers, mail, books, and dirty dishes were scattered over the entire floor.
As Kyle followed Ben inside, the pair felt like a couple of tomb raiders. It was not clear when anyone had been in the house last, but from the stench and the thick layer of dust on everything, it must have been a while.
“So, what do you think? A little paint should do this place wonders, right?” Ben said, taking pride in his new house.
“Do you have money for paint?” Kyle asked.
“Not yet, but once we get jobs, we can fix this place up, good as new.”
“Shall we take a tour?” Kyle asked.
They set their bags down at the front door and proceeded to go further into the house. With every room they entered, Ben drew the curtains back and opened the windows. It did not take long to cover the first floor. Unfortunately for Ben, there did not appear to be any hidden relics worth any money. The first floor did not offer much, just an expired kitchen, living room, dining room, and a grimy bathroom. They walked in and out of each room on the first floor, taking notice of anything that might provide them clues to who the previous owner was. Remarkably, there were no photographs framed on the walls and no photo albums lying around.
Without saying a word, Ben led the way upstairs to where there were a set of bedrooms. The master bedroom had the typical stuff one would expect to find in a master bedroom — a four-poster bed, a night stand with a lamp, and a dresser.
After a brief look upstairs, they went back downstairs and walked around idly. “So there it is,” Ben said. “It’s not so bad.”
“What’s this door for?” Kyle asked, pointing out a door they had previously overlooked. The entranceway was covered with debris so he used his foot to push it away.
Ben walked over to assist him. With his hand on the doorknob, Kyle paused before opening the door.
“If there are any dead bodies in this place, they’d be stored in this closet. I just want to make sure you’re ready for that.”
“I’m ready.”
With a quick jolt, Kyle yanked the door open. Much to their surprise, there were no skeletons in the closet; in fact, it was not even a closet.
“Hey, what do you know, this place has a basement!” Ben exclaimed with delight.
“After you,” Kyle offered.
They stood at the top of the stairs and peered into the abyss. The basement was completely underground and had no windows so it was freezing cold and pitch black. This was apparent just from standing at the top of the stairs. They both had chills running up their spines from the temperature and eeriness.
“I don’t suppose you have a flashlight on you?” Kyle asked.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” Ben said, as he retrieved one from his backpack.
“Lead the way. I’ll be right behind you,” Kyle said.
Ben turned his flashlight on and the beam of light pierced through the darkness. The wooden staircase leading down to the basement creaked with each step. When they reached the bottom, a new odour presented itself. The damp basement smelled like an old shoe. Years of condensation seeping into the porous concrete had sprouted mould and other bacteria growth that created a retched stench.
They stayed close to each other; neither of them was willing to admit they were a little scared to be down there. Nevertheless, since it was part of the house, it too needed to be explored. Despite being scared, their curiosity made them proceed.
The basement was equally as unimpressive as the rest of the house. It was unfinished, with concrete walls and visible rafters in the ceiling. The main area of the basement was just an open space with no furniture. There was a fireplace at the far end and nothing hanging on the walls. A little bar occupied one corner, but there was no alcohol or glasses. Through a small doorway, they were able to access the remainder of the basement. There was a small furnace area on the right, and just beyond that was a pair of bedrooms side by side. Ben shone his flashlight into each of them. The rooms were empty, but something about them caught his attention.
“Hmm,” he said, as he stood there peering in.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, it’s probably nothing,” Ben replied. “Take a look at these rooms, don’t they seem a little shallow to you?”
Kyle took another look. He did not notice anything unusual. “Shallow in what way?” he asked.
“When we did the tour of the main floor, one thing I noticed was the breadth of the house. It was very wide. But looking at the basement, I get the opposite impression. It’s much narrower. It just strikes me as odd.”
“Basements are dug in the ground, and there’s no rule that says they have to be the same layout as the floors above it,” Kyle said.
“That’s true.”
“Or perhaps it’s the absence of light that’s not allowing you to properly gauge distances.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Ben replied.
“Either way, can we get out of here? This place is giving me the creeps.”
The Secret Manuscript Page 13