by Matt Shaw
“Really?” Dean was surprised. He had also prepared himself for the girls to be arguing over the second biggest room available. “What’s wrong with the other room?” he asked Jess. He turned his question to the girls and repeated it so he could hear it straight from them, “What’s wrong with the other room?”
“It smells funny in there!” they both said in unison.
“So you both want this room then?” he asked. Jess immediately knew where he was headed by the tone in his voice. The tone which suggested he wasn’t in the mood for silly arguments. “You’re sure about that?”
“I saw it first!” Caroline whined.
Dean turned to Jess and shrugged, “Then they can share it. Half each.” He turned from the room and headed back down the stairs, smirking at the girls protests coming from the room about how they didn’t want to share and that they wanted a room of their own.
Caroline was the first to ask to see the last bedroom on offer. Jess walked her through to the other room, down the end of the landing at the front of the house and - surprise, surprise - Caroline fell in love with it more or less straight away.
“I’m glad that’s settled then.” Jess walked back down the landing towards the stairs. “And remember - don’t go emptying all of your clothes and toys everywhere until your father has had a chance to move your furniture around!”
The bedrooms were to be the easiest of the rooms to sort out. With the exception of what was to be Dean and Jess’ bedroom, they all had built in wardrobes - other than that - they only needed a bed to be built; something Dean had planned to do before the end of the day having left the girls’ bunk beds in their last house. No sense dragging that around with them when they’d be able to afford the space for their own beds, he thought. It was just a bind that it meant he had to build two beds before they could really unpack anything.
Before Jess went back down the stairs - to start unpacking the kitchen in order to fix something for everyone to eat - she couldn’t help but look towards the second bedroom. Her eye caught by a slight movement of the open door. She dismissed it as being caused by a gentle breeze from the open window. Of all the rooms to smell rotten - it had to be that one. She shook the thoughts from her mind and hurried down the stairs with only the slightest of chills running down her spine as though being watched by someone. Or something.
* * * * *
Dean collapsed onto the clean sheets of the Queen-size bed he shared with Jess. The day had been full on and they were still nowhere near being done yet with many boxes still waiting to be unpacked - and a stack of boxes which needed to be put up into the attic until they were needed again (if they ever were to be needed again). The living room furniture was placed where they intended it to stay, as was the furniture in the dining room. Both rooms had the relevant boxes stashed there - some of which they had even started unpacking. Everything was out of the boxes in the kitchen - and spread across the work-tops ensuring there was very little space with which to actually prepare food - ready to be put into the cupboards once Jess had decided where she wanted everything stored (a very important decision when arranging a kitchen). The two beds, in the girls’ rooms, had been built with very little shouting from Dean who’d always hated Do-It-Yourself tasks and the girls’ boxes had now been emptied across all available space in their rooms, which was their contribution to unpacking.
“I’m absolutely knackered,” Dean huffed as he settled down onto the soft mattress.
“At least we made good progress. At this rate we might not have to use our whole week unpacking. We might get some time to actually sit back and relax!” Jess pointed out - ever the optimistic. Dean looked at her. He didn’t want to think about everything they had left to do. He just wanted to switch off for the night and enjoy the peace and quiet. It had been a long, long day and he had been fit for bed for the past three hours but every time he thought he was going to go up - he found himself starting another job. “What?” Jess saw the way he was looking at her.
“Oh nothing but if I die tonight - in my sleep - you know, from exhaustion, just know that I loved you very much,” he smiled at her.
“That reminds me,” Jess said, “did you go into the bedroom.”
“We have four bedrooms now, honey, you’ll have to be a little more specific.”
“The bedroom,” said Jess, putting more emphasis on the word ‘the’ than entirely necessary. Dean knew what she was talking about, he just didn’t want to talk about it. They had spoken about it - at great lengths - before deciding to put the offer in. Both of them had agreed it wouldn’t be a problem for them, what had happened in that room, and that they just wouldn’t talk about it. Yet here they were on night one and Jess was trying to bring it up.
“We said we wouldn’t talk about it,” he reminded her.
“There’s a funny smell in there,” said Jess. “Smells like…”
“…The house has been empty. There’s bound to be a few smells lingering. That’s what happens. Especially in buildings this old. Did you open the window?”
“Yes.”
“Then by morning it will be aired. Nothing to worry about.” Dean leaned across and gave Jess a kiss on the cheek - hoping such an act would put her mind at ease. Clearly, by the look on her face, it hadn’t done as he’d hoped for.
Thanks to full disclosure on the property, when Dean had asked the estate agent why the house was going for such a low price, considering the size and location of it, they were informed about the previous owners. A man named Stuart Keane who’d lived there for many years with his wife, Cathy. Stuart was a hard-working man who traveled a lot for business. He knew his wife struggled when he was away. She’d always been prone to bouts of depression and the solitude she faced, when alone, always forced the ill-feeling to the forefront of her mind. And then, one day, when Stuart came home from a week away - he was greeted at the front door by a foul stench hanging in the air. He called out to his wife but there was no answer, despite her car being in the driveway. She wasn’t downstairs so he investigated upstairs. There, at the top of the stairs, he was struck dumb by the sight of his wife hanging by a tight noose wrapped around her neck; her skin blue, eyes closed, swollen tongue hanging from her mouth. The house had been put on the market within the fortnight, Stuart being unable to stay there. Upon learning the sad story Jess and Dean had discussed at great length their feelings towards the property (that room in particular). Neither of them liked the fact someone had died there but, at the same time, neither of them felt it was enough to stop them from moving in - especially at such a low asking price. They agreed that, if they went for it, they just wouldn’t discuss it again. And here they were - night one - already discussing it.
“Are you okay?” Dean asked when he realised it was clear that Jess wasn’t.
“It just feels strange knowing that - you know - someone killed themselves in the next room,” she continued, “and I know we said we wouldn’t talk about it but…I don’t know…I’m just being stupid…Earlier the door moved and I know it was just a breeze coming from the window I had opened but I felt as though I was being watched.”
Dean sighed. This was exactly what he didn’t want to happen. They get the property of their dreams. They move in. And then Jess freaks out because of the history in the house. This is why they had talked about it before even putting in an offer. To avoid this very situation. “We spoke about this,” he reminded her once more.
“I know we did and I’ll be fine - it’s just…It’s the first night. I’m allowed to feel a little off sorts on the first night, right? I promise I’ll be fine by morning. And - when everything is unpacked and where it should be - all of this will be nothing but a distant memory.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“I just want this to go smoothly. We’ve had great memories from the last house and I want more from this one. I don’t want anything tainting it. I want the kids to grow up and remember the fun they had here, you know? I want them stri
ving to achieve the same with their own families some day.”
“And I want the same. I promise - it’s just first night nerves.”
“Okay.”
Jess changed the subject. She could see Dean was tired and that usually meant he was quick to anger. He wouldn’t do anything when angry other than have a bit of a shout and a sulk but she didn’t want that - not for their first night together in their new home. She moved closer and reached down with her hand, a smile on her face. “So how tired are you?” she asked. She started to stroke the inside of his leg before moving her fingers to the shaft of his (temporarily) flaccid penis. His look of concern soon disappeared - replaced by a smile. Jess leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth before she moved down, under the duvet. Dean gasped as he felt first her breath and then her lips against his skin. He smiled.
Night One
Dean woke with a start at the sound of his youngest daughter’s scream ripping through the night. Two nights on the trot. He sat up trying to remember if there had ever been an occasion where she’d had the same dream on two consecutive nights. The dream was recurrent but usually a couple of times a month - not daily. He rubbed his eyes and looked over to the clock on the bedside cabinet. 3:30am.
“She’s calling for you!” Jess pointed out. He looked down to where she was lying. She hadn’t even opened her eyes. Clearly she wasn’t going to be getting up. Dean shook his head. Why was it always his name his daughter called out? He threw the duvet back and swung his feet from the bed. “Could you get me a drink as you’re up?” Dean turned back around to his sleeping beauty. She still hadn’t opened her eyes. He shook his head and stood up - every joint in his body aching from the moving of the furniture and general D.I.Y he’d been doing throughout the day.
“Jesus I ache,” he moaned as he staggered his way to the doorway. He flipped the hallway light on via the switch on the wall just beyond where he was standing and reached for his dressing gown which was hanging on the back of the door. “Fucking freezing,” he moaned to Jess - even though he could tell by her breathing that she was already asleep again. “I’m coming!” he called out to Sophie in the hope that his voice would soothe her enough to calm her crying. He walked down the hallway to his youngest daughter’s room and leaned in, flicking the light switch on. Sophie was sitting up in bed, tears streaming down her face. Dean wished he could stop her night terrors. He wished he could take away the fear she felt during the nights. He guessed the sooner the better with regards to finding a professional. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. Sophie threw herself into his arms and held him tightly. She was shaking like a leaf - more so than he’d ever felt her shake before. In fact to his knowledge, she usually woke up screaming and that was it. She didn’t usually shake. If she had – it certainly hadn’t been enough for him to notice or remember. He gave her a squeeze, “Did you have the dream again?” he asked. She shook her head and moved away from her dad before looking towards the door. She was pale. Dean frowned and followed her gaze - unsure of what had got her attention. “What is it?” he asked.
“Someone was standing in the doorway. They woke me up.”
“Your sister?”
Sophie shook her head.
“Are you sure? Your mum and I were asleep and there’s no one else here.”
“I thought it was you.”
“Me? Not unless I sleep walk.” Sophie wouldn’t look away from the doorway. Perhaps she was scared that, if she did, the thing she saw would sneak up on her? “It was probably just a shadow,” he tried to comfort her.
“It spoke to me!” she looked at her dad. Still shaking.
“It spoke to you? What did it say?”
She looked back to the clear doorway, “I thought it was you,” she said. Her voice quivering. It shook its head and said no…” Dean could see how that would scare someone. If he woke up to such a sight, he was pretty sure he’d be just as freaked out. “And then it moved from the doorway.”
“It did? Where did it go? Back towards your sister’s room?” he couldn’t help but feel the likely culprit was going to be Caroline. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d played a prank on her sister. Admittedly it would have been the first time she had done such a thing during the night - especially at this time. He’d check on Caroline when he had settled Sophie. She shook her head. “Not towards your sister’s room?” she shook her head again.
“That way!” she pointed out of the door. Dean followed her finger towards the empty bedroom across the landing. He felt a chill run through his body but did his best to hide it.
He turned back to her, “You were probably still asleep. Still dreaming…Just thought you were awake. There’s no one else in the house. Just us. It probably just felt more real because the house feels strange to you at the moment but that will pass. First nights are always scary,” he smiled at her; an act of reassurance. “When I first moved into our old house, with your mum…Do you want to hear something funny?” Sophie nodded. “I went to the toilet in a cupboard. I woke up during the night and thought I was in the bathroom. You know - your mummy teased me for a long time after that! And you know why I did it?” Sophie shook her head. “Because my brain was confused. Just as your brain is confused now.”
“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?” she asked.
Dean nodded, “Just for tonight.” He stood up, bent down and scooped her up in his arms before carrying her through to his own bedroom - getting her to shut the lights off as they passed the relevant switches. As he pushed his bedroom door shut - the door to the empty room closed too.
Day Two
Dean woke up and stretched his aching joints. With so much work to do he had hoped the aches would have gone by morning. No such luck. He rolled onto his side and noticed that both Jess and Sophie had already woken up and left the room - no doubt on quiet purposely to ensure they let Dean rest before he had to face what was to be another busy day. He rolled from the bed and had another stretch; a satisfying click from his back. He made his way through to the en-suite bathroom and caught a sight of himself in the mirror. He jumped.
“Christ. Looking old.” He reached for his toothbrush and a near-empty tube of toothpaste. A gentle squeeze of the tube onto the brush and he began brushing his teeth - all the time looking at his reflection, haunted by how tired he looked. He couldn’t help but feel that he should have left all the mirrors wrapped up in their blankets until after the move was finished. At least that way he’d have had a chance to make himself look a little better - with a bit of a rest - before having to see his aged reflection staring back at him. Might have taken the sting off a bit. He spat the toothpaste froth from his mouth to the sink and rinsed both his mouth and toothbrush off before putting the latter back in the glass holder. Back in the bedroom he put his dressing gown on and stepped onto the landing; any luck Jess still had some bacon left over from the other day. A nice sandwich to fix himself up for the day. “What are you doing?” he asked. No sooner had he stepped onto landing then he had spotted both Sophie and Caroline. They were standing at the other end of the landing. Both of them were staring into the empty bedroom. Neither of them were saying anything. “I said what are you doing?” Dean repeated himself.
They both jumped at the sound of Dean’s voice. “Nothing!” said Caroline. She dragged her sister back towards her own room, “Come on!” Dean frowned and watched as they disappeared into Caroline’s room. Caroline closed the door after a final glance back towards the empty bedroom. Dean hesitated a moment and then walked down the landing towards the second bedroom where he stopped in the doorway. He peered in and noticed that the contents of several cardboard boxes had been emptied onto the floor as though someone had been searching for something. He sighed and walked into the bedroom to get a closer look at what had been emptied on the floor; various compact discs - certainly nothing the girls should have been going through. He bent down and picked them up before dropping them into the open box, sighing as he did so. The empty boxes weren�
�t the only thing he noticed either. The smell, which Jess had mentioned, hit him too. He looked towards the window and noticed it had been closed. “Thought she said she opened this,” he muttered under his breath before opening it back up - as wide as it would permit. Satisfied, he walked back down the landing, towards Caroline’s room, and opened the door after giving it a gentle knock. “What were you looking for?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Caroline piped up from where she was playing on the floor with her sister. Both had small dolls in their hands.
“So why did you empty the box out? You must have been looking for something.”
“It wasn’t us.”
“I saw you standing there.”
“We didn’t touch the box!” Caroline argued.
“Then who did?” Dean guessed it could have been Jess but - had it been so - why were the girls standing there acting suspiciously? More likely he had walked out of his room and caught them doing something they knew they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place.
“Maybe it was the person from last night!” Sophie suggested.
“Honey - we spoke about this - there wasn’t anyone standing in your doorway last night. You were dreaming.”
“No I wasn’t. I watched them go into that room. Maybe they went through the box?”
Dean sighed. Obviously neither of them were going to tell him the truth he sought. “Look - just stay out of the room, okay?”
“Okay daddy,” they both agreed.
“Good,” he said - if only because he couldn’t think of anything else to say to them. He pulled the door shut and headed off down the stairs, to the kitchen, where he could hear Jess banging around as she put various pots and pans in their new homes. “Did you go through the CDs this morning?” he asked.
“Oh. Good morning. How are you? Yes. I’m well thank you….” Jess said sarcastically.
“Sorry. Good morning. How are you?” he asked. He leant in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.