by Cat Knight
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The walk down the old wooden stairs was excruciating. They stepped as softly as they could, but every step magnified their weight, the boards squeaking and groaning beneath their feet. Keira’s heart raced and she held her breath, fearing that whatever was in this house, was now alerted to their intended exit.
The creaks and cracks seemed to carry whispers and warnings, and before they could reach the bottom of the stairs, the light bulbs flickered in a dim orange glow until they turned off completely.
“What the hell?” Keira's voice was hushed under her breath. The darkness was thick and overwhelming, leaving every shape within the house as a black shadow.
“The power goes out all the time.” Aileen's voice was flat and dull,
it held an acceptance which gave Keira the chills.
“Listen Aileen, this is the last place I want to be without electricity.”
Aileen's mobile phone light illuminated the rest of the steps.
“I'll check the circuit breaker before we come back inside.”
The two of them put on their shoes and made their way out the door. The rain had stopped but a cold wind swept through the sleepy town. They walked silently toward the old oak tree behind the house. Their shoes slapped against wet mud as they walked up to it. “This is it.” Aileen stopped a couple meters before the trunk of the oak. Massive branches loomed out toward them, its crooked trunk and gnarled bark seemed to be warning them ‘danger lurks here.’
The shadows formed in the moonlight were tossed about by the wind as its branches rustled and swayed slowly, almost like hanging corpses. A sinister presence hung about this tree. Something here seemed, frankly, unnatural. It gave Keira the shivers.
“You sure it’s the one?” Keira looked down at the dirt she didn’t fancy digging for nothing, especially at this tree, and despite the tree’s imposing stature there was nothing unique about this patch of wet dirt that would distinguish it from any other place.
“Yeah,” Aileen's voice was sombre. “I remember holding Toby in my arms at this exact spot.” She pointed to the spot in front of her feet.
Keira got closer and knelt down to touch the ground. She gently pressed her fingertips into the mud, hesitating with a sense of uncertainty, as if something could reach out and grab her if she wasn't careful enough. The wetness of the earth crept up under her nails and squeezed between her fingers. She slid her fingers around the mud, wondering if she should continue and all the while expecting to sense that same kind of darkness that weighed on her just a few minutes ago. A sickness pervaded her stomach and she stopped.
“Should we…” Aileen was faltering with her words, unsure of even suggesting her next thought. “Should we dig it up?” Aileen asked.
“I don't know.” Keira stood up. Her bravado had faded away. A light from behind them dimly illuminated the gnarled oak tree, throwing their shadows against the rough bark, causing them to startle. They spun around in unison.
“The lights are back.” Aileen spoke under her breath, as if she didn’t mean to say it aloud. The lights in the house looked frail and dim compared to their usual brightness, displaying an odd flickering effect before returning to their full luminosity. “Wonderful, it's too bloody cold to be out here,” Aileen began to trek towards her home.
“Aileen,” Keira's eyes were wide, her hand raised to her mouth. Aileen paused and turned to look at her with a questioning expression. Keira’s stomach instantly tied itself into knots while her heart rattled against her ribcage. She pointed at the house. “Why is there someone in your room?” A tall, lanky figure could be seen standing by the window. The distance obscured the features of the person; only a dark outline could be seen.
“Who is that?” Aileen's voice cracked in fear.
The figure walked away from the window, and out from Keira and Aileen’s line of sight.
Chapter Three
Keira had left her car unlocked, partly because she often forgot to lock it and partly because the car, and anything inside it, lacked any significant value that might entice thieves. Fortunately, this meant that Keira and Aileen could lock themselves within the vehicle while waiting for the gardai to arrive without having to retrieve the keys, which Keira had left somewhere in Aileen’s room.
The two girls sat there in silence, their breath fogging in front of their faces. Keira's hand gripped the top of the gear stick in case she'd have to drive off at a moment's notice. The theatre of her mind created more scenes of horror; she felt trapped in the memories as they replayed over in her mind.
She was fixated on the memory of the dark presence, but now the presence was superimposed with the ghostly figure as the one who had throttled her. She had the nagging feeling of seeing a familiar face, but for the first time. She knew she should write the feeling off as madness. The haziness of the window hid all his features, so for all she knew, he might have none.
White and blue lights approached from behind, shocking her from her imaginings of the figure’s empty face.
The gardai had arrived, and had pulled up in a white car with a neon yellow strip that ran along the side.
“About freaking time,” Aileen squinted at the light shining from Keira's rear-view mirror. It hadn't been more than a few minutes, but Keira could sympathize with her impatience. Each passing second felt like ages to her as well.
Keira moved to leave the vehicle, but grabbed Aileen's arm at the last moment. “Wait. Do we tell them?”
Aileen raised an eyebrow.
“Do we tell them about your face? My neck?”
Aileen sighed, then slowly shook her head. “I don't know. They'll see it for themselves, but if we tell them the truth, they’ll probably think we're mad.”
“I don't feel like they'd be wrong, and they wouldn't be able to help us with that problem.” Keira’s neck had turned a few ugly shades of red. Aileen’s cheek was swollen, skin puffed up around the scratches, and also was causing her eye to shut slightly. They looked like they’d gotten into a fight, and lost. She rubbed her eyes, exhausted.
Four gardai approached the car. Keira had a faint hope that the man she saw in the house was human. If not, then calling for help would have done them no good. She opened the car door and met them on their approach. Aileen followed suit and offered a hand. “Hello. I’m Aileen O’Doherty. I live here.”
“I’m Keira, just visiting.” The sergeant took out a clip board from under his arm.
“Full name please.”
“Keira O’Connell.” He scribbled on his pad in the dark.
“We got the report of an intruder?”
“Yes, we saw someone through the window when were outside and I called you.” Aileen looked like a guilty ten-year-old. He turned to his men.
“You two boys check the house and Garda Jones, you check the perimeters, I’ll wait here with the ladies.” Turning back to Keira and Aileen he took out his clipboard again. “Now, where were you exactly when you noticed the intruder. Did you hear him enter?”
“Ahh, No. As I said we were outside, and we saw him through the window. Keira saw him first and then I did.”
“What were you doing outside? Did something make you leave the house?”
“Ahh...” Keira tried to think fast. “Well, it had been raining so hard. We felt cooped up and wanted to take a walk, besides the power had just gone out… and.”
A knowing expression crossed the sergeants face, and Keira stopped talking. Hearing it put that way, Keira realised how completely dodgy the story sounded. Why would anyone walk around in the rain and the mud, in the early hours of the morning, outside their own house, without a reason?
The sergeant stopped writing and tucked the board back under his arm. Keira realised what he thought. Two girls out here alone, just got the willies up them when the storm came and put the power out. A silence descended and the sergeant cleared his throat.
“Now tell me where you were when you saw the intruder…. when you were standing outside. Whi
ch room was he in?” Aileen's entire body shook and her words prattled out.
Keira did little other than parrot what Aileen said, allowing her friend to take the lead. The less said the better. She pulled her jumper up around her throat wishing Aileen would do the same. Any minute now, if he flashed that torch close enough he’d notice the scratches. Oh, Shite. He lifted his torch from the downward angle he’d been holding it at and briefly waved it over them. She watched him taking in the claw marks on Aileen’s face and then run the torch light over her own face. The paternal tolerance he had been exhibiting, fell away. He sucked his tongue through his teeth.
“Assuming you don’t mind me mentioning, you both have some injuries inflicted about the face and neck. Been in the wars the both of you?”
Aileen quickly put her hand to her face, as if she had to check if the cuts were still there. “Uh, it was the cat. Doesn't like it when I don't feed her.”
“Right…the cat did it.” He cocked his head to the side “Fickle creatures, cats. They claw anyone when they feel like it. Females and cats, both unpredictable….” Aileen frowned her eyebrows to deep furrows and locked her eyes to the ground.
“And your neck?” He turned to face Keira head on, and raised his eyebrows in expectation, waiting for her excuse.
“Got in a fight.” The sergeant gave her a long silent withering look. His mouth set in a thin line.
“Were you girls drinking tonight, maybe?”
“NO.” Keira’s voice was fierce. Aileen looked dumbfounded.
Bringing his walkie talkie to his mouth he walked off to the side and called his men back. Keira could have bitten her tongue. She stood with her arms folded and stared off to the side.
“You shouldn’t have called them” she hissed at Aileen. He thinks it was us. Aileen looked at her, her face puckered and confused. Keira opened her eyes wide at her. “He thinks it was us - that WE had a fight and we were drinking. Probably thinks we imagined things too.”
“But why would we call them if there wasn’t some-one here?”
“I don’t bloody know, but he doesn’t believe us, that’s feckin’ obvious.”
The sergeant returned and the three of them stood in awkward silence until the sound of tires squelching through mud stole their attention. A car pulled up from the street and onto the O’Doherty driveway. The lights from the gardai car illuminated the approaching vehicle.
A modern Volkswagen sedan, marred by a massive dent in the front bumper, paint scratches and a harsh crack in the left headlight, pulled up next to them.
“That’s my cousin. I sent him a text,” said Aileen breaking the awkwardness. “I didn't think he'd actually come here though.”
The door opened, and a tall thin faced young man with shaggy brown hair stepped out.
His attire was in black and whites and the flashing LED light did nothing for his pale skin except add to the starkness of his look.
Aileen!” He waved his hand in greeting yet concern was visible on his face “Are you okay?”
“We're fine,” Aileen said.
“You don't look fine, what happened to your face?” He leaned in closer to examine the scratches.
Aileen pulled away, “I'm fine! It’s nothing.” She shot a self-conscious glance in the sergeant’s direction. “What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were working?”
“Well, turns out we weren’t busy tonight, so it’s all good. Besides you said ‘emergency’. My boss said I could go, we were about closed anyway. I had my foot flat to the floor the whole time to get here this quick. What’s wrong?”
Keira gave a little cough; the man turned to Keira and gave her a smile. “Hi, I’m Noah, waiter and all night bar tender extraordinaire.” He swept his hands over his black and whites and smiled with a big toothy grin. Aileen took her cue for introductions.
“Oh. You remember Keira, don’t you? Remember she used to live here. You know? … Here in the town?” Noah looked at Keira blankly and shook his head.
“Nope, I think I’d remember though.” Aileen sighed short and loud.
“Well, anyway she came to stay with me for the weekend while ma’s away.”
“Ohhhh… Keira O’Connell? Yeah. I remember now…you grew up I guess. It must’ve been what eight- ten years since you left this town?”
“Yep, at least.” The lanky young boy she remembered had grown tall since Keira had last seen him, his shoulders had broadened, if only a little. Although His expression was still goofy something about him seemed to suggest a more mature side and a good-natured manner. Noah was no longer the boof-headed dufus that in her girlish wisdom, she’d decided he was.
If it wasn’t such dismal circumstances, she might have even fancied him.
Aileen sighed, “So you remember each other or what? Do you need a formal introduction?” Her voice was somewhat pessimistic. Keira flinched. Aileen had always disliked meeting new people, to the point where she disliked other people, meeting new people. It was one of her weird quirks that Keira and written off as a result of being raised in an isolated manner. Surprisingly, she found herself hoping that Noah appreciated meeting her again more than Aileen seemed to appreciate having to do the introduction.
“Hey, yeah, it’s still the same old Keira. Bit bigger is all.” Keira spoke rather sheepishly. She looked down at her feet and cringed at the fact that she was wearing torn pyjama bottoms and Aileen’s mas’s fuzzy white slippers. She also had the slightly detached realization that her hair was a wreck and her makeup was still not completely removed. Her bad luck was having a field day today. She shuffled around and ran her fingers through her hair, watching the three gardai returned to the group.
“We checked all the rooms, and the perimeter. No signs of a break in or thievery from what we can tell.” The sergeant made moves to enter the car. “We’re all good then, just a false alarm eh girls?”
Noah looked from Aileen to Keira and then to the sergeant and back to Aileen. “False alarm? What do you mean? Do you have some place to stay? You may not be safe here.” The sergeant eyed Aileen and Keira.
“Well there’s no one here now. Everything seems to be in order so we’ll be on our way. Should any real emergencies crop up we’re always at hand. But bear in mind, most disputes are best solved by talking matters out.” Noah’s face knotted up in astonishment. He opened his mouth but Aileen silenced him with a shake of her head.
“No, we'll be fine.”
“Call us if you need anything genuine.” Noah looked ready to jump in again, but Keira beat him to it.
“Yes Sergeant. Thank you, sorry for the bother.”
“What the hell's the matter with you?” His brows were furrowed as he watched the gardai leave. “What was the emergency text about?”
“We thought someone might be in the house,” Aileen said in a flat voice, “But it turns out, that no one is really there, I mean, not a person. No one you could apprehend.” Keira raised her eyebrows high, her lips pressed tight together.
She wrapped her arms around herself wondering where Aileen was taking the conversation. Noah looked confused. Aileen tried again.
“Well someone was there, but no one who could be cuffed and put behind bars.” Noah stood still, hands in pockets, a frown on his face, glaring with an unblinking stare. Aileen pressed her fingers against her lips as if to suppress the inevitable words. “My house is haunted,” she muttered with a wince, bracing herself for ridicule.
Noah's eyes widened. The green of his irises could be seen, even in the dark. “You're coddin' me.”
“I’m serious. I woke up with these scratches on my face.”
“It wasn't the cat?” Noah looked at her face more closely, looking for any sign of dishonesty.
“It wasn't! My door was shut. It couldn't have been her.”
Noah turned to Keira, she couldn’t help but notice that he seemed to have livened right up now, and was animated, eager for more details. “What about you? You see anything?”
Keir
a's breath shortened as the memory resurfaced. Pulling her jumper away from her neck she showed the marks.
Noah put his hand on his forehead and rubbed it, as if he could process the news better that way. He looked to the O’Doherty house, its lights still on, a beacon shining light through the darkness. He stared at it for a few moments, as if expecting to see the ghost reappear, just for him.
“Why are you looking at it?” Aileen furrowed her brow.
“And you don't mind sleeping in a haunted house?” Noah asked, still staring at the house.
“Are you saying you actually believe us?”
Chapter Four
Keira coughed back a sob she was trying to turn into a laugh. She wanted to sound credible and not ridiculous. It hadn’t occurred to her that any one would believe them. She wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, and waited for his answer.
“We-ell,” he said carefully, “If you truly saw what you said you did, and you’ve got the marks to prove it, then of course I believe it!” He was animated, bubbling up, although he seemed to be trying to hide it through a serious countenance.
“I had my own ghostly encounter when I was a kid. I've done plenty of my own research on it. I know these things are real.”
“Research?” Aileen tilted her head.
“Yeah! D' you know that a third of all Brits claimed to have seen or felt a ghost? And twenty percent of Americans, if I'm not mistaken.” He raised his hands with wide eyes, “You think that many people are crazy?”
“Perhaps. At least some of them,” Keira said. “Actually, I feel quite crazy,” her tone was dry.
He paused and looked at the ground lost in thought for a moment. The three of them fell into a silence. A decision to go back inside or leave would soon have to be made. Keira hoped they would leave. Shuddering with the cold she pummelled her arms to keep warm. The coldness was eerie, and not even a frog or a cricket chirruped. She nearly jumped through her skin when Noah’s voice broke the hush.