by Cindy Winget
Foundationally, the house seemed sound; the stonework sturdy, if crumbling in a few random places. Then Eleanor noticed there was an exceedingly long crack in the front of the house that started from the very top of the roof, where sat a tall tower, and led all the way down to the bottom of the porch. She sat staring at it for several minutes. The crack seemed strange and out of place, and yet so purposeful.
Skeletal trees, stripped bare of their leaves by the season, stood in clumps to either side of the house. She could hear the distant babbling of a stream and perhaps even a small waterfall. A stiff wind caught at her wool sweater and long skirt, making her shiver.
The sound of cawing alerted her to the presence of a large raven that had landed on the porch gable. It cawed once more, as if warning her away from the inner depths of Hill House and Eleanor swiftly got back into her motorcar. The raven flew down from the gable and hopped across the leaf strewn front walk towards her roadster as though it had changed its mind and was now beckoning her forward.
Eleanor watched the raven for a time before reluctantly stepping back out into the walkway, reminding herself that she had nowhere else to go. She walked past the only other vehicle in the driveway—a cream coup—and down the brick path to the verandah, stumbling her way up the three steps to the front door. The raven followed, cawing all the while. Before she could knock on the door, it swung open, causing Eleanor to gasp and jump back at the shadowy silhouette standing in the doorway. With an indignant screech, the raven flew off.
As Eleanor’s eyes adjusted to the dim light of the interior of the house, the shadow morphed into an elderly woman. “Hello. I am Miss Madeleine Dudley. Welcome to Hill House.”
“H-happy to be here,” Eleanor lied.
Miss Dudley ushered her through the front foyer and on into an enormous sitting room; complete with a large white-stone fireplace, a divan, and three plush couches. Two leather armchairs faced the fireplace with a small round table sitting between them.
The air felt heavy and oppressive, making Eleanor claustrophobic despite the enormity of the house. There was a silence more complete than anything she had ever experienced before, until the fire in the fireplace popped and crackled, startling her.
“My, my, you are a skittish little thing, aren’t you?” trilled Miss Dudley.
“I can’t help it. I’m afraid I don’t get out much,” Eleanor told her by way of an explanation. “My mother was ill for many years and I was forced, I mean, I stayed home most of the time in order to take care of her.”
“Hmm…I see. Well, take your coat off and get comfortable. My brother, Mr. Roderick Dudley, will take your bags upstairs for you. You are the first to arrive, other than Dr. Montague, who will be down shortly.”
True to her word, Eleanor hardly had time to get her coat off and hang it on the brass coat hanger by the door before Dr. Montague—or at least who she could only assume was Dr. Montague, having never seen him in person—came stomping down the ornate wooden staircase.
“You must be Eleanor,” he said.
“I don’t know if I must be, but yes, I am her.”
Dr. Montague chuckled and stepped forward to give her a hardy handshake. “I am so glad you agreed to help me. I promise that you won’t regret it. I have quite a feeling that we will be privy to some pretty incredible paranormal activity here.”
Eleanor paled. She knew of course that this was the reason she was here, but this was really more a means to an end for her, and she wasn’t at all sure that she wanted to be ‘privy to paranormal activity.’
Dr. Montague adjusted his round spectacles and stroked his graying beard. “I am sure that Theodora and Luke will be here soon. In the meantime, can I ask you some questions?”
“I suppose so.”
“Excellent. Now how long ago was it that your father passed away?”
Eleanor was taken aback by the question. “T-twelve years, sir.”
Dr. Montague was shaking his head. He sat down upon the couch and indicated that she should join him. “No, no, none of that ‘sir’ business here, simply call me Dr. Montague.”
Eleanor felt that this was hardly less formal than calling him sir, but she didn’t press the issue. She sat down next to him and folded her hands in her lap.
“Now, did the rocks immediately start falling upon your house afterwards or did it take a few days?”
Sweat beaded up on Eleanor’s brow. She did not care for the subject of conversation, but she answered his questions as best she could, nonetheless. “Well, let’s see…I believe it was just a few hours after his death.”
“Incredible,” Dr. Montague said. “And when did the barrage cease?”
“Three days later. Just after his funeral.”
Dr. Montague must have sensed her discomfort because he mercifully stopped questioning her.
“I confess that this was part of the reason I was so tickled that you answered my ad. I believe, my dear, that you have been witness to poltergeist activity.”
“Really?”
He was nodding when the front door flew open and a beautiful woman with olive-toned skin, her black hair cut into a fashionable bob, came walking in, carrying a plaid valise. She wore a green chemise dress, belted down low, and a cloche hat. She carried herself with an air of confidence that Eleanor envied.
Miss Dudley gave a disapproving look to Theo’s short hemline that hung at the knees, before making her exit.
“Hello! Sorry I didn’t knock.”
Dr. Montague waved away her apology. “No worries, my dear. Welcome to Hill House.”
“So, this is Hill House, huh?” she said, looking around at the room. “It sure is big, isn’t it? Hi, my name is Theo.” This was directed at Eleanor.
“I’m Eleanor,” she supplied.
Turning to Dr. Montague, Theo asked, “So which room is mine?”
“I’ll show you. You can leave your case for Mr. Dudley to take up.”
“That’s okay. I got it.”
Dr. Montague looked as though he wanted to say something but refrained. “That’s fine. Follow me, ladies.”
Eleanor and Theo followed him up the grand staircase to the second floor and down a narrow hallway. Eleanor was spellbound by the crown molding and ornate wallpaper. It was beautiful, though the dark colors made the hallway feel even smaller. By the time they reached their destination, Eleanor felt as though the walls were closing in on her.
“Here we are. Eleanor, you’re in the blue room,” Dr. Montague opened a door to their right. “And Theo, you’re in the green room.” He then opened the door next to Eleanor’s. “I thought you ladies would appreciate being next door to each other. You can catch up on the latest gossip and which fellas you idolize and all that.”
“Chauvinist pig,” Eleanor heard Theo mutter. “As though that’s all we talk about.”
Dr. Montague, who had apparently not heard, turned away. “I’ll let you get settled. Be down in an hour for dinner.”
Theo waited until he was out of earshot and then squealed, “I can’t believe this! I can’t believe I’m really here! And look at these rooms. They’re crazy!”
Eleanor glanced into her room and didn’t know if Theo meant the sheer size of the room—it could have fit her entire small house—or the color. It truly was the blue room. Everything was blue. The blankets and pillow shams. The curtains. The decorative statuary and knick-knacks on the vanity. The rug upon the hardwood floor. It was a shock to the system to see such a vast amount of one color in one room. Eleanor discovered that her case had already made its way up to her room while she sat talking with Dr. Montague.
Eleanor walked the few steps to Theo’s room and peered in. Definitely the green room. The style and placement of the furniture was identical to her own room, except the color. All was green.
“Let’s go explore,” Theo said. “We can unpack later.”
The thought of exploring Hill House made her stomach roil. She was acutely aware of the breadth of the colossal stru
cture. Anything could be hiding underneath or behind its many pieces of furniture or drapes.
Not only that, but she felt anxious at the thought of having to spend time alone with this stranger. Theo had a big personality that Eleanor was ill-equipped to handle.
“I don’t know…”
“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun!”
Eleanor doubted this but didn’t want to disappoint Theo. She would have to explore the house at some point, and it probably was best not to do it alone. She nodded in agreement, and the two women closed the door to their respective rooms.
“Do you know who else is coming?” Theo asked as they walked back down the hallway. Eleanor shook her head.
Instead of going back down the staircase to the main floor, they continued on down the hall until they entered a large ballroom. “Wow! Look at this place! It’s magnificent!” Theo said, twirling around in a circle to get a look at the entire room as a whole.
Eleanor silently agreed. The hardwood floor was made up in an intricate pattern of various cubes of contrasting dark and light grained wood. A brilliant crystal chandelier hung above their heads on an immense iron chain.
“Kind of dark though,” said Theo. The large windows were covered by heavy velvet drapes of burgundy, obscuring the gigantic marble statues that graced the dark corners of the room. Theo began to tug the drapes to the side in order to let in the sunshine. Eleanor helped, and soon the room was filled with light.
“Can’t you just imagine the lavish parties that must have been held here?” Theo asked her.
Eleanor nodded, though in truth she hadn’t been to many parties in her life and had no idea what one would have looked like in this room.
“You don’t say much, do you?” said Theo.
Eleanor shrugged. She had always wished to be able to converse with people as easily as others seemed to, but upon meeting strangers, she tended to enter a safe shell. In time, she may warm up to Theo, but for now, it was all she could do to stay in the same room.
Theo shook her head and chuckled. “Would you look at these statues? They really are something. Kinda creepy, though.”
Eleanor stepped up to one in particular that caught her eye. It was an immense statue of a dwarfish man dressed in court jester garb. His leg was bent as though he were possibly crippled. There was a meanness to his expression. A dark glint to his marble eyes that told the world that he was not to be messed with.
In direct contrast, his companion—a petite girl with gentle curls and a small but well-proportioned figure wearing a leotard, tutu, and ballet slippers—bore an angelic face that bespoke nothing but kindness. But there was an underlying sadness to her elven features, as though she would never be happy again. A brass plaque upon the base of the statue named them Hop-frog and Trippetta.
Eleanor shadowed Theo’s footsteps as she wandered the room, glancing at all the other statues. Whoever placed them here had very eclectic tastes. There were statues of fat cherubs, gnarled gargoyles, various animals, and a woman wearing a bun in her hair who read to a group of stone children—their little faces forever frozen in an attitude of attentive listening.
Eleanor glanced out one of windows and saw that the sun was on its way down. “I suppose we should go down for dinner,” she said.
“You’re probably right,” agreed Theo, sounding disappointed.
“We can do some more exploring later,” Eleanor offered. She glowed inside, proud of herself for speaking up.
“You read my mind. Though, now that I stop to think about it, I’m starving!”
The two women walked down the hallway and back down the stairs to the main level of the house.
“Which way do you suppose the dining room is?” Theo asked.
But just then Dr. Montague showed up. “Ah! There you are, ladies. I was just about to make an excursion to find you. This way.” He turned on his heel and walked down a hallway with a long carpet runner and faded brown and yellow wallpaper. As they drew near the dining room, Eleanor began to smell the scent of cooked meat and bread, fresh from the oven. Her mouth began to water at the thought of melted butter slathered on a hot roll, and she hurried her pace. Upon entering the room, however, she came to a halt.
A stranger stood at the window.
Chapter Four
The stranger had his back turned to them as he looked out the window. Sunlight filtering in through the glass glistened off his blonde hair. He looked spiffy in a gray three-piece suit with black and white spats, and Eleanor took in his tall, lean frame and broad shoulders. When he turned to face them, she saw that he was incredibly handsome. He smiled, showing forth a dimple, and her knees weakened. It had been a long time since she had been in close proximity to a man. She smiled back.
There was little need for her to have done so, however, for he had eyes only for Theo. Tall, dark Theo with the flawless complexion and floral perfume. Eleanor felt a twinge of jealousy as the man walked up to Theo and stuck out his hand in greeting. “Hey, doll. I’m Luke. You are?”
“Theo.”
“Nice to meet cha. Won’t you please grace me with your presence and sit next to me during dinner?”
What a phony, Eleanor thought.
The smile on Theo’s face at his friendly demeanor disappeared. “What? You think I’m some kind of hotsy-totsy?”
This was not lost on Luke. “Have I done something to offend you? I admit that this is common, though never have I upset a dame so quickly before.”
Theo laughed before swiftly suppressing it, as though she were annoyed that Luke had elicited such a response from her. Luke pulled out a chair and indicated that she should sit. She did so, and Luke stepped over to the seat next to her and took his place at the dinner table. Eleanor followed suit.
“Now that we’re all here, I would like to say a few words before we eat this most delectable looking meal,” said Dr. Montague, nodding toward Miss Dudley who wore a white apron, stained with food. Her cheeks turned rosy as she blushed from the attention. “Dear Miss Dudley does all the cooking and cleaning around here while her brother does the grounds work and general upkeep of the house. They have done so for quite some time, I am led to believe, and we are most grateful for them playing host and hostess to my little experiment.
“As you know, I have asked each of you to be here in order to assist me in discovering the truth behind paranormal phenomena. I am hoping to bear witness to ghostly visitations or some poltergeist activity. I am a professor of anthropology, but a decade ago I became interested in the afterlife.
“Before we get into the particulars of your assignment, please know that you are free to leave at any time. Also, in case of an emergency there is a flashlight and first-aid kit in each of your bedrooms and a telephone in the room that will be serving as my office.” He paused, but when no one seemed to have any questions, he continued. “I have selected Hill House because of its history. You see, Hill House has been vacant for…what? Twenty years?” He looked to Miss Dudley for confirmation.
“Thirty,” she corrected.
“Thirty years,” Dr. Montague said. “Now I don’t know if this is due to the personalities or extenuating circumstances of the previous owners, but once Hill House began to be rented out by Luke’s aunt, no tenant has remained on the property for more than a few days. Upon vacating the premises, they each gave a different reason for leaving, such as the house being too isolated, which they should have already known and realized before moving in. Or the house was too damp, which I assure it’s not. Or that business called them away. Not one would admit to the house being haunted, but all were unwilling to give any details about their time spent here. They each tried to warn people away from the house, one person going so far as to state that the house should be burned to the ground. In light of this information, I deemed that this property would be perfect for conducting my experiment.”
A knock at the door interrupted Dr. Montague’s speech. “Who in the world?” he muttered to himself. “Why don’t you go ahead an
d begin eating and I shall return momentarily.”
Eleanor didn’t need to be told twice. She piled her plate high with mashed potatoes—swimming in gravy—corn on the cob, green beans, roast beef, and grabbed no less than three rolls.
“Please pass the butter,” she said to Theo, who didn’t hear on account of being deep in conversation with Luke.
“I don’t date men who are younger than me. I am sick of waiting for them to get their act together,” Theo was telling him.
“How do you know I am younger than you?”
One of Theo’s eyebrows raised. “Aren’t you?”
“Don’t rightly know, how old are you?”
“Twenty-five.”
Twenty-five? And Luke was obviously in his early twenties as well. At thirty-two, Eleanor felt like an old maid. With a sigh, she tucked into her food, ignoring the rest of the conversation. To her surprise, she discovered a crock of butter next to her plate. She looked around the room and found Miss Dudley smiling at her. Tears filled Eleanor’s eyes. After taking care of another person for eleven years, it was nice to have someone take care of her for a change.
Tuning back into the conversation, Eleanor heard Luke ask Theo why she had come to Hill House.
“I’m here mainly because I need the money,” confessed Theo. She glanced away, leading Eleanor to believe that there was another reason she didn’t want to divulge to the group.
“What about you?” Theo asked Luke.
“I’m a nuisance to my darling aunt who foisted me onto Dr. Montague as a way to temporarily get me out of her hair,” he said matter-of-factly.
There was a moment of silence as they all wondered whether or not to believe him.
“What exactly made you a nuisance?” Theo finally asked.
“My aunt still thinks of me as the teenage hellion that used to sneak out at night, go drinking with my cronies, and cheat at cards. Really, she is just embarrassed that her blushing friends would sometimes give me pocket watches or old cigarette cases that I would then turn around and sell.”