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She gets more than just a home – for better or for worse
This was my first attempt at erotic horror. While it has scary/evil elements, it is ultimately a romance film with heavy supernatural themes. I’m not sure if this falls into the category of erotic horror, paranormal, or romance. Please tell me if I’m wrong.
This is a long, slow-moving, complex story. It is very long, almost novel length, 56,000 words. You may want to check the page numbers before you begin. I read it for over two hours. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Thanks to PatientLee, Dakota_Lynn, and my writing group for their valuable input, which made what might have been a confusing book almost readable. They are also responsible for eliminating about a quarter of the length.
This is an entry for the 2013 Halloween contest.
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I’ve been driving by that old house for four years. It’s perched on a high hill, hidden by the surrounding ancient trees. You can sometimes catch a glimpse of one of the four tall chimneys through the leaves, but even in winter I can barely make out the outline of the building.
Just a few hundred yards from the interstate. Twice my curiosity got the better of me and I tried to get closer. Where they turn off to the highway is a steep cliff, making any type of access from the west impossible, so I looked for nearby roads. After several hours of futile attempts it became apparent that there was no way to reach the house. Studying the latest road maps, I could not find anything that would take me closer to the top of the mountain.
I don’t know why I am so attracted to this place, but it has always been a compulsion in my mind. I studied survey maps and inquired about the nearest town a few miles away, but could not find any further information. I researched properties for sale and old tax records but to no avail.
The house has a history and there are old records, but it all seems to have ended around the 1930s. I get a blank every time. It turns out that the bigger the challenge, the more stubborn I become. My stubbornness has been both a blessing and a curse.
This place is off the beaten path, in a remote area of Virginia that I only visit every few months when working with a rural client. I often just drive by and stare at the mystery. I try to look more to satisfy my curiosity.
Eventually my patience gave way to my passion. I planned a day trip, and one fine morning I parked at what seemed to me the closest, most accessible spot, splashed on a little extra Deep Woods Off, and started hiking. . Places like this were always targets for neighborhood kids loitering around and getting into trouble. Perhaps the sparse local population, combined with transportation difficulties, hindered this operation.
The path was no more than half a mile at most, but dense bushes and fierce undergrowth trapped me for nearly two hours. I moved forward, tenacious and clinging vines clinging to my legs, large blind spots suddenly blocking my path, hidden thorny branches ripping my skin, impassable thickets forcing me to go deeper into the forest. After a few hundred yards, I was exhausted and silently cursing the dark, ominous woods that were trying to thwart my goal. The woods opened up to large, silent forest giants who silently watched my steady progress, then as I reached the top, they came at me again. When I was finally free, the mansion stood before me, majestic and gloomy.
The scale was beyond my expectations. Three stories, 2 large chimneys at each end of the house about 15 feet apart. The building was made of stone and had five windows on the end facing me, stacked in a 2-2-1 pattern, now there was only a large hole left in the side of the building.
The front façade is impressive, with a wide double door in the centre and two window openings on either side. The second and third floors have five windows each. Now, only black stains remain on the ancient façade.
The original veranda has long since disappeared, but with some difficulty I climbed up to the entrance. I held my breath, eager to see inside for the first time, my mind drifting to contemplation of the wonder that lay before me. The first thing I saw was a punch in the stomach.
Dilapidated ruins and decay, devastating in their integrity, were my rewards. There is plenty of light, with light coming in from the windows and sunlight streaming down from above. Looking up, I could see the sky through the three central ceilings and the roof. Parts of the floor are still intact, as are many of the joists, columns, and beams. I moved cautiously along the wall, hoping I would see something hidden. Every step was an adventure, and if I strayed from the safety of the joists, the soft, rotting wood would eagerly plunge me into the darkness below.
Coal smoke blackened the walls and the charred rays told me that a fire must have destroyed the place. Prima facie, the third floor and attic are the worst, while the ground floor survives and is the least ruined. The damage was severe, but the upper layer was not yet a shell.
I walked up the stairs to the second floor, the rotten wood creaking beneath my feet, my heart beating so fast I couldn’t move. Compulsion gave way to common sense as a plank splintered beneath my feet and I abandoned it as too dangerous. I peered up to see the space of the floor above, but it was hard to tell where the room was. There were traces of walls in some places, but the debris that had fallen from the upper floors could only be considered an approximation. The destruction was nearly complete. I moved cautiously downstairs, my legs shaking, and left the house, my curiosity piqued.
From the outside, the place looks gorgeous. The stone looks exquisite and the proportions are ideal. The outline of the steep roof and the four magnificent chimneys against the sky are breathtaking. I walked around the building and still couldn’t understand why the outside walls looked so solid but inside there was almost no support to support them.
There was a thirty-yard perimeter around the house, which trees did not dare to invade. At the top of the hill, where grass and clover mixed, stood the dilapidated mansion. I can only imagine what it looked like in its glory.
I wonder if it is possible to restore it to its former glory.
I knew I wanted to give it a try.
** **
It took me six months to track down the property’s ownership. It was thought it had not been reformed and the House of Representatives was not even on file. Fifty-year-old businesses exchanged land ownership, their actions hidden behind a corporate curtain.
Actually contacting the owners proved almost as difficult. The house has become a hobby of mine, occupying most of my free time and my thoughts. I made countless phone calls, mailed public information requests and spent hours in local courthouses and filing offices.
Eventually, my persistence prevailed. I found myself in an elderly home halfway across the country, nervous to meet the person I believed to be the real owner. I looked around the room, dizzy at the combination of luxury and shabbiness. The furniture, wallpaper, and artwork were all completely different from the nursing homes I was familiar with. Nothing modular or modern about it, it spoke of a different time and a different class of clientele. At the same time, several conflicting smells assaulted my senses. Bleach, mildew, urine, dust, and that oppressive musty smell. The curtains were inexplicably drawn, blocking sunlight and casting hazy shadows.
An assistant pulled out an elderly woman in a wheelchair. She looked like she was from the end of the last century. Her gray hair, or what was left of it, was carefully combed back. She wore makeup, beautiful clothes and jewelry. She was clearly prepared for my visit.
“Mrs. Madison? I’m Jack Thompson. I hope you don’t mind me coming over to talk to you.”
She giggled. The sound sounded a little odd coming from her mouth. “Do you mind? Of course not. It’s not every day that a lady gets to meet such a handsome young man. Would you like some tea? Ralph would be happy to get some for us.”
“That would be great. Please.”
“I’m glad you could come. I don’t have many visitors these days.”
“I’m glad to be here. You’re not an easy woman to find, Mrs. Madison.”
“Beverly, please. Mrs. Madison sounds like my mother-in-law. I shouldn’t be that hard to find. I’m afraid I’ve been locked up here for nearly twenty years.”
Locked in? I can understand that feeling. I wanted to leave that environment if I had the chance. “You want to go out? It’s a beautiful day.”
“Do you think we can?”
“I don’t see why not, Beverly. Why don’t we have tea outside on the lawn?” I saw a few tables outside and thought it would be pleasant outside. Much more comfortable than where I was standing.
“That would be divine.”
I carried her wheelchair up the ramp from the door to the spacious front lawn, and guided her to an open, shaded table. I parked her there and wondered why there weren’t more people there on such a beautiful day.
“I’ll be back with some tea,” I told him.
“Thank you, Jack.”
Ralph was looking around at us, tray in hand.
“Sorry, Ralph. Mrs. Madison and I will have tea at a table outside. I hope that won’t be a problem.”
She appeared not to care and passed me the tray. I returned to Beverly and placed a cup in front of her. She opened the lid of the matching small bowl and placed two pieces of sugar into the cup with silver tongs. I had never seen a piece of sugar so precise. I was mesmerized by her slow and precise movements. Everything about her exuded beauty and elegance.
“I love spring, what about you?” she asked, sipping tea from her old-fashioned porcelain teacup.
“Of course. Spring and fall are by far my favorite seasons.”
“I’m afraid my spring and autumn are over. I’m well into winter now.”
“It’s been a lovely winter,” I told her, smiling. I was surprised at my own mild flirting. Something about her made me feel at ease.
“That’s nice of you to say that. It’s lonely.”
“I’m surprised. I expected half the men in the family to woo you.”
“Oh, there’s still a few, but most are stupid old fools.”
“I would say anyone who doesn’t do that is a fool.”
She laughed. “I agree with you, but that would be pretty funny, wouldn’t it?”
Beverly seems smart and easy to talk to. We talked about the weather, I found out she was a baseball fan, and we fought a bit about the AL East.
He pushed the cup away, raised his head to the sun and enjoyed the sunshine. “I’m sure you didn’t come here to flirt with some old woman.”
I blush. “Beverly, do you have a property in Virginia where a hillside just off the Chesapeake River has burned down?”
He thought about it. “I have several properties. Most of them are rentals. In Virginia, you say?”
“Yes, the house looks old and there’s not much left inside, but on the outside it’s still very gorgeous.”
“I believe that was my Uncle Donald’s residence. A very sad story. His young wife and little daughter died in a fire. He couldn’t bear to live there and moved west. He left the property to me in his will.”.
“I’m fascinated by the old house here and would like to try to restore it. Would you consider selling the place?”
“You’re not from here? Do you live there?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“You came all the way here to discuss this matter, right?”
“I spent about a year finding out who owned it and trying to buy it,” I admitted.
“Why rebuild it?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. It’s been on my mind ever since I first laid eyes on it, haunting me constantly. When I finally got in and saw it, I couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like in its heyday and I would love to see it restored to its former glory, I have an image of what it should be like and I would love to take the time to recreate it and live there.
“You’ve developed quite a charisma.”
“Yes, it does. It drains my energy. I’m not rich, but I think I can offer you a fair price.”
She looked at me long and seriously. She didn’t say anything for several minutes. I didn’t force her to. “Maybe we can make a deal,” she said.
“I wish we could do that.”
“The truth is, I don’t need a lot of money. As you can imagine, I’m fairly well-off, my needs are simple, and I don’t have a lot of expenses.”
Before I could respond, she continued.
“I have a confession to make, Jack. I’m lonely. And I thoroughly enjoy the time we spend together.”
“Me too, Beverly.”
“Is there anything you can do for me? Involve me in your project. Talk to me. Call me regularly. Maybe send me pictures of your progress. I have no family and the days are getting longer. I’d love to see what you can do with this old place.”
“If we can reach an agreement, I’d be happy to include you. I’d be happy to call you as often as you like and send you weekly photos of my progress (if any) and videos of the location. Whatever I can do.
“After you’re done, can you take me over there to see it? Please?” She stretched out her cold little hand and placed it on my arm.
How lonely she must be. “Madam, if you like I can take you there at my own expense. It is not accessible now, but once I have cleared the way home I shall be glad to let you go out and see it as it is now, and see what I can get out of it.
His eyes glistened as he looked into the distance. “Once I sign, you won’t forget me, will you?”
“We can guarantee I won’t be in the contract.”
“All I need is your words.”
“Beverly, I make a serious promise to you. Like you, I have no family. I never knew my parents. I have no wife, no girlfriend, no children. I am alone in the world and have no one to think about me. “I would like to share this adventure with someone.”
His eyes became moist and tears slowly started to flow down his cheeks. “Jack, I’m a little tired, I want to go inside.”
“Of course.” I was disappointed and pushed him off the table and back into the building. He stopped me at the door.
“Are you heading back east soon?”
“My schedule is open,” I assured her.
“I’m going to call my lawyer tomorrow. If you can come over for dinner, maybe we can work out a deal.”
“Mustang can’t stop me. Thank you.”
** **
Returning to my room I panicked. We had not agreed on a price, and once the lawyers got involved, who knew what would happen? I am so close. I had a hard time sleeping that night.
I feel more calm in the mornings. I trust Beverly. I’m sure she wants this as much as I do. I went out and bought some stuff, ready to show her how serious I was about including her.
I arrived at her house at half past four, not sure what time dinner would be. It seems I guessed right. She was waiting for me, seated at a table with a distinguished elderly gentleman.
Beverly smiled. “Jack! I have to tell you, I haven’t been this excited in a long time. I want to introduce you to my friend Jerome.”
Jerome stood up and shook my hand. His eyes were firm and his handshake was firm. “Convince me to accept it.”
“Now, Jerome…” Beverly scolded.
“No, Beverly, he’s right. He has your best interests in mind. Allow me to, if possible.”
I explained again in detail how I first saw this place and was mesmerized by it. I reviewed my research, my desires, and my place in the world. He was calm and told me to continue.
I opened my briefcase and pulled out the gift. “Beverly, this frame can display all kinds of photos.” I opened it and she saw a digital image of the current state of the house. “I can connect it to the Internet and put it in your room. Then, whenever I have new photos, I can remotely put them on your frame for you to view that same day.”
She seemed excited by the idea. She was looking at the picture frame and I showed her how to move the pictures back and forth in order, stop on one picture, or put them in slideshow mode.
I picked up my smartphone. “This phone took the pictures I just showed you. I’ll keep it with me at the hotel and I promise I’ll take lots of pictures every step of the way. Once I get internet access.”
Finally, I pulled out another phone. “This is for you. I have my number programmed. The bill will be sent directly to me. You can call me anytime and I will try to call you every day. I don’t want to commit to every day because I’m not sure I can keep that promise, but I will try my best.”
Beverly looked at her lawyer with a big smile on her face. “Jerome?”
He sighed. “Damn it. Okay, I’m convinced. Sign here.”
He extended a piece of paper towards me.
“We haven’t agreed on a price yet,” I said hesitantly.
“I’m sure you can afford it.” He flipped the contract to the first page and pointed. The selling price is $1.00.
I was shocked. “Beverly, that’s not fair.”
“Jack, it’s just an expense for me. I pay taxes every year on a piece of land that I have never seen and from which I have not made any money. You will do me a favor. Please agree to it.”
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. My dream was about to come true. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes and sign the papers. Save your money on repairs. I doubt they’ll be cheap.”
I looked at Jerome and he shrugged. “She wants to do it. Believe me, there is no way to stop it now. And financially, it won’t hurt her one bit. Sign the contract.”
I signed the papers and then went around the table and asked if I could hug her. She struggled to her feet, leaned on my arm and let me hug her. I held her for a long time until I could no longer control my emotions. When I finally put her back in the chair, my shoulders were wet.
As soon as I sat down, he thanked me.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you. You made my five-year-old dream come true.”
“Jake, this is the nicest and most fun I’ve had in a while and I hate to admit it. Follow your dreams. Just don’t forget about me.”
“Never. I swear.”
Jerome interrupted. “Well, shall we have dinner? It’s getting late.”
** **
I have a tough job ahead of me. I am trying to ensure that my work does not suffer, but I am working on my project every weekend. My holidays and vacation time were spent working at home. I would call Beverly every morning to review the previous day’s progress (if any) and discuss our plans for the future. With time, our discussions were no longer limited to the House of Representatives but extended to our lives. We talked about our work, our projects and the Spartan life we both lead away from home.
“Jack, why don’t you go on a date?”
“I don’t have time right now. I’m more focused on my job and home, which doesn’t make me very sociable.”
“Nonsense. You’re a handsome young man. You should have a girl.”
“I would love it. I hope one day I can do it. But that’s in the future.”
“But have you dated anyone before?”
“I have. But it doesn’t work out that well. I think I’m very nervous about most of the women I meet. As much as I’m obsessed with House, I’m also obsessed with what I’m doing. Same tenacity.
“Go out and relax tonight. Talk to a girl. Buy her a drink.”
I laughed. “Well, Mom, let me see if I can go out and have a beer tonight. No commitment from that girl.”
