August 04, 2007

The lightening struck again, but this time, long enough for me to catch a glimpse; a glimpse of the Helsing Mansion. In the fraction of a second that the mansion lit up I saw the dark haunting figure of the house. Even in the darkness I could see that the house was old, very old in fact. I sighed and started ascending the moss covered stone steps. Slowly and steadily I made my way up.

Finally at the doorstep, I reached out and grasped the brass doorknocker. I knocked. After some time I heard soft footsteps coming towards the door. The door swung open and I found myself faced by a tall, dark, figure. His think pale face looked hauntingly at me. “Your name madam?” he inquired.

“M-My name I Simone Jacobs,” I stammered. He nodded and directed me inside.

Suddenly I was struck by a strange feeling, I could hear faint murmurs, from the walls. But I couldn’t make out what was being said.

Looking around, I found myself in a large circular room, towards the far left was a long winding staircase leading to the first floor, and on the far right side was a dark long corridor.

“Follow me,” he instructed as he started walking swiftly into the corridor. “Mrs Helsing has been expecting you,” he said, not bothering to look back at me.

“Well, yeah, I saw her ad in the local newspaper,” I answered, “It said she needed a housekeeper.”

“Yes, she has been in need of one since the previous one fled,” he replied.

“You mean left don’t you?” I asked, thinking `fled’ was quite a harsh term. “Uh, yes that’s a way of putting it,” he answered.

Okay now, this was weird. But I didn’t have much time to think about it as by now we had reached the end of the corridor. Before me was a wooden door that stood slightly ajar, warm yellow light seeped through the gap. “Go inside,” he instructed.

I stepped forward and pushed open the door, immediately my eyes fell upon a small frail figure hunched over the fireplace. I closed he door behind me. Stirred by the sound of the closing door Mrs Helsing turned away from the fireplace and looked at me. “Oh, what took you so long, my girl?” she inquired, gazing at me with her light green eyes. “I was afraid you had changed your mind and decided not to come.”

“No, no, there was nothing of that sort,” I said, “It was just that the storm slowed me down a bit.”

“Never mind, you are safe and sound, and that is what matters,” she answered, “Conrad will direct you to your bedroom.”

I hadn’t exactly planned to stay here. But before I could refuse Conrad stepped forward and grabbed my hand. I had no option but to go where he took me.

We walked through the door and came outside. I silently followed him as he walked through the corridor. Once again I found myself in the circular room.

Conrad stopped and looked back at me, “Yours will be the first room on the left side.”

I thanked him and made my way up the rickety old staircase. Once upstairs, I entered the first room on the left side, just as Conrad had instructed. At once a putrid smell whiffed into my nose. I found dead rotting mice lying on the floor. A quick wave of nausea swept over me.

Wearily I made my way to the bed, trying my best not to look at my dead companions. No sooner did I lay on the moth eaten bed that I fell asleep.

Suddenly I was woken up; the murmurs had grown deafeningly loud. I pressed my hands against my ears hoping to shut the noise out. By now I could clearly hear what the murmurs were saying: “Help me, free me, help me, free me,” they chanted.

Slowly I found myself being possessed; a strange force made me get out of the bed and into the corridor outside, it made me descend the stairs. Slowly it became a part of me. I let the force take me down, down into the basement. I no longer felt like resisting, I went where the force took me.

Once in the basement, I knew the force wanted me to search for something… yes… I needed to find a pickaxe. I looked around, there was one, which I firmly grasped. Filled with great strength I started violently hitting one of the walls, finally I saw what was inside.

Even the force that I was possessed by couldn’t subside the horror that welled up inside me. It was a skeleton, a brittle rotting skeleton. My mouth opened in a silent scream as the skeleton slowly sifted its head to look at me. “Thank you…” it croaked in a raspy voice. At once the skeleton crumbled into a mere pile of dust.

Wait; there was a leather diary beside the dust pile. Curiously I reached out and picked up the old diary. Slowly I opened the diary at the last entry.

“Today my witchcraft killed a person, he teased me so much. He called me names. Insulting names. But I don’t want to get caught, so I am burying him. Burying him with all my secrets… forever — Sarah Helsing”

Suddenly the basement door flung open. Mrs Helsing stood there, her eyes blazing with anger. Fiercely she pointed her finger at me, “You reopened my past”.

I stood there in bewilderment as a bolt of crackling light shot from her finger, I barely had time to utter a word as unbearable pain shot through me, and then… I died.