The House on Plum Street
III Trick or Treat (Continued)
We pushed further into the darkness of the house. The fetid smell of abandonment and decades of tall tales assaulted our nostrils. The ceilings and walls were covered with thick patches of mold and other strange growths. Translucent mushrooms sprouted along window sills looking alien in the pale moonlight seeping through windows and the faltering beams from our flashlights. As we moved from room to room we encountered piles of trash, the detritus of parties. Beer cans, empty fifths of Jack and fast food wrappers carpeted the floor along with the occasional discarded condom, bras and panties forgotten in the mad dare to do the deed and then get the hell out.
“I would never get naked in here,” Jolene said, shivering.
I grunted in agreement. But, if truth be told I would get naked just about anywhere if I had a change of being naked with a girl. Adolescent boys are not particularly concerned with their environs if sex is involved. Of course, that was what I told myself or my friends when we were bullshitting with each other. Boys like to pretend to be nonchalant about sex, but it scares the shit out of us at first.
Jolene, my fourteen year old cousin, was the case in point. She thrilled me and terrified me all at the same time. I have seen plenty of naked girls on the pages of my Uncle’s dirty magazines, but who knows what I’d do if I saw a real live one in front of me. Jolene was my cousin. I had a crush on her. Her blossoming body entranced me. Her sparkling eyes and mischievous mouth beguiled me. And she was my cousin. The taboo nature of my lust made it all the more exciting…and frightening. What kind of sicko was I to have these kinds of feelings for my cousin?
Next we walked into what might have been a bedroom. Jolene tripped across a lump and went crashing down on her knees.
“Omigod…omigod…omigod!” Jolene’s fear compressed her screams. “Is that a body? Did I trip over a dead body?”
I walked up and kicked the lump. It rolled over. I moved my light to reveal a large canvas bag. It reminded me of my Uncle’s sea bag that he had when he was in the Navy. I bent down to open it. Then I realized Jolene was still on the floor. I stepped over the bag to help her up. This earned me a kiss on the cheek. Jolene nestled closer to me as we prepared to leave the room. I was beginning to understand why the older boys liked to bring their girlfriends to this house.
“What was that?”
“Just an old sea bag,” I said with authority. “Probably belongs to some homeless guy who crashes here.”
“Ewww…who would sleep here?” Jolene stopped abruptly. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Shhhh”
I strained my ears into the dark trying to hear what Jolene was listening to.
“There it is again.”
I strained my ears. The air was electric and cloying. Then I heard it…muffled at first.
“Do you hear it?” Jolene asked
“Yessss,” I hissed through my clenched teeth, my imagination fleshing out the hideous creature that we would soon encounter here in the dark. “Maybe we should get the hell out of here.” Good going brave guy.
As we moved through the hall back toward the kitchen the sound was becoming more distinct.
Sobbing…
Rattling…like chains
A girl crying…
A door, partially cracked in the darkness, outlined by my failing light….the basement.
Jolene opened the door and called down into the dark.
To be continued.