The House at the End of the Road

Not your average "scary story".

The afternoon sun was high in the sky as Jane walked along the edge of the street, trying to avoid the few oncoming cars that barreled down the desolate road. She quietly hummed to herself as she took in the scenery that rolled out in front of her. There were acres of pasture on either side with a few cows dotting the edges, happily chewing their cud as they grazed on some alfalfa. Since it was spring, a few baby calves timidly followed their mothers around, to afraid to venture more than a few feet away. Jane smiled at them and looked back to the long stretch of road before her. Her home was just a mile off from school but it always felt longer, especially since she lived out in the country. She was just thinking she was about halfway home when she saw it.

 

The old, looming mansion she had to pass everyday was coming up in the distance, she could see it as she reached the top of the next hill. She reluctantly gazed towards it as she drew closer. The ancient, rotting paint peeling away from the decrepit wood slates that barley had enough strength to support themselves. The rusted hinges that made the door give an eerie “screeeee!” on the rare occasion it tried to open. The vicious looking cat that stood guard on the bottom porch steps and eyed every unfortunate soul that happened to walk by. Not even Todd, the oldest boy in the neighborhood, had enough guts to ding-dong-ditch that house and he was turning 15 next month. Oh yes, that house gave Jane the willies and, for the second time today, she had to walk past it. She tried not to look the horrifyingly old cat in the eye as she neared the mansions brown lawn. She did have to give the place credit though. For as old and scary as it looked, there was still someone living there. Every time she walked by, she saw the dark blue Ford pick-up sitting near the left side of the house.

 

When she finally past the side yard, she forced herself to stand (a safe distance away, of coarse) and face the front porch. She craned her neck to see inside the shattered windows and caught a few glimpses of sheet covered furniture and countertops layered with dust. She glanced up and saw the attic which was, surprisingly, the only room with its windows still in tact. She tried her hardest to see inside the dirt caked panes but saw only the strange looking department manikins that had been there since she could remember. Every time she walked by they were in a different position. Who keeps manikins in there house? she thought as she gave a shiver and walked on. Only someone truly off their rocker.

 

 

When Jane finally got home she could smell her mom making dinner and her stomach instantly started to growl. She set her backpack down by the door and walked in. Her mom asked the usual set of questions: How was school? What did you learn? Is Algebra getting any easier?

Jane answered the usual replies: Good. Not much. It’s okay.

“Dinner will be ready in ten!” her mom sang as Jane made her way up the vertical incline that was their rickety spiral staircase. “Okay!” she called back.

 

She threw open the door and flopped onto the bed, exhausted from all the sitting and day dreaming she had done in school when she heard a sharp cracking sound smack against her window. She sat up and crossed over to investigate when she heard, “Hey, June bug! Are you gunna open up or what?” her best friend Dawsey yelled up as Jane undid the lock. She pressed forward with one hand and the window swung open. “What is it?” she called down.

“Come down here and I’ll tell you!” he said, walking backwards towards her pasture.

Jane hesitated and looked back at the door half expecting her mom to come flying threw it. She didn’t.

“Fine! But make it quick! Dinners in a few minutes!”

 

 

She flew down the stairs and out the door, just as her mom was about to ask where she was heading to in such a rush. Then she made her way around the backside of the house to their usual meeting place under the big willow tree.

 

“Finally! said Dawsey, as Jane pushed threw the groping vines. “I have a proposal for you.” he said, flashing her a mischievous grin.

 

“Okay…” she replied uncertainly.

 

“Tonight, while the old geezers asleep, we’ll climb through one of the house’s broken windows and find out exactly what’s in there. The one down the road I mean. Haven’t you ever wondered?” Dawsey said.

 

“Yeah, but how do you know an old guy lives there? It could be anyone.” she said.

 

“Who else do you think would live there?” he said sarcastically.

 

“That’s true…I’m still not going with you though!”

 

“Please! Come on, what could happen?” begged Dawsey.

 

“Okay, first, that house is not really the kind of place you go traipsing through at late hours of the night and second, the person who lives there probably doesn’t want some complete strangers paying him a visit anyway.”

 

“Well, then I guess I’ll just have to go by myself…all alone…at night…with no one to-

 

Jane hesitated for a second then said, “Oh good grief, fine! But if we get cut up into little pieces by the murderer that probably lives there, don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

 

“Awesome!” Dawsey said, suddenly excited. “Meet me here at midnight. Bring a flashlight.”

 

“I will.” said Jane, less than enthused, as she started to walk back.

 

 

Jane silently made her way downstairs and through the front door into the cool night air. She saw Dawsey beaming his flashlight around next to the tree and ran over to meet him.

“Stop flashing that thing around! Your gunna wake my parents!”

He rolled his eyes and shone it back towards the ground as they silently walked in the direction of the road.

 

“So what’s the plan?” said Dawsey when they reached the edge of the dark pavement.

 

“What plan? I thought you had one already!” Jane hissed through the darkness.

 

‘Well, I don’t so…lets just wing it?” he said.

 

“Alright…” said Jane, unsuccessfully trying to sound supportive.

 

 

They walked up the creaky porch steps and stood facing the slightly adjared front door. The cat hissed at them from the opposite corner of the porch as Jane said, “Should we knock first?” Always the polite one of the two.

 

“Are you kidding me? Its midnight. No ones gunna answer.” said Dawsey as he pushed the door the rest of the way in.

Jane sighed and crept in after him. She flicked her flashlight on and beamed it around the room. A few rats scurried off at the sudden exposure to the bright light. She caught her breath and quickly turned away, trying not to look at them.

 

 

There was the usual stuff, old furniture, rickety wood floors, nothing Jane hadn’t seen from the window every time she gawked through them on her way home from school.

 

“Hey, where’s that coming from?” said Dawsey looking towards the long strip of yellow light that was shining from upstairs.

 

“Someone’s awake! Lets leave!” Jane said, turning towards the door.

 

“Wait a minute.” said Dawsey grabbing her arm. “I want to go check it out.”

 

“Dawsey, this place obviously isn’t as deserted as we thought. The guy is probably awake and waiting for us to come up there so he can grab us and tie us up! Now lets go before he finds out we’ve been snooping around his house!” she said, but Dawsey was already half way up the stairs. Jane gave a moan and followed him up.

 

The light was shining from a room at the top of the long staircase but Jane couldn’t make out who (or what) was up there. She gave a shiver and wrapped her hand tightly around Dawsey’s arm. They reached the top of the stairs and walked through the doorway…but what they saw was far from Jane’s expectations.

 

A bright light shone from the ceiling and underneath sat a man with a look of complete and utter dread plastered across his face. He was tied securely to his chair...with four department store manikins crowed around him.

 

All at once their heads turned to stare at the intruders.

 

Jane gasped and took a terrified step back.

Dawsey grabbed her hand. “Jane?” he said, his voice shaking.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I don’t think you need to worry about him tying us up, it looks like they beat him to it.”