Screaming Walls

Some houses are condemned mainly for the reason that nobody buys the place or perhaps it's just not worth selling. Though, there are other reasons. Reasons such as that of something terrible that happened in the house. Some horrible thing that nobody wants to relive or experience themselves. Something that just begs to be told.

*****

Chris was like any normal person you could meet on the street. He had a job, enough money to keep himself above debt, and even a loving girlfriend, Jan. Neither one lived with the other though they did see each other regularly. Chris loved Jan like anybody would. She was sweet and kind to him and had the looks to add to it. She had smooth brown hair that feel down to her shoulders and blue eyes that glimmered everytime she saw him. It was love at first sight.

Chris knew he should he ask her to marry him but he just didn't know how, plus he wanted it to be something special and memorable. He scratched his brown hair and ponderd to himself while walking towards the nearest Starbucks. His friends always met there every weekend and told stories of how stupid or daring they were the week before. Most of what they told came from Steve, who loved spreading gossip as fast as he could. Jan would meet there as well. She and Chris mostly listened to the stories instead of telling their own. There was also Alice and John who were also in love with each other. Steve seemed to be the only one who was single at the table but he didn't mind. Or at least he never showed he did. All in all, they were the best of friends and stayed together ever since junior high. Nothing tore them apart or could even turn one against the other. They stood up for each other in every way possible and never let it be any other way.

"So I got down to the alley and there he was! The damn little kid was just sitting there and wondered how the fuck I was able to keep up with him! It was so damn hilarious!" Steve shouted and sipped at his coffee. Everyone glanced at the table for a split second then returned to their own area of interest. Steve yelled again and slapped his knee trying to calm down. He always got a kick out of catching someone who stole from his store. Alice was fumbling with her new necklace John had given her and listened as best she could without covering her ears from Steve's yell. John grinned and tapped his chin thinking to himself. "That makes...what? Four this week?" he asked Steve. Steve took a few breaths and shook his head, "No, that was the sixth one." Chris raised an eyebrow, "How do they keep stealing from your store? Don't you have those detectors?" Steve shook his head once again. "Hell no! Those things cost money! Too much to buy then too much to install! Plus, I always get them! They only take CDs anyways."

Chris nodded and looked out the window wondering if any day would ever change. It was always the same. Go to work for five days then come here on the weekends. Nothing new, nothing old. Just...the same. Something brought him out of his mindless trance and back to reality. Jan was shaking his shoulder. "What'd I miss?" he asked. Everyone laughed and he had to as well. Ever since they met he would always zone out and do that. John leaned forward and started talking really low as if nobody else should hear outside the table. "Like I was saying, there's this old house near the end of town...er..actually it's out of town. I saw it when I was going to visit my relatives last week. The place is old and creepy looking, just like that out of an old horror movie. Big iron gates at the front too. They were locked and the building was condemned when I drove closer." "So what?" said Steve. "So..," continued John, "I felt like checking the place out anyways. I drove around the back and there's a wall just high enough you can climb over. To tell the truth, I have no clue why the place is condemned, the inside looks pretty good considering the outside of the house. I mean, the walls are in good shape, wallpaper is still up, the floors look pretty clean, the ceiling was just astonishing!"

Everyone stayed silent and began to lean in closer. "So...why are you tell us this?" Chris asked. John shrugged and smiled, "Though maybe it could be our new hangout instead of this shithole." Steve grinned at the thought then caught himself, "Wait...you said the building was condemned...what for?" John shrugged again, "Hell if I know, I just think the place looks good on the inside." "I could do some research on it while at work," Jan suggested. They all agreed, since she worked at the library she was bound to find something on the history there. Chris stood up and checked his watch. "Going somewhere so soon?" asked Steve. Chris smiled and nodded, "Yea, I have to go and pick up some packages for work on Monday." "Alright then, you take care!" John yelled as Jan gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. Alice waved and so did Steve as Chris waved back while he headed out the doors. Maybe the new place would be a little more bearable since it was always loud in that damn store plus he hated walking.

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The next week passed by just as the others did. Nothing new and nothing old yet again. Chris was getting tired of not hearing from his friends during the week and only on weekends. He did see Jan a lot but that didn't change his mood. He was always on the outside looking in. He never felt quite like he belonged but he did. Jan had told him she found some pretty disturbing stuff about that house when she called him. It was something about a killer or something. She said she'd tell the whole story at the usual place. Chris couldn't wait any longer. He was so wrapped up in work and had so much energy to waste he wanted to know the rest now. Too bad he couldn't speed up time.

The rest of the days passed and he finally got to meet up with his friends once more. Jan had been acting a distant for some reason but he decided not to ask. After Alice and John sat down everyone turned their gaze to Jan for the info. A long silence ensued and Jan took a deep breath as she began. "Well...what I found on the house kind of makes me not want this to be our new hang out." Steve laughed and tilted his head to the side, "Really? Come on! Just tell us and we'll decide if it should or not." Jan nodded and continued, "The house was owned by some doctor or some type of medical professional. Years went by and eventually people began missing in this town. Well...one day this doctor or whatever took someone and ran back to the house. As he was preparing everything he told the person what he's been doing and how long he's kept it up." Steve shook his hands trying to get Jan's attention, "Wait, wait, wait! How long HAS he been doing it and what exactly is it?" Jan looked at Steve. "I'm getting to that part." Everyone nodded and stayed silent. "Somehow the person escaped and ran into town telling the closest person everything. About some crazy doctor who kidnapped innocent people and, once dead, stuffed their bodies in the walls of the house."

Alice covered her mouth and made a disgusted look on her face. Everyone else just sat there wide-eyed. "So...what happened?" John asked. Jan reached behind her and pulled out a book with a red hardcover. She opened it and began telling the rest of her story. "It turns out the person that the victim told didn't believe them and took him in a car then drove to the house himself to prove that he was seeing things. When they got there the victim was crying and screaming and holding his head between his legs saying things like, 'I didn't want this to happen to me!' or, 'Why doesn't anyone listen?!' The other guy thought the victim was crazy and checked the windows to the house peering inside. By the way, that's right before they built the iron gates to keep anyone from getting inside. When he looked inside the man gasped and screamed as he fled back to the car only to confront the doc face to face. He only had time for a sqeak before he was killed. The victim in the car was now terrified beyond anything and began climbing intot he driver's seat and starting the car. He eventually got it started and drove back to town recklessly then died as soon as he opened the door. He couldn't take that much stress and fear I guess." Steve raised an eyebrow, "Well then how come somebody knows this to print the book with those details? And did this doctor have a name?" Jan shook her head, "No, no name. A year passed until he was caught then he told everything. The police didn't know what to do with him since there wasn't an asylum anywhere near here. So they did the next best thing. They shot him. Right in the head and put his body with his victim's. The way he got the bodies in the wall was through the roof." "But there're two floors in that house," explained Steve. Jan nodded and continued, "I know, but each wall travels from the first floor and goes up to the second one. When the cops got back they filed a report about the whole incident and put the reason they shot him under self-defense."

Chris was staring at the floor now and thinking of how someone could go and do somehting like that. Why they would stuff bodies in the walls for no reason. Steve shook his head looked at everyone. John cleared his throat cause Jan and Alice to jump and chuckled a little to himself before he said anything. "Well, I don't care what happened in that house years ago as long as it isn't happening now. I say we still go for it!" Jan looked at John as though he were crazy then said, "They made it condemned for a reason...they never cleaned it up. In other words, the bodies are still in there." John shuddered and smiled, "Oh well, nothing some good air cleaner can't fix!" Steve nodded, "True but I didn't smell anything when I was up against the glass. I mean, the way you put it makes it sound like there's a thousand or so bodies and that stench would be traced from a mile away or so. Plus, the wallpaper was still up and it didn't look bad at all!" Jan sighed and thought to herself then answered, "Ok...we can try it out to see if it's really the way you say it is but if it isn't you buy our coffee next trip." Steve laughed and agreed.

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During the next week Chris couldn't keep his mind on task or do the work he needed to. All that went through his head was that story that Jan told him. Steve and John called him to make sure to meet at the Starbucks at the usual time and they'd go out to check the house from there. Chris was ready. He'd never been so anxious to go some place before. Even when he was a kid he never wanted to go anywhere. Maybe it was the thrill of having the history of the house in his head as he walks down the very halls or something.

Jan stopped by his house the day before the little trip and decided to spend the night there. She was scared and it showed. Her face was extremely pale. He knew she was terrified of going into the house the next day. That night it took both of them longer than usual to fall asleep. There was definitely something to fear about this house.

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As always, John, Alice, and Steve were at the Starbucks before Chris. The only thing different was that Jan was late with him. Steve pondered to himself about asking why they were both late but decided against it. "So, are you guys ready?" John asked. Nobody answered and everyone knew why. The history of that house was just too menacing to act like nothing ever happened there. Steve seemed to be the only one not really troubled by this. Perhaps it was because he's been by himself for such a long time and maybe he's got used to the feeling of being a little paranoid. Whatever the reason he acted as if he did everyday. "I think we better get going if we want to hurry!" Steve yelled as pulled out his keys and ran to his car.

John helped Alice up and they followed Steve slowly along with Chris and Jan. Steve seemed way too excited about this. He was fumbling with his keys in anticipation and dropped them twice before unlocking the door to his SUV. When he got in his foot was tapping the floor pretty fast like the people you see getting impatient. "Come on! Hurry the fuck up! I want to see this place for once!!! John! You sit in the passenger seat here and tell me the way to go!" he yelled. Alice, Jan, and Chris climbed into the back and didn't even get a second to put on their seatbelts. Steve started the car and drove almost like a maniac. John was telling him the roads to turn on and the distance to the place while Steve acknowledged the directions only by his actions.

Not long after the town was out of sight and the house was just up ahead. John didn't remember how far it was on the outskirts of the town but it wasn't too far. He was right, though. It did look like a house on those old horror movies. The foundation looked like it was giving way to anything. The trees were dead and black and the outside walls of the place were a gray color from lack of new paint and weather. The side of the house looked just the same except for the concrete wall to keep out trespassers. The iron gate in the front looked extremely heavy and plowing through it would only cause more problems. Once in the back of the house the group spotted the area where John had climbed over the barrier. It was easily noticable but apparently unchecked. The wall was cracked and broken down in some areas making it easier for the climbing. At the top, which was about nine or ten feet up compared to the twelve or fourteen from the unbroken side, there was low cave-in just enough to get over. Everyone got out as Steve turned off the SUV and pocketed his keys.

"Damn...I thought you were talking about a tiny little blockade...not a fucking huge barrier!" Steve said. John shrugged and began climbing up the stone wall. Alice followed him and took his hand when he offered it then they were both gone over the edge. Chris took a deep breath then started up himself and grabbed onto everything he could to keep him held on. One leg went over and he sat at the top in a straddled position as he helped Jan up then Steve. The other side of the wall had a pile of stones you could just walk down to the ground so no help was needed there. The house looked even more menacing up close. The only sounds that were made were the soft brush of dirt with each step from everyone and the gentle breeze that lead them to the back door.

Steve and John looked at each other then at the door wondering who was going to open it. Nobody bothered to look through the windows for fear they might turn back. Steve rolled his eyes and grabbed the knob then pushed his shoulder agaisnt the door to open it. The loud creak was almost unbearable. It was quickly ignored as everyone looked inside and saw the place lit up with its own lights. The electricity was still working here. The floor was covered in rugs and mats in the places you'd expect. The wallpaper was still holding, just like John said, and no visible stains or anything. Nothing seemed to be wrong with the house except for the fact it was still scary as hell. Nothing echoed or reverberated off the walls unless it was extremely loud. Barely any dust was set on anything. It was as if someone has been living here themselves but nobody did. Even if the back door was unlocked, didn't a lot of people leave it that way? The house just taunted them and made them feel small with it's huge ceiling. A ladder could probably reach it but unlikely. The stairs were against the wall to their left and lead up behind another wall and more than likely into some hallway or something.

Steve held up his arms and made a ballet guesture then chuckled to himself, "Well, welcome to house of the criminally insane! Can I show you around?!" John and Chris grinned at him as the girls giggled. Steve took a leap over to the fireplace then leaned an elbow on the mantle as he began his own introduction. "This house, as you know, belong to a very troubled young man and who was also a doctor of some sort!" He paused a second to breathe on his fingernails then rub them against his shirt like the snotty rich people usually do. "The house his decades old! I suggest you try to find something a little more...in your profit!" he said and made shooing signals at the bunch who just laughed. Steve laughed at himself and looked at the wall near him, "As you can see, it's very sturdy and very-" he stopped and slapped the wall. Steve's eyes grew wide as he stepped back from the wall. Everyone laughed again then quickly stopped once they knew somehting was wrong. "Dude, Steve! STEVE!" John yelled at him and shook him slightly. Steve gasped and looked at John with his pale face, "Did you hear that?! Holy shit!! I think it could be my mind playing tricks on me but I doubt my mind can play tricks that fucking good!" Chris looked at the wall and back at John shaking his head. "What happened?" John asked him. Steve took a few breaths and ran a hand through his hair before answering, "I heard something when I hit the wall...I dunno what exactly but it was...something." John raised an eyebrow and stood in front of the wall then pulled his right leg back. Everyone tensed up and watched as he threw his foot directly into the wall. No damage from the kick since it wasn't really meant to have force but there was something else. A loud and agonizing scream. A scream the came through the house like the house itself was alive with pain and torment. Everyone held their head down and plugged their ears trying to keep the bloodcurdling scream from entering their heads. It was worse than anything and it wasn't just one scream. It was a whole twenty or so people screaming at the same pitch and intensity at the same time. After a minute the scream subsided and everyone took their shaking hands off their ears while looking around. Not looking at each other. Looking for where the scream came from. It sounded as if it came from every direction at the same time.

Alice started sobbing and held her face in her hands as she dropped to the floor on her knees. John knelt down and held her close while digging a finger in his ear trying to easy the pain and ringing the scream left. Nobody bothered to say anything that time. They all knew what had happened but they couldn't explain it. Jan took a few deep breaths and held her arms across her body as if to keep warm. Chris and Steve finally looked at each other raised an eyebrow each. "Y-you heard that r..ight?" Steve asked. Chris nodded slowly and looked at the wall where John had kicked it then where Steve had slapped it. No visible damage at all. It sounded like the house was being torn apart while it was somehow alive. "I got an idea...let's not touch the walls...ever again," John said. Alice wiped her eyes and agreed as did Jan and Steve. Chris nodded in agreement as well thenstepped away from the wall.

Jan shook her head trying to keep the sound of the scream from replaying in her mind. It was hard not to think about it after that incident. Steve tried acting like the tough guy and cleared his throat. "Let's stay here the rest of the night and show this damn house who's boss!" he announced. Alice shook her head and began backing away. "Trust me! It'll be all right! We won't touch those fuckign walls and they can't do shit then! Right?" Steve waited for an answer from her. "Dammit, Steve, she's scared! I doubt any of us are staying the night in this house of horror!" John yelled. "Maybe it would be a good idea. I mean, I bet I sound a little crazy now but I heard the best way to get over a fear is to confront it face to face which in this case would be staying here for a while," Chris said. Everyone stared at him and began thinking to themselves and wondering if this would really work. They all heard that saying before as well but had never really tried it. Now was their time. "..Alright," John said, "but we don't touch the walls no matter what!" "Agreed," said Steve. Chris thought for a second then asked, "Who's thirsty? One of us can go get some snacks and drinks if they want." Jan stepped forward. "I'll do it. I'll be quick too." Chris complied and watched her head out the back door then stop. Steve knew what she was going to ask for and tossed the keys before she even said a word. "Thanks. I'll be back shortly," she said and with that she was out the door and over the wall.

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An hour passed since Jan went to go and get snacks and drinks for the whole gang. Nobody was beginning to get worried, just anxious. They had a set amount of time when she should arrive again with the refreshments which they all seemed to guess would take an hour or a little over. John had pulled out his deck of cards he always caried with him. Alice said it was a bad habbit even though he only used them when he was bored. Nobody complained though. Everyone seemed to be involved in their own poker game going on even though none of them were really able to concentrate in the house. Every few seconds wood creaked or water dripped and everyone sat perfectly still ready to put their hands over their ears again.

John was laying across a couch in the same room they've stayed in since the time they walked through the door. Alice was sitting near his feet and neither minded each other at the time. Steve found the rug near the coffee table pretty comfy while Chris was sitting in the huge overly decorated chair. There were three other chairs as well but everyone chose something they were next to at the time. With the few minutes it took John to deal once more they all heard it. Steve's SUV coming around back. They all dropped the cards they had, even Steve who had a Royal Flush for the first time in his life just to be joined by another companion. Chris stood at the top of the wall and leaned down then pulled up a few bags worth of food and supplies for the night. He leaned down once more to pull up Jan who had three more bags in her other hand. All the bags were quickly rushed inside along with everyone else. "What took you so long?" Steve asked. "Damn cashiers thought I was high for getting so much food and drinks," Jan replied. Everyone laughed and began digging in the plastic bags looking for something they'd like.

After they all got settled in John finally broke the rest of the silence and asked the question on everyone's mind, "So...anybody know what made the house..er..walls...whatever the fuck it was scream like that?" Jan lifted the bottle to her lips and took a few swigs then replied with, "Maybe those tortured souls that were put into the walls when the doc guy put'em in there are still uh...," she paused trying to think of the word. "...pissed?" Steve guessed. Jan nodded and tilted the bottle in his direction, "Thank you!" Steve smiled and gave himself a pat on the back then began pushing more nachos into his mouth. Chris thought about that and remembered what eh had been reading in his old ghost story books. "Hey, I remember what my old horror books used to say about stuff like this," he spoke up. Everyone focused their attention on him and waited. "It said something about spirits or ghosts having anger from when they were killed and it carries over to the afterlife or something like that. You remember the movie Poltergeist, don't you?" he asked. Steve and John both made "Oh!" faces at the same time while Jan and Alice just nodded. "That doesn't explain the screaming though," John said sourly. "Maybe...some things aren't meant to make sense?" Chris suggested. John didn't acknowledge him at all and just continued to drink his beer.

John stood up and sighed to himself, "I gotta piss like a race horse and I dunno where the bathroom is!" "Go outside if the house scares ya!" Steve teased him. John narrowed his eyes at him and headed for the stairs. The stairway was just like any you'd find in a creepy house. Red velvet or something was in the middle of every step to lead to the top which then opened to a hallway and red velvet kept going until it met the door at the end. John began upwards watching every step since they all made creaking noises. Once at the top he looked at every closed door while he walked closer to the door at the end. Every single one was closed. He grabbed the knob of one and gave it a slight shake but nothing gave. It looked like all these were locked as well. John scratched his head wondering who would leave the back door unlocked but lock every door upstairs. He let out a deep sigh and began dragging his fingers along the wall to his right while heading for the final door at the end.

Something caught his ear. Someone was saying something. He stopped and stood there with his fingers lightly touching the wall. Nothing now. He started walking again and let his fingers graze the wall once more this time listening for the voice. "Joooohhhnnn...," it called out. It was faint but he heard it. If being drunk made him have to piss like a race horse then add being scared to hell and he couldn't hold it any longer it felt like. He gripped his crotch and twisted the knob to the door to find the bathroom in relief. A quick flick for the light switch and he slammed the door then began releaving himself. He never felt like he had a close call like that before. He chuckled to himself and zipped up when he was finished then looked at the toilet. His eyes grew wide at the sight of the blood. It looked as if someone had just dropped a bucket of blood right in the damn toilet! He glanced at his pants to make sure it wasn't his and was thankful it wasn't but this only complicated everything. Who's blood was it? Not knowing if he got any kind of bacteria from that John turned on the faucet and watched the water run waiting for it to warm up slightly. The whole bathroom was a rust color or maybe that wasn't rust. Bits of white could be seen in a few places but not enough. The mirror above the sink was even covered in a light coat of dried blood. How did he not notice this going in?!

The sound of the water distracted John from the mirror as he ran his hands under the warm water then hit the lever to stop the flow. He shook his hands and wiped them on the sides of his pants then looked up into the mirror again to see how pale he was. This time someone else was looking back. Somebody with no face, no eyes, no expression. Just a skinless face staring blindy at him or through him, one couldn't tell from the empty sockets. John gasped and stumbled backwards into the shower curtain. The curtain held but the brown stains on it still didn't help with his panic. He held onto the soap tray attached to the wall and looked back at the faceless figure in the mirror. Now he could definately tell it was looking right at him. It's neck was slanted downwards aiming the face directly at John. He began to scream and opened his mouth but nothing came out. The faceless thing opened its own mouth in response and hollowed out a low, "Jooohhhhnnn... Jooohhnn...come with us..." John found his voice a second later, "Holy fuck...what the hell is go-" A second too late. The soap tray gave way under John's pressure causing him fall the rest of the way into the tub hitting his head on the side and rendering him completely unconscious.

Back downstairs Steve yawned and put his hands behind his head as he lay on the rug. "So..how long does it take a race horse to piss?" he asked rhetorically. Chris shook his head and shrugged. "Want to go check on him?" he asked. "Yea, sure! Then I'll make it look like I wanted to see him in there! That'll be the greatest thing to explain!" Steve said sarcastically. Chris rolled his eyes and looked at the clock above the mantle. It's been fifteen minutes since John went to find the bathroom. Chris decided to give him ten more minutes before he goes looking.

The faceless figure stared down at John's limp body through the dark and bloodied sockets in its skull. The mirror wasn't even a boundary for the ghastly creature as it pushed its head against the glass bending it, like plastic wrap. The whole mirror warped but didn't break, not even crack from the pressure. Eventually so much pressure was put on it that the mirror went back to its original form leaving the head of the corpse outside. The figure lifted a bloodied arm and pulled that out as well. John moved slightly and creature stopped, keeping completely still. It's skinned arm leaning on the sink as fresh blood dripped from everywhere. A little grunt and John winced then slowly opened his eyes to horror that leaned over him from the sink. John opened his mouth to scream but the thing perched among the sink beat him to it. It opened its already visible and bloodied mouth then let out a high pitched shriek and from what John could see, narrowed what eyebrows it had at him. It raised its other arm and pulled it out of the mirror as well then rested it on the sink beside the already perched arm. It snarled at him and let out yet another scream then raised its right arm with its fingers ready to dig into anything.

Footsteps were heard by John coming up the stairs. Not just one pair but two. They must've heard this thing as well. The door busted open to reveal Chris standing there with Steve right behind him. The creature stopped and turned it head to look at Chris and Steve then screamed and lashed its hand at them. "Fuck! What the hell is it?!" Steve demanded as he jumped back along with Chris who nearly got hit. "Let's figure out how we keep it away from John then we'll ponder that!" Chris replied. John yelled and kicked his feet at the thing as it leaned over the sink and hissed. Chris looked around and found the only thing available for a weapon which a plunger and took it. Luckily it was near the door and not the sink. "Leave him alone!" Chris demanded and raised the plunger as if to strike the thing down in one hit. It hissed once more then pushed itself back into the mirror before disappearing for good.

John rubbed his head and winced again. The place where he'd got hit when he fell was bruised pretty bad and bleeding too. Chris dropped the useless item and ran to John's aid. "Ok...what the hell was that thing?" Chris asked as he helped him out of the tub. John shook his head not knowing what to say. Steve looked around in the bathroom and shudered, "Damn...how'd you stay in here for as long as you did?" Nobody answered him as they walked down the hall and back into the living room where Alice and Jan waited. They were sitting next to each other with wide eyes and had both hands into balls of fists. John took a seat next to Alice on the couch while Chris sat next to Jan. "We don't know how to say this but..uh..something...came out of a mirror and was about to attack John just as we got there," explained Chris. "Just a second...did you touch the walls, John?" Steve asked. John blinked as he tried to remember then held his hands up, "I guess, since I heard someone calling my name like that thing was when I walked to the bathroom." He let his hands rest on his knees as he shook and trembled. "How could you not otice that much blood in the bathroom?!" Steve yelled. All John could do was shake his head. "I don't know. It was clean when I went in but then it was all...bloody and..," John sighed and stared at the floor not knowing what else to say.

"We have to get out of here," Chris announced. Steve raised an eyebrow, "No shit?! Ya think?!" Steve ran to the back door and twisted the knob then blinked. He tried again and puller harder at the door. "Open the door!" Chris yelled. "I'm trying, dammit!" Steve replied as he yanked at the door harder until finally giving up. "It looks like they want us to stay here...well, fuck that!" Steve cursed and grabbed one of the spare chairs then threw it at the nearest window. The chair bounced back and hit the wooden floor with a loud clatter followed by a round of screams. The screams this time were various in pitch and length. Chris covered Jan's ears and held his head between his arm while Steve dropped to the floor curling into a fetal position. John and Alice covered their own ears as well. The torment lasted for a few minutes then slowly died while everyone began uncovering their ears. The house was quiet once more and Steve took slow steps towards the rest of the group. "We need to find another way out," he suggested.

At once, everyone stood up to join Steve and began thinking of ways to exit the house. "Windows don't break, doors won't open...maybe there's a way out through the roof?" Chris asked. Nobody answered, remembering how the bodies were dumped into the walls. Steve walked over to the window he attacked and looked outside. It was getting darker but if they found a way out within the next hour or so they could still get some before having to resort to the flashlights Jan bought. The lights did work in the house but there's always a chance they won't. Steve sighed and stared outside wondering if they wree going to stay trapped in this place forever. Something caught his eye. The corner of the window had something on it. Whatever it was it seemed to be going further down until Steve saw it. It was blood. He looked up again at the top of the window where more of the crimson liquid ran down in what appeared ot bucket loads. The window was quickly coated red and there was no visiblity outside at all. Not even the daylight could penetrate the thick coat.

"Uh...guys?" Steve said while he stared at the window. Nobody answered. Steve called them again, this time a little more frightened. Still no answer. He turned around and saw them staring at the other windows which were doing the same exact thing the one in front of him did. Bleeding. Every window was being coated in fresh blood to keep the rest of the day out. Something else was happening too. In all the panic nobody noticed the whispering from the walls around them. Nobody said anything then finally heard it. The whispering got louder but not near as loud as the screams they heard. "Make them pay!" "Keep them here..." "Kill them...murder them..," the walls said. Steve grabbed the wooden chair he threw at the window earlier and slammed it against the floor breaking it into a few pieces. One piece caught his eye and picked it up gripping it firmly in his right hand. "What'd we do to you?! HUH?!?!" he demanded waving the sharp wooden leg around. "Come on! You want me to pay?! I'll tear you apart!" Steve screamed while glancing at every wall.

Chris began walking towards Steve trying to calm him down. Nothing seemed to get through to him. He was intent on killing something or someone. He ran up the stairs waving the broken chair leg like a maniac checking every door in the hallway. There was one unlocked that wasn't earlier. Steve busted the door open and glanced around. It was a normal bedroom. Nothing out of the ordinary. the window wasn't even painted in blood like downstairs. Steve took a few more steps in the room then lowered his make- shift weapon. Nothing was wrong with the room. All seemed fine.

The door made a slight creak catching Steve's attention but not enough to make him turn around. The next sound was that of the door slamming shut, trapping him in the room. Steve gasped and dropped the weapon from his hand making it clatter against the floor. The door didn't budge under his force. He twisted the knob and planted a foot on the wall while pulling at it. Still nothing. He stopped for a second to catch his breath remembering that he hasn't worked out in a while. Sweat was beginning to form on his cheeks and forehead quickly. He laughed inwardly trying to remember how long it was since he went to the gym. Sitting down on the bed was relaxing for him. Gave him time to think of a way out of here as long as nothing got to him. Steve leaned down and grabbed his weapon again looking it over until the window began bleeding.

"No! No, no, no! This can't happen to me!" Steve cried as he watched the window slowly bleed. Something was different about this one. It wasn't covering all of the window. Steve blinked and stood up while staring at the crimson glass. His back hit the door and caused him to come out of his trance. He turned around and began stabbing at the door with the broken chair leg while watching the walls release blood as well. Something was going on. Steve pulled his arm back to strike at the door again only to feel something grab his wrist. He turned to look and found an arm extended from the wall with most of its skin missing. The blood was warm and made Steve feel even more uneasy. The shock caused him to drop the weapon and stare at the arm that extended from the wall. No signs of how it came through but there it was. Steve began screaming and pounding at the door with his free hand until he saw another arm force its way from the wall and grab hold of his left ankle. More arms began coming out of the walls near him and garbbing anything on him they could. "Join ussss...," the walls whispered to him. "NOO!!!" Steve screamed.

Chris heard the scream but knew there was nothing they could do. Steve ran up there not wanting anything to do with the rest of them. Whatever was happeneing to him right now they wree probably too late anyways. The banging from Steve stopped just before the scream. John rocked back and forth trying to keep himself calm and not lash out like Steve did. If there was one thing the rest didn't want to do it was split up.

Steve screamed again as the arms began pulling in different directions towards the walls they came from. He couldn't take the pain. He tried struggling and almost went to biting but didn't want to take the chance of some disease enter his mouth. "Get off of me!!" he yelled and tried twisting his body so the arms would give. No such luck. The bloodied arms, both skinned and not, just pulled harder in reaction to his resists. Steve yelled again but this time in complete pain as he felt his body seperating from itself. Bones broke, tendons snapped, muscles ripped as the arms yanked and tugges at Steve's now lifeless body. The stress was too much for him and caused him to pass out. Vital organs were torn apart as the arms holding onto them retracted into the depths of the walls. Not one arm went back without a piece of Steve. Nothing was left but a mass of blood sprayed across the walls and pools of it in front of the door.

"Are any of you going to go after Steve?" Alice asked. Chris shook his head. "Why not?" she sobbed. Alice and Steve had been friends for a while even though her heart belonged to John she still cared for Steve. "Because it's more than likely too late for him. If he had changed his mind and if he was OK he'd be done here with us right now, wouldn't he?" Chris explained. Everyone nodded and looked around. "We need to find a way out of here that doesn't involve someone going crazy!" Chris yelled and then looked at the ceiling. There probably wasn't a way out since everything seemed to be blocked. Yelling at everyone else was just adding to problems as well and he knew it. Chris rubbed the back of his neck trying to think of a way out while they still had time then it donned on him. "I need the rest of the alcohol and any spare bandages or clothes!" he demanded as he picked up a few bottles and tipped the coffee table over.

It didn't take them long to give him the supplies and as he started they saw what he ws going to and began helping prepare molotovs as well. There were seven bottles left with enough alcohol for each as he tore strips of the blanket next to him then put enough of the cloth in so he'd have a little while to run with it in case he accidentally lit it. The bottles didn't take long to make and then he remembered he didn't bring his lighter. He never smoked but he had one for purposes such as this and the time he needs it he left it at home. Jan searched her pockets and shook her head. John and Alice never even used matches so there was no use in askign them. Steve. Steve was the only one that carrie done with him all the time. He smoked occasionally so he should have one. Chris stood up and looked at the stairs. "I'm going to try and find Steve's lighter. If I'm not back in a couple minutes try to find matches in the kitchen or something," Chris explained. Everyone understood and watched him head upstairs.

Every door was closed on the second floor but that didn't stop him from checking all of them. He came to the door Steve had shut himself in and took a deep breath. None of the doors have been unlocked, so why worry about this one? He checked the floor and stepped back. There was blood oozing out from beneath the door and soaking itself into the red velvet making it darker. Chris lifted his foot and kicked the door open growing sick at the sight of the blood. It was all over the entrance. Along with Steve's weapon he carried up there. Chris took another step back not finding Steve or his lighter and began running back to the living room. The hallway was worse than before now. The red velvet looked like it stretched forever. Chris lifted his leg in mid-stride only to catch himself on something and tumble head-first into the floor.

The light in the living room was right in front of him as were the stairs. When he looked back he saw an arm outstretched and still holding onto his jeans. "What the hell?!" he screamed and began kicking at the hand with his free leg. It was in a dead grip it seemed and wasn't about to let go. "Find the matches! I'll try to be with you guys shortly!" he yelled to the bottom of the stairs. With that, he yanked his leg away from the arm only have it pulled back. He pushed himself up and gasped as he felt himself being lifted off the ground. Looking up, he saw three arms holding onto his shirt and lifting him to the ceiling. The fourth arm on his jeans lifted to meet the other at the same height. He now saw what they planned to do. He pulled his arms up to cover his head but was too late.

The arms reeled back causing him to loose focus from the surprise then threw Chris forward down the stairway missing every step on the way down. The throw was so off balance he never had a chance to guard himself. His body hit the floor neck first killing him instantly and tumbled into the wall breaking several other bones in the process. Jan screamed and began to run to Chris' broken body but was held back by John. "He's dead! We need to find some matches and quick!" he ordered. Jan tried holding back her tears which didn't last long as she cried during her search in the medievil kitchen.

Alice smiled for what seemed like the first time in ages as she held up the red box with a blue stripe along it reading 'Matches'. John and Jan cheered then followed her back to the living room where the molotovs waiting behind the coffee table. Jan took one last glance at Chris' body which laid the way it had landed still. John grabbed one of the bottles and held the neck of it towards Alice for her to light. She opened the box and pulled out a couple of the fire starters dropping some on the floor. Nobody cared; they had enough for all the bottles and then some. The end was lit and John threw it as hard as he could against the back door. Glass shattered and the alcohol met he flame causing a small fireball as the door was covered in liquid fire. The flames grew and began licking at the wall above the door. They knew what was going to happen and John quickly threw another bottle into the fire without lighting it. It exploded sending glass and more fire in every direction. Then it began.

The scream was high this time. So high it cracked the rest of the molotovs but only a couple shattered. John and the girls covered their ears as they heard the scream start up. The windows stayed as solid as ever. The scream wasn't going to die down and John knew it but he didn't know if the girls had figured it out yet. He looked at the remaining bottles and counted three. It should last. He grabbed the next one and held it back then threw it forward just as it broke apart. The alcohol was still on its way into the flame leaving a trail leading straight to John. The flames were never quicker as they lapped hungrily at John. Alice screamed but it wasn't heard over the house's scream. Jan screamed as well and grabbed one of the two bottle left then jumped back.

John was burning both physically and mentally. The scream was enough torture on his mind but the flames were eating him alive. He dropped to the floor remembering the old stop, drop, and roll routine from preschool or something. As he kneeled down he felt himself burn harder then felt something push him forward. Right into the flames he created. The molotov left behind him exploded with enough force John was helpless and sent into the flames. Chris' body was somewhere in there as well. Jan looked back at Alice who was now on the ground holding her face. Blood ran between ehr fingers and then Jan saw what had happened. The exploding molotov sent glass straight into her face, possibly her eyes were badly damaged. She couldn't tell right now. Little fragment were still embedded in Alice's arms and legs causing them to bleed as well but not nearly as bad.

Jan looked at the last molotov and ignored the scream of the house as best as she could. If there was silence she could think better but otherwise she had no ideas of how to get out unless the fire burns the door away quickly. Alice had stopped rolling around and now just curled into a ball holding her eyes. Jan lifted the bottle and yelled, "You piece of shit house! You killed my friends! I'll burn you to the ground myself you fucking thing!" Angered and now fueled by her own words, Jan threw the bottle between her legs causing it to shatter and send the alcohol in opposite directions. She ran over to Alice and helped her up then lead her to the front door to wait. The scream was become more horrendous now.

Something had to be done before that last bit of alcohol was consumed by the flames. The couch and coffee table were doused in it as well as Jan's own legs. The rug as the thing that got the most of it. Jan saw the broken chair Steve had thrown earlier and picked up a piece then ran to the couch. She ripped apart one of the cushions and wrapped the cloth around the end of the piece of wood. The fire was getting closer to the rug but now it didn't matter to her. She wanted revenge. Jan plunged the stick in the flames for a second then pulled it back, satisifed with her torch. Alice clawed at the front door's handle helplessly. There was no way she was going to get out of here and she knew it. Jan stepped back and set the rug aflame as it quickly caught the table and sofa. Now she had to find one more thing. The house's main gas line.

She knew Alice wouldn't be of any help and left her next to the door in case it might just open before she goes and blows herself up. The house had to have a basement. Jan looked around in the kitchen for some sort of door or anything that would lead down. Nothing. As if to tease her one of the windows let the blood drip away. Jan threw her torch at it and wasn't surprised with the outcome of it bouncing back. She looked outside and saw the one thing she needed. The doors leading into the cellar. They were outside. The house knew and now so does she but it's worthless now. Jan screamed and pounded at the glass with her fists until they were bloodied and cracked. The only thing to do now was to wait and go down with the house. If that time ever came for her...