by David Vorhees
“Hello.” He said to the man standing before him. He was lean and tall, seemed even taller with the stove top hat he wore. The man was well dressed and could tell he was a man of means.
“Hello.” The tall man replied.
“How may I be of service to you this evening?” He asked the tall man.
“I am in need of a drink, some food, and a place to rest.” The man said.
“Well your in the right place. As we can accommodate all three of your requests.” He said a little chipper, as to have a customer after so long. “I will just need a name for my ledger sir.”
“Jasper, Jasper Ashford.” The man replied.
“A-A-Ashford, you say.” He said. His eyes growing wide with fear, his skin grew pale as he started to back up to create as much space between the two men as he could. He hit the wall behind him, wishing he could back further still but knew he could not. “I, I, I’m sorry. I misspoke. We are all full at the moment. I apologize but you will need to seek your needs elsewhere.”
“But you said…” Jasper began.
“I said I misspoke.” He said angrily. “You, you need to leave now!”
“May I inquire as to where…” Jasper began to speak again.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Just leave.” He said, his fear coming out in anger, but in truth he knew that if the man before him pressed he would fold. He tried to sound brave, tried to be intimidating, but also knew it was a ruse. If the man even leaned forward he would collapse and do whatever he wanted. “Your not wanted here, your not wanted anywhere near here.” He added.
Jasper looked at the small round man before him. He knew the hardness the man was trying to show was just that a show. He saw the fear in his eyes. He knew the reputation his family held in the area. He meant this man nor any harm but he also understood. Thomas tipped his hat and went back into the cold rainy night.
The wind whipped from behind him as he pulled his collar up. He looked up and even in the dark rainy night he could see the old house sitting high on top of the hill. The front of the house facing the town as if the house itself was staring, watching the town and its residents. He had hoped the first time he stepped into the house, the first time since he was a child, it would be in broad daylight, but now he wasn’t sure that was possible. He pulled his hat down a little tighter and began walking towards his family’s ancestral home.
Although he hadn’t been too that house or even this town since he was a child, he knew all too well of how his family had terrorized the people of this town. It was his great-great-grandfather who had started the town and it was his family that owned most of the town. They owned the mill, the mines, and the shipyards. As the last surviving member of the Ashford family, he owned them now.
As he headed towards the house lighting flashed behind it making it look alive, making it look alive and evil. Maybe it was he thought. He walked on.
As he walked he tried to remember the last time he was there. He was very and all he could recall was his father and grandfather arguing. He thought it was about his mother and how his grandfather didn’t think she was worthy of the Ashford name. Within the year she would die, his grandfather would use that as proof that she wasn’t and made that point at her funeral. His father. Hell he had never forgiven him. His grandfather would outlive his father by 10 years, dying 3 months before his arrival in Clearview.
The rain died as he neared thee entrance to the property. He saw the front gate, it was rusted and swung freely on its hinges, created an eerie sound that carried on the wind. Above the gate written in old wrought iron was the name “Heaven’s gate”. Heaven’s gate, he thought as he passed through and onto the grounds, Heaven’s gate, he wondered, am I entering heaven or leaving it?
As he started up the sloping path towards the house the wind suddenly changed direction and he heard the gate slam close behind him. He turned to look and passed the incident off as hilltop wind. When he got to the front porch, he shook off the rain as much as he could, retrieved some old iron keys from his coat, and entered the old house.
Prior to his arrival he had sent money and instruction to have the house cleaned, wood cut for the fireplace, and lamps filled with oil. As he shook off the rain from his coat he peered around and saw that all he had required had been done. He hung hit hat and coat on the pegs up the door and went into the main room to light a fire. It took a minute for the fire to catch, but once it did he could feel the warmth chasing the cold out of his bones.
As he was warming himself by the fire he heard a loud crash coming from upstairs
He grabbed an oil lantern, lit the wick, and proceeded to explore his new house and the look for the source of the disturbance.
As he climbed the stairs he saw the rail go completely around the stairwell. He could see all the doors from the stairs except for one. There was a short hallway off to the left of the stairwell. He could hear a low scrapping sound coming from behind that door. He slowly walked towards it. The scrapping sound got longer and deeper as he grew closer. He reached for the door handle when something crashed into thee door from the other side. The door rocked in its frame. He took a quick step back. Although he was still cold from his walk to Heaven's Gate he was beginning to sweat. Then all of a sudden everything went quiet. Not a sound could be heard. He reached for the door again and just before he touched the doorknob the door began to swing slowly inward, creaking loudly as it opened.
He held the lamp in front of him as he entered the room. It was cold. The storm was picking up and the whole house had yet to warm from the fires he built, but in this room it was so cold he could see his breath. There was one window in the room on the opposite wall from the door. Along the wall was a small four corner post bed. Shelves adorned the walls. On the shelves sat dolls of all shapes and sizes. Each doll had a unique hand painted porcelain face and fancy dresses
Along the other was was a small dresser and a bookcase filled with books. A rocking chair sat in the corner near the window. He stepped nearer to the bookcase when the rocking chair began to slowly rock.
He turned slowly around. The dolls had all turned their heads to face him, he then looked at the rocking chair. Sitting there was a woman in a white dress and she was holding a small child. He could see them but he could also see threw them, he gasped. The woman looked up at me and put one finger to her lips and made the gesture to be quiet. He backed slowly out of the room. Once he got out of the room the woman and child disappeared, the rocker quit moving, and the door slammed shut. He grabbed the knob again but it was locked again. He quickly turned and ran downstairs and back into the sitting room where the fire he started was still going.
He had seen that the liquor was replenished as he had requested. And went over and poured him a strong drink. The dark liquid warmed him from the inside as he swallowed That one down is one gulp. He poured another drink and went to sit by the fire to warm up. He supped this glass and felt his nerves begin to calm. He kept thinking it must be a trick of the light or that he was just exhausted and seeing things. There was no apparition, ghost don't exist he told himself over and over, but he saw it, he felt the cold. He knew what he saw was true, he just didn't want to believe.
He decided he needed some food, but had no desire to leave the warmth and safety of the fire. His hunger over came him and so he steeled his nerves, grabbed the lantern, and headed towards what he hoped was the kitchen.
When he entered the kitchen after a few wrong turns, he noticed some bread on the table. His first thought was to grab the bread and return to the warmth and safety of the fire, but he decided to loon through the cupboards and the pantry. He was able to find some cheese and wine. As he gathered his bounty he heard a banging sound. At first he thought it was someone at the front door and cod not fathom who could possibly have tramped through this weather at this time of night, but as he listened closer he realized the sound was getting louder and closer. It was inside the house
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