Today’s crap hole had been left to rot for years.
It was a typical rubbish dump. Broken glass, burnt clothing, and empty food cartons had been strewn everywhere. Apart from a few broken pieces of furniture and an old washing machine, the place was completely deserted. The worse thing was the smell; it reeked like an old pub toilet that had been left to die.
After rooting around the junk for a few minutes, I realised that anything worth selling had already been burnt, stolen, or smashed to pieces. It was hopeless.
Then I saw ‘em.
Two little faces, like little children staring up at me in the dark, begging me to take them home. I shoved ‘em under me coat and carried on working. I know I should have declared ‘em to the boss, but what kind of dad would I be if I didn’t take something home for my kid?
For my little Janie.
* * * * *
“Coming, ready or not!”
Granny’s house was great for hide and seek. There were so many places to hide. Large four-poster beds you could fit an elephant under, airing cupboards that went on forever, and musty old wardrobes the size of— Yes! That was it; Will must be hiding in Granny’s bedroom.
“Come on Fluffy, let’s go and find the evil fat one.”
Joe Harper loved his old brown bear more than anyone else in the whole world. Fluffy was a bit tatty and one of his eyes was missing, but he was still Joe’s pal. They were best friends.
The two adventurers ran up the almost vertical stairs, skidded round the corner, and bounded across the landing in hot pursuit of the blubber king. Joe wouldn’t actually call his brother names to his face, as that would usually result in a dead arm, but it was still fun when he wasn’t around.
Gran’s bedroom had a strange aroma like old leather and cheap perfume. It was a smell that would instantly remind Joe of his Gran. He made straight for the mahogany wardrobe that stood like an oversized coffin in the corner of the room and grabbed hold of the brass handles. He took a deep breath then yanked open the doors. “Found you!”
“Oh for God’s sake, how did you know I was in here?”
His brother Will sprang out of the wardrobe and snatched Fluffy from Joe’s arms.
“Give him back.”
Will held the bear up high, just out of reach.
“You’re hurting him,” Joe said, jumping up and down and grabbing at thin air.
“Don’t be stupid, he’s only a toy, you idiot,” Will said. “He doesn’t have feelings, you know.”
“Yes, he does!” Joe screamed. “Let him go!”
“Oh, so you want me to let him go, do you?” Will ran to an open window and hung Fluffy out by his legs. “Okay, I’ll let him go then.”
“No!”
Will threw Fluffy into Joe’s outstretched arms. “All right, calm down, you little baby.”
Joe caught Fluffy and sat down, cradling his bear safe in his arms. Tears ran down his face leaving clean lines over his grubby cheeks.
“Come on, stop crying,” Will said. “It’s your turn to hide.” And without waiting, he turned round and started counting.
Even though Joe hated it when Will picked on him, he was glad he had a big brother. He was still a fatty, though.
Joe ran down to the big cupboard under the stairs. It was a good place to hide, but the thought of big, black, hairy spiders just waiting to jump out at him made him find somewhere else. He tried the kitchen, but Granny was chopping vegetables for dinner and she wouldn’t let him in because of the hot oven. Joe started to panic.
Then he had an idea.
It was perfect.
Joe ran back up the stairs to the back bedroom. This was the only room he wasn’t allowed to go in, but the thought of actually losing the game horrified him. He couldn’t lose to Will, it just wasn’t right. Joe was the clever one, not Fat-boy. He focused on the door. The pink name plaque seemed to glow in the murky light of the hallway.
Janie’s room.
No one ever talked about Janie.
Joe recalled his mum saying something about Janie being taken away a long time ago. Maybe she died? Joe thought. One thing he did know, was that if Granny found out he’d gone in Janie’s room, she’d have a heart attack.
Carefully Joe placed his hand on the shiny brass doorknob. He gasped. It was freezing cold. He looked at Fluffy for an answer, but the old bear remained silent. A voice in Joe’s head warned him not to go in, but he couldn’t lose the game.
The door clicked open.
“Oh... my... God!”
The room was full of toys.
There were teddy bears, a dolls’ house, a big fire truck, toy cars, and loads of other brightly coloured goodies. It was amazing. Joe could almost hear the toys begging to be played with. “Look at all the toys, Fluffy.”
The room was a typical girl’s room, with pastel shades and butterflies adorning the walls. It felt like Janie might walk in at any minute and scream at you to get out. On the far wall, under the windowsill, there was a large wooden box. It would be a tight fit, but it might just work. Joe climbed in and lowered the lid down softly. He smiled to himself. Will would never find him in here.
Joe lay in the box listening to doors opening and closing as Will searched all the other rooms. Then he heard the door open, and slow, deliberate footsteps entered the room. He bit his lip and prayed that it was Will and not Granny.
“I know you’re in here, Joe,” Will said. “I’m telling Gran. You know you’re not allowed in Janie’s room.”
Joe sneezed.
“So you’re in the box, are you?” Will laughed.
Joe heard a crunch as Will sat down on the lid of the chest. It felt like it was going to cave in. “Okay, you got me. I’m it now.”
“Don’t think so, loser.”
Joe tried to lift the lid, but it was too heavy. “Come on Will, this isn’t fair,” he said. “I’ll tell Mum.”
“I doubt it, Mum isn’t here.”
“Please let me out, Will, it’s dark in here.”
“I’m not falling for that old trick again.”
“Just get off the box, fatty!”
“What did you call me?”
Joe had crossed the line. “I’m sorry, Will, just let me out. Please.”
There was a loud scraping noise, like someone moving furniture. “What are you doing?” Something heavy landed on the chest. Joe tried again to push up the lid but it wouldn’t budge. Whatever Will had put on top was too heavy for him to lift. “Come back, Will!”
Silence.
Joe was trapped.
He didn’t want to call his Gran and get into trouble, so he just lay there in the dark hoping that his brother would come back soon. Surely he wouldn’t leave him too long... would he?
Joe lay in that box for a long time.
Then he began to hear voices.
Whispers.
* * * * *
Will Harper stumbled down the stairs laughing his head off. He loved to wind up his little brother; it was like a little hobby. Maybe he’d let Joe squirm just a little longer, and then he’d go and let him out. If anything, it would do him good. Joe could be a right sissy sometimes.
He got to the bottom of the stairs and headed out into the back garden. If Granny found out they’d been in Janie’s room, she’d have a seizure. That room was well creepy, with all those dolls staring down at you from all angles.
A shiver rippled down his spine.
“You boys behave out there,” came Granny’s weak voice from the kitchen.
“We will, Gran.”
He strutted over to a wooden bench at the back of the garden, slumped down and breathed in the city air. The only reason he tolerated coming to Granny’s house was because the city was a lot more fun than the boring countryside. In Dorset there was absolutely nothing to do. No parties, no excitement, and not enough pretty girls. That was the thing about the city: everywhere you looked there was a sexy young girl all dressed in the latest fashions, showing off as much bare skin they could get away with. If only he could pluck up the courage to actually talk to some of them, then maybe then he could—
“Hello.”
The vision leaning over the wooden fence of the garden next door was totally stunning. She looked a bit older than Will; maybe sixteen or seventeen, and she wore a tight yellow top which clung to her small breasts.
“Hi, I’m Rhiannon.”
Will froze. He didn’t know what to say. It was ridiculous, finally he had the chance to talk to a real girl, and he couldn’t even string two words together.
“I haven’t seen you round here before,” Rhiannon said.
“No, I’m visiting my Gran.” Will’s voice had taken on a high-pitched tone. “Hi, I’m Will.” He realised he was staring at her breasts like a dog stares at food, except he wasn’t drooling... yet. “Do you wanna go for a walk?” Will sounded like a psychopath. “I mean, you know, if you want to.”
Rhiannon smiled. “Okay.”
Will couldn’t believe his luck.
* * * * *
At first Joe thought the whisper had come from outside. Maybe it was Will playing tricks on him? He focused and listened again. Nothing. He must have imagined it. It was so dark in the box; the only light he had was a thin beam that pierced through a small crack in the wood, and it smelt of old people. What if Will never comes back? Joe thought.
He knew that he didn’t always get on with his brother, but this wasn’t fair. The joke had gone on long enough. Joe didn’t care if Granny found out that they’d been in Janie’s room; he just wanted to be let out. “Help. I’m upstairs in the—”
Another whisper?
Yes, there it was again. It was quiet but he could definitely hear someone talking. He held Fluffy tight to his chest. It was weird, sometimes the whisper was high pitched, and the next minute it was lower. Then it soon became obvious why the voices were different.
They came from two different mouths.
There was one male and one female voice and they were arguing with each other. It sounded like a Punch and Judy show. Maybe he should try and communicate? “Hello, is anyone there?”
No answer.
“Hello, can you hear me?”
Silence.
Joe tried again. “Hello is there anybody—”
“Hello.”
He jolted. The whisper had answered him.
“Hello Joe.” It was the female voice.
Joe couldn’t believe what was happening. He’d completely forgotten he was trapped in the box. “How do you know my name?”
No answer.
“Oh come on, please talk to me again.”
He waited.
Then the male voice spoke.
Joe wished it hadn’t.
* * * * *
Will Harper was in a dream world.
He felt like he was floating on air. Colours were brighter, the birdsong sweeter and Rhiannon? Well, she was just amazing. Everything about her was perfect.
“So, how old are you?” Rhiannon said.
“I’m nearly sixteen.”
“That’s, like, really cool, cus my birthday is in two weeks.” Rhiannon flicked her hair out of her face. “So that means that we’re the same age.”
Will looked around, trying not to stare at her breasts again; he was starting to feel light-headed. God, she is so pretty. He took a deep breath. “What shall we do now, then?”
“How ‘bout the park? It’s just round the corner and there’s usually an ice cream van parked up.” Rhiannon jumped up. “Fancy an ice cream?”
“Yeah, sounds good.” Maybe an ice cream might cool him down. “I’ll pay.”
“Hey, thanks.” She looked at him and smiled. “You know, you’re kinda cool, you know, for a boy.”
He felt his face go red. “Thanks, you’re pretty cool yourself.”
Will didn’t want this day to ever come to an end.
* * * * *
“Come on, Molly, let’s kill him.”
“No, Jack! You promised,” Molly replied.
“But why can’t I just kill the little brat?”
“Because we made an agreement. Remember?”
Something moved in the darkness of the box. Joe could feel it pressing up against his body. He tried to pull his legs up to his chest, but there wasn’t enough room. He kicked out hard, trying to shake off the invisible intruder.
“Why don’t you just leave him alone?” Molly said.
“Oh yeah, and what you gonna do if I don’t?”
“Get off me!”
“Not this time, Molly.”
“Please Jack, no.”
Joe didn’t know if he was dreaming or still awake. He couldn’t tell if the voices were in his head or for real. “Just stop it!” he screamed.
But the voices weren’t listening.
* * * * *
“Higher!” Rhiannon shrieked. “Come on Will, what are you, a man or a mouse?”
“I’m trying my best.” Will gave the swing one last push. “Right that’s it, I can’t do it any more. I’m exhausted.” He plodded over to a shady tree and collapsed on the warm grass. He watched Rhiannon, completely mesmerized. She was so beautiful; like an angel sent from heaven. She made him feel things that he’d never felt before. Maybe he was in love?
Will looked around the park; it was full of happy people. Parents proudly pushed their children on the swings, old men walked their dogs, and lovers lay on the hot grass teasing and smiling at each other. Let them stare at me now, he thought.
Rhiannon joined him on the grass. “What shall we do now, then?”
Will scratched his head and looked at the floor. “I don’t really mind.” His blood raced round his body like liquid fuel. There was an aching in his groin that was begging to be cured.
“Have you ever kissed a girl?”
Will felt like he had been smacked in the mouth. “No... I mean... yes.”
“Well, make your mind up, silly.”
“Okay, no I haven’t, well not really anyway.”
She giggled and looked around the busy park. “So, do you want to?”
“Yes!” Will said, sounding a little too eager. “I mean, yes please. If it’s okay with you.”
All his life had led up to this moment. He was actually going to kiss a girl, to touch lips together with a beautiful girl. If life gets better than this then Will wanted more. Then a thought flashed into Will’s head, stopping him dead in his tracks. Maybe it’s a wind up? His excitement sunk and instantly he was the fat kid in the class again. “This isn’t some sort of joke, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m sorry, but today has been so amazing it seems a bit like a dream,” he said. “A dream that I don’t want to end.”
“I really like you, Will,” she smiled. “Okay?”
He smiled back. “Okay.”
Slowly their young heads moved closer. Their lips almost touched.
“Wait,” Rhiannon said.
He knew it.
She took his hand in hers and looked him in the eyes. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”
“Of course I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Not even your little brother.”
Oh my fucking God!
* * * * *
Joe pressed his palms against his ears, trying to block out the deathly, ear-piercing wail that had erupted from inside the old box. The noise was awful, like someone being tortured. Who were these people? Why were they in his head?
Slowly Joe took his hands away from his ears.
The screaming had stopped.
Joe almost smiled.
“So then, young man,” said a whisper from the dark. “What are we going to do with you?”
Jack was back.
“What do you want from me?” Joe cried.
“What do I want?” Jack laughed. “You come into my box, and then ask me what I want. You fucking people make me sick.”
Joe felt something moving up the side of his body, working its way further up towards his head. “Who are you?” Joe said.
Silence.
Then Jack whispered in Joe’s ear. “I’ll tell you who I fucking am, little boy. I’m the one your Granddad forgot to burn.”
Joe was in shock. “What are you talking about, I didn’t even know my Granddad, how can I—”
“Well, lucky fucking you,” Jack sneered. “Because I got to know him quite well, and his little bitch of a daughter, Janie.”
“Leave my Granddad alone!”
“He tried to kill me!”
There was more movement in the box.
“And now, I’m going to kill you.”
Small, soft hands pressed against Joe’s lips, trying to force them open. He tried to pull them away but the blood had left his arms and they wouldn’t move. He bit down hard, determined not to open his mouth. But the soft hands moved up his face and gripped his nose. His head felt like it was going to explode.
He had to take a breath.
* * * * *
Will barged through the back door and ran up the stairs.
“Slow down, young man. You’ll do someone an injury running round like that,” Granny said.
Will’s eyes searched the room. “Where’s Joe?”
“I thought he was with you, dear?”
“He was, but we were playing hide and seek and...” Will hesitated. “We went in Janie’s room.”
“You went in Janie’s room?”
“I’m sorry Gran, we were just playing and Joe...”
Granny looked at the pink name plaque on the bedroom door. “What have you done?”
Will slammed against Janie’s door. It was locked. He rattled it hard to try and get it to open, but it wouldn’t budge. “Gran, the door's locked.”
But Granny wasn’t listening.
“I told your Grandfather to burn them, but he wouldn’t do it. He said they were Janie’s, and he wasn’t going to burn anything that belonged to his beloved Janie.”
This was insane. Will took a run up, and ran at full speed into the door. The lock held. He took another run and, using all his weight, smashed into the door, which exploded inwards off its hinges. Will landed face down on the floor and looked up. Dolls and teddy bears stared down at him from above, as if they knew he would come; some of them looked like they were laughing.
“He should have burned them while he still had the strength.” Granny shook her head. “But he never listened to me.”
Will didn’t understand. “Come on Granny, we need to—”
“It was his fault from the start,” she continued. “He should have left them where he found them. In that bloody house.” She smiled. “But he always had to bring something home for Janie.”
Will crawled over to the chest and wrenched open the lid. “Please God, no!”
The face of his dead brother stared up at him.
There was blood all over the inside of the box, and a milky red fluid dripped out of Joe’s nose. His bloodshot eyes looked up at Will, searching for an answer.
And there, hanging out of his mouth, was a small rag doll. Its red and white striped legs dangled over Joe’s swollen lips as if he’d tried to swallow it whole.
Who did this to you, Joe?
Then Will saw it.
Sitting next to his brother’s dead body was an old Jack in the Box. Its evil clown face looked up at him with a smile.
“Please wake up, Joe,” Will cried. He pulled his brother free from the battered old chest, and laid his limp body on the floor. None of this made any sense. “Please Granny, help me,” he sobbed.
Granny sat down on Janie’s bed. “When your Grandfather found those toys he didn’t know whose they were. He just wanted to bring something home for his little angel.”
“I don’t understand.”
“There were two children that were murdered in that house, you know. Two young souls taken from God’s earth before their time.” She moved closer to him, talking softly. “They were so young, Will.”
Will knelt in silence.
“Those little toys wanted to be back in that house where they belonged, not here with Janie.” A tear ran down over her translucent cheek. “So they killed her.” Granny stood up and walked over to the old box. “And now they’ve killed poor little Joe.”
Granny leaned into the box and picked up Joe’s teddy. “Your Grandfather stole the only thing that could comfort the souls of those dead kids.”
She held Fluffy to her chest and smiled.
“Their toys.”
Travis James' story “Bloodline” has been included in New Voices In Horror Volume 1# Anthology, published by Turner Maxwell Books. Travis also won the Story of The Month at SNM Magazine for his story "The Suffering". It was published on their site in December 2008 and will also be featured in their anthology, Bonded In Blood 2, to be released in January 2010. More details can be found at travisjames.weebly.com
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