The wooden floor moaned beneath her worn dark black boots as she passed through the threshold. The wide-eyed girl sucked the place in with distaste. Grimacing, she looked over her shoulder at broad shouldered man coming from behind her; a box marked 'Ellie' in his arms.
"I don't like it,"
"You don't like anything," he replied, passing her and placing the box, with force, on the staircase. "Pick your room and put your shit in it."
She made a noise of disgust. "If this is how you're going to treat me until August, I think I'd rather go into foster care."
"By all means, go ahead. I'm not sure if I can wait until you're 18 and aren't a constant pain in my ass."
"Perhaps I'll stop being a pain in your ass when you've managed to pull your head out of it?" Ellie remarked, grabbing her box and making her way up the stairs more slowly than a slug, dragging her boots as though they weighed a thousand pounds. She halted when she heard a discouraged sigh from behind her.
"Why don't you like it, Elle?" her brother questioned, running his fingers through his rusty hair. A look of defeat consuming his features. "I've been doing my best. I know you like this old shit. It is the best we could get without spending all of the money Mom and Dad left you for college. I only make so much money off of the show and... well, it is furnished and big and you'll be entertained until you leave."
"Wren!" Ellie stopped him, sitting on the steps and patting the space beside her. He took it up and let another gust of air escape him. "I like the house. It is nice- I suppose. I'm just being a bitch. I just got a little shiver when I walked in. I probably just caught a whiff of your disgusting cologne."
He tugged on a strand of her long auburn hair and she retaliated with a shoulder smack as she grabbed her box and began to speed up the stairs. "Shotty the master bedroom!"
Wren huffed- it was his thing. "Yes, because it makes so much sense for you live in maximum luxury. I only pay for this house."
"Stop whining!" Ellie called from the upstairs hallway. She slowed her pace, shifting the box uncomfortably.
She glimpsed into each room that she passed; each room like a preview, a memory of someone else's life. She knew that the sheets and the photos were the real-estate agent's standard setup. Alas, it was as though she could hear the voices of the past residents, feel the weight of their footsteps behind her. There it was again, the chill of her spine.
There was a cry of old wood. It carried her eyes to the end of the hall, a closed door. Ellie's legs carried her to it- thoughtlessly. She dropped the box in front of the oak and, hesitantly, twisted the silver handle. She was unsure of what she was expecting; a stray bird fluttering around the room, a squatter, or an insane serial killer who preyed on young girls who have recently moved into old Victorian styled houses.
In the end, all she found was a dimmed room- the only light sourced from the rays that were sneaking through the violet velvet drapes that dulled over the windows. She sniffed the place; a hint she had always practiced. Her father, as a chef had taught her that smell was the best judge of character; sight was deceiving and whispers bathed themselves in lies. The dark room's only scent was floral; perfume.
She paced out of the room lightly and back in hastily, kicking her box noisily through the doorway as she heard Wren calling her downstairs for help.
The siblings sat at the island. The scent of Chinese takeout filled the kitchen air as Wren stuffed his face full of egg rolls and Ellie glared at the grease resting on her plate. The evil glances she wad throwing the meal in front of her did not go unnoticed- Wren, in between bites, had caught his sisters avoidance.
"Eat," Wren stated. He did not wait for his younger sister's response. "Eat or I will throw you right back into the hospital."
Ellie picked up the plastic fork that had been taunting her since the meal began. She stabbed her sautéed broccoli with force.
"Happy?" she asked, fighting urge to spit the vegetable at his face.
There was silence as they ate, or rather- Wren inhaled and Ellie nibbled. Until there was a gently knock at the backdoor. The sibligs shared a lok of confusion; they knew no one in the neighborhood. Who would be by to see them so late?
"I'm not answering it," Ellie stated, sitting at the island unphazed and glaring down at her dinner with nothing but pure hatred. Her brother sighed, pushed away from his food and made his way towards the door in a sloth-like manner before groping the handle of the door and tearing it open.
"Oh, hello," said the long limbed seductress leaning in the doorway. A smile across her rouged lips, matching her dark red hair, she introduced herself. "I thought you would never answer. I'm Moira- the maid. I'm sure the realtor explained?"
Wren had never been much of a ladykiller. He was handsome, fit, and intelligent. Alas, he had always had better luck putting his words on paper than actually voicing them- especially whilst surrounded by beautiful women scarcely clothed in a maid's uniform.
"A-actually, no. Miss Dickens hadn't mentioned it. I'm not so sure that we can afford it to be honest," he said, not even attempting to be suave.
"Oh, no worries. I'm paid for. The previous owners wished to leave me employed until I could find another job. They've agreed to pay for me to keep the house clean. And, you get a nice house for free."
Wren clapped his hands together. "Thank fuck! Sorry- mind my language. I have no idea how to keep house and my sister refuses to do anything I say."
"Sister?" Moira questioned with a smile.
"Yeah," Wren nodded, turning around to introduce Moira and his sibling. "This is..."
Ellie's seat was empty and her plate was only half touched. Wren rolled his eyes and returned to face Moira.
"Well, her name is Ellie. I'm sure you'll see her around. Very sulky, angsty, despises authority."
"I know the type," Moira winked. She placed a hand on Wren's arm, squeezing. "I'm afraid you haven't told me your name yet."
Wren stared at her hand, shook his head, and proceeded to respond: "Oh, what an idiot I am. I'm Wren Yates."
Moira leaned into Wren. "I'll start tomorrow Mr. Yates. I look very forward to working for you."
She was splitting open from the back. The seams of her scar ripped open with every breath, every scream. Yet, no one would listen. No one came for her. She was twisting around, squirming. She watched as her reddy-golden locks swirled around her face as though she was beneath the sea. And, with that realization, she was pale and naked. She was split open and twisting. She couldn't breathe.
"Leave," the flower screamed. "Leave!"
Ellie rose up from her bed, the sheets stained with the cold sweat that rested on her white skin. She pushed her tiny fingers through her hair and stared at the clock beside her bed. The early morning hours illuminated the pills that we supposed to kill the nightmares.
"Useless,"
Ellie fought the urge to chuck the orange bottle out the open window as there were more urgent matters to attend to. She lifted her hands to her spine; feeling the ribbed scar from the base of her back to her neck. She strained her arms assuring herself that the scar hadn't split open.
It hadn't; it never had and all of the doctors had assured her that it would never. She let a sigh of relief escape her lips.
"Bad dreams?" asked Wren through the yellow crack in the door. A glass of water rested in his hand and a concerned look rested on his face.
"How'd you know?" Ellie cleared her throat.
"You kept telling someone to leave; I could hear you from downstairs."
"Fucking pills are useless," she huffed. "Did you find a doctor out here for me yet?"
He shook his head. "I will. Tomorrow. I promise."
She nodded. "You can fuck off now, Wren."
"Love you, too." Wren shut the door behind him, leaving his sister alone in the dark with her demons.
A/N: I'm never good at following through with fanfiction. I'm just really in love with AHS and I wanted to write something whilst we waited for next season. I started a bit early, though. Who else is super-duper excited for 'Afterbirth'? Anyhow, there will be more to come in Murder House for Ellie and Wren. Muahaha.