I know I still have two fics to finish but I just can't get this idea away from my head. I'm sorry.
There Are No Skeletons in the Closet
"Do not open this closet. Ever," the landlady said. But Arya is Arya. And when someone told her not to open a closet, she will, of course, open it.
Arya knew the house was trouble when she walked in.
Her skin prickled when she stepped her feet inside the house, a warning that she should have listened to in the first place. Something is wrong here her subconscious told her so but Arya never listen to anyone, not even to her subconscious. So she let her friends take each of her hand and gasped around at the house's tapestry, ignoring that gnawing feeling against her stomach.
"So this crib used to be a castle?" her friend Meera asked.
"This is where the Smallwood Castle used to stand," the landlady answered. Her landlady's name is Mel. Arya couldn't point out if her blood red hair is real or fake. No one has a hair redder than this woman. "This house used to be the guestroom of the castle and also the dirty kitchen."
"Smallwood Castle was owned by House Smallwood, right? Back in the Middle Ages?" Loras said excitedly. Mel nodded and so Loras clapped his hands, "Sigil six brown acorns, 3-2-1, on yellow. Motto: From These Beginnings."
"God, you're a nerd!" Arya nudged Loras' stomach. Loras rolled his brown eyes then adjusted his eyeglasses.
"I'm a History major. I should know this," Loras retorted back.
The three continued to look around the house where a castle used to stand. Loras kept on telling them about what happened to the house; how outlaws used to seek refuge here, how it stayed strong throughout the wars even though it's not as great as the other castles.
The house was quaint but it has a charm on it. It's like a fairytale house. It's located in the middle of the forest, something that the Snow White and the Goldilocks of the world would have discovered. Red bricks made the walls strong, there's a small fireside in the living room, surrounded by knitted pillows and Myrish rugs. The floors are made of wood; the kitchen was small and painted with yellow. There are two bathrooms, each one located on the two floors of the house. There are three bedrooms one on the first floor, two on the second. Loras wanted the one on the first floor.
Meera and Loras fell in love with the house. Meera loved the rustic feel that the house exude. It will definitely bring her artistic flow back; she's a Fine Arts student back in the Uni. Loras loved the way it resembled her porn fairytales. He can bring his boyfriend back here and pretend that they're Snow White and the Huntsman. And Arya, well cannot say no.
They've been housemates since they entered the Riverrun Uni. They used to live at her Uncle's boarding house but since it needs renovations, they need to move. She grew found of these two weirdos. They seem to accept her weirdness, her lapses and they're cool with it. and also the rent was really low and it's not that far-off from the Uni.
But Arya didn't know why there's something about the castle-turned-house that nagged her. Something was very wrong here. But she's not a coward. Whatever she's feeling about this house will turn into nothing in no time. This was just jitters because she loves their old boarding house back in her Uncle's. A new house jitters.
She turned and saw the landlady staring at her. She looked away, trying to push back the goosebumps back to the insides of her skin.
~o~o~
"Is the house okay?"
No.
"Yes Mom. The house was fabulous," she lied. She's sitting on her old bed while hearing her mother ask her for the 150th time to how was she.
"Are you sure? That house is quite far from the main road."
"Mom, we all have cars. We can make it to the road in no time."
"What if there are thieves-"
"The landlady and her family's house are beside ours. We'll be safe."
She stood up and walked to the window. She saw the bungalow house that Mel, the landlady owns. Loras said that Mel has two, cute, redheaded kids. Her husband was only at home during the weekends. She asked Loras and Meera one time if they feel kinda icky whenever Mel is around. They said no.
Apparently she has gone paranoid.
"I'm just asking. I want you to be safe."
"I'm old enough Mom. I can take care of myself."
After a few more words with her mother, she put her phone down and continued to stare the greenery behind her glass windows.
It was truly a beautiful sight. The leaves are all as green as they could be, as if the rain that poured earlier painted it to become greener. Everything was vivid, even the sound of the birds flying outside the-
"I'm glad you're home."
Aray turned and her heart almost jumped out from her chest. Mel was standing beside the door, her red hair as red as ever. Arya could not make out of her eyes. She has a heart shaped face and a small smile on her lips that only annoyed Arya even more. But she bet her tits that if the woman is only younger and does not enter rooms without knocking, she would be beautiful.
"Don't you knock?" she asked harshly.
"I did knock Miss Arya. But it seemed that your mind was wandering a minute ago." The landlady kept on calling them Miss. Especially Loras. Even though they have told her not to bother.
"What do you want?"
Mel smiled fully now, "I just want to remind you Miss Arya to not open that closet."
"Excuse me?"
The woman pointed to the closet on the corner. The closet was not huge, made out of mahogany and by the looks of it, very old. Air travelled again against her skin, her heart doing big beats as if it's warning Arya. She looked back at Mel.
"Why? Why can't I open that closet?'
Mel smiled mysteriously, "Just hear what I say Miss Arya. That's one of the house rules in the house. Actually, the only house rule. Do not open that closet. There's another closet for you," she pointed to the other one in the corner. The one that looked like it belong to the quaint little house.
"Then why don't you just take that thing off from my room?" she asked.
"That closet has been here for ages, Miss Arya. The original Smallwoods has a one distinct order to us, the caretakers. Do not move that closet from its place. Do not open it. It's as simple as that. A simple request that simple people like me obeys. We do not want to make those who built this land angry, right?"
Arya rolled her eyes, "Fine. I won't."
It was a lie.
"Do not open the closet. Ever," the landlady warned her for the last time before going outside.
~o~o~
Arya did try her best not to open the closet.
She spent her days at the house mostly on the living room, on Loras' room, on Meera's room. She studied her Social Anthropology books outside, at the dining table. At the bathroom. Anywhere but her own room. It's just that whenever she's inside her room her eyes kept on wandering back to the closet, her mind filling up with Mel's words, "Do not open the closet."
And her body wants to open the closet. Badly.
But she resisted. She tried her best.
Loras and Meera made fun of her. Told her she's scared shit of her own room. She didn't tell them about the closet thing. She knows that when she does, they will urge her to open the damn thing. And if she does, she doesn't know what will happen. Probably the souls of the Smallwoods that lived here will haunt and hunt her forever. Or maybe she will ssee Mel smile to her, that mysterious smile, that will tell her, I knew you wouldn't resist.
But she can resist.
Until one night.
~o~o~
Arya couldn't sleep.
It was raining outside. A foul rain, it's every drop beating against the roof, as if it's angry and needs attention. Arya has been on the left side of her bed, on the right side. At the center. But no amount of sleep entered her mind to say hello. Nada. She closed her eyes, hugged herself.
After a few minutes, her body went limp, slowly but achingly peaceful. There. She can feel it. The nice little tinge that slowly travels her nerves, comforting her, making her fall asleep...
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Her eyes shot open, "Who's that?"
There was no answer.
She pulled her blanket up to her chest. There it was again. That air that screams trouble as it touched her already chilled skin.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
She realized that the loud knock came from the closet.
The fucking closet.
She heard a loud knock. And a loud groan. She can see a hand molding against the mahogany wood as it knock. A groan again. She didn't realize that there's a tear on her left cheek.
She's afraid. For the first time Arya Stark was afraid.
Arya should have run. Arya should have called her friends or even the landlady. Do not open the closet. Ever. Do not open the closet. Ever.
But Arya found herself standing up, her bare feet against the wooden floor. She heard a loud thunder outside and the raindrops seem to make louder noises. But there's nothing louder than the knock on the forbidden closet. Its sound assaulted her ears.
Fear cuts deeper than sword, an old book about sword fighting once told her. And she's not afraid. She kept telling herself as she walk towards the closet that she's not afraid.
"Do not open this closet. Ever," the landlady said. But Arya is Arya. And when someone told her not to open a closet, she will, of course, open it.
She took a deep breath, raised her hand up. She touched the cold handle of the door and opened it.
What's inside the closet?
This is two-shot, btw.
Reviews are loved.