Chapter 10: Perhaps Brunet

I stepped out of the house with Mabel screaming after me. Shmee was tucked under my shoulder and Meatloaf was in my suitcase.

The air was strong with humidity that always came with the summer.

I was somewhat comforted to know that it had not turned to Fall and that I had not forgotten too much of the time. I walked down the empty street, toward my old home, and kept to the dark.

Large circles of light bounced off the ground and hit the side of my face as I trudged forward.

"Don't do it, Todd," Shmee whispered to me.

"He's right, Shmee. For once, Meatloaf is right. I can't handle Mabel any more and that house cannot be as bad as this one. How do I know if what I saw as a child wasn't a nightmare? It was always night when I saw him… How do I know it wasn't just a dream?"

"Because it wasn't! Despite what you think, Todd, me and you are two separate beings now. I may have been a part of your mind when you were a child, but I've become my own entity now. I know what you have done in your life. I can no longer see your dreams. I know what's real and what isn't."

"Yes, but how do you know what you saw in my dreams back then were real or not? What if we both thought a dream or dreams I had back then were real? What if my insane neighbor isn't even real?" Fear clenched my heart and I started to yell. "How do you know if any of this is real?"

"It is real, Todd! It's real and it's happening! Don't lose yourself! Don't go to that house! Don't expose your mind right to the source!" He screamed back with the same intensity as my own.

Another beam of light hit the side of my face.

I stood in front of the home I grew up in and I was not surprised to see that it had not changed. I could not remember how long I had been away, since I no longer knew the date, but I did not believe that it would ever be something different.

It would never change.

"Reconsider this, Todd. Please. Listen to me for once! Don't go to that house!" Desperate sounding, Shmee beat lightly against my arms, screaming for me to stop.

I never stopped.

I walked up to the shack and walked in easily.

The room was cold and a sudden spike of frost drove up my spine. The noose that hung in the corner closest to me gave me a bad feeling while the wall to the left gave an even worse feeling.

It was a rust color.

A feeling of foreboding washed over me as I stepped further into the home. I set my suitcase down and turned around carefully, taking all the room in.

It was hard to believe that such an insane man may have once lived there.

"You still have a chance to leave, Todd. It's not a finalized decision yet. Get out while you can. Get out while the house still allows you to." Shmee whispered harshly.

Something rumbling filled my ears and I looked around more; even more careful and calculating this time around.

"You worry too much, Shmee. This house may have had a killer in it, but it's not possessed." I replied and walked towards the only hallway that branched from the front room.

The hallway was dark; the low amount of streetlamp light making it into the room grew even smaller as I walked further down the hall.

My fingers trailed against the bumpy wall, sending fear shivers up and down my form. I had the distinct feeling that the walls were growing closer the further I went and I would not have been surprised it I had to stop because my shoulders would became stuck…

My hand slid over a light switch, making my body jump with surprise. I flipped the switch up and a grainy, yellow light did a sunburst above my head. My vision spun for a split of a second before I focused on the hallway once more.

"Stop, Todd!" Shmee begged, voice cracking slightly as he yelled once more. He flailed a little over my arm, "Please stop, please! Listen to me for once..! Listen!"

I continued my trek.

The hallway led me to a lone door; a door that radiated a dark aura.

My mind must have stopped working at that very instant, because I continued on.

The rumble grew louder; shifting more to fuzz that was a lot like white noise.

The room behind the door had its lights on already, flickering and humming.

Another cog of fear assembled into the clock that was my body but I continued forward.

The room was somewhat normal, considering the last occupant. In fact, the only thing that was off was the gun that was supported up on a strange machine… that was connected to the telephone.

There was a vanity mirror against the wall across and to the side from the door and a reflection of two painted doughboys reflected in it.

I looked to my side and jumped with fright at the sight of the two Styrofoam doughboys nailed to the wall with knives.

"Get out of here,"

I barely registered Shmee's words. Instead, I was listening to what I believed was coming from the two figures. Despite the better instincts of my own, I leaned forward; eyes squinted, and kept my ears keen.

A low murmur came from both of the painted creatures but if they were saying anything, it was illegible.

I was comforted only slightly about this.

At least they would not bother me like the others.

I walked over to the mirror and looked at myself for the first time in what seemed to be forever. My hair had grown decently long, much to my surprise. It was down to the nap of my neck and my bangs were long enough to tuck behind my ears. It was shiny with grease. A beard was starting to sprout from my chin and I looked surprisingly old, considering how I was only a young adult.

But a fuzzy chin was the least of my problems at that time…

What was I going to do then?

I was so overwhelmed with Mabel and Meatloaf and VC, I had forgotten about a career motive. I still needed to get one to get an apartment. I needed one to start my life again.

I set Shmee down on the vanity and turned to the opening in the wall that led to the kitchen.

"Todd! Todd, stop!"

It appeared to be like any other kitchen. There was a very thick layer of dust all over. In the corner sat a humming refrigerator.

I opened it to find nothing inside it, which made my nerves settle a little.

"Todd," Shmee scuttled to my side and gripped my pant leg.

"Yes?" I asked, looking down at him.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked me, voice hovering with fear.

"Am I acting strange? I don't think there's anything wrong with me," I replied, seeming stiff even to my own ears.

"Yes! Can't you see how much you're changing? Why are you listening so intently to Meatloaf? Why are you ignoring me?" He asked; face giving a look of hurt.

I stared at the burger boy figurine on the counter with a fixated stare before I glanced back at Shmee, "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm ignoring you. It's strange, but I'm really curious to see what's in this house. And for your information, I'm not listening to Meatloaf more than I usually do. He just had a logical idea and I had no other choices! Where would I have gone if I listened to you? I can't get an apartment like you suggested, since I have no money and no job!" I shouted back at him.

"Does it matter where you go? Does it? Artists suffer for their art; and yours is writing! I just want what's best for you, Todd! And this place is not even close to the best for you! This house will be the end of you! Get out while you still can. The house is already starting to bond with you! Before you know it, no matter how hard you want to leave you won't be able to!" He fired back, climbing up my pant leg and pulling himself onto the counter.

He motioned at me, venting his frustration.

I leaned over him, my hands clenched angrily onto the edge of the marble counter. My body flashed white hot and my vision blurred. "I don't want to suffer anymore! I don't want my luck to be so bad! I've dealt with enough of this in my life! When will my good life come? When will all of this bad luck end? When will I be able to live my life in peace?" I ground my teeth together.

"When will karma finally give me what I deserve?" I yelled sharply and turned around. I marched into the main room and towards the stairs.

"Wait, Todd!" Shmee screamed after me. He jumped off of the counter and ran after me.

I flipped on the lights and stepped down one step. I slammed the door shut behind me.

I heard Shmee claw against the door, begging me to open it.

I descended down, faster and harsh. By the sixth floor, my mind had finally cleared from my anger and I started to feel horrible.

What had I done?

I stepped further down, making it to small 'resting' areas that contained freakish graffiti that both frightened me and made my curiosity grow.

I had screamed at my best friend and I had shut him out…

I was all alone…

I was such a bad friend.

The lights for each level were on for an unknown reason and as I made my way further, I found that the lights became more faltering and more surreal.

I entered a long hallway that extended from a small door. There were so many doors branching from the hall, I was not sure where to go first. I started with the closest door to my left.

The room was dark and I could feel no light switch.

My eyes grew wide as my feet stepped further in. My temples pounded and a spike of pain struck through my head.

My vision disappeared...