Vial of Black Ink - The One On The Hill
Because tradition demands it.
The kid next to her josteled into her, but even so her gaze didn't move from the house they were all staring at.
Even with the moon out, the black pavement shining under the soft white light, it held an ominous glow, sitting atop that hill. It looked like it had been ripped right from pages of a bad fairy tale. The windows boarded up with jagged pieces of wood, broken glass glittering in the grass beneath them. Those thin glowing stalks of grass had to be higher than her waistline, hiding the bottom of the window sill from view. The panes on the roof were loose, some cracked with age or from the weather, others missing entirely and making the house look like a skeleton.
It was no wonder the children had stopped in their festives to look up at it. Expecting to see flashes of lightning, shadows forming clawed hands reaching out toward them. But the sky was clear; even so the building was no less mencacing.
"You go," One of the boys to her left said, pushing a friend towards the house.
"No!" they squealed in fright, pushing them back as they quickly stepped off the edge of the black pavement leading up to the house.
"Just make it to the rock, up there." Another child pointed to the stone that marked the half-way point up the hill.
For a moment there was squabbling among the costumed children before one finally shouted, "I'll do it!" and ran up the hill, placing their hand on the rock then running even faster back down to them. "The curtain moved!" they yelled.
"It was just the wind, you scaredy cat," another snapped back. Soon they were debating if the curtain really had moved or not as Hermione stared up at the house. According to the rumors a man lived there that looked half mad. He was the reason for the children's games now, especially on Halloween when they were trying to frighten one another.
She could feel a chill running down her own spine just from listening to the others, saying how the man ate squirrels alive without even skinning them and even more ridiculous notions. It was the holidays that were getting them so worked up. To test eachother with how close they could get to the door.
"Ring the bell!"
Another shout filled the air and after a moment Hermione darted forward, "I'll do it!" If she could ring the bell and show she was braver than them then maybe they would actually play with her on the playground. Instead of ignoring her, calling her weird and saying her hair was frizzy.
Her feet slammed against the pavement as she ran past the rock, a scuff mark from the latest child to run up the hill. She kept moving even as her bones grew cold, just from getting closer to the place. Hermione couldn't tell if it was the breeze or if the air around the house simply had a chill around it.
She didn't stop until she reached the door and stood there, breathing heavily as she stared at the darkk wood, numerous cracks running aong the surface. An odd symbol was carved into the door, looking much like the cross and pair of snakes that would be entwined above a hospital door. Upon looking closer though it was more like a thin stick, with chains wrapped around it, wings sprouting out from it.
With a steadying hand upon seeing the wings she pressed her finger against the small piece of black stone next to the door. It slid inward, but she heard no bell from within. Even so she stood still for a few seconds. Perhaps no one actually lived here. It looked too worn down to be a home to anyone.
A series of thuds from beyond made her whole body freeze, feet stuck to the rotting floorboards of the porch..When the door swung open she jumped nearly sky high.
Dark, liquid brown eyes fell on her. The corner of a lip twisting up into a sneer. "Is this all?" The man let out a snort as he gazed down at her, hair unkempt and hanging in clumps around his face. "If this is Braun's idea of a joke, it's a terrible one. Well, what are you doing? Get inside," without another word his hand grasped her arm and she was pulled into the shadows of the house.
The ones shaped like claws.
Prompts: 26. Trick or Treating