The Fate of Curiosity

"Can you believe, Gerald? Ms. Norris!" said Sally to her husband, while he continued to intently read the headlines. "Kidnapped not even two blocks away from our house. That could easily have been us. What do you think?"

There was no response. Once he looked at Sally but again went onto reading the paper. He was reading that same article over and over again.

"It's shocking news for today," she said, shaking her head. She stood up to go to the basement.

"Where are you going?” said Gerald, looking dried.

"To do the laundry. Don't worry. Lucy will escort me."

The German Shepherd was the most trusted one in the house and was devoted to Sally. With one command, Lucy stood up with an alacrity, stretched herself, and got ready to escort Mrs. Raymond to the basement.

"Must you?" said Gerald and beckoned his wife to come and sit beside him with a loving look.

"Yesterday I went to my Mother's house, now the clothes are piling up."

"Then I'll come," said Gerald, getting up, imitating the actions of Lucy with his agility and stretching.

"You can help Olie with his maths homework. He doesn't like me to help him with it."

Sally's heart wretched looking at his low face. With a disappointed look herself, Sally opened the door of the basement, Lucy marched downstairs. Before Sally took her first step there was a noise followed by Lucy's barks which alarmed her.

"Lucy! Is something wrong?" She hurried her steps and found Lucy barking at the wall. "What happened girl? Come, sit here," she lured Lucy. She followed Sally's command.

After washing was done, she took the clothes and was about to go upstairs when she heard another sound. 

Where did that sound come from? Sally thought and before she could call her husband, the sound came quite clearly to her. She chilled to the marrow noticing that the noise was coming from behind the wall. 

Lucy started barking at the top of her voice facing the wall.

"Hush Lucy! Stop!" Her heart started beating against her bosom visibly. With soft steps she went close to the wall. As she pressed her ear to the wall, sounds of footstep faded deep into the wall. 

She pressed her ear firmly. Crack! the wall opened inside disclosing a narrow passageway. A ray of light quickly faded towards the other end.

With emerging curiosity, Sally stepped into the tunnel. After taking two or three strides, she backed away, thinking otherwise. She closed the door and went upstairs.

What can be on the other side of the passageway? she thought, walking up to her room.

The thought of the passageway ran through her mind for the whole afternoon. In the evening, she sat with Gerald talking about the weekly accounts.

"Is everything alright?"

"Why?" replied Sally with a startled look. "Everything is absolutely fine."

"You brought last week's account. Look," said Gerald, placing the paper on her hand, smiling.

Sally looked, hastily she grasped the paper, ran up, bringing another paper. She handed it, throwing herself on the couch, smoothing the head of Lucy, who sat in her usual place before her feet.

"I didn't want you to bring it right away." Gerald looked at the paper once then he stared towards her face as if to read the sudden changes brought upon her. 

"I can see that something is bothering you," placing his hands upon hers.

Sally gulped down her thought as she looked into his eyes and forced a smile. Her seven year son came down from his room and sat on the floor, playing with Lucy.

"Olie, you are supposed to be on the bed," said Sally, taking him by his hand.

"No! I wanna play," getting out of his mother's grip.

"Olie! Olie! I say come at once," said Sally, in a commanding tone as he started running towards the basement. She ran behind him. Gerald sat examining the accounts.

As she went downstairs the lights went out and she heard a loud scream. Fearing something happened. She shouted:

"Oliver, Mamma's here. Come to me."

He did not answer. She grew anxious. The step of running and screaming became more perceptible. She kept calling Oliver, over and over again but he did not respond. While she stood panic-stricken, something hit her knees. She froze. Groping in the darkness and with an intent look she found the little face of Oliver shrunk with fear.

"If you are here, who's screaming then," she said, more to herself as she clung onto Oliver, tightly. The outcry became more and more louder. 

With a thud the screaming ended. Then the sound of a person as if dragging a heavy baggage died out.

She stared at the wall, petrified, for a few minutes holding onto Oliver. The lights came, startling Sally. 

"You look pale, what happened?" said Gerald, panting. He embraced both Sally and Oliver, as she came up with her son, both shivering. "I went to fix the lights. What happened?" repeating the question.

"Nothing, just a bit light-headed. I'll take some rest. Will you please take Olie to his bed?"

"I'll stay with you," said Oliver, holding onto her, hiding his face on her shoulder. 

"Come Olie, it's time for bed. Let Mamma rest," said Gerald, trying to loosen Oliver's grasp.

"No!" he started wailing out loud.

"There, there," said Sally, patting him. She shrugged holding onto Oliver.

"Come Dear," said Gerald, taking the hand, supporting her to their bedroom. 

She lay down, shutting her eyes tightly, praying for their safety from whatever was on the other side of that wall, holding Oliver close to her bosom.

She could not sleep. As the clock struck midnight, she opened her eyes, sat up and saw Oliver, who held on Gerald's arm, both sleeping soundly.

She crept out of the bed, making sure not to disturb them; took out the torch from the cabinet and went towards the basement. Lucy woke up and started following her but Sally wordlessly ordered her to stay.

A petrifying sound came from the basement as she reached its door. She could not recognise what it was. She stood like a marble with rasp breaths, holding strongly onto the torch, pointed towards the basement, like a dagger.

I'll end this today, she thought and with a sudden boldness she walked in. I would know what is on the other side of that passage.

"What happened to these lights?" said Sally, with frustration, as she turned on the lights. She clicked twice or thrice but it did not work. While she stood near the last step the sound of footsteps echoed inside the wall.

Swallowing her fear down, she stepped in front of the door to the passageway. She held her breath as she pushed the wall revealing the dark tunnel. Sally held up the torch. The sound of footsteps came from the other side. 

Her heartbeat became faster and faster with the sound. She slowly started to walk inside the passage. It seemed to not have any end as Sally continued to walk further in. She could hear the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer to her.

"Who—who's there?" said Sally, stammering, pointing her torch from where the sound came.

No reply came nor was she able to see anyone, yet the sound was getting louder and louder.

In a moment, a flash of light blinded Sally. She ran for life but hit the wall hard and she fell on the ground breaking her torch. The whole place went dark in an instance. She twisted her leg in the fall. The footstep was nearing her slowly. Sally lay motionless in her position, trying not to make a single sound.

The person, now in large strides, was nearing her as if sensing her position. She was hit with a strong blow on her head.

Sally was surprised to find herself on the bed in the morning. Crawling out of her bed, she came downstairs to the breakfast, finding the food to be prepared and her husband and son merrily feasting on it.

"How was your sleep, Dear?" said Gerald, with a loving smile, "have some food. You look weak," taking her by the hand, seating her beside him. He served the bacon and eggs before her. She followed mechanically.

How did I get back to my bed? Who was that person? I have to know. She kept staring at her plate. She was clouded by endless questions.

"What are you thinking of?" 

Sally started and looked at Gerald surprisingly. "How did I—um—did you bring me back to bed, Gerald?" asked Sally, looking quizzically towards him, trying to find some answer.

"Yes, I brought you. What were you doing in the—”

"Did you see who hit me?" with a sharp glance, she inquired.

There was silence for a moment as he stared at her. "What are you saying? You were sleeping on the couch from where I brought you to bed. Something is bothering you. Would you still not say?" He gazed at her with keen eagerness. 

She knitted her brows at that and wondered how she ended up on the couch. She did not mention anything about the happenings of last night anymore that day. 

Could it have been a nightmare? she wondered while she was cooking dinner that night. It all felt so real. How can it be?

She tried to erase the thoughts by busying herself with household works. The following morning, Gerald went out for his business trip and she was left to care for her son all by herself. That proved better as she quickly forgot about the passageway or the person. Though she rarely went to the basement without Lucy as an unknown fear lurked behind her mind.

On the night of Saturday, four days from the horrifying events, while Sally was putting the toys back into the box, a ball rolled down into the basement. Her heartbeat rose. Keeping her hand on her heart she resolved to get it in the morning. 

As she stared at the open door of the basement, she saw a silhouette watching her intently. She could not make out the face in the darkness. Sally stepped forward to look who it was but the figure soon backed into the shadow.

This cannot be my imagination. There is something suspicious in that tunnel. I have to get to the other side, she strongly resolved. 

That night after putting Oliver to sleep and ordering Lucy to stay close to him, Sally prepared to go into that passage. She took a sharp knife and a flashlight with her. She did not care to turn on the lights. Pointing the flashlight on the wall, she stepped towards it, pushed it open and started walking forward. 

As she reached halfway through the tunnel, she heard some footsteps behind her. The moment she stopped, it stopped. She sharply turned, pointing the flashlight but nothing could be seen as the tunnel bent from where she stood. 

"Who's there?" she shouted at the top of her voice. No reply came.

She started to walk, without moving her glance from where she heard the noise. She reached a dead end. Her look fixated in front, making sure she was not being followed. 

Sally groped on the wall for an opening. With a crack the wall opened and she turned towards it in a swift motion. A smell of rotten meat filled the air. The place was pitch dark. Her torch was still pointed towards the tunnel as she entered the room.

She kept glancing back and forth into the tunnel. Starting to sweat in fear. As she entered deep into the room, she turned her head and pointed the flashlight.

She was struck with terror as she lay eyes on several dead bodies of women lying on the floor. Among those dead bodies lay their neighbour, Ms. Norris. 

She turned to run away but stumbled onto someone. The flashlight and the knife fell out of her hand as she hit the floor. Before she could pick up the flashlight, that person kicked it out of the way. She groped on the dark floor for the knife, helplessly.

She was heaved up by her hair and grabbed by the throat. It was a tall, muscular man. The darkness of the room made the person obscure. She struggled in his strong grip, scratching and hitting. But he grabbed her even tighter, choking her with all his might.

She picked up her strength and punched his face. The grip loosened and she escaped. The flashlight was lying before her. Sally ran to get it but the man seized her hand from behind. 

With a pull he got her in his arm, holding her neck with his strong arm. He put a knife on her throat.

"Why do you want to kill me?" She pleaded to know, wrestling against the firm grip.

"You shouldn't have come here." 

Sally recognised the voice. "Gerald? Is it really you?" with anxiousness she asked.

"Yes," he whispered to her ear.

"Did you murder them?" He nodded. "Why?"

"It's because they would not listen," said Gerald, enraged. "I just wanted a little bit of fun. But no! All they have to think of is—marriage, marriage and marriage. As if there is no better way of living than marriage.”

"And she—” pointing towards Ms Morris's body with the knife, breathing furiously by her ear, "she threatened me to inform you," he scoffed.

"I didn't want to do anything to her, but she found this passageway and was about to run to you that day when Lucy started barking. I tied her up but on the next day she escaped again, and then I had to get rid of her."

"I couldn't let her ruin our happiness," said he, caressing her cheeks with his own as he said the last words, holding her closer.

"Happiness—, she sneered, "you don't know anything about that word." 

"I promise everything will be like before. You, me and Olie," he said, putting his hand to her shoulder.

"Never," and Sally grabbed him by his hand in which he held the knife. "You shall never come near me or my son, ever."

"Then your dead body shall be lying here as well." He clutched her throat with an animal-like strength, forcing the knife up with his other hand. He was about to stab her when Lucy came barking into the room, jumped and bit his arm. 

He threw Sally out of his grip, holding onto his wounded arm. Sally picked up the knife as soon as it fell; grappling the flashlight from the floor, she saw Gerald pouncing towards her. He flung the knife out of her hand and before Sally could reach, he put it straight through his heart. She stood motionless, the flashlight lighting his lamentable face, as he bled to death before her feet.