The Room Downstairs

Dear Diary,  

I wouldn't understand the situation I was enduring. My heart seemed to stop breathing, my body started trembling, and my soul felt weakening day by day. It looked like I was staying in this place for a couple of months, but I was here two days ago. The room was so dull and secluded no one would hear you If you were in my condition. Could you feel my presence? Did you smell the slimy blood that flowed all over my body because of the bitter fate that befell me? You don't need to dwell on it; I would be happy to see you soonest.

"Margaret! Margaret! Margaret! who's diary is this?" "I don't know!" I replied. The person who owned this seemed to experience difficulty in life. She added while her face is covered with perplexity. To divert her attention I told her " I love our new place, mom!" I agree with you this is better than our former place. Although it seemed that our house is far from other houses here, still I love the ambiance of the surroundings. My mother added. Before we had found this house, we used to live in a small house in a small village in Australia. My mom was a depiction of a strong woman who endured suffering from a hand of my father, yet she soon realized that she was a battered woman. We escaped from my father's cruelty. Luckily, we found this solemn place to escape from him and our disastrous past. 

"Mom! come here!" I shouted with amusement in my eyes. " Why are you shouting?" I point to the small compartment that had a huge padlock. We were flabbergasted by what we discovered. " Let's back upstairs" she added with the uneasiness of her voice. I followed her command and went upstairs. " Mom, I have goosebumps in that room!" I told her. 

However, instead Of listening to me, she immediately walked towards the kitchen. " She doesn't like to listen to me at all," I mumbled to myself. 

I accidentally looked at the old clock on the wall beside the cabinet in the kitchen because of curiosity I asked my mom about it. " Is that here before we arrive?" My mom nodded her head, but I'm certain it wasn't there since I was the one who arranged all our stuff there. I couldn't imagine myself sleeping in my room alone because of what had happened after I noticed some strange things happening inside our home. "Margaret! what are you waiting for, let's eat now!" It seemed that my soul was back again to my body. 

"Margaret, you go first to your room. I need to wash the dishes first and clean our kitchen." my mother insisted. " Can we go together?" I asked her. " You are still my baby!" She teased me. All of a sudden, the clock made an audible and bizarre sound. We both looked upon the archaic clock hanging on the wall. " Margaret! what are you looking for, help me!" my mother yelled at me? I felt her anxiousness and nervousness. I helped her clean our kitchen without uttering even a single word. 

"Mom, can I sleep beside you?" 

I told her with a convincing tone. "Margaret! you are too old to sleep beside me!" She immediately reacted with a high pitch in her tone of voice. " Go now to your bed!" My mother firmly told me. I went to my new room with nervousness, I couldn't tell her that our new house was a bit odd. I knew to myself that this house was her dream house. I couldn't deprive her of happiness for my own sake and frighten me because of the frightening things that happened here.

I heard a loud knock on the door downstairs, I abruptly awaken and immediately went down to check. " Please, help me!" The girl who was the same as my age uttered a miserable voice of pleading. I asked her to come inside and gave her a glass of water. " Where do you come from in the middle of the night?" I asked her with wonder. "I come from a far place that no one knows where it is." The girl whispered with a smirk on her face. I looked at her thoroughly. She had long hair that tangled at the end as if he had been spilled with something slimy that was hard to explain. Her smell was like a rotten wound. She had no slippers nor anything but herself alone. At that moment, I took empathy on her. " I hope I will stay here forever." The girl mumbled. I couldn't express the feeling I had. I felt the coldness of my body and I was terrified. 

I heard again the rough sound of our clock. "I like the sound of your clock!" The woman snickered. " Let's sleep now it's already midnight," I told her with sleepy stares. We both sleep together like a log in my room. I couldn't understand myself as if something bad was going to happen to me. But I shouldn’t worry because I know I’m safe in my house. My eyes were closed but I still saw the strange appearance of the lady who fell asleep beside me. The more the fishy smell intensified the more the smell of blood dominated. 

"Margaret! why are you so hungry? My mother asked me. "Eat slowly, no one would partake of your food!" My mother advised me. I stared at her without expressing any words. "What smell is that?" My mother said angrily. She looked at me with curiosity and doubt. "Take a shower after you've finished eating your food." My concerned mother reminded me again. I heard again the audible sound of our clock, but this time it's distinct from before. 

I woke up late, I checked the clock again. It's exactly midnight but I'm sure that I slept at midnight last day. "Margaret! wake up!" I convinced myself to wake up from my nightmare. I'm awakened when I looked at my side the girl whom I allowed to enter and sleep on my bed was no longer at my side. I was even more confused, disturbed, and frightened of what was happening to me. I couldn't find the switch of my light, my room covered with loneliness, my surrounding was shrouded in darkness, and wrapped in the nauseating smell of blood.

"Margaret! Let's go!" My mother called my name with enthusiasm. She was not like this before. I knew her more than myself. "I'm coming!" I answered with excitement. We opened the door downstairs with a huge padlock. Luckily, we managed to open it. "We will stay here!" My mother uttered the unthinkable words. "Are you serious?" I was startled and became certain that she would stay with me forever.  

"Mom! Mom! Mom! I'm here!" I cried out and screamed. She did even not bother me. I tried to call her twice and thrice but she couldn't hear me. I saw her cheerful face and her genuine smile. I wailed for not even responding to my call with her. She appeared happy with her. Suddenly, I heard a loud sound at my door. Someone locked me again, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move my body, and I couldn't utter any words. Darkness covered me.  

    It was two months ago when the time I went outside of my room. I saw my mother lying on her bed, but at this time she was alone and lonely. She was staring at nothingness and so deeply in her thoughts. I called her name loudly, but she didn't reply. "Mom! I'm here!" I heard the familiar voice coming from the woman I had slept with two months ago in my bedroom. I still smell her pungent odor. I sobbed and moaned my mother couldn't recognize me at all and she was with the strange girl. I saw the smirked smile of the girl while gazing at me. 

    Suddenly my heart beat faster, and I immediately ran out of the house. I heard the conversation of two women on the road. "What happened to her daughter is heartbreaking." The old lady mumbled. I couldn't understand everything, I was so confused. "Last two months ago, the police found her daughter lifeless in the compartment downstairs." Added the woman who had blond hair. 

"And now the mother always sees smiling and she seems to talk with someone, but no one is there." Explained the old lady. "Someone says that when you come closer to the house, you will smell the slimy blood and rotting body of a person."