The freaky Host

“There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms as illustrated on our website, the second floor has two bedrooms and the ground floor has one bedroom. As you can see, right opposite the back porch there’s the garage, which is where you can park your minivan, and right next door to that, there’s an entertainment room which you’re welcome to use during your stay” Ms. Mitchell explains.

I’m a phone call away if you need anything else, there aren’t any grocery stores around, that’s why I stated in the email that it’s probably a good idea that you get everything you’ll need for the weekend before you get here, and finally, there isn’t any cell service so you won’t be needing your phone this weekend” she smiles.

Ha! She’s smiling, who smiles right after delivering the worst thing to ever happen to us, where are we? In 1903 where there aren’t any cell phone towers?

I don’t know how to feel about being in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, this is exactly how people get tortured and killed with no one insight to help them. I obviously don’t say this out loud, Lucy already gave me a speech about ‘positivity’ and how I should always try and’ stay optimistic in every situation’ which is what I vowed to do this weekend. But I have to admit this house doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of ‘positivity’. But it’s the only one we could afford that could cater to five people with our budget, so I can’t complain.

Lucy leans into me and whispers “I know what you thinking so stop right there, this will work Liv it has to”. I roll my eyes dramatically.

Ms. Mitchell looks like a nice and accommodating lady, who is probably in her late sixties and by the lack of a ring on her ring finger, is probably unmarried. But I have to admit, she gives me the chills, I think it has to be the piercing icy blue eyes and the…I don’t know, inconsistency between her emotions that can’t seem to match the situation that creeps me out. She has a voice that’s warmer than sunlight, but for some reason, it feels like she’s wearing a mask and behind the mask lays eyes that probably watch you like a wolf watches its prey and a perfunctory smile like a well-rehearsed receptionist. Between that and the fact that she just said “we’re the first guests she’s had, and that she recently just opened this cottage to the public” has me really unsettled.

After she gives us the keys and remotes to the property, she turns to leave, but that’s not before she squints her eyes and says “I fear that one of you has trouble seeing their life past the next two weeks”.

We all look at each other then turn to her completely stunned by that statement. She clarifies the statement with “Oh I’m sorry, I don’t mean to frighten you but I am gifted with a great extra sense of perception, I have psychical abilities”.

I can’t be the only one who’s wondering who she’s talking about. Between, Levi slowly losing his eyesight and everyone else’s unsatisfactory life choices it’s basically a coin toss on who she’s referring to.

Lucy clears her throats and breaks the daze caused by Ms. Mitchell’s prophecy and says “Okay you guys, how about we all freshen up and clean off the presently ominous mood then meet up in twenty to decide on what to do with the rest of the day”.

Twenty minutes later Levi and I file to the dining area, “I say we go the entertainment room and watch a movie” he says.

We all go to the entertainment room but when we get there we realize that we’re missing Lucy. “Where’s Lucy?” I ask.

“She’s probably still in the shower, or trying on different bras,” Cami says. That’s probably true, she’s got a weird obsession with wanting bigger boobs, so she’s probably in the bathroom filling her bra with socks.

 The place looks better than the rest of the house, actually better’s not the right word, it looks modern. Like we walked into a completely different universe, for a place with no internet, this part of the farm place is very present-time like. With a wall-to-wall carpet, and a massive flat-screen TV lays a pool table on the far side of the room.

“Okay, this place is starting to grow on me,” Ben says.

I have to agree with him, minus the host, this place might be decent. “Here’s what I think, I say me and ben play pool while the rest of you who want to watch a movie do so,” Levi says which is weird because he’s the one who suggested we watch a movie.

Ben and Levi decide to move the other couch to the side so they can play pool and watch a movie at the same time. “You guys, we’re not even here less than a day and you guys are already moving the furniture,” I say disapprovingly.

“Relax Liv, we’ll put it right back before we leave,” Ben says, Which is not doing much to reassure me because the room looks like the expensive part of the house and I don’t want to be paying for anything after this trip.

 “Can you guys keep it down please, we’re not trying to scare the horses out their stables,” Cami says, and less than a minute later we hear an ear-splitting sound coming from where they’re moving the table from.

I immediately jump with sheer panic and shout “Great, make some more noise will ya.

“You guys… there’s a door, I think I opened it while I was trying to turn the table sideways” Levi says. Cami and I walked towards the guys curiously.

I shake my head and say” I’m not so sure I want to know what’s under there, have you guys seen the movie Narnia”?

“Yes we have, we all saw it together genius and I’m not sure I want to pass out the opportunity of being a king anytime soon,” Ben says sarcastically.

We all tip-toe to the door and we see staircases going down. It’s not clear what this place is, but my guess is that it’s a cellar or a basement or I could go dark and say a graveyard.

We take calculated steps in a line, led by both our curiosity and fear of our ambiguous host. When we all make it downstairs, we realize that it’s a loft-style basement with a wine cellar. When we turn to our right we see a closet with a glass door filled with---

“OH MY GOD,” we say in unison. 

Then Lucy comes out of nowhere and says “What the fuck”.

The first shelf has the latest iPhones and laptops, the second shelf has car keys, the third shelf has a stethoscope, and what looks like...a picture of someone’s boobs? And finally, the last shelf has what looks like house keys.

“I don’t know what this place is, but I’m even more afraid to ask,” I say.

“Girl, did you notice how there are four iPhones”? Lucy asks. Sadly I did notice those, it’s hard not to when the phone you have is on life support.

Ben drags my hand and shows me what’s on the further side of the room, which is shockingly a garage, but without our car so I’m guessing it’s a basement garage, which can’t be a thing. What lies in the garage is what shocks me, it looks like a brand new car, a black Ferrari to be precise.

“Okay I’m more creeped out than I was before, I’m going back up,” I say slowly backing out of the basement.

“Speaking of creepy, did you guys see the wooden boxes in our bathrooms”? Lucy asks.

I draw my eyebrows and confusion and “What boxes”?

“Girl there are boxes with weird codes engraved on them” Lucy says, “And I checked all our rooms, they all have boxes” she continues.

“I don’t care about any boxes, look at this car I mean look at this room! It looks like something off the show Celebrity Houses” Ben gushed.

I think about what Lucy just said and I take the decision to go to the boxes in our rooms instead, I think I might have better luck at deciphering the codes than explaining what this is.

“I’m leaving, this room is suddenly creepier than Ms Mitchell’s eyes”. Cami says.

Ha I’m honestly glad I’m not the only who noticed the eye thing, I thought.

We all leave the room and close the door and chargeback to the cottage. As soon as Levi and I get into our room, the door slams so hard it rattles the bars on the windows. Soon after that we hear all the other doors follow suit.

“Okay what just happened with the door just now”? I ask.

“I don’t know, let’s go to the bathroom Levi says.

We punch in the codes engraved on the box in the tiny screen on top of the box.

Then it slowly opens revealing two light bulb circuits with two switches, one with a tiny model stethoscope and another with a picture of …Cami’s mother?

Then we notice an envelope stuck on the side of the box that reads “Pick one to open the door, free eye surgery for your Retinoblastoma or your friend’s mum goes to prison for child abuse”.

I draw my eyebrows together in confusion and ask “What the hell is this, this part of Lucy’s pranks rights?”

“Yeah if it is, it’s not funny,” he says.

I walk to the door and shout “This is not funny Luce, open this door”. I get followed by nothing but silence. Then I walk back to the bathroom.

I find Levi rubbing the back of his neck nervously then says “Liv, I don’t think Luce is this smart, and besides when would she have done this, yesterday? This is a bit dark and if we know anything about Lucy is that she’s anything but.

Levi looks at me and says “do you think it’s….”

I look at him shockingly and say “no, no way, how she did know about your--” I immediately stop myself before I continue.

We both look at each other and I say “Someone must be screwing with us, no way that door is locked”.

I quickly run back to the door to check and pull on the handle only find that it won’t budge.

Levi softly says “What the fuck".

“So you’re telling me we’re all stuck in here until we make a choice? That’s crazy you know that right” I say.

“Yeah it could be... but it also looks real, remember the stethoscope we saw in the basement,” he says with a small hint of fear.

I think back to the basement and realize that he’s right. That stethoscope might represent the surgery. As soon as I get this thought I find myself flaring up with anger.

“Why would she do this to you, and how the hell does she know something so personal about you and Cami!” I panic.

I turn to him and say “You know that you can’t choose right? It’s crazy I’d rather rot here”.

I backtrack back to the door and this time I add a bit of force and try to yell out to the others, but it looks like its falling on deaf ears because all the rooms look soundproof, how did we not notice that when we got here?

He sits on his bed and says “Maybe it’s just a joke and she will open the doors tomorrow” He says.

I looked him hoping to God he’s right.

Two days later

Levi paces the floor, with his face creased with worry and his fingernails deep into his palms looks at me and says. “I’m sorry Liv, but I can’t do this any longer, I’m picking”.

“No you can’t do that Levi, so you’re just going to send Cami’s mum to jail, are you crazy”? I say.

“Maybe it’s not real, maybe she won’t actually go to jail,” he says.

“I think the fact that we’ve been stuck here for what looks like two days is enough proof to state otherwise,” I say.

He continues pacing the floor and making me dizzy in the process “The only crazy thing is why I didn’t do it sooner, I mean I’ll be getting free surgery to restore my eyesight Liv, this shouldn’t even be a question for me, and I’ll do anything to be able to see again”

“At the expense of your childhood friend’s mother?” I say, completely shocked by him.

“Liv you’re not listening to me, I WILL GET TO SEE AGAIN” he shouts.

I look at him hoping he’s joking and that he cannot possibly do something so vile to his best friend.

“And anyway it’s not like she doesn’t deserve it, I mean she’s been abusing her since we were 7 years, she deserves some jail time and for Cami to be free of her”.

I can’t believe my ears, it must be the dehydration talking because this cannot be my best friend of 15 years talking and trying to justify his actions.

“No Levi don’t do it, I for one don’t mind dying in here”.

“Yeah well, I mind, Liv my life might literally end in a few months anyway because I won’t have money to finance my surgery, which means I’ll lose my sight completely. Do you know how it feels to know that at the age of 22 years I’ll be a blind man with no career, kids, or a family?”

“Levi there are other options, we will think of another plan that doesn’t involve you getting your friend’s mother arrested,” I say.

“I’ve tried everything Liv, I’m going to choose my eyesight”.

“Have you wondered that maybe everyone else made their choices too, for all we know there are out and don’t act like you didn’t see the picture of the boobs next the stethoscope and we all know Lucy has always wanted to get a boob job since we were basically in diapers,” He says. “And don’t act like you didn’t see the car keys, I bet you Ben took that car and drove off the second he got the chance”. He says.

I think about it and realize that maybe he’s right, we don’t know whether or not anyone from the group is still here. He’s right out about Lucy, Ben, and Cami too, but what if they’re still here what if their options are just as bad to the point that they opted on not choosing anything.

So I held his hands and said “What if they’re still here, what then... This is a game that psycho lady is playing on us, don’t fall for it please” I plead.

“But what if they’re not, you don’t know what options they had, what if Ben got the car option and an option to tell your father about your mum’s infidelity what then?” he asks.

I sighed heavily and said, “Well then, I guess my parents will get a divorce, but just don’t do it, Levi, you’re not this person”.

He looked at me and released his hands off my grip and says “maybe I am”.

Before I could react, he runs to the bathroom and when I try to squeeze in to stop him he forcefully pushes my chest and I fall on my butt.

After some time, I hear clicking sounds, which sound like a door opening and I realize that my best friend whom I’ve known for all those years is not who I thought he was.

Levi tries to get me off the floor and help me stand but I push his arm “Don’t touch me”. I feel my tears threatening to fall, but I ignore them and crawl to the door to see my friends.

“Come on Liv, I’m sorry let me help you,” He says.

“Leave me alone,” I say and finally let the tears fall.

When we get downstairs, we find Ms. Mitchell leaning on her kitchen counter staring at us. I kneel on the floor in defeat. “Where’s my—”

She lifts her hand and says “They’re still in their rooms, Levi failed the test” she says.

I feel his heart break before I even look at him to see him realize that this was a game from a very sick human being for their lonesome pleasure, I have no words of comfort for him.

“You’re sick” he screams.

“But you are disloyal and completely failed the morality game like I predicted, now your friends will know what kind of selfish person you are,” She says.

He sits on the couch and puts his head on his hands and says “So you starved us and left us for dead for a game”?

She laughs and says “yes and what you don’t know is that your room has an intercom and the other rooms have speakers, so your friends heard everything you said and did to Olivia”.

He takes the tiny bit of energy left in him and sprints towards Ms. Mitchell and tries to strangle her.

I shout “She’s not worth it Levi”. I’m not sure if I believe that, but I also don’t want him adding any more into his guilt.

He stops and looks at me with tears in his eyes then a minute later I hear several doors slam open confirming what Ms. Mitchell said. I felt myself letting out a huge breath of relief that everyone is safe, but I’m also terrified that some of us won’t leave this place the same way we came.

I’m going to call the fucking cops on that old bitch.