In the small town of Rashire, which lies in the outskirts of Hargroove city resides a mansion, Isagate. It is a brilliant piece of architecture built on a wasteland, covered with undergrowth, and is home to many withered trees.
A look at the mansion in the night is sure to deliver you with perpetual nightmares for months straight. If you look at the manor for long enough, you might find a lurking shadow gaping at you from the corner of your eye.
Isagate wasn’t always like this, though. Mere three years ago, Isagate looked like what could be considered heaven. It’s a shame that the same structure that used to give people a sense of warmth and awe had morphed into something so hideous, that it’s almost unrecognizable.
The only thing that stood the same in these three years is the beautiful statue of Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn. She had been sculpted with extreme precision and care. The details that used to leave people awe-struck now make them spooked. The statue was so life-like, that it almost looks like a human in the shimmering moonlight.
The demise of Isagate had many speculations that it soon turned into a legend. Everyone had their own theory about its neglect that no one even cares about the truth, just what other people believe. And perhaps it was for the better, because these people are in no way, ready for the truth.
The Larsen couple were such a sweet bunch, it’s such a shame that they’re gone, leaving all their possessions behind in such a hurry. People were pretty fast to link it to all things paranormal.
When humans can’t explain something, they always turn to the paranormal. Always. It’s just a matter of time even for the most logical human being.
Mr. Larsen was a handsome guy with an awkward persona. He is a logical person, and I have never seen him show any emotion. Maybe a smile that doesn’t extend to his lips, when in a ceremonial situation or his eyebrows furrowed at the funeral is perhaps the most emotion he has shown.
Lady Larsen had a charming and amiable persona. She was also a very scholarly and intellectual being; it was her idea to build a huge library above the stairway. She always encouraged kids to come and learn from the books in the library, she also taught history at the local school.
She had good connections with the people in the neighborhood. Everyone loved her and Mr. Larsen despite their quirks. That is until Lady Larsen was murdered.
She was found by the maid near the stairs, with a knife near her smeared with blood and she was stabbed on her thigh, her skull was cracked, presumably from the fall; her skin marinated in her own blood. It was such a horrendous sight. The poor maid couldn’t function properly for a month and she moved away from the town soon after.
Mr. Larsen quickly arranged for a funeral and left the house in less than three days.
The house has become so associated with horror that last summer a horror film was to be recorded at this location. They were sure to not go anywhere near the house, as they too have started to believe in the legends and they eventually halted the project indefinitely. We never heard back from them.
Eos is said to have an insatiable lust for mortals, known for having trapped several humans. The people in here believe that Eos took the form of this statue to claim Mr. Larsen. I might’ve actually believed that because the statue really is haunting; if I didn’t know what actually happened there that day.
Three years ago, I was a sixteen-year-old girl who lived a street away from the young Larsen couple. I’ve always frequented their house because of the library. Their library is larger and has more books than the public library, so I wanted to take advantage of that.
On one such visit, I left my school bag there and I went to retrieve it. It was pretty late at night, but they didn’t mind. When I entered the premises, I felt a slow chill in my spine. The statue has its eyes locked on me. I just continued to move forward and proceeded to knock on the door.
Lady Larsen opened the door, with a slightly troubled expression which she managed to dissolve instantly for her bright smile. I felt bad for disturbing her right now, so I tried to quickly get to the point.
“Sorry for disturbing you at this ungodly time, ma’am. I left my backpack in the library and I need it for school tomorrow. Do you mind if I take it back with me?”
“Sure thing darling, make it quick and don’t make any noise Laura; Mr. Larsen is sleeping. You know how he reacts when he is interrupted from his sleep,” she replied hesitantly.
“Thank you, Mrs. Larsen!”
I proceeded to tiptoe my way towards the library behind Lady Larsen, but it proved difficult with the stairs. Each step created a shrill creak. I tried my best to move silently. Lady Larsen had no difficulty moving past me quickly without any noise. She was already at the top of the stairs opening the library door when I was mid-way.
As she went into the library, I heard a shrill scream. I don’t think it was from the stairs or the library, it came from the other end of the corridor. I thought that it must’ve been some stray cat that Lady Larsen took to feeding, and went into the library. There she was, with my bag in her hand.
“Is it your backpack?”
“Yes, this is the one ma’am”
She handed me my bag and I proceeded to turn away towards the stairs when I instinctively ducked down. It was Lady Larsen, she was having a knife in her hand, with an animalistic look on her face now. She looked like a completely different person.
I knew I couldn’t escape the house so I tried to take away the knife in her hand. I stood up and held her hand tightly but she managed to slash my left arm. I screamed at the top of my lungs, which must’ve stunned her enough for a second. I took the knife from her hand and stabbed her in the thigh.
I must’ve run away from the house but the screams were growing louder, not Lady Larsen’s but the ones from the other room in the corridor. I spontaneously went to check on the room as she was incapacitated for a while.
A small boy, barely eight years old was tied to a chair, his gagged face with a tape which now hung loose, he was hardly conscious. He was severely wounded. I was so startled that I hadn’t heard her creeping up limping on her feet. I ran away as fast as I could, but I stumbled right in front of the library. As I slowly tried to stand up but she was in front of me, with a huge grin.
“You got yourself into this, it wasn’t your turn, not right now but now you have to die with him,” she said in a creepy sing-song voice.
I crawled backward in a hopeless attempt. I slowly stood up when she lunged at me. I pushed her away from me the fastest I could. She stumbled and fell down, with her knife intact in her hand. It was a bloody mess, but she wasn’t moving.
I couldn’t believe it. I felt lightheaded, and my vision was blurred. I killed Mrs. Larsen. What will I do to explain it to her husband or the townspeople? Right then I felt a cold hand touch me from behind. It was Mr. Larsen. I was shaking like a leaf by now. He wasn’t really angry or manic, like his wife. His face just showed a sad and concerned expression.
“I know it was long overdue. She was a troubled person and I wanted to take her to a psychiatrist but she wouldn’t budge. I know that you probably won’t believe me, and you have no reason to believe me, but I could not argue with her. I was too scared for my life. Anyway, you’re bleeding yourself to death, let me wrap some gauze around it.”
I was trying to make sense of what he just said.
He seated me on a chair in the library and wrapped my arm in some gauze bandage.
“I know I have no right to ask this, but can you please keep this a secret? This whole thing with her, it wasn’t her. She isn’t the person I married, she had changed in ways I can’t really imagine… I know I’m being unreasonable, but I don’t want her to be known as a killer.
In return for this, I’ll move away from this house, far away, where we’ll never meet each other again because I know that’s pretty much what you want now.”
I slightly nodded my head and turned away to return to my house. I was too petrified to speak about it. I made my way past that blood near the stairs, careful as to not step on it. I was afraid of the statue, but now the sculpture somehow seemed to be satiated, and didn’t give that chilling vibe, it instead had a calm and peaceful expression on its face.
I didn’t tell anyone about it, and Mr. Larsen kept his word of going away as soon as possible. He staged a burglary and created a fake alibi. He convinced the police to stop their investigation (he had a lot of connections with influential people).
The town made a huge fuss about it. People started coming up with weird theories and have avoided Isagate ever since. All the property there remains as it was three years ago. I still feel a sense of warmth when I look at the statue, but a lot of the townsfolk say that they feel scared around her.
But the one thing that’s unsettling about all this is that the boy was never found. His parents searched for him for months to no avail. He just disappeared. Sometimes, when I go near the mansion, I could swear that I still hear his shrill screams.