Most nights I wake up drenched in sweat. Same nightmare, same everything. Just different sleeping positions. I’ve had this reoccuring nightmare for as long as 2 months now. Its a memory really, that plagues my mind and is most powerful when I’m asleep. I live in fear of the unknown.
A couple of months ago, my friends and I were offered a house sitting gig. We saw the ad online and thought it’d be an easy buck. To top it all off, they gave us the job. Which was unusual considering we’re three black teens who got the job at a white people’s house. This place was huge. A mansion if I might add. Rory drove us there, we’re all the same age just different birth months. When we got there the couple was nice. Mr & Mrs Robinson, they ushered us inside with warm smiles and hot coco in hand. Gave us the run around of the house. It was just an overnight thing.
Rory was the one who talked to them, the guy was the only civil one in our trio. In no time we were left all alone. “So what they say?” Devon asked with a wide grin on his face , “Yea dude what they say?” I nudged. He rolled his eyes “Apparently, they letting us do whatever I guess. Mr Robinson left his number and told us to behave how we would in our own homes. Crazy huh” , Devon and I looked at each other. Rory interjected “Wait wait. There’s only one rule. When it rains don’t open the blinds. Strictly just don’t” , I furrowed my brow “What kinda rule is that? Wait. They didn’t even say don’t bring any girls for a hanky panky?” . “Hanky panky?” Devon looked at me like I had spit on his face. Rory spoke up “Dude with that kinda language no wonder Mrs Robinson didn’t think we’d bring that up” they bursted out laughing. Heading to the kitchen, “And what did they mean No opening the blinds while its raining?” I asked him on his way to rummage the fridge “I dunno man, and they were both insisting on following their rule. Besides, its not like its gonna rain anyti–” there was a loud boom that echoed through out the house. Then slow pitty pattering started sounding from the roof. It was raining.Devon emerged from one of the rooms “Is it raining? Are there ghosts outside?”, Rory was getting annoyed “Prolly” and shrugged. “Watchu meaning Prolly? Rory. Dude” he didn’t answer me.
The rain was now hitting harder, all of a sudden we were engulfed in complete darkness. My heart pounding hard in my chest. “What the…Evan Evan. I can’t see. I cant see Evan. I’m Blind. I’m Bliiiind” I smacked him at the back of the head, “Stop being dramatic you idjit” Devon whimpered and laughed “Ouch!” . “Anyone have any idea where the candles at?” Rory asked while we tried looking around, not really looking just fumbling. It was completely dark. “Here’s one, just right in front of you. A little lower on the table” Devon sounded from the other side of the room. “Where,I can’t see or feel it. Wait what’s thi- Ewwwwwwww. Fuuuuuuuck. Dude what the fuck” Devon roared in laughter. “That felt good for a minute there, dude Rory just touched my dick and didn’t even say No Homo” he laughed. “Dude you nasty” we all laughed while Rory cussed and gagged. Devon lit the candles, the room was a bit illuminated now. 3 candles were barely enough but we managed. We couldn’t help but laugh at Rory’s face. He was frowning in disgust “You’re nasty bro” then the thunder roared fiercely which shook the windows. I’m not sure which one of us screamed the loudest.
“Now that was scary, I wonder what the outside looks like.” Devon stepped towards the window. “Bro no. That was the only rule. Heck you can jerk off in the tub of yogurt for all I care” I knew that would catch his interest. Rory turned to the window behind him “You guys hear that?”, ears perked. He inched forward and gently tugged the curtains. The house boomed with thunder strking and lightning, it all crashed and clashed more than the usual amount. I covered my ears while Devon screamed. The rain was now heavy, rain drops drilling at the rooftop. “Ror, Rory bro what’s up” I looked up and saw Rory in front of the window, eyes wide open ,rapid blinking. He was also sweating and hyperventilating, chest rising and falling. I stepped forwad and placed my hand on his shoulder, he winced. I wanted to see what he was looking at “No, don’t. Don’t look. So much people. Rain. Blo- Mom? “ his eyes were glued at whatever was outside, people dilated.
Now there was just lightning no thunder. Devon pointed it out “I’m getting weird vibes man. Shouldn’t lightning be followed by thunder? And Rory hasn’t moved an inch”. I tried shaking him, but he wouldn’t budge, he was laser focused at whatever was on the other side. The grip on curtain got firmer and firmer. I tried everything to get his attention but to no avail. At this point I was getting scared, my insides were turning into knots. “Blood. So much. Blood. Its raining blood. No, no. Their Jaws. What’s happening to their jaws” Rory’s face sweating profusely.
“Something ain’t right here bro. Nahh uhh. Call them. Call them Robinsons bro” Devon handed me his phone “Dude,you had your phone the whole time we were looking for candles?!” He just gave me a fake chuckle shrugging his shoulders, “Don’t look outside, don’t. Just watch him!”, Rory kept muttering under his breath. Devon moved closer to him, carefully taking baby steps.
The phone was ringing but with no one picking up. I was getting agitated, pacing back and forth. Rory, was mumbling something, I couldn’t make out what it was. My thoughts were on the freaky shit that was happening. “Finally, he- he- hello?!” Mr Robinson was on the other side “Hello, is everything okay?” , “No no its Not. Its Rory, he looked he–” I had an ear piercing scream that caused me to drop the phone. Devon had fallen on his back, a scared look in his eyes, I looked at Rory he stood in front of the window, fingers on his face. I couldn’t see proper “He’s he’s clawing out his eyes.” Devon pointed with a shaky finger. Without a second thought I tackled him and we fell on the floor. “So many. So many. Faces. Dead. People. Out” he was mumbling those words while scratching his face and ripping his eyes. I managed to subdue him, pinning his hands to the ground. “Dev. Dev. Dev!” He turned to me, “Get a rope” Devon jumped to his feet tripping, and running around the place.
His jaw cracked, then dislocated. I heard bones breaking. It turned into a gapping maw which opened wide, his chin dropping to his neck, parts of his skin flapping from the rest of his body. He let out an ear piercing shriek, that vibrated the floor. I was thrown across the room with a heavy push. Rory’s bones twisted in unusual ways, bones poking out of his skin, cracking sounds could be heard. His eyes, or were there was. He was crying blood. Thunder crushed, and the house shook. Devon emerged from the other room mortified by what was before him. Rory now stood on all four, fingers bent in opposite directions, with veins protruding on his head. None of us moved, he growled and scratched the ground. Then his stomach rumbled, minutes felt like hours. The thing in front of us sniffed the air, and turned its head towards me and lunged. I dodged it in time for Devon to jump in and we tied it up. It shrieked and tried shaking us off.
Then the rain slowed down. The phone was ringing in my back pocket, I picked it “Hello? Hello!” It was Mr Robinson “Whatever you do. Don’t go outside. Don’t die. Don’t look out” , I heard my mom’s voice. I’ve never heard it before but I heard how I always imagined she’d sound like. “Mom?” I stood up, Devon wrestling with Rory, the sound around me came to a halt.
I only heard my mom’s voice, echoing in my head. I wanted to see her so bad. I felt something heavy crash into me, and looked up. I was on the floor near the window. Devon had punched me “Snap out of it!” He pulled me up. We turned around to face Rory, who had broken free and was now breathing heavily blood spewing out of his eye sockets. Bones scratching the floor. The rain started getting heavy again. The candle lights flickered, Rory charged, screeching with each step. We made a dash for it, but he caught Devon, slashing his back leaving a deep gaping wound. Devon cried in agony, dragging himself on his stomach. I kicked Rory on the face and he caught my foot mid air and twisted my ankle. I fell to the side whimpering. The windows shattered and voices echoed in cacophony. Begging to be let in. Rory jumped on top of me, I bleeding all over my face. His head cocked to the side and growled. A shot gun blast sounded from behind. Bits of flesh and viscera showered my face. “What the hell Devon!?” I was panting. “It it wasn’t me” he responded, someone pulled off Rory’s body off me. Mrs Robinson stood there, shotgun in hand and her husband was wiping his hands “Sorry boys, I thought you could handle it” he picked me up, and sat me on the sofa. Rory had managed to sink his claws below my ribs. “We need the hospital” Devon pleaded with them.
They just stood there. No emotion or whatsoever registered on their faces and Mr Robinson sighed “Don’t you have questions?” He folded his arms. I was the first to speak up “What. What was that?”, his wife replied “This mansion was built on a graveyard. When the settlers came here. They killed everyone and brutally. Abused some and even burnt a few. It was an unpleasant scene. The natives turned to dark magic in order to retaliate. So now every time it rains. They come forth to kill whatever and whoever sees them. There’s a lot that we can’t just tell you guys. Questions?”
Devon raised his hands “Uhmm, now can we go to the hospital?” She shook her head. I looked at her “That sounds like something an indie director would come up with”, she smiled “Yes, the director did. We’ll have our doctors look at you and send you your way”. Mr Robinson handed both of us envelopes. “If you ever, say any of this. I’ll personally come get you ad turn you into him” she pointed at Rory’s slumped body.
“This is why we never had kids. Its stuff like this” Mr Robinson was holding his wife. When morning came, there was a bunch of guys in hazmat suits cleaning outside. Blood was every where, the ground muddy and red. The air stank of rot and flesh.
Before I go, the envelopes had blank cheques in them. And the phrase “When it rains, keep the blinds closed”. Now everytime it rains I hide under the covers and pray to whatever God is listening.