Rot House: One 'n' Done

By Erik Handy

EVERYTHING DIES WHERE EVIL LIVES

 

The house is not haunted.

 

The house is not possessed.

 

The house is Hell.

 

Erik Handy, the New King of Horror, invites you to spend the night at Rot House. Bring a friend . . . and a bible . . . maybe a crucifix, too . . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erik Handy
• Release date: Jan 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386080534

Erik Handy

Erik Handy grew up on a steady diet of professional wrestling, bad horror movies that went straight to video, and comic books. There were also a lot of video games thrown in the mix. He currently absorbs silence and fish tacos.

Book preview

He knows the house well.

Standing outside it in the middle of the night with a fire-engine red can of gas is guaranteed to attract attention sooner rather than later, but the urge to take in the damned sight one last time takes precedence.

You took them, he thinks. My friends. Other people. Families. You haunted piece of shit.

How does one press charges against a haunted house?

One doesn’t.

One burns every piece of drywall and wood until all that’s left is concrete and then one hopes that’s enough. Fire cleanses.

And if it doesn’t?

He sighs.

It has to.

Vengeful determination replaces his fear. He was afraid of the house once. Now . . .

Rot House must burn.

Long Night (i)

1

Sonny put his arm around his girlfriend Mandy.

Guess what? he asked her.

Riveted to the final moments of the movie, Mandy replied, What?

Something just came up.

Mandy grinned and reached into her boyfriend’s lap. It didn’t take her long to find what that something was.

Jen rolled her eyes. Get a room, guys.

We got a room, Sonny said. This one.

The movie ended. The credits rolled.

That’s it? Kay said. What kind of ending was that?

Jen shrugged. A crappy one.

Obviously. What did the dogs have to do with anything?

It’s a stupid horror movie, Kay, Justin chimed in. Just let it go, babe.

Kay wouldn’t. And what was up with the feet?

The cheerleader movie was better, Jen said. At least it made sense.

Ross got up to turn the DVD player off. As the disc came out, the television went black.

Ross looked back at his friends. Sonny – a young man caught in whatever was currently trendy in an effort to fit in (currently he was emo) – and Mandy – a tiny effort of a woman full of spunk – on the floor. On the couch, Jen – a woman in her late teens with long, dark hair; almost exotic-looking, Kay – the (not ditzy) blonde, and Justin – another young man who always had a smirk on his face.

Did any of you do that? Ross asked.

Do what? Sonny replied.

Turn the TV off. Ross turned back to the TV and it popped on.

Justin joined Ross.

The TV went off again.

Justin and Ross looked at each other.

What the? Justin said. Oooh . . . . He revealed the remote control from behind his back and handed it to Ross. Scared ya?

Fuck off.

The group laughed.

A little on edge, Ross? Jen said.

Too many horror movies? Kay added.

Sonny stretched. I think I’m going home. I gotta work tomorrow morning.

Mandy got up and put her arm around her man. Yeah. And he has something to do before bedtime.

The group headed to the front door, exchanging goodbyes. It was a good night, a good time that they all looked forward to repeating soon.

As Mandy and Sonny walked to their car, Sonny glanced down the dark side of the house that wrapped around to the equally dark backyard. A spot in that blackness quivered.

Sonny became aware of the distant hum of traffic and the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. The streetlights cast a dim, eerie glow on the empty sidewalks, casting long shadows on the sleeping houses. The air was cool and still with a faint hint of dampness and the musty smell of fallen leaves. The only signs of life were the occasional flicker of a porch light or the distant barking of a dog. The silence grew more oppressive. The darkness seemed to swallow everything.

Stray cat, he said, shrugging it off.

Mandy waited on the other side of the car, holding a shiver inside. Can you hurry up? I’m cold.

Cold? Sonny dropped his keys. I’m sweating.

Sonny bent to pick his keys up. As he did, some unseen force knocked him on his back. His head jerked back as if he was shoved in the chest.

Just as suddenly, he slid underneath the car.

Mandy stood frozen in terror. At that moment, she knew something was dreadfully wrong. This night would never end for her. Fear loosened her bowels.

She screamed, but no one heard her.

***

The four friends stood frozen at the door, their minds struggling to process the strange events unfolding before them. A sense of unease settled over them like a thick fog as they realized that something was very wrong.

Suddenly, Mandy was yanked down by some unseen force, sending shock waves through the group. For a long moment, they were all too stunned to move or speak, but then Jen’s voice broke the silence.

OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod! she cried out in panic.

Ross quickly took charge, pulling Jen away from the door and trying to calm her down.

Jen, Jen! he urged, hoping to snap her out of her hysterical state.

Gradually, Jen quieted down and began to stare out into the dark night, her eyes fixed on something outside.

Following her gaze, the others peered into the driveway, but there was no sign of the car or Mandy. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.

The gears in their minds began to turn, trying to make sense of what had just happened. A growing sense of dread settled over them as they realized that they were facing something far beyond their understanding. The group exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to do next, as they stood in the eerie silence of the night.

***

Ross locked the door behind them. He reached for the light switch when a knock shook the door.

Everyone looked at each other, each trying to process what they just experienced, the frightful gear clanking along.

KNOCK.

Well? Kay asked the group.

KNOCK.

Well? she asked again.

Justin told her to shut up. Look through the window.

Ross walked to the window, but he didn’t draw the curtain aside. Clank. I can’t. Something inside . . . . Words failed him.

The others stared at him, trying to make sense of what he said.

KNOCK.

Kay walked over to Ross and gently shook him. What’s wrong, Ross?

Ross looked at her. A tear rolled out his eye and down his cheek. I don’t know.

KNOCK.

Kay took the initiative and looked out the window.

Sonny’s car had reappeared, but there was no sign of him or Mandy.

KNOCK.