House, The Banshee

If you can hear me, you are dead. If you can hear me, we are close. If you can feel the vibrations created by my voice in your feet – you are inside of me. If you understood, thematically at least, what I've said you must be confused. In fact, you are very confused, I can tell by the way you are pacing around yourself in circles. I can feel your steps on my skin. Please stop moving. Your movements feel like an ant running all over my toes.

Please, just stop.

Who am I you wonder?

I am the ghost of this house.

Pardon for raising my voice, sometimes I forget just how turbulent it can make these walls, my walls.

Anyway, you look a little shocked friend. Did I hear you mutter how can a house be a ghost?

I did… Don't lie…

Oh, you think you've lost it talking to the walls? You are dead, friend, dead as these walls!

Sorry for making you fall like that. One would think ghosts being corporeal don't get knocked over my sonic shockwaves. Eh…

Anyway, I'm not the house.

Oh no, no, these aren't tricks.

It's just the nature of the beast, or the spirit actually.

I'm actually a person fused with the house, quite literally.

I had my throat slit and buried in one of the walls. I think this one…

I just told you why the wall is shaking, I'm showing you where my mortal body was left!

Oh, you want to leave? Well, you can't. I told you, you're dead. You're stuck inside me because you died here.

You don't believe me? Go ahead and try to leave.

See? You can't. Now stop trying to break the handle, it's of no use. You're corporeal. I can feel it – it's irritating. You can feel it but it doesn't matter outside of my walls. You're going nowhere. So just settle down and enjoy your eternity here.

Hey! Hey! Hey! Calm down. I've been here for centuries; I've seen many people come and try to explore my insides. No one swore… Come down I said!

It's a shame I had to use this door to knock you down.

Relax, will you?

I told you can't, you're dead… You've been killed, murdered. Pretty violently too.

How do I know? Well, your blood is all over my skin. Your skin is all thrown somewhere in my bowels.

Where? Errr, the basement.

You want to see? Go ahead, I'm not stopping you.

* + -

God, stop screaming pal. I get it, it's ugly, seeing your own skin separated from your body. It feels weird for me too. Nobody's died inside of me before. Don't go to the attic. That's where the rest of you is. It's ugly… You might die from the shock.

Yeah, you are dead. But dying again isn't out of the question… I guess. I don't know. I've never died again, I'm a house!

You want to be left alone? Alright, enjoy your silence

* + -

Jesus bloody Christ! Stop the screeching. You went to the attic. Why'd you go there? I told you to stay away from the attic. If you just waited a few weeks, you'd find nothing but bones in there. You had to go there, didn't you?

Oh, you're feeling cold? Well of course! You are a ghost in the realm of the dead!

Can I show myself? Hmmm… I'm a house… You see me everywhere.

Are you crying now? I can tell you are crying. Why? Just accept that you're dead. At least you're not alone. You've me! Oh, come on, it's going to be alright. People come into me all the time, but then they get scared and run out. It never gets old. I've been doing this for decades now.

Fine, I'll leave you alone.

* + -

Hey… Psss… buddy… Ugh… Hey… I don't even know your name. How do I call you? Aiden? I'm Woodrow. Hey, listen, Aiden… A few kids have entered me. The entertainment is about to start.

Just watch.

* + -

It's a little pointless to shout at them, they can't hear you. You can go through them or touch them and they'll feel a little chill.

What's so fun about it? I can move things, remember I'm the house we're all in. Watch this.

Woohoo! See how they all jumped when I moved the door just *slightly*? Ha, I can do so much more!

Stop yelling, they can't hear you.

Hey, what are you doing? Put the gun down, Aiden. They won't feel a thing.

Put it down… ouch.

You're shooting me!

Stop it, man!

Ouch!

I said ***stop it***!

***Stop shooting me, man!***

God damn it, aaaah stop it!

Damning you! Made me scare the kids away too soon!

Look what you made me do! I love that chandelier, now I have to fix it.

*Hello?*

Yes, hello. I don't recognize your voice, miss.

*Umm, my head hurts, wha-what's happening?*

Oh my God, Aiden look what you made me do! I crashed the chandelier on top of her head! Now she can…

*It's so cold… and dark… I… I… What's going on? Guys? Guys can you hear me? Hey guys where are you going? Don't just leave me hear… Hey guys… OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD WHAT THE?*

Hello, miss… If you can hear me, you are dead. If you can hear me, we are close. If you can feel the vibrations created by my voice in your feet – you are inside of me. If you can feel the vibrations of my voice, miss, you are dead.

*No, no, no no no no no no no… please no… please no…*

*See what you made me do?*

I know what I've said, but if I drop a heavy part of me on the head of a living child the child will die obviously! Hey what are you doing to that body? Keep your hands away from her you filthy animal! You're the reason she's dead, I don't care if you're unhappy about having a body in the middle of my living room, in the middle of me! I am the house and I make the rules, the girl's remains will not move an inch.

*Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!*

And you, could you stop screaming? You're dead. This guy has caused your death and now I am stuck with both of you. I thought having some company would be nice but you both are already insufferable.

*I'm sorry… I just I just…*

Oh, don't cry, child.

Shut up, Aiden! Shut up or I'm throwing you in the attic.

*I don't want to be dead…*

Tough luck kiddo, you already kind of are.

*Wh-who are you?*

I'm the ghost of the house!

Oh, that's it, Aiden. I've had it with you and your shenanigans – off to the attic you go!

It won't help you to shout, you rascal! Damn you too! We're all damned here it seems!

*What's in the attic, House ghost?*

House ghost hmm I like the sound of that! To answer your question, his flayed remains. It was a pain hearing him being flayed, turns out his screaming is even worse post mortem.

God, why do I have to house this banshee?