Bad Places Read online

  Silence.

  “That wasn’t him, kid.”

  “Maybe he didn’t hear me.”

  “Your dad could hear if you whispered. That’s because he’s your dad.”

  “Nothing happens until you play the videos.” Jenny sounded as if she was trying to convince herself, with little conviction in her tone.

  “Then don’t play the videos anymore.”

  “We have to get rid of them.”

  “Candy said she already tried to destroy them, but they came back.”

  “We have to at least try. It’s not safe to have them just sitting around in a box.”

  “We run up, get the box, and get out.” Mark nodded. “Sounds easy.”

  “You don’t sound like you believe yourself there, Uncle Mark.”

  “Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds.”

  “Thirty seconds, if we hustle. In and out. Right?”

  “I haven’t had this much exercise in ten years!”

  “Can you handle it?”

  “I’m not that old, kid.”

  Inside the house, the lights went out.

  Jenny and Mark looked at each other as they stood in the darkness.

  “The house is not going to make it easy, is it?”

  “I’ll grab the box, you make sure we have a clear way back out.”

  “Gotcha!”

  “Ready?”

  “No, but let’s go anyway.”

  Jenny and Mark run to the stairs, Jenny taking the steps two at a time, Mark falling behind slightly. On the second floor, they ran up the hallway and turned into Jenny’s room, stopping dead in their tracks.

  One of the videos was playing on the TV.

  “Oh, shit,” Jenny muttered.

  “Forget that! Grab the box, Jenny!”

  Jenny looked around the room, but the box was nowhere in sight. “It’s not here!”

  “Then let’s get out of here!”

  Mark and Jenny turned, and the bedroom door slammed shut.

  Candy was staring in the camera lens.

  “Mom and dad won’t answer their door. I think I’m on my own. I don’t know what to do. Who am I supposed to call?” Candy looked off to the right, as she had heard something. “It feels like right before a bad thunderstorm. Maybe this is what they mean by a sense of dread.” A tremendous pounding was heard, causing Candy to duck involuntarily. “I think this is it! Something is going to happen right now-”

  Static.

  Jenny and Mark were looking around, as if expecting something to happen to them.

  “Which tape was that, Jenny?”

  Jenny stepped up to the VCR and ejected the video cassette, looking at the label. “One more after this one.”

  “What else can happen?”

  “Death, destruction, maybe the apocalypse.”

  “That’s not funny, kid.”

  “Stuff like this doesn’t just happen, Uncle Mark. Evil always has a plan.”

  “How would you know about evil?”

  “I took a class in college.”

  “A class about evil?”

  “Close enough. Psychology. When we started learning about outside influences on the mind and concepts of evil versus psychosis, I began forming my own theories.”

  “Hold on. From what your dad told me, I thought your major was supposed to be sports medicine.”

  “Things change.”

  “So, what were your own theories, Little Miss Shrink?”

  Jenny was about to answer when there was a sound, almost as if the entire house shuddered, the rippling sensation causing Mark to throw both arms straight out.

  “Earthquake?”

  “No.”

  “What is it, then?”

  “The house is getting ready.”

  “For what?”

  Another house-rattling jolt, almost knocking Jenny and Mark off their feet.

  “Let’s not find out!” Jenny grabbed Mark’s hand and they moved toward the bedroom door, opening it, moving through the doorway, and-

  Mark and Jenny were in the bedroom, but it was Candy’s bedroom, not Jenny’s.

  “Jenny? This isn’t your room, but it is your room.”

  “This is Candy’s room!”

  “What the hell do you mean this is Candy’s room?” Mark looked around.

  “This is the way it looked in the videos.”

  “Are you saying we went back in time?”

  “I don’t know, but this isn’t my stuff. It’s Candy’s.”

  “Do you have your phone?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “I could call myself in 1999 and tell myself not to come here and that way this won’t ever happen.”

  “I don’t think it works that way, Uncle Mark.”

  “Why not?”

  “This could be an illusion.”

  “Looks real to me.”

  The door burst open and Mark leaped sideways, almost into Jenny’s arms as Candy entered the room, a surprised expression on her face. “What are you two doing in here?”

  Mark and Jenny looked at each other and then at the teenage Candy.

  “We don’t know,” Jenny replied.

  A smile appeared on Candy’s face and then she rushed up to Mark and Jenny, hugging both of them. “I didn’t think you two would ever come out of that bedroom!”

  Jenny and Mark now looked totally confused.

  “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about-”

  “Dad, we can talk all about that later! We need to get out of this house, while we can!”

  “Dad?” Jenny glanced at Mark.

  “Mom, what else am I supposed to call him? Mr. Temple?”

  “What’s the date?” Mark asked.

  “October 21st-”

  Jenny inhaled sharply and turned to her uncle. “The last tape.”

  “What?” Candy asked.

  “Look!” Jenny pointed toward the camera, which had been sitting on a high dresser, pointed in their direction.

  “This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all!”

  “Are you two okay?” Candy asked.

  “We know what happens to them on that date,” Mark said to Jenny.

  “Yes.”

  “It happens down by the front door.”

  “Then we’re going to have to go out the back door!”

  “What are you two talking about?” Candy asked.

  “Nothing, Candy.”

  A tremendous pounding was heard, coming from beyond the bedroom. Candy rushed to Mark’s side and he put a protective arm around her shoulders. “It’s starting again!” Candy cried out.

  Mark looked over at Jenny. “Are you ready?”

  “Can we really change history like this?”

  “Better than the alternative!”

  “You’re right.”

  Mark, Jenny, and Candy walked toward the bedroom door.

  The lights started flickering.

  “Why is the house doing this to us?” Candy asked.

  “Some places are just bad, Candy.”

  “How can a house be bad?”

  “You’ll understand one day,” Jenny said.

  Mark reached for the door knob, a grimace on his face as he pulled open the door. He peered out the open doorway, looking up and down the hallway. Mark, Jenny, and Candy stepped out of the bedroom into the hall. Before taking a step, something dropped on Mark’s cheek. He reached up and wiped it away, looking at his hand. It was smeared with something red.

  Blood.

  More drops.

  Thunder.

  Then a torrential rain of blood fell in the hallway.

  All the doors to the rooms on the second floor started to open and shut rapidly, like snapping teeth, driving the trio downstairs.

  “When we get downstairs, head straight for the kitchen, Jenny!” Mark shouted.

  “Why did you call Mom Jenny, Dad?”

  “Don’t worry about that right now,” Jenny said.

  Jenny, Candy, and Mark s
tood at the top of the stairs and looked down, seeing movement in the living room as the lights continued to turn on and off rapidly. Headache-inducing, dizzying.

  “What do you think?” Mark asked Jenny.

  “No matter what happens, keep moving.”

  “Right.”

  Mar, Jenny, and Candy moved down the stairs, slipping as the blood rain continued to fall on them. Suddenly, Candy was yanked off her feet, pulled upward, disappearing. Her screaming was heard from the second floor, until it was cut off with a finality that caused Jenny and Mark to grab onto each other, looking up.

  “This can’t be happening!” Mark shouted. “Candy survived! We met her!”

  “Keep moving, Uncle Mark!”

  Mark and Jenny continued down the stairs, about to step onto the main floor, when the entire floor of the house collapsed, revealing Hell below, complete with flames, writhing Damned, and things better left unseen. Mark almost tumbled into the abyss, but Jenny grabbed him by the collar and pulled him backward. The pair scrambled back up to the second floor.

  The blood rain stopped.

  Actually, there was no sign of the bloody rain in the hallway whatsoever, as Mark and Jenny stood, staring at each other is bewilderment.

  “Where do we go?” Jenny asked. “Which room?”

  “Hold on.”

  “What?”

  “We’re not in 1999 anymore!”

  “How do you know?”

  “See that mark over there near the floor?” Mark was pointing to a dark skid mark on the wall.

  “Yes?”

  “That’s where I hit the wall with your dad’s movie chair after I dropped it on my foot!”

  “If we’re back, did what happen to Candy actually happen?”

  “We need to check on her.”

  “Should we call her?”

  “I’d rather just go over there.”

  “If the house lets us.”

  “You know what Candy said about the wood for this place coming from some bad place?”

  “Yes.”

  “I want to try something.” Mark looked around. “I need to get to the wood.”

  “Walls?”

  “No, that’s sheetrock. I need to get to the actual frame.” Mark reached into a pocket and took out a folding knife.

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Our best bet is either the basement or the attic.”

  “I do not want to go into the basement.”

  “It’s upward, then.” Mark moved off, Jenny following, reluctantly.

  Jenny and Mark entered the attic, finding it almost completely empty.

  “What is this going to prove?” Jenny asked.

  “I want to know.”

  “Know what?”

  “If I can hurt this place.” Mark opened the knife, blade locking into place with a metallic CLICK. He raised the blade toward an exposed wood beam. Jenny and Mark were knocked off their feet as the entire attic rumbled. “Oh, it knows!”

  Jenny slapped Mark’s hand away from the wood. “Stop!”

  “What?”

  “Do you smell that?”

  Mark sniffed the air and a look of concern appeared on his face. “Smoke!”

  Candy was standing just beyond the front porch, a gas can at her feet, watching as flames raced along the sides of the house. Her face was emotionless. Blank.

  Jenny and Mark returned to the second floor from the attic, the smoke getting thicker and the interior now illuminated by the flames outside. The house shuddered, as if reacting, the floor shifting under Jenny and Mark’s feet. The doors along the hallways started opening and shutting, which caused the smoke to swirl. Then the smoke slowly changed into a shape that grew directly in front of Jenny and Mark. The shape was vaguely humanoid.

  “What the hell is that!?” Mark exclaimed.

  The shape advanced on Mark and Jenny, as they backed up the hall, the smoke shape following.

  “We didn’t start the fire!’ Jenny shouted. “We’re trying to get out!”

  “You do know you’re talking to smoke, don’t you?”

  The smoke shape continued its advance. A mouth appeared, a growing maw that seemed to have things squirming inside.

  “That thing isn’t smoke, Uncle Mark!”

  “No shit!” Mark looked behind them, trying to find an escape route. “Is there any other way out, Jenny?”

  “You’ve been here almost as long as I have, Uncle Mark! As far as I know, the only thing we can do is get to a window and jump!”

  “Sounds good to me right about now! Let’s go!”

  Mark and Jenny hurried up the hall, toward the last door at the end of the hall.

  “The master bedroom,” Jenny said. “It has the biggest windows.”

  “Did I ever tell you that I’m afraid of heights?”

  “What aren’t you afraid of, Uncle Mark?”

  “That’s a short list.”

  Jenny and Mark entered the bedroom, coughing against the smoke, slamming the door shut behind them. Mark pushed a heavy set of drawers in front of the door and moved to the large window, where Jenny stood waiting. A glow of flames could be seen through the curtains.

  “This isn’t going to be easy!”

  “We can slide down the sheets.”

  “This side of the house is on fire!”

  Mark exhaled loudly. “Jeez, just one break...”

  They did not see a thick smoke start to enter the room from under the door.

  Candy moved through the house slowly, toward the stairs, flames now spreading through the interior, smoke thick and choking. “How does it feel to die?” she shouted.

  Jenny stopped pulling the sheet from the bed at hearing Candy’s voice. “Was that Candy?”

  Mark was ripping the top sheet into lengths. “I didn’t hear anything.”

  Jenny waited another second and then continued pulling the fitted sheet off the bed, bringing it to Mark, who was now tying the torn sheets into a flimsy-looking rope. “I don’t know about this, Uncle Mark!”

  “If you have a better idea, feel free to tell me before the rest of the house burns down!” Mark moved to the window, but Jenny rushed to stop him. “What about the backdraft?”

  “You watch too many movies, kid.” Mark opened the window. He threw one end of the sheet rope out the window, and saw that it only reached half-way down to the ground. Mark leaned out the window and looked down. “Oh, man...” He looked back at Jenny. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to drop a little.”

  “How far is a little?”

  “Ten feet?”

  “Ouch.”

  “Could be worse.”

  “How?”

  “Could be twenty feet.” Mark motioned to Jenny. “Let’s go!”

  Then Candy’s voice was heard. “Where are you!?”

  “That IS Candy!”

  “We have to get out of here now, Jenny!”

  “We can’t leave her in a burning house!”

  “She got in, she can make it back out! Come on!”

  Jenny moved toward the door and started pushing the drawers out of the way. Mark looked out the open window and then let out a frustrated grunt and moved to push the drawers aside, following as Jenny opened the door.

  Jenny and Mark moved slowly up the hall, coughing against the smoke.

  “Where did the smoke monster go? Not that I’m complaining.”

  “Could be anywhere,” Jenny ventured. “It’s all smoke in here now.”

  “Maybe it was Candy who set the house on fire.”

  “Why would she do that now and not years ago?”

  “Because she’s crazy!”

  A door opened and Mark leaned slightly toward it, pulled inside the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

  Hearing the door slam, Jenny rushed up and tried to open it, starting to pound on the door. “Uncle Mark!”

  Candy walked slowly up the stairs, to the second floor, the light on her video camera illuminating the hallway. Jenny turn
ed toward the camera, blinking against the light. “Candy?”

  “You have to get out of here.”

  “We’ve been trying! My uncle is in this room! I can’t open the door! Can you help me?”

  “Don’t worry, it will all be over soon.”

  “Candy, the house is on fire! We need to get him out of this room! Help me, goddamn it!”

  Candy turned around and moved back down the stairs. “All over...”

  “Where the hell are you going? Get back here and help me, you crazy bitch!” Jenny did not see the door open. She was pulled into the room, the door slamming shut.

  “...soon.”

  Static.

  The house was destroyed, reduced to smoldering means and rubbish. Firefighters moved through the debris, spraying areas with hoses. Neighbors watched in morbid curiosity, crowded together, whispering.

  “Do you think it happened again?”

  “I’m the one who called it in, you know. The fire. I was about to take my dog out for a walk when I saw the flames.”

  “You know what I mean!”

  “Yes, but I don’t like talking about it. Just in case.”

  “Did you even meet the people who moved in?”

  “No.”

  “I saw them take away the woman earlier. A shame.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “She moved into that house is what happened to her!”

  “You don’t believe in all those stories, do you?”

  “You do!”

  “I know, but that’s because I knew the Harpers and helped them get out all those years ago!”

  “All I know is that I’ll sleep better knowing that house is gone!”

  Someone stepped forward and took a photograph with his phone, everyone else in the crowd looking at the photo.

  “Do you see anything in the smoke?”

  “What do you think we’re going to see? The devil?”

  “You never know with that place!”

  A pair of firefighters were standing next to each other, taking a break.

  “Isn’t this that house?”

  “What house?”

  “You know, the haunted house.”

  “Seriously?”

  “I was a kid when this place was in the news and I would ride my bike here every Halloween, hoping to see the ghosts.”

  “Did you ever see one?”

  “No.”

  “You sound disappointed.”

  “It didn’t live up to its reputation, that’s for sure.”

  “How do you know it was a haunted house?”

  “Every town has one.”