Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 119) Impulse
A shiver runs up Stephens back as he turns to see how far he is from the gatehouse. His assumption is correct, he is the same distance from the manor as he is from the smaller dwelling and neither offers much comfort when looking at them. They both appear cold and foreboding and his imagination makes him feel as if eyes are upon him from all directions. The woods to his right are thick and mysterious as the canopy of trees block out any of the moons glow from above.
Munching on his sandwich, he tries to concentrate on the walk and not his surroundings but he is not successful. Nervously, he pulls the bottle of pills out of his pocket and without slowing his pace, pops one in his mouth and chases it with a drink of water.
If he had his way right now, he would be running for his life towards the manor. It seems crazy to him that this is his impulse for he does not know what might be there, just inside those massive walls, waiting for him. Off in the distance he hears what he believes to be the call of a bird. He is not familiar with the sounds of the wildlife here, and even though it sounds rather strange; a bird is what he believes or possibly hopes it to be.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 118) He Smirks
“No, I need to get back up on the hill.” Stephen says to himself as he pushes the chair back under the table. Stepping over to the counter, he pulls a napkin from the drawer, sets his sandwich on it, zips his jacket up to his neck and shoves the bottle of water into the pocket opposite the flashlight. With his snack and napkin in hand, he walks out the back door and proceeds up the path to the manor.
The moon is practically full which is quite beautiful but it also plays tricks on the mind as shadows of trees and plants seem to transform into other worldly beings. Glancing around, Stephen takes a large bite of his sandwich as he quickly moves along the winding twisting trail to the large mysterious place that he is supposed to call home.
Shaking his head, he smirks at this thought, for he has no idea about what to expect, or how to rejuvenate a building that has been sitting vacant for over fifteen to twenty years. Even though what he has seen thus far is magnificent, he is still very nervous and unsure of his abilities to handle it alone. He will need to enlist the assistance of contractors and local businesses and with his social anxiety this seems insurmountable.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 117) Hesitates
Nothing, Stephen stands in silence, there is no sound coming from anywhere in the gatehouse except for the ticking clock. The house is quiet but it feels inhabited and not just by him. His senses are high and uncomfortable as his body aches with uneasiness. With a quick glance, he peers at the far end of the hall then steps forward, crossing through the sitting room on to the kitchen. Heading straight for the thermostat, he wants to see if the heat is working. Nudging the switch up a little the furnace clicks on.
With much relief in knowing he does not have to go back down into the basement, he steps back and glances out the kitchen window. High on the hill, deeply contrasting with the bright moonlight, the manor looms in the oppressive darkness of the night. Stephen almost laughs for he does not know which place he fears the most, this small unassuming gatehouse or the grand manor that consumes the highest point on the hill.
His stomach growls loudly and he realizes he has not eaten in hours. Many trays of food remain at the house after his great-uncles funeral and to the thanks of his great-aunt, the items are neatly wrapped and sitting in the refrigerator. Stephen grabs a few pieces of ham from the meat tray along with two slices of homemade bread and makes a thick sandwich. Taking a bottle of water off the counter he pulls a chair out from the table to take a seat, yet he hesitates.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 116) Listening
“I thought this was you.” Stephen says to himself about the clipping of his grandmother. “You must have passed a few months after grandfather.” Stephen says in a mumble as he neatly folds the clipping and tucks it back in its place in the book.
Bending his neck to the side he stretches to the right, then the left and yawns as he settles back in the chair. Leaving the flashlight next to him on the cushion, he tosses the bible onto the bed and relaxes. Within minutes, he falls asleep. The house is quite and warm and most people would be cozy enough to sleep through the night, but that is never the case with Stephen. His dreams are as disturbed as his waking hours and it is rare for him to get more than an hour or two at a time. Even at best, it is not a restful sleep.
True to form, he stirs awake just as the clock chimes two. The light behind him softens the room with a glow, but it is deceiving for the early morning hours are very dark and the room now feels cold. Afraid the furnace may have stopped he stands up, tucking the flashlight into his pocket, and steps out into the hallway where he stands very still, listening for any sound, any movement, for breathing.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 115) Same Year
Leaning over in the chair and stretching without standing, Stephen does not feel the flashlight, so he drops down on his knees and sticks his arm under the bed. Tapping around without looking, his fingers finally touch the tip of the light as well as the edge of a book. He leans down to take a look and realizes a bible is under the bed next to where the flashlight stopped. Sliding the book towards him, along with the flashlight, he brings them both out and sits back down.
The cloudy sky is forcing the daylight hours to fade to black as he settles back in the chair. Reaching for the lamp next to him, he clicks the knob, which engages the light. Flipping through the book, he notices several folded pieces of paper sticking out at the top, and when he gets to that page, he pulls them out to read.
Unfortunately, none of the notes and clippings contained here are in English. However, one thing is obvious to him about the last piece he finds in the book. It is an obituary notice from an old newspaper and is about a woman who looks very much like his grandmother. Even with the small amount of the Hungarian language he knows, he is positive the date reads the same year as his grandfather’s death. Turning the last part of the clipping back, he sees his grandmother’s name.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 114) Laughing
“I remember grandmother being calm at first, not surprised at what was happening.” Stephen says to himself as he sits in the chair with his fingers digging into the fabric of the cushion. “She was standing, with her back against the wall just watching, almost grinning. Was she laughing?” He looks down at his hands.
“No, she couldn’t have been, why would she be laughing?” He closes his eyes. “I remember yelling out, trying to get the others to push that ugly evil thing away. That is when she covered her mouth and looked at grandfather. Then she stared at me, like she knew what I was talking about, like she understood!” Stephen opens his eyes. “Could she see it too?”
The flashlight rolls off Stephen’s lap and it hits the floor with a loud bang causing him to jump with nervousness.
“Damn it!” he says aloud as he reaches for the flashlight as it rolls across the floor and stops under the corner of the bed.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 113) Reacting
So many things are rushing and tangling the thoughts in Stephen’s mind. He misses his parents greatly and the anger he has for the years they lost makes him want to lash out, but there is no outlet for such emotion. He knows there is nothing he can do to make the situation better. They were snatched from his life in a matter of minutes and the haunting images of what happened to them, as well as his grandfather, will never go away.
Being there, in that room he felt it, he knows something is there watching and waiting. The fear that holds him so tight is the terror of a child, a little boy who witnessed a horrific event and insurmountable guilt that he did nothing; he did absolutely nothing to stop what only he could see. He thinks of the grandmother that he does not remember anything about except for the expression on her face. She was watching him as he stared at the creature and she too was reacting . . . to what?
“What?” states Stephen as he wipes his tears with the palm of his hand and opens his eyes fully. “Why was she looking at me like that?” He questions as he sits up on the edge of the plush seat.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 112) Endure
Staying calm, Stephen steps closer to the place his grandfather fought for his life, but he does not touch the bed in any way. He keeps his distance and stays a few feet back as he bends over and looks under the skirting. He sees several boxes and two blankets stuffed under the mattresses but nothing out of the ordinary. The chill in the air is thick as he slowly passes by the bed and turning, walking backwards toward the hall, he keeps his eyes on the room. Without averting his stare, he feels for the light switch and with a loud click, the room goes dark.
Continuing to back away, he gets halfway down the hallway and stops to lean against the wall as tears fill his eyes. Sliding along the wall and glancing back at the room he makes it to the front bedroom where he collapses in the chair he slept in the night before. He shuts the flashlight off and leaves it in his lap as he tips his head back and holds his eyes closed with his fingers. Tears trickle down his cheeks as he takes in a long deep breath trying to erase the visions he continues to endure time and time again.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 111) Faded
Without moving from his current spot, Stephen shines the beam of the flashlight at the many photographs and little items sitting around. On a tall chest in the corner is the wedding picture of his grandparents. Several individual pictures are in a cluster together on the dresser in front of a three-way mirror and dried flowers in vases are sitting in clumps throughout.
“Are these funeral flowers?” Stephen questions as he looks around the dimly lit room.
Stepping over to the dresser, he picks up a small bundle of dry and faded chrysanthemums. Each arid flower has a thick layer of dust covering the petals and as he gently tries to wipe the grime away, the petals crumble and fall onto the table. Attached is a small envelope, inside is a card and without looking, he knows this was indeed a bouquet sent for a funeral. Quickly setting the bundle down, he looks back at the large wooden bed.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 110) The Culprit
Looking down, on the floor near the far wall at the foot of the bed, is a wooden top. Painted upon it is the image of a little girl with a large round skirt and it is obvious this toy is the culprit of the sound. It created quite a long dust trail on the floor and this clue makes it apparent the item was recently disturbed from its original placement.
“Is that what made the noise?” Stephen questions as he walks toward the little trinket.
Shining the flashlight down, there is no doubt in his mind that this item has recently moved. Guiding the beam up to the dresser, he sees a clear dustless spot where the item would have been displayed. Bending over, he picks the item up then blows on it to remove dust and dirt from the little creases and crevices. Once satisfied the trinket is as clean as it can be, he carefully places it back on the dresser in the exact spot where it once stood.
Staring at the little toy, he realizes it is sitting far too close to the edge of the dresser. It seems obvious to him that the pounding rumbles of thunder probably just vibrated it over the edge. He pushes it back for a more secure position hoping this maneuver will keep it from falling to the floor once again. He then steps back to admire his handy work and suddenly realizes here he is, in the middle of the room, alone.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 109) Inviting
Still standing in the hall, Stephen glances around the room to see if anything is out of place, but how would he know for sure? He has never been in this room, not all the way, and has no idea if any items have been disturbed. He is not sure how long he has been standing here, but the house is now completely quiet. There is no wind, no rain and no thunder to clutter or disturb the air.
Stephen puts one foot into the room and pauses before taking another step. The flashlight in his hand is glowing but the beam it is shining is shaky at best. He takes a deep breath of the musty stale air and finds he cannot take his eyes off the bed. It is neatly prepared, with a coverlet that is handmade and detailed with embroidered flowers stitched along the edges and in a huge design in the middle.
Several small pillows in a uniform row look strategically placed across the head of the bed against the wooden headboard. The bedding has a typical well-pressed appearance as if someone was trying to make it look comfortable and inviting. However, it is clear that no one has slept there for years. A heavy collection of dust covers the bedding and everything else in the room including the wooden floorboards.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 108) Electrified
“How long had grandfather been lying there, peacefully sleeping?” Stephen thinks to himself. “How long did that beast sit and wait for just the right time to attack?” His mind keeps asking the same questions as they randomly pop in and out of his thoughts as they have for years.
Stephen peeks around the corner of the door jamb to see a full view of the room and to find the source of the sound. With the thunderstorm moving on, he should be able to hear it now but the room is silent. In fact, it is very quiet in an eerie electrified way. Reaching out at the wall and sliding his hand to the side, he finds the light switch and with a click, he flips it on. A small round hand painted lamp on the far side of the bed turns on casting a dim yellow glow in the room. A strong musty aged scent permeates out of this space as if it has been sealed shut for years.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 107) Scorched
Moving forward, Stephen begins to walk along the close tight walls of the hallway, his eyes fixed on the last doorway to the right. The heavy rain and wind are drowned out now by the thoughts in his mind. The sound of the storm fades behind the prominent and constant thumping of his heartbeat. Steadily, he moves forward, not by taking steps but by sliding his feet along the floor in a shuffling manner as he moves toward the one room he fears so very much. Thunder continues to rumble but farther away now as the storm slowly moves through the area.
There it is, the four-poster bed where his grandfather napped and where the most terrifying event of Stephen’s life played out. Leaning back against the wall in the hallway, he closes his eyes for he is not sure if he can force himself to step inside the room. The images scorched into his mind begin to flash in sequence like an old movie and his breathing becomes rapid and shallow.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 106) Security
“The flashlight,” Stephen says to himself for he remembers it is still in his pocket. Swiftly he pulls it out and flips the switch on. “That’s better.” He whispers as he continues to press himself against the wall.
Stephen cannot hear a thing with the rushing wind and rain and the pounding of his heart in his ears. He has no idea if the noise he heard earlier is still sounding or if it was simply the storm. Could it have been rain pouring off the roof? Was it raining hard when he heard it? No, he does not think so. What could possibly be making such a sound?
Shining the beam of his flashlight down the hall, it reflects off the mirror into a brilliant white light. This illuminates the area and he can see that the door to the room is standing open, just as it was last night when his great-aunt called for him. He made it that far then, but the house was full of people. Somehow, this gave him a false sense of security for his grandfather died surrounded by individuals who did not see anything except a man having a heart attack, as were the coroner’s findings.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 105) Alone
Stephen shakes two pills out into his sweaty trembling palm and he quickly secures the lid on the bottle before placing it back in his pocket. A gust of wind blows the rain against the front door and windows of the gatehouse as he shoves the pills, almost violently, into his mouth. He finds it difficult to swallow as his body tenses up and his adrenaline rises to a severe level. He feels sick to his stomach as he makes his way across the room and now finds himself standing in the dusty hall.
The dreariness of the storm has caused the house to grow gloomy and with a lightning strike, Stephen sees his reflection in the mirror at the end of the hall. Startled, he backs up against the wall and closes his eyes. The scene is rushing back to him now at a rapid pace, mostly the fear he felt as a child and the sense of losing control. However, one thing is different, he knows this time he is completely alone.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 104) Guilt
In some way, Stephen fills guilt in what happened here that night when his grandfather died. He could see the monster that no one else could. Why did he not stop it? He should have run towards the beast and forced it off his grandfather instead of wilting on the floor in tears.
This eats away at him now as it has for many years. Because of this event, he watched his father cry for the first time and from that moment forward, life became a frightening thing to him. That night, an evil creature took away his childhood and innocent playful mind. Due to bearing witness to such a heinous event, sorrow and trepidation began consuming the biggest part of everyday life.
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Shadows Of Guts (Excerpt 103) Dismiss It
Moving slowly, Stephan takes a few steps toward the main room of the house where he leans on the door jamb and pauses. His hands are trembling as he looks across the room. A mere twenty footsteps away is the beginning of the hall that will lead him to the bedroom. The sound is faint here, but the rolling rhythm is still calling to him. Leaning his head back against the wood trim, he reaches for his bottle of pills, but he is shaking so violently he fears he will spill them.
Crash! Another clap of heavily pounding thunder clamors down upon the house as rain pelts the windows and doors. The nature of the storm is so fierce that Stephen can no longer hear the rolling sound in the house but he knows he cannot dismiss it. He knows he must force himself through the dread that weighs so heavily on him.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 102) Rolling
The rainstorm has brought with it cooler temperatures and it can be felt in the gatehouse as well. Hoping the furnace did not stop working, Stephen gets up to adjust the temperature when another loud crash of thunder shakes so hard, the plates in the cabinet rattle. He stops where he stands as he waits for the rolling sound of thunder to stop but he soon realizes it has. The sound he hears is actually coming from behind the wall, which is the room where his grandfather passed away.
Since coming here just two days prior, he has not had the courage or the strength to step foot in the dark room that has haunted him for so many years. The grinding sound behind the wall continues and as he listens, sweat begins to bead on his forehead even through the air in the house is nearly freezing. Shivering yet incredibly warm at the same time, he feels as if time has stopped. The image of the bludgeoning and torment of his grandfather has burned into his memories and the fear he felt as a little boy returns.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 101) Letters
As another loud rumble of thunder crashes through the air, Stephen pops the lid of the chest open and looks at the first photograph. It appears to be very old and worn as if someone carried it with them in a pocket or wallet for many years. The edges are crumpled and soft and the black and white image is faded.
In the photograph is a very attractive woman with shoulder length dark hair. She is holding a single flower in her hand and is standing near the front door of the manor. Next in the stack is a folded piece of paper and as he begins to read the words he can translate, it is obvious this is a love letter.
“Hum, looks like letters between my grandparents possibly?” Stephen says aloud as he sits in the kitchen alone.
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Shadows Of Guta (Excerpt 100) Preparing
Walking to the kitchen sink, Stephen grabs a dishtowel to dry his face and hair. As he pulls the towel down from wiping his forehead, the small dusty trunk he brought up from the basement catches his eye. It is exactly where he left it, sitting on the kitchen table. An old pirate’s chest, one much smaller than those depicted in movies, is the first thing that comes to mind when he sits down in front of it.
The dark stained wood of the curved lid has black rivets holding it together, as do the four corners of the bottom box section. The lock is broken which in a way is a good thing for he has no idea where the key may be. With both hands on either side of the chest, he sits quietly as if preparing himself for what may be inside.
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