Night Music - A Short Horror Story

            The soft, strained music invaded her dreams  at first.  Its melody weaved in and out of her consciousness, and prodded the edge of her mind.  Haley’s eyes fluttered open and she found herself in the dark.  She had napped for longer than she had hoped to; the sun had set, draining the late evening light from her house.  She sat up in her bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

            That’s when she heard the music again.  She sat up straighter, stilling her movements to hear the sound that floated in through her open window.  The slow, old-fashioned music gently blew in with the night air.  Its tune slightly off as if played on an old record player nearing its demise.  It would have been beautiful if it weren't for the sharp notes and shaky singing.  She stepped up to her window, listening.  The rain fell steadily outside, making it hard to place the source of the music.  The Realtor had told her there was a house a mile out along the deserted road. Perhaps the rain was amplifying the music, sending it further than it usually would travel. They must be interesting neighbors if the was their evening music choice.

            She turned from the window, dismissing the music, then picked up her sweater from the unpacked box next to her bed.  She flicked on the light switch in the hall and headed down the stairs.  Haley was glad to be in her new home, unpacked boxes and all.  The house was cheap since the former owners had wanted to sell it quickly. They were moving out of state to live with family, or retire or something.  She couldn't remember the exact reason.  Her husband, Tim, had to work late, but she couldn't wait to start her first night in their beautiful new home and she didn't trust herself to drive on the dark deserted road to the house at night. So, here she was.

            As she looked at the boxes around her in the living room she sighed.  It would be a pain to unpack them, but she couldn't wait to make the house her own. Her Sheppard mix, Jack, stood next to her, whimpering quietly.  She patted him on the head.  “It’s OK buddy.  You’ll love this house soon enough.”

            Jack walked to the door, tail between his legs and began scratching at it, his signal that he wanted out.  She walked over to open the door before he ruined the paint.  “We’ll need to untrain him of that.” She muttered as Jack ran out into the dark of the backyard.  She inhaled the soft sent of the rain.

“Hurry up, Jack!” She called, shivering as the cold swept in through the door.  She stopped when she heard the soft music again, then turned to the box next to her and dug around in hopes of finding a flashlight.  When she finally found one, she flicked it on and headed into the backyard towards the tree line 10 yards from her back porch.  Jack ran back and forth at wood’s edge, barking towards the trees.

            The music became louder as she approached the woods.  She tilted her head to hear, but Jack’s barking and the constant rain made it difficult to pinpoint its exact location.  She pointed her flashlight into the trees.  The beam illuminated the dark trunks and underbrush, before disappearing into the deep darkness of the woods.  She stepped in, straining her ears and shushing Jack at the same time.  She wanted to hear the music.  Where was it coming from? She took a few more steps, now standing between two trees, the darkness pressing in on her and her flashlight illuminating only a few feet in front of her.  She heard a rustle behind her then a low growl from Jack. 

            She swiveled around and saw a raccoon dart out from the bushes. Haley shrieked. It ran past her into the depths of the woods. Jack barked, refusing to enter the tree line to follow the raccoon.  She shook her head, laughing to herself. She was being foolish.  Going into the woods at night would be a sure way to get lost.  She pictured her husband searching the property for her while she wandered the woods.  She pulled her sweater tighter to her and made her way back to the house, her shoes squishing in the wet grass.  “Jack! Come!” She yelled as he continued to growl at the woods.  He whimpered once more before running to her side

            She stepped back onto the porch hearing the music fading behind her.  As she reached out toward the door she saw that it was open a few inches.  She pulled her hand back.  Had she really left it open? That was unlike her.  But, she chalked it up to her yearning to investigate the music and call in Jack. 

            She went inside, latching and closing the door behind her and peeling off her wet sweater.  Jack sat by the door, crying again.  “What is it?” She asked him.  She knew the new house would take some getting used to for Jack.  His usual cheerful disposition was gone, replaced by a nervousness she hadn't seen in him before.  “Daddy will be home soon.” She reassured Jack and herself.

            She stepped to the nearest box, figuring that she might as well start unpacking.  She pulled out a few decorative items turning them in her hands as she contemplated where in the living room to put them.  At least they had the sense to bring the boxes to the room they belonged in. That would alleviate some of the stress of unpacking.  She rolled her shoulders, eager for her husband to get home to massage the knot from her back.  She blamed all the heavy boxes for her soreness. 

Jack suddenly ran away from the back door and skidded to a halt in front of the basement door.  “What’s the matter with you?”  She set down the decoration, calling Jack to her. She froze.  She heard the music again, this time its muffled tones were louder and coming through the basement door. 

            She took a deep breath, trying to calm her shaking hands.  She walked slowly towards the basement door.  Part of her wanted to run the other direction, but where was there to go?  She probably would crash her car driving down that dark driveway.  Where was Tim when she needed him?  She smiled, shaking her head.  That was it! Tim had probably set this up.  He was a prankster and took any chance possible to scare the living daylights out of her.  He loved it even more, knowing she was jumpy.  She could already picture his face, laughing until his sides hurt at her look of horror.  “Oh Haley, you’re so gullible.” She could hear him say through his boyish grin. 

            She firmly grabbed the door handle, taking a breath, then quickly swung the door open, ready to face him and show that she had it all figured out.  She grimaced as the music became almost deafening, the tune even more mutated and distorted than before.  She covered her ears stepping down the first step. 

“Very funny, Tim!” She yelled out, trying to make herself heard over the music.  “Super creepy, but I’ve figured it out!”

She wished that there was a light switch at the top of the stairs.  She made a mental note to do that soon.  The light from the living room only illuminated the stairs before fading out.  She went down a couple more steps.  Even though she knew it was Tim playing a prank on her, she shivered as the eerie music pushed against her ear drums.  She took the last few steps and stood on the solid basement floor.  Haley reached for the light switch, a smug look on her face, to show that she was not fooled. She turned the light on. Everything went quiet.  She shook her head to rid it of the ringing that filled the music’s absence. 

“Tim, you got me, now come here!” She called out.  She tried to still her trembling legs.  She couldn’t see anyone down here.  The dim basement lighting cast the room in an eerie, yellow glow.  She couldn’t figure out where he’d be hiding. 

“Tim? Seriously?”  She couldn’t keep the fear from her voice.  “Why do you have to scare me like this?”  She felt like crying.  She wanted to enjoy her first night in the house but Tim had taken his joke too far and she was starting to get mad.  She tapped her foot impatiently, taking a few steps forward to search the basement for Tim’s clever ruse.

            She heard the basement door creak behind her.  She swiveled around, expecting to find Tim.  Instead she saw a large shadow.  It quietly stood in the doorway. She tried to process what she was seeing. It looked human in shape, but had no solid edges - its was nebulous. She took a step back, her mouth agape. The shadow lurched, flying down the stairs at an inhuman speed.  She screamed, her hands reached out protectively, and then everything went black. 

            “Haley!” The voice was faint at first.  “Haley! Are you alright?”  She opened her eyes, and saw her husband’s worried face.  “What are you doing?” He asked anxiously, his hands moving along the back of her head to check for any bumps or cuts. 

            “Tim!”  She sat up quickly.  Her head spun.  “Tim, there was something down here. There was scary music playing!”  She choked back her sobs. “We have to leave, please.  I know why the former owners left.  There’s something here.  It pushed me. Jack knew it was here” She grabbed his arm firmly, her hands shaking violently.

            Tim’s look of worry turned to confusion.  “What are you talking about, sweetie?”  He held her close to him to comfort her.  “I think you might have a concussion.”

            “No!” She shouted, pushing him away.  She tried to keep calm but she could hear the hysteria in her own voice.  “We need to leave!” Why couldn’t he understand the severity of the situation? “Where’s Jack?”

            Tim pointed to the bottom of the stairs where Jack sat calmly, panting cheerfully.  “I think you hit your head a little hard.”

            She looked around the basement.  It seemed brighter now, less confining than a few minutes ago.  Jack’s happy face was a complete turn around from before.  She took a deep breath. “But I saw something.  There was music.”  But the edge in her voice was wavering and she wondered how hard she had hit her head.

            “It’s ok, Haley.  Jack probably bumped into you on your way down the stairs. You know what a klutz he is.”  He brushed her hair with his fingers.  He stood up holding his hand out to her, a small smile on his lips.  “Leave it to you to hurt yourself the first night here.”

            She laughed shakily, feeling relieved.  Calmness was settling over her.  She gripped his arm tightly as she got to her feet. She felt dizzy. She felt silly now, rambling about a shadow figure. It probably was Jack. She took a deep breath. Her ears were ringing and she just wanted to go snuggle on the couch with her husband. 

“You alright?”

            “Yeah, I think so.”  She put her hand to her chest, “My skin kind of burns here, I must have scraped it.”

            “Let me see.”  Tim pulled down the collar of her t-shirt to take a better look.  His eyes grew wide.

            “That bad?” She asked, patting her collar bone expecting to feel the slickness of blood.  She felt nothing but tender skin.

            His eyes were so wide she was afraid they might pop out of his head. 

“What?”

“It’s…

“Come on Tim, don’t mess with me right now.”

"Haley, it’s a handprint!”

            “A what?” She looked down. She could only see the bottom part of the print.  The round palm was bright red, almost scorched into her skin.  “Tim?”  She asked, the worry seeping back into her voice.

            “Let’s go visit your sister’s for the night.” He said quickly, his voice edged with fear.

            Haley’s eyes widened and she nodded her head.  He took her hand and went up the first step.  There was a loud pop and they were plunged into semi-darkness.  The only light came from the open basement door.

            “Let’s go!” Haley shrieked.

            Tim pulled harder on her hand as he scrambled up the stairs.  Jack let out a loud growl behind them.

            The basement door slammed, enveloping them in complete darkness.  Haley’s heart pounded so hard she feared it might explode out of her chest.  A noise pierced the quiet of the basement, so shrill and unnerving that Tim yelled, yanking his hand from hers to cover his ears.  Haley barely recognized it as the song she had first heard.  Its tune was painfully slowed and monstrously warped, each note like a knife piercing her skull.

            “Tim!” She screamed.  “Go!”

            She heard a horrifying yell then a thump come from in front of her.  Haley screamed, feeling something heavy and solid hit against her legs.  “Tim!”

            Jack yelped and howled behind her and then it was silent. She couldn't hear Jack or Tim. The music had ceased.  She couldn't move. She was frozen in terror. The darkness pressed heavily against her.  She could feel the presence of something in front of her, but was unable to see it. She felt the hand print on her chest grow white hot.  She reached up to it but found something blocked her way - a hand already placed over her chest.  A wild laughter came from the presence; evil, mocking. Pain enveloped her whole body.  She opened her mouth in a silent scream, before falling to the floor heavily.

         
     A few months later, the old house stood quiet and beautiful among the trees.

     "Oh, it's perfect!" A young woman exclaimed, as she looked up at it from the driveway. She stood with her husband, their baby cooing softly in her arms.  "It has so much space for our family! And the wood flooring is gorgeous."

     "It's quite a ways out."  Her husband said, glancing back towards the dirt driveway that snaked away into the trees.

     Their Realtor smiled her too forced smile. "But the size and the price should make up for that."

     "Yeah, about that. Why is it so cheap? I probably shouldn't say it, but it should be double this price." They young man said.

     His wife elbowed him. "Seriously? You're going to argue it's too cheap?"

     The Realtor laughed. "It is quite a steal. The old owners wanted to sell it quickly. They were moving for the husband's job and didn't have time for it to sit on the market. I would snatch it up, if I were you."

     The woman smiled at her husband. "I think it's perfect."

     He paused for a moment, before a smile spread across his face. "Ok. We'll take it."

     The couple was sharing a celebratory moment when a soft strain of music reached their ears from the distance; slow and hauntingly beautiful.

     "What's that?" The young woman asked. She furrowed her eyebrows as she glanced out towards the woods were the music emanated from.

     "Oh, it's just the neighbors." The Realtor replied, her smile faltering slightly. She cleared her throat. "Let's go sign those papers, shall we?"