23 Marrow Lane

The beat up old Camaro rolled down the street and came to a stop. The driver parked beneath the large tree that shaded the road from the moon’s light. Matt ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. He looked back out the window. “You sure about this Joe? I mean… something about this just don’t sit right with me.” he asked as he turned to face the man seated beside him. Joe fumbled with his pack of cigarettes in the dark car. “Quit your worrying.” Joe pulled out a cigarette and placed it in his lips. “s**t, it’s an easy job, plain and simple. Give me a light?” He extended his hand. Matt fished a lighter out of his pocket and handed it to Joe. He turned his attention back to the small house across the street. “What about the old woman? It’s almost midnight and she’s still awake,” he said. Through the window he could see the blue light from the television set. It illuminated the room and casted a shadow around the old woman in her chair. Joe leaned across to look out the driver side window. “No s**t, huh? Old bird must be a night owl,” Joe said and chuckled. Matt lowered his head and laid his hands on the steering wheel. “Maybe we should just forget about this. We can just find a different house tomorrow.” Joe shook his head and opened the door. “Screw that, isn’t going to be a better house then this one. Besides the old bird probably just fell asleep in front of the TV,” he replied. He closed the door behind him as he stood. Matt hurried to follow him not looking to be left behind. “Hold on man, what if she’s still awake?” he asked. Joe shook his head and made his way to the back yard with Matt in tow “We’ll be in and out before she even wakes up,” he replied as he shuffled to the back door. He shook the door knob a few times before it swung open. “Looks like Benny isn’t full of crap after all, see I told you this is going to be a piece of cake.” The only noise from inside was the sound of the TV, the pair made their way inside being quiet as possible. The back-door lead into a small kitchen. There was a hall that lead to the living room and a door that could only lead to the basement. “Ay man check it, there’s a lock on the basement probably something good down there,” Joe said to Matt in a hushed tone. He pointed around the corner, “You check upstairs.” Matt nodded and headed through the kitchen and around to the front stairway. When he entered the hall, his nose was assaulted by a strange odor. He walked up the stairs and turned to glance at the woman asleep in her chair. He continued upstairs and went to the first room he saw. The room was only dimly lit by the moon’s light as it streamed in through the open blinds. It appeared to be a bedroom, presumably the old womans. Matt stepped over the threshold and elicited a slight creak from the floorboard. He swore in a whisper and walked with a lighter step. With as much stealth as possible he searched around the room for anything of value. He only stopped once he had located a small jewelry box on the night stand. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands. There was a small lock on the front that kept him from its contents. As Matt attempted to pry it open, a sudden and bone chilling shout followed by a sick and loud crunch drew his attention downstairs. “Joe …?” Matt asked. ‘Matt peeked his head out of the room and down the stairs, the front hall was empty. He crept down the stairs and took the same route as last time. He paused again at the foot of the stairs and peered into the living room. His heart sank. The light from the television no longer illuminated the living room and the women was absent from her chair. He quickened his pace his thoughts going to the worst possible outcome. He arrived at the now open door to the basement. “J...Joe?” Matt asked out into the darkness. He walked in front of the basement door and peered into the darkness “Joe? D.. did you fall?” he asked. He used his free hand to brace himself as he leaned into the open-door frame. Suddenly he felt something hit his back, the force of the strike sent him down the basement stairs. He tumbled down the decrepit wooden steps and struck his head on each one as he fell. He looked up at the light of the door way, to see the old woman an evil grin on her face “My now, would you look at this, a two for one special, now my children will eat well tonight,” she said as her eyes turned an inhuman black. Matt’s now broken hand lay limp at his side. He brought it up to his face and stared at the blood that dripped from it and splattered on his pants. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. Matt’s gaze traveled down to the large pool of crimson fluid. “J... Joe,” he said in a distraught voice. He let out a banshee like wail and clawed his way toward the stairs. The old woman slammed the heavy door, and silenced his cry. Matt clung to the wooden steps and peered in to the darkness. The sound of scratches on concrete in the distance drew closer with each second that passed