Screaming Bones

William Screecher twisted the key, turned the knob and with his first step inside he flicked on the light switch to his right. As he lifted his head, a ghastly sight caught his eye. William lifted his eyebrow and sneered, and he shut the door and twisted the lock. “Is there something I can help you with?” Out of the shadow crept a shadow of a young woman. Her skin was layered in assorted color bruises and a gash in her throat made it difficult to lift her head. The woman hissed and groaned as she stumbled across the living carpet.

“Don’t you recognize me, William.” The tortured soul scowled. Her eyes were black and surrounded rings of dark circles and her strawberry blonde hair stained by blood and tangled in a series of nests. “I thought you had fun with me!” Her voice became deep and otherworldly. A violent gust of wind slammed his back into the door. He laughed and quickly regained his stance. When William stood to face the shadow once more, she was gone. He walked to his beige couch and let his body drop to the cushion then threw his keys onto the glass coffee table that stood in between the couch and television. He planted his feet on the carpet, cradled his face in his hands. As William wept, time seemed to stand still. The winds did not howl through the trees. The window shutters did not pound yet they were being slammed into the walls. Five minutes later, William stands and wipes his tears then makes his way through the house to his bedroom in the back corner. William drops to his knees and begins fishing through the pile of foul-smelling, torn up clothes. His eyes gaped and he pulled a wooden chest from the closet.

“I forgot you were in here darling.” William said with a chuckle.

“You left me here William.” A phantom voice echoed back.

“The doctor told me I’m almost completely deaf now, so are you happy now?” he asked. No. Your punishment has only begun. William watched the words being etched meticulously on the wall of his bedroom wall.

The shadow returned to William who crouched on the floor in anguish. The apparition placed his hand upon his shoulder, and he glanced up at her. She appeared to him this time as she once was, elegant blonde curls bounced in the breeze, hazel eyes kissed by the sun, and lips that resembled a pink lily.

“We made a pact. Your other victims and I. Lucifer granted our request to stay in this box with you. For the rest of your life, all you will ever hear is the sound of our screams from midnight to six in the morning. And though you may try to dispose of us. This trunk will always find you and we will always be with you.” The woman burst into a pile of ash and the trunk sealed itself. William rubbed his eyes and scoffed. No fucking way. He thought to himself and chuckled. "Your wish was to keep us with you forever, rejoice. It has been granted."

"Being dead certainly has done a number on your sanity there princess." William replied. The ghastly shadow swiftly reappeared thrusting herself towards him, stopping just before his face.

"If you thought we were too noisy for you while we were living, how noisy do you think we can be now? And only you can hear us, run tell your friends, tell your doctor's they will all just think your mad. And even if they lock you away, we will follow you. Our suffering has ended, yours has scarcely begun." she replied. William's body trembled and his eyes grew dense. He shook his head in disbelief and shuffled into bed, and under the covers. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.

The house was dark, the winds were silent, and William was nuzzled in his bed. When the clock struck midnight, the trunk slid out from the closet and the echoing of screams filled the night skies. Screams only William could hear.