The Carmine house part three

The house was even bigger than Derby had expected. He supposed that was stupid of him: it did cover the most of a small island. It was beautiful-but in a disturbing way. Something forbidding loomed over the house: a sort of icy undertone to the summery morning. But Elvira danced ahead like nothing could possibly be wrong. All three men felt rather guilty going in. No one had spoken about the Carmine house since that January day.

“You shouldn’t be afraid!” She called back to them cheerily. “They’re all dead-aren’t they?”

“Oh- ha- of course.” Choked out Jake.

Rick gave a weak laugh.

“Men aren’t afraid of anything.”

“Exactly.” Said Elvira, her voice tightening.

“I say we should go back.” Voted Derby before he could stop himself.

Elvira turned back to him and laughed that tinkling laugh again. “Are you afraid?”

Rick saw this as a perfect way to get his spirits up. “Is Derby afraid of that tiny house? What a wimp!” He laughed. Derby glared at him. Any other day, he wouldn’t have thought twice about throwing a few punches, but they did have a lady with them, even if she was a strange one.

“Oh, we’re here!” Elvira sighed, waltzing up to the front steps. She breathed in deeply and smiled. “Oh I’ve missed this place!”

“You’ve been here before?” Jake asked before Derby could. She gave him a confused look.

“I’m not from your town.”

“But you’ve been here? To this house?”

She gave him another look that made it clear she didn’t understand what he was asking. “I’m not sure what you mean?”

“Never mind.”

She smiled and tutted. “Shall we go inside?”

“Well, I thought you said we were only going to look at it!” Said Rick, his voice shaking slightly. “That place is cursed!”

She laughed. “You can’t be afraid? And who believes in curses anymore anyway?”

“I’m no coward!” Said Rick, pushing past Derby to get to the door. He shook the handle. “It’s locked.”

“Hm. That’s odd.” Derby said. “This is the main door. They were out on an island in the middle of nowhere. Why would they lock the front door before…” he trailed off. Now he was just scaring himself.

Jake gave him an angry look for no apparent reason. “Maybe we should go back- we can’t get in anyway.”

Elvira reached into the plant hanging by the door and expertly pulled the key out of it. “We can get in!” She said with a smile.

“How-how’d you know the key would be there?” Rick asked.

She laughed. “Easy! It was part of the story!” Whatever that meant.

Rick gave her a stunned look. She waved the key in front of him. “Be a big strong man and open the door for me?”

That was an odd way to put it, but Eick snatched the key and unlocked the door anyway.

Elvira bounced ahead and skipped into the house. The three men followed with less confidence.

The house was far from pretty. You were able to see it might’ve once been beautiful, but time and tragedy had worn it out. Cobwebs hung on the ceiling, and the floor was covered in rust. Then Derby realized it wasn’t rust.

Rick seemed to realize this at the same time.

“I-is- is that…”

Elvira nodded cheerily. “You claw through a three inch thick wooden door and get through with your fingers still on!” She said with another laugh.

All three men looked at her in horror.

“Elvira.” Said Jake finally. “We’re going back.”

She turned at frowned. “Just a little while longer.”

“No.” He said. “You said yourself, this place was cursed.”

“Are you scared?” She giggled.

“Yes. It’s not safe.” His face turned red as he said this, but the other men didn’t do anything but nod their heads.

“Well that’s a shame.” Said she. She smiled again and pointed to the door. “It’s locked. How do we get out?”

“It wasn’t locked when we came in.” Rick stammered.

“I know.” Elvira said, her smile widening. “I locked it!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let’s break it down!” Shouted Jake, flinging himself at the door. But Elvira appeared in front of him. No one knew how she had gotten from one end of the room to the other so fast.

“No no no.” She said, shaking her finger in front of his face like she was reprimanding a small child. “Let’s not go just yet!” Her finger suddenly split in half. The top half of the finger in the glove just fell to the side, like there was nothing there to hold it up. Jake and the rest of the men jumped back in shock and disgust.

“Oh!” Said Elvira, looking down at her finger in surprise. Then she looked back up at the men and smiled. She pulled off her glove. Underneath was a horrific sight.