The Sound Beneath The Floor

Start writing...Abigail sat on the couch, her comfy spot. Her husband, Derrick, sitting across from her, in the ugly green chair. She hated that thing, but Derrick had wanted to keep it, saying it was his and nobody else would want it.

The television was muted, but she still tried to listen. The newswoman was talking about the latest political scandal. She wasn’t much for politics, but anything was better than listening to her husband talk.

“Abby,” he said, “you had to of known this was coming. We haven’t even been intimate together in over a month.”

Abigail glared at him, his lips still moving, but she couldn’t hear him. A faint tapping noise filled her ears. Looking around, she tried to discern where the noise was coming from.

“Are you even listening to me Abigail?” Derrick said, standing up from the ugly green chair. “Abigail!”

Startled, she looked back at him. “Do you hear that?” Not moving from her spot in the corner of the couch. “That tapping noise? Do you hear it?”

“Are you freaking kidding me? I am trying to have a serious conversation with you and all you care about is some tapping noise?” He walked toward the door. “We are done Abigail, good bye!” he said, slamming the door behind him as he left.

Abigail leaned forward, his words still lingering in the air, but she was focused on the noise. “It’s coming from the floor Derrick.” she said, not realizing he had already left.

Standing up, she walked toward the basement door. The tapping sound grew louder the closer she got. Opening the door, she heard the tapping grow faster, drawing her into the basement.

Slowly, she walked down the stairs holding onto the railing. Her heart pounded with excitement as she came closer to the floor. The tapping noise reverberating off the walls.

“Hello? Anyone down here?” she asked.

There was no answer, the tapping noise stopped temporarily, then started again. She followed the sound and found herself standing in front of a door, she didn’t remember it being there.

“That’s weird, where did this door come from?”

“It’s here to protect you.” a voice said softly.

“Who are you?”

The door creaked open and Abigail entered without hesitation.

Derrick stood near his car, glancing back at the house. He knew he had been cruel to her, but he also knew he didn’t love her anymore. She had changed after her mother died.

She became distant and cried all the time. He couldn’t handle the change and knew he had to leave to save himself.

Derrick believed the tight grip her mother had over them would dissipate with her death. But it gripped them tighter than when she was alive. The mean old woman deserved everything she got.

But she was gone now, and his wife changed. Getting worse each day. Staring at the house he contemplated going back inside. He knew she would try to talk him out of it.

He also knew Abigail was lost without her mother telling her what she should do. It was something Abigail craved as it was all she ever knew. Walking toward the house he thought about how he had loved her, how happy they were before. Before her mother came back.

“Abigail?” he shouted, entering the house. Abigail was no longer on the couch. Noticing the basement door was open he hesitantly walked down the stairs. “Abigail?”

“Over here Derrick! Look who’s here!” Abigail exclaimed.

Derrick froze in his spot as he stared at the woman standing next to his wife. “What the hell?”

“She came back for me, she says it’s time to go. You coming?” Abigail asked, smiling sweetly at him.

“Um, Abigail, your mother is dead. I saw her in the casket. I don’t understand.” he shouted.

Abigail laughed, the same laugh he remembered from when they met. “No Abigail!” he said. “Who are you?” He asked the woman standing next to her.

The woman chuckled, “I am your mother in law! Who do you think I am. I am here for my daughter, but she still wants you. So let’s go, I don’t have much time.”

“But your dead!”

“Of course I am, now it’s time to go.” the woman walked toward the door holding Abigail’s hand.

Abigail glanced back at him, “You’re coming, right?” she smiled.

Derrick shook his head, “No Abigail and you aren’t either. Come over here, get away from her.” he pleaded.

“I am going with my mother.” she turned to face her mother as they walked through the door.

Derrick stood there staring, unsure what he should do. He watched as they disappeared into the darkness, the door creaking as it closed behind them. He ran upstairs, grabbing the phone to call for help.

When the police arrived a few minutes later they followed Derrick into the basement.

“They went through that door right there.” Derrick explained.

“What door?” the officer asked.

“That door!” Derrick pointed to the door, but it was no longer there. Just a concrete wall. “What the hell! Where did it go?”

“Sir, do you need me to call somebody?” the second officer asked.

Derrick glared at them, “I am not crazy, there was a damn door here and my wife walked through with her dead mother!” he tried to explain again. “Oh my god, I know this sounds crazy, but it’s true.”

“Crazy is putting it mildly sir. Where is your wife?” the first officer said.

Derrick looked at the wall and back at the officers, “I don’t know.”

“Sir, you need to come with us to the station. We’ll sort this out there.” the second officer said.

A month later….

Abigail sat in the chair burying her feet in the sand. “This is so wonderful Jessie, thank you for all your help. And your mother too, she looks just like mine.”

“Anything for you my new friend, it was a pleasure to see him finally gone. I can’t believe they locked him up so quickly though.”

“Yea, I know. Did you see the look on his face when I walked into the office, man that was priceless!” Abigail exclaimed.

Jessie put her cigarette out in the glass dish, “You got everything, right?”

“Yup, the money, the house and the cars. All mine now. Although I did throw that ugly green chair away, that thing was hideous!” Abigail said.

“Well, I am glad I could help, I love seeing you happy.” Jessie said.

They laughed for a few minutes while looking out across the ocean.

“Tell me though, how did you get that door to appear and disappear?” Abigail asked.

“Oh, that, well, let’s just say the door is still in the basement. He didn’t even realize the room was smaller. Building that room was a great idea.” Jessie explained.

“Well, he will never forget us, you and me. His wife and his mistress.”