Unknown

Melinda begins walking across the muddy field towards the mansion, her feet sinking into the wet grass as she realises her shoes were not the best choice today. Entering the old broken down mansion, her eyes glance around it in awe and amazement. The ceilings high, however, the décor is destroyed by the amount of dust collected everywhere. Glancing down to her feet, she sighs. Stupid mud has ruined my shoes now. Her mind complains to her as she glances down to the clipboard in her hands.

Reading the instructions, she steps forward and begins to walk upstairs, turning she enters a musty bedroom, her hand hitting the cobwebs out of her way as she makes her way inside. This place needs cleaning; she thinks to herself as she laughs. Coughing, she pulls down the dusty old curtain, the sun beaming through now showing her the dust floating in the air.

Her head shakes as she realises the place hasn’t seen daylight or a person in years. Which is why she is here.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Melinda jumps slightly, turning she glances at the man at the door, confused she looks at him wondering where he had come from.

“I was sent to clear out the room, up the stairs, first door to the left. So, yes, this room.” Her words are flat as she glances around it. Her job is easy, come here, take pictures, mark down the contents, and then it will be cleared.

“Not this room.” She glances back at the man, confused.

“This was the room on the information sheet. I have no choice but to do this room.” Melinda turns glancing at the dresser, as she considers writing it down, her eyes notice a book. Looking at it confused, she shakes her head. It is clean, with not a single bit of dust. She glances towards the man then back to the book.

How did a book stay so perfect and red without a speck of dust in this room?

“Not this room.” His words flat, Melinda laughs slightly turning to look at him.

“Is that all you can say? Not this room? So, if not this room, which room” -She stops and realises- “the information sheet said no one still lived here, so why are you here?” Is he just staying here as he has nowhere else to go?

“This room is to stay untouched, you do this every time and every time I tell you not this room.” Melinda looks at him annoyed, why is he so against her writing down the list and taking pictures? She goes to turn away from him, suddenly realising his words.

“This is the first time I have been to this house. I have not seen you before either.” She looks at him confused, he said she does this every time? She tries remembering back to see if she remembers him, but she can’t.

“You never remember, it’s like a time loop. Every time you realise the truth, you disappear and reappear some other random time.” His shoulders shrug like it is part of life and something that generally happens. Her head shakes as she begins to get more annoyed with him.

“Okay, do I need to call the police or someone to get you removed? You clearly are not meant to be here.” She looks at him before turning to look back at the red book.

“No need.” His voice quiet, turning Melinda looks at the door seeing him gone. Her head shakes, he was clearly staying here without permission. She was told it was empty, the owners died in a crash. No family, so she was sent to slowly clear one room at a time.

“Well, he was just weird, now where to start?” Melinda glances around, her eyes falling on the red book. Her arm reaches out as her hand goes to grab it.

“You shouldn’t do that.” Melinda jumps and turns looking at the man who is now standing in the room, her head shaking confused. She didn’t hear him come in.

“It’s a book, I need to get everything out of here. Including this book even if you don’t want me to.” Maybe he is just someone who has got attached to the house?

“You need to remember, that is what you need to do.” Melinda laughs slightly, she will just ignore him. Moving, she wipes the dust from the picture, her head snapping around and looking at him.

“You’re meant to be dead, both owners died, why would you ask for the house emptying if you didn’t want me to?” She looks at him confused, it is him in the picture, the name says Author on the photo. Her head turns back to him, confused.

“I didn’t request anything, no one requested anything. You do this every time, and every time we have the same argument.” Arthur replies as Melinda keeps glancing around the room.

“Sure, so you’re playing dead trying to get rid of this stuff to make it look real, but really, you just can’t let go of it so have changed your mind.” She laughs, it wouldn’t be the first time she went to clear a house and find out the owner, wasn’t dead and faked it.

“I’m not playing dead, and I have let go it is you who can’t let go. Look around you, anything familiar?” Melinda glances around the room, her eyes settling on the red book again, her hands reaching out to pick it up, something about it makes her want to look inside.

“I wouldn’t if I was you, that throws you right back at the start because you haven’t accepted this yet.” Melinda looks at him, her hand still near the book.

“Accepted what? That you faked your death and now bring people here to torture them for your amusement because you can’t leave the house?” She laughs, her eyes rolling, if he faked his own death, he wouldn’t see people. This will be for his amusement only. She hears Arthur laughing too loud.

“You never change, do you? Always sarcastic and witty. Do it, but as soon as you realise the truth, you will be gone and started right back at the end of the garden again.” Melinda nods, her hand opens the book, stopping she stares at the picture.

“Wait, these are mourning portraits, but wait, that’s…that’s you!” Melinda’s head shoots up and looks at Arthur, he is dead? Or he was dead?

“Oh, and that is not even the best part yet, go on turn the page I dare you to.” He smirks at Melinda.

“Why? Why do you want me to turn the page so much? I’m going crazy, this house is sending me crazy.” She laughs, there is a reason, something is wrong, he isn’t here or if he is this book isn’t real.

“You were crazy in your living years, I am guessing you won’t turn the page of that book now will you?”

Melinda looks at the book unsure, she wants to, she wants to turn the page, but now she isn’t so sure. “I am done with these games, with your games, I will just leave and tell my boss you were unaccommodating, and I couldn’t do my job then go home and forget about this!” She goes to put the book down as Arthur starts talking again.

“Home where? Do you remember your Home, do you remember anything before the gate?” Melinda looks at him, her mind trying to remember. She remembers walking to the house from the end of the drive—just that, nothing before, nothing at all.

“It’s this house, it’s sending me crazy, I forgot everything before I walked through that gate. It’s you!” She points towards Arthur, it has to be him.

“Maybe turn the page, I’m bored of this now.” She looks at him, his body leaning against the walls.

“No! You turn the page if it means that much to you.” Her hand throws the book at him, a scream escaping her mouth as she watches it go through his body, standing he moves to the other side of the room.

“This isn’t real, I want to go!” Turning she goes towards the door, only to find it gone and replaced with a wall. Her head shakes as she panics.

“It isn’t real but not in the way you think. If you just remember the truth, this ends, forever! Remember Melinda!”

“I’m not Melinda! What is going on?” She tries searching for the door, unable to find an exit. Her panic rising as she tries to remember her own name, it isn’t Melinda, she knows she isn’t Melinda. Is she?

“There will be no way out, not the way you want. Think Melinda, think back to everything, force yourself to remember what happened before that gate.”

Melinda shakes her head and continues trying to search for a way out. Crying, she pushes against the walls and screams. “I don’t want to think, I’m going crazy, I want to leave. This house, it’s a gas leak! That must be it, there is a gas leak, and I am going crazy, maybe I am passed out? I just want to leave!”

Arthur looks at her nodding slightly, his smile is gentle as he gives in. “You can leave, just turn the page, and you will leave and forget all about this.” He nods towards the book, a feeling of hopelessness spreading through him as he realises she will stay stuck forever.

“Fine! Then when I am still stuck here, I will throw it at you again!” Melinda walks to the book, picking it up. Her hands shake, as she turns the page, her eyes widening as she looks at the picture. “That’s” – She turns looking at Arthur.

“You, yes honey, I will see you next time you come to clear out this room of our belongings, and you don’t remember who you are or that you’re dead.” Melinda stands shaking, her eyes glancing between Arthur and the picture of herself.

Goodbye, Dear. See you again soon.” Arthur watches as she disappears, before disappearing himself.