The Legend of the Manor House
The red weather-warn brick Manor House sits on top of the hill looking down on the town below. A vast green forest surrounds the house, the gardens around the Manor are over grown and the plants have long been infested by mould. With the wilderness over taking the house climbing the faded red walls like an infection spreading, shrouding the building in a darkness.
He came home and was very quite. He hung his faded black business jacket on the rack by the big oak front doors. He ran a hand through his already messy dark blonde hair and looked around the large front hallway, he could hear the happy sounds of his family, Ken Jr. and Maggie were playing with their toys, making shooting noises as they played with the miniature soldiers. He could hear the soft tones of his wife reading a bedtime story to Molly lulling her to sleep. He slowly started to make his way through the house towards his study, loosening his tie as he walked. Kathy watched him go by, unaware of their presence, she could see that he had dark circles under his eyes that once sparkled with life and happiness, but now dull and lifeless from lack of sleep and stress. She wished she could go and comfort him as she used too before. Molly made a sudden noise of protest that her mother had stopped reading. Kathy noticing her younger daughter’s distress at the loss of attention, smiled and turned to her. Her eyes sparkled just like her father’s use too and went back to the bedtime story.
He poured himself a glass of brandy in his study; he sat down in his desk chair looking at all the bills he had to find a way to pay. He just didn’t know what to do anymore. Christmas was coming up in a week he had no idea how he was going to pay for anything anymore. He saw an urgent unopened letter on his desk; he let out a small noise of distress and shock as he opened and read through the letter. He sighed; he knew that the day was coming when they would claim the house to pay off the debts, but he hoped it would be after Christmas. Dropping the letter he leant back in his chair, looked around the room at the photos of his family.
He heaved himself off the chair taking his brandy still untouched into the family room, he sat in the chair by the fire taking a look at his two elder children playing, smiling and laughing together.
A little while later the rest of the family had gone to bed, but Kenneth remained in front of the dwindling fire. He put his brandy on the mantle still untouched, the clock chimed 12, midnight.
He started to slowly climb the stairs.
At the top of the stairs he looked at the family portrait before walking to the master bedroom. Kathy was asleep in their bed her back towards him, her dark brown hair spread across her pillow, breathing gently.
He walked around the bed to see her beautiful face. Sitting on the bed he brushed her hair away from her face he whispered: “Oh Kathy, my life. I am sorry.”
She stirred at his touch. He picked up a pillow, he said “It’s the only way.” He looked down at her and saw her green eyes. “Kenny, are you coming to bed?” She saw the pillow in his hand. He looked at her with all love and sadness he had in him then bought the pillow down over her face…
After a few minutes her hand fell limp to the bed.
He walked down the hallway with the pillow in his hand and moved on to his children’s rooms. Tears poured down his face, he wasn’t going to stop, this is the only way they could be happy as a family, it’s all he can do to save them from this public humiliation that he had caused them.
When he got to little Molly’s room, the last of his children, he wasn’t even think about what he was doing anymore. He could hear the music box playing her favourite tune as she slept. He picked her up and gave her a kiss on the forehead and stroked her dark brown hair, like he did with his other children, then laid her down again and reached for the pillow…
He gently closed the door behind him. Taking the cored from his dressing gown, he went to go and join his family in happiness and peace…
Kenneth’s sister, Susan, arrived at 11’oclock in the morning and was surprised that no one was there to greet her. She approached the front door, knocked and waited, she knocked again when no one answered, trying the handle she was surprised to find it unlocked.
“Hello?” she called as she cautiously entered the hall. Her gaze slowly followed the staircase up towards the landing…
She screamed.
Kenneth’s body dangled from the banister.
Some say that nobody leaves the house sane and some don’t even make it out alive. Molly’s tune haunts the house.
Can you hear it?