Nothing was sitting right with this, with any of this going on. I already had my suspicions once I heard the tools falling earlier, seeing the water dripping from the piping, and the lack of seeing Darren anywhere in the house. The longer I continued to explore the house, the more I began to believe that something else was happening within these broken walls. 

Besides the attic, the only place left I had to check out was the other side of the basement, the darker, rustic-smelling half behind the brick wall. And the only way to get through was to go into the small hatch and vents inside the walls. What kind of family would need to travel through vents inside their own home? I kept thinking about how the realtor kept out such much information about the house. And I was starting to understand why–this entire house made no sense.

The flashlight on my phone was the only thing leading me through the dust-covered, cobweb-infested vents. I tried my best not to let the dust get into my mouth, but it seemed useless.

All I could think about was what awaited me on the other side of the basement.

There was just one long, silver tunnel that lead up. What kind of purpose could it have served?

Being on this side of the basement feels like an entirely different room. There must have been a good reason behind putting up a brick wall.

Thinking that this would give me the upper-hand in the situation, I decided to call Darren again. If he was nearby, his phone would give away his hiding spot. Again it took a moment for the connection to go through before the ringing started.

“This isn’t funny now, answer the fucking phone.”

• Legends of the Dark
• Original Works