Nightmare Ink Presents Issue 7

Welcome to Nightmare Ink Presents.

Before anything else, I know this one is a week late, but I’m trying to make it up to you and have another chapter out later this week, which is already in the works.

So without further ado, let us delve into the next installment of our story.

The Haunting of Blackwood Manor Chapter VIII: Unexpected Meet-Ups

Alex parked the car in front of the old theatre and he and his sister moved to the entrance, noticing it was still barred by a crossed-steel gate. As they got closer to it a voice called their names from the other side of the street.

Pete was waving their way with one hand while holding the glass door to a shop on the other side of the street. He gestured to them to join him, and the twins did so. The decals on the window proclaimed the store as Cedar Curios & Books.

“Is there a store in Cedar Falls you don’t work at, Pete?”

Pete faked laughter before clasping the other boy’s hand in his own.

“Aren’t we funny this morning, dude,” he gave Emily a soft kiss on the cheek. “Milady,” he curtsied to the girl. Emily laughed at the silliness of their new friend.

“And for your information, I just helping Dr. Morrison with some boxes. He was getting in as I arrived at the Marquis. Come inside I’ll introduce you if you want.”

The inside of the bookstore, for that was what the store was really about, was a labyrinthine maze of shelves and piles of books. They were mostly old editions about all subjects and Emily was perplexed.

“Dude,” she said in a hushed tone as if talking normally would break the sanctity of the bookstore. “What is this place? It rocks!”

“Dr. Morrison is all about rare and hard-to-find editions and old books,” his voice seemed to boom amidst the quiet, and Emily had to repress the urge to scold him for being so loud “He’s also the town historian, so I guess it figures?”

They kept moving toward the back of the store. “Dr. Morrison, you’ve got some visitors!”

Pete's voice was louder as if making sure the man he was calling could hear him. “You’ll like him. He’s into spooky shit too and he’s got all these stories about Cedar Falls. I’ve been thinking of inviting him for a special OF session and just being him telling stories. Dr. Morrison!”

A rumble came from behind a heavy curtain situated at the back wall they were moving in the direction of, as if books and boxes were falling to the floor. A grumbling voice came from the same place too.

“What now, Pete?” the person emerging from the curtain was an old man, probably around his sixties, with a bearded face and long dark hair streaked with strands of silver that hung in a ponytail. His glasses hung on his shirt collar trying not to fall from it as he moved. To the twins, he looked like how a grandfather might have looked, if they had ever known theirs. “Oh,” he said as he noticed Pete wasn’t alone. “And you must be the Smiths kids. James Morrison, at your service. Pleased to finally meet you.” He moved to them a hand extended in their direction, which they took and shook in return.

“I’m Emily and this is Alex,” Emily said, jumping in to present themselves. “Amazing place you have here Dr. Morrison.”

“Ah, if only someone else thought the same… But they don’t and so I use the store as an excuse to buy more books,” he gave her a knowingly smile. “Kind of my own personal library instead of a store, and one by far more interesting than the public one.”

Dr. Morrison let out a loud laugh, and to Emily who laughed too, he seemed like Aziraphale and his relation to his bookstore in Good Omens. Pete and Alex looked at each other shrugging.

“But tell me, Alex and Emily, how is life at the Manor?” His face seemed to have darkened a bit as he changed the subject, all the joviality drained from him and being replaced by a harsh seriousness.

“Not bad, we are still settling in, and we still have lots to get done. But the place is treating us well,” Emily tried to put aside her bad dreams as she answered, trying hard so her face didn’t betray her words.

“That good, ah?” he looked from Emily to her silent brother, his face almost hidden in darkness, eyes fixing on the boy. “Is it treating you well too, Alex? Nothing to say about that house? Nothing at all?”

“Nothing,” Alex was balling his hand behind his back trying not to shake. “Treating as well.”

“Oh, that’s good,” his demeanor had changed again, and it seemed that the heaviness in the room had been lifted. “That’s really good, indeed. It’s just that an old house like that, and one with so much history, might be a bit scary. Especially at night. But it’s treating you well, so that’s grand! Ah, that reminds me. I have something for your father, I had expected to be able to give it to him personally, but I don’t know when I’ll see him,” he moved to a shelf behind the counter on the other wall and started rummaging through its contents. “Now… Where did I put it?”

The twins looked at Pete who just gave them a he’s always like this look. When the man returned, he held a brown paper envelope in his hand.

“Here it is! I knew I had put it somewhere! So, you give this to your dad, ok? I think he’ll appreciate it. Now don’t you have anywhere else to be? You lot probably have something else you should be doing and so do I. But, come on by whenever you like, maybe I can lend you a book or two Emily,” he said to the girl.

They said their goodbyes and made their way out the door and into the Marquis.

From behind the store window, Dr. Morrison watched them go.

“Treating you well, is it?” he said to no one. “As if it could. Let’s just hope I’m not too late.”

“But tell me what the hell are you two doing here?” Pete asked the twins as they moved toward the Marquis.

“Well, we thought we could help you with the cleaning from yesterday,” Emily looked at him. “We were talking and decided it wasn't fair to let you do everything alone.”

Pete smiled at her, although sheepishly.

“Thanks for the help. It will be faster this way, then. Lily had texted me if I needed help but I told her no, but we'll be having lunch if you two want to join us,” Pete said as he pushed the door open. Alex noticed he hadn't used a key to open the door. He could also hear noise coming from the inside. Had anyone else come to help that had the key to the theatre? His friend has already told them that Lily wouldn't be coming. He hadn't mentioned anyone else, but he knew someone was already there, after all, he hadn't tried to open the door. “Maybe it's his aunt,” Alex thought. “After all it's her theatre.” As soon as he thought this the door slammed shut and a voice came from deeper in the room.

“Pete, I'm done with the screening room. But I'll need help with the bathroom. You know how messy it gets sometimes.”

It was a male voice. Alex couldn't really place it but he knew he had heard it before, somewhere.

“Got company, E.,” Pete directed to where the voice had come from. “Better show yourself.”

From a door, the now recognizable frame of Ethan Hayes appeared. He saw the face Emily made when she saw him.

“What? Can't I help out?” Ethan tried to steady his voice, but he clearly was on the defensive.

“No, no. Of course you can,” Emily tried to repress her astonishment. “Just didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Well, I am. So, let's clean up, okay?”

“Yes, sir!” Pete said, standing at attention, which drew a laugh from everyone.

They had been going on with the chores when a knock came from the lobby front door before it opened and a head peeked inside.

“Hello?” The voice was soft and shy. “Is there anyone here?”

Pete went to the door to find Jenn Rhodes standing at the entrance.

“Jenn! Wait, don't tell me. You've come to help?”

“Well,” she said smiling shyly. "I was passing by and saw your car and decided to ask if you needed any help."

The conversation had drawn the others to the foyer. Jenn noticed them.

“Oh. Seems like you have lots of help already,” she seemed to grow smaller as she spoke.

“Not a thing as too many people, when it comes to cleaning. Would you mind helping... Emily check the drinks from last night?”

The girl nodded and moved to where Emily stood, raising a hand at her.

They met Lily at Joey’s, Cedar Falls coffeehouse and teenager meeting point, after finishing the cleaning. Ethan had excused himself claiming he had to go to practice, and Jenn had said she had to go home so there were only four friends around the white plastic table.

“Are you telling me that Mr. Star Football player was on clean-up duty and I wasn’t there to see it?” Lily’s voice left implicit that she also meant something else. Something on the lines of and I wasn’t there to tease him about it. “Wait,” she turned to Pete. “Was that why you didn’t want me to go help when I texted you?”

“I know that you two don’t get along and honestly I didn’t want the drama of dealing with both of you bickering,” he gave his friend an unapologetic shrug, who threw a ketchup packet at him. “But into more interesting things. What did Morrison give you?”

This is it for now, but as I said I expect to have a new chapter out this week so we are back on track.

I’ll be waiting for your feedback as I always do.

Until next time,

M.

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