Chapter Text
The past few days had been absolute hell for Dani. Now, not only did she have everything in the house watching her, but she also had Jamie who refused to leave her alone for more than ten minutes. Jamie was sweet, she always had been when she paid attention to Dani. Right now it wasn't what she needs. She just wants to get this over with, get the divorce finalised, and then find a place far away from everything. At least, that's what she thought she wanted.
Dani was exhausted, she had been all day and had to hide it to actually get things done. The house hadn't stopped, everywhere she went she was always greeted with something that wasn't right. But what really was right? She found herself questioning that a lot lately, what defined what was right? Of course she couldn't answer that, she didn't know. But it had started to bother her, not as much as everything else had but enough so she knew it was there and she hated it. It was too much, making it harder to differentiate what was real and what was in her head.
The house groaned as it settled, disturbing yet more comforting than the silence would had been. This was the first night she had been left to sleep alone after Jamie had joined her that night. It was relieving to an extent, but Dani couldn't sleep. She lay in bed and stared at the ceiling like it was going to give her answers. Sleep had always been better with Jamie by her side, after all she had kept the nightmares away ever since they had moved in together. She couldn't depend on her like that, not anymore. It was bad enough she had let Jamie be so close over the past few days, it was a moment of vulnerability and it wouldn't happen again. No matter what happened. Dani glanced at the clock. 2:36AM. She had been lay there for hours now and still didn't feel the slightest bit tired. Left to her own devices, thoughts raced through her head. About the house, about Jamie, about everything.
Her overthinking is interrupted by the sound of a low chuckle in the corner of the room. "Pathetic."
Hearing the voice forced Dani to shoot up and sit on the bed, her gaze instantly directed to the corner by the window. There, sat in the chair, was a woman who looked to be in her mid-30s. Her long, black hair was draped over her shoulders as she sat back in the chair, making herself comfortable. In the moonlight coming through the window, her pale skin glowed a pastel blue and blurred her features from being distinctive. The only thing Dani could make out was two deep eyes that were watching her with intent. She opened her mouth to scream.
"Don't you dare make a sound. You wouldn't want to wake up your play thing now, would you?" A cruel smirk appears on the woman's face as she speaks.
"Don't call her that!" Dani instantly retorts. "She's not a "play thing"!"
"You sure do treat her like one, pushing her away them pulling her back when it's good for you. That's rather cruel, isn't it Danielle?"
"I- I don't!.. Who are you? Why are you in my fucking room!" Dani diverts the conversation. Hearing that hurt more than anything else. Is that how Jamie saw this? Was she using Jamie and she didn't know it?
"I could ask you the same. Except I know who you are. And I know why you're hear. It's rather adorable, trying to come into my house and change how I like things. Bold of you both, that's for definite." The woman kept that smirk on her face, looking Dani up and down.
"Your house? This house was sold to us, it's ours until we finish. Who are you?" Dani moves back until she hits the headboard of the bed, she keeps her eyes on this strange woman.
"Maybe I don't want you to change anything. I have lived here for years, I don't need it to be ruined." The now serious woman had a growl in her voice, not prominent but enough to keep Dani away. "As to your question, do your research and find out for yourself. I'm not here for formalities." She stands and takes a step closer to Dani, stood at the foot of the bed.
"T-Then what are you here for?" Dani swallows nervously.
"You." The woman's smirk returns as she looks down on Dani.
"Me? What do you want with me? I'm-"
Dani gets cut off by a knock on the door echoing through the room.
"Dani? Are you alright?"
Jamie. Dani looks at the door, trying to figure out what she should say without sounding suspicious.
"Tell her you're fine." The woman's gaze turns into a glare as Dani hesitates.
"I'm fine, Jamie. Go back to bed." Dani quickly looks back at the woman, scared she would get closer.
"Are you sure? Who are you talking to?" Jamie sounded worried on the other side of the door. The door was locked, she wouldn't get in, she's safe.
"No one. You're talking to no one. You were just.. Listing things to help you sleep. Say it."
"Oh, I'm not speaking to anyone. I- I couldn't sleep so I was listing things, I didn't mean to wake you. I'm okay."
Jamie takes a moment to respond, but when she does, her voice is calm. "Alright then, you know where I am if you need me." She lingers outside the door before slowly making her way back down the hall.
"Good. Maybe you're not as useless as you seem." The woman goes back to watching Dani. Her skin continued to glow and Dani noticed that she could see the window that sat in front of the bed slightly through the woman. This woman was not human.
"What do you want with me?.." Dani made sure to get straight back to the point, a sense or urgency in her voice. She wanted this to be over, she wants to sleep.
"Well, the house seems to have taken a liking to you. For reasons I cannot explain, no one can. It wants you, Danielle."
"It.. What? It's a house.. It can't want, it's not alive." Dani's heart pounded in her chest, she didn't understand.
"It can. This house is different, it wanted all of us at one point, and it always gets what it wants."
"All of us? There's more of you?.."
"There are many of us Danielle, and it's time you join us too. But there's one slight problem. You're still breathing."
Dani's heart was threatening to jump out of her body. She can't move, paralysed by fear. "B-breathing?"
"You're alive, Danielle!" The woman raises her voice. "Do I have to spell everything out for you?! You are alive. You have to die."
"No. I don't want to join you. I- I want to live."
"THIS ISN'T YOUR CHOICE DANIELLE!" The woman ascends into the air and hovers above Dani. "YOU COME WILLINGLY, OR WE TAKE YOU!"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Dani yells, covering her head and squeezing her eyes shut to block the woman out.
The woman stops for a moment, remaining silent. Dani slowly looks up, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she was gone. A piercing scream rang through the house, so high-pitched that the light bulb above Dani shatters. She protected her ears with her hand and forces herself to stay calm. Finally, after what felt like eternity, silence. She was now alone, covered in small shards of glass, in her room. There was no sign of the woman anywhere. She was gone.
Dani couldn't breathe, her heart was still racing in her chest, she was terrified. Quickly, she throws the covers off of herself and launches herself at the door. Frantically, she unlocks it, yanking it open before bolting down the corridor to Jamie's room without thinking.