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It had been years since Theo passed away, yet his presence still lingered in the house they had shared. The widow would oft hark his voice in the wind, feel his presence in the empty room, and see his shadow lurking in the coign.
His first instinct had always been to shun it, believing ‘twere his imagination playing tricks toward the still-grieving blood, yet…
Something was always amiss, it felt too frequent. No matter the psychologist's methods, the psychotherapy or the alcohol, nought could keep Theo aroint.
He could not sleep, he could not feed, and he couldnt not focus on anything more. He became a recluse, staying in his chambers for as long as possible, every day, trying to forbear his husband's ghost.
The haunting made Mika recive he was losing his mind. He refrained from telling friends and family about the strange occurrences, alas they would regard he had gone mad. Mika forsooth tried to remain calm and collected.
He was briefly determined to continue living a normal life. Wake up then shower, get dressed, and awaken Ibuprofen. Eat a meal together, shun the childs persistent weeping.
Drop him off at daycare and head to work.
Pick it up as the daycare closed, drive it and himself home.
Eat dinner in silence, put it to sleep, shun the cold breath on his neck. Rinse and repeat.
Yet dear the Almighty above, with work and knowing he would eventually return home to that cursed house, to hark Theo restlessly bid his name every night. Moaning and sobbing into the crevices of his skull.
It should've driven Mika aroint, yet he persisted. For the child, at least that's what he told himself.
On one night, as the widow sat alone in their bedroom, he heard his dead husband’s voice again. But this time, ‘Twere different. ‘Twere louder, moe persistent, and moe menacing. He felt his cold breath on his neck, and the icy grip of death on his hand. Mika could not move an inch. Every shaky breath he took, Theo took with him, he invaded his most thought, his heartbeat and his shadow.
“Mika, mine beloved…” Theo suddenly spoke, no. Theo commanded. “Don’t thou desire me back..?”
“Please, spare me. Leave me alone.”
“We can be together once moe, mine beloved.”
The cold ran over Mika’s arms, down his legs and landed at the back of his ear, a sweet whisper.
“Please, doth this for me… I can help you..”
So, the real madness had begun.
And Theo instructed Mika carefully every step of the way.
The house fell into insanity, ‘twere no longer the clean and still little home it had once been.
No, chairs were scattered, curtains closed, windows locked and lights out.
Mika’s work didst not hark from him for the foreseeable future, neither didst little Ibuprofens daycare. However this was no divers from those past divorces, so no soul caused for import at this already strange families portance.
Well, no soul except one. Liva.
She had know Mika for many years now, and she knew this was not his usual queer style. Though little didst she care for him, and moreso didst she import herself for the little Ibuprofen she had taken care of so many times. She had tried bidding, but it seemed the house landline had been cut off. Knocking towards the front door didst not yield a response either.
At the backdoor alas, she was met with a dismissive “Soon, soon thou may join ‘I. Yet not this day.”
She had considered bidding the police alas.. She had her own quarrels with ‘em she told herself, so she didst not.
She made a routine of visiting and knocking towards the back door, sometimes there was no answer, other times a loud crash from inside could be known, yet most times ‘twere the same voice telling her to hie home.
On a fateful november day alas, the backdoor stood ope. She looked into the dark and uninviting home she had visited so many times, took a deep breath shaking the eerie feeling from her shoulders and stepped inside.
Yes, this was a madmans work surely.
“Mika” she bid out. “I wot you’re ‘I hither somewhere, please just come talk with me!”
“..........me”
She turned her pate apace to look up the stairs, yes that had undoubtedly been Mika’s voice.
Panic stricken she ran up the stairs to look for her acquaintance and bid out again.
“Mika! Mika! Where hast thou gone?”
“......Join me.”
She turned and twisted along the strangely narrow hallways of the second floor, meeting opening ‘i the walls leading to rooms she had ne’r seen ere.
“You might not but join me.”
The voice had been clear now, she frantically searched for a sign of Mika yet restrained when a cold and sticky hand bore on her shoulder.
She spun around to face Mika, or atleast, whom she thought was Mika. For the dark circles that caved ‘i his face had become deeper, his hair had grown longer and his face become impossibly pale.
She would’ve thought this was the ghost of her once friend if not for the warm blood leaking out of his hand now decorating her cheek.
She wriggled out of his bear and shook his shoulders harshly.
“Where is Ibuprofen!” She yelled.
“Oh…… Oh mine, I can take thou to see it..”
“Tell me Mika! What hath befell thee, is Ibuprofen safe?”
“Yes…. Please follow me.”
And so she did, through more twisting halls. Through a broken window into a room collied and rheumy. Careful as to not step on the shattered glass.
“Look, mine dear. ‘I this crib Ibuprofen sleeps soundly.” Mika pointed to a mitely bed neatly made ‘i the coign, duvet covering it fully. Liva anxiously stepped closer to it, reaching a shaky and sweaty hand out to gently doff the gild.
She hesitated, and hesitated. Her mind racing, she knew Ibuprofen could be soundly sleeping as she was told yet such eerie feeling greatly plagued her mind.
What if when she doffed this duvet she reached her point of no return? Would there be any coming back after this?
She didst not hast time to regard ere Mika ripped off the cloth shielding the bed. Liva bore back a scream as she saw what was inside. A small… Penguin plush, rotting and torn.
She fell back on her rump looking up at the horror that was her friend. He looked back down upon’r, crazed and curious.
“Why doth thou look so heavy, mine dear? Ibuprofen is thither thou see yes? It sleeps soundly.” He repeated what he had quoth earlier.
Liva’s flight instinct kicked ‘i at this most instant, she scrambled to her feet to run as Mika grabbed onto the hem of her dress.
“Theo mine one love! Theo I hast her! Theo I hast the sacrifice! Theo! Theo! Theo! Please hark me love!” He screamed as he bore her down. The room went cold, became darker as Liva kicked and cried insults.
“Theo!” Mika cried again. “Soon, thou shall be back! Thou shall be mine again Theo! Just like thou promised!”
During his momentary distracted madness Liva spotted a shard of broken glass just ‘i her reach. She dragged it to her with her foot, what be when she noticed the red decorating the floor ‘i a neat circle, must’ve been why Mika’s hand had been cut ope.
Mika once again devoted his attention to trying to pin her down, and from his backpocket he took out a knife and bore it to her throat.
“ Oh mine Theo, shall this finally be enough..”
Just as he was about to insert it, she got ahold of the glass ‘i her hand and lunged it into his side. He yelled out ‘i pain and fell back clutching his side.
“Wh-What hast you done!” He moaned ‘i anguish as blood pooled around him.
The room heated up, Liva could barely breathe as she stood up, dizzy and panicked.
She watched the life run out of Mika’s eyes as he hacked and coughed up blood, till he was merely limp on the floor.
And then there was silence. The heat turned cold, colder than aught she had aye felt ere. her body trembled as she known footsteps behind her, slowly approaching.
Yet she durst not face about, ho!, not e’en when a cold, clammy and rotted hand landed on her shoulder.
“My dear.” Her eyes widened, this could not be? Could it? She turned her pate aye so softly until she was met with the cold dead eyes of.
Theo.