Stairs

Claire was so upset last night. She knows I’ll only be out of the house for six weeks, but she was completely heart-broken. She doesn’t believe I’ll be coming back. No matter what I say to her she keeps saying I’m going to disappear, just like everyone else in her life.

I tried telling her over and over again to leave her job and come with me. Every time I tried to plead with her she pushed me away. What is she so afraid of? I can’t figure out where she works. I have no idea where she lives. I don’t even know her last name. All I know is I love her and this is tearing me apart. I’m afraid I’m going to lose her. what if she’s not here when I get back.

Maybe I should just go rent a camper trailer and put it in the backyard? Hey, that’s a great idea. There’s still people creeping around the house. I’m sure Mark wouldn’t mind. He’s just going to rent out the duplex when I move out. This way he can start marketing it sooner. I’ve pretty much been camping out here anyway so it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to park a trailer back here. The fence will keep it hidden from the neighbors so no one will even know I’m back here. The bathroom in the basement is functioning so I’ll just use it. I know Mark is tearing apart the kitchen, but I don’t use it anyway. It wouldn’t be difficult. I can live in a camp trailer for a couple of days.

Hey kitty, what do you think about living in a trailer. You spend most of your time in the bedroom anyway, I don’t think it would make much difference to you. it would only be for six weeks at the most. I think we could do it.

This house is going to be beautiful when it’s done. I can already see the original structure coming though. It can’t hide its secrets anymore. The walls will be covered; structures will be reinforced; the stairs will be shored up and the doors and the windows will be replaced and made tight. This house will survive another 112 years.

See kitty, this will be the perfect family house. If I can only convince Claire to stay. Could you imagine? The kitchen will be the gathering place. Mom will be in the kitchen cooking to her heart’s content. She always wanted to be able to stay home and have a snack ready for me in the kitchen when I got out of school. After dinner she will go to her apartment in the basement. A bedroom, a bathroom and a recreation room, that’s all she asked for. Claire is getting a different job, if she wants to work at all. No one is going to hurt her again.

I’m going to fill this house with love and laughter. All the old clutter has been cleared away and the house is going to be perfect again. I need to introduce my mom to Claire. I can’t believe they haven’t met yet. I’ve told mom about her, but they’ve never been at the house at the same time. Obviously that’s going to change when they both move in here together. We are going to be together as a big, happy family.

Two kids. I know we can’t pick the gender. You get what you get, but I always wanted a little sister. I would love a boy and a girl. Claire wants kids. She’s said it over and over. I asked her about having a family and she said it’s what she wanted more than anything. there’s more than enough room in this house for kids. They’d each get their own bedroom and by the time they are teenagers mom will be ready to move upstairs and we can turn the basement into a rec room and put their bedrooms down there. Mom could live the rest of her life here, if Claire agrees to it. I can’t wait until Claire comes over tonight. There’s so much I want to talk to her about.

We don’t have too much to do to get ready to move out tomorrow, kitty. It’s not like I have very many things to move. I’m going to look into renting a camper. Let’s see what it’s going to take. Here kitty, there’s one listed here for sale. It’s only a thousand dollars. I can afford that easily. Where’s my phone? There it is. And it’s dead. Of course. Let me plug this thing in. I’ll send the guy an email letting him know I’m interested in the trailer. If I offer him cash he might get back to me pretty quick.

Let’s go outside and see if there’s a way we can get the trailer in the back yard. Is that rain kitty? I thought I felt some drops on my cheek, but there aren’t very many clouds in the sky. If it is raining, it’s only over the house. Man, sometimes Idaho weather drives me crazy.

Yeah, getting the trailer in here will be easy. We’ll just put it on the foundation of this shed. It’s in good enough shape it’ll hold the trailer. Mark already said he’s bringing his truck over to move my stuff out, I’ll just have him haul the trailer over instead. It’ll actually take less time. Let’s walk the path to the front to see if there would be any problems moving the trailer back here.

Well, if it doesn’t rain any more the ground should be dry enough to hold the weight of the trailer. We still need to do a lot of yard work so whatever damage is done during the move will be covered up. Of course, since Mark is selling the house to me he might just leave the yard as it is and allow me to do all the work.

Oh, there’s my phone. I better hurry. Ooof. What did I trip over? I’m a little tired of all the crap I’m finding all over the place. What is this? It looks like a leg shackle. It’s not a costume. This has been used. Who was kept locked up in this house? I think there was a girl chained up in that secret room for years. It had to been the youngest daughter of the Walters. The time-line is right. I wonder what motivated the family to lock her away?

Well, I missed the call. It was a restricted number. Hey, there’s a message this time. Oh kitty, it’s the guy with the trailer. He says I can have it if I can get him the cash today. No problem. Better call Mark.

Well kitty, it’s all set. I didn’t even need to get Mark involved. The guy lives two miles away. He’s going to bring the trailer over in the morning. It’s actually pretty decent for an old trailer. Mark actually likes the idea. He was pretty worried about vandals breaking in to the property during the heat of construction.

I better change the light on the landing before it gets too late. This step stool is pretty rickety. I should get a different one. Never mind. It’ll work.

What is it kitty? I don’t see anything down there. What are you staring at? Who… Kitty, help. Ooooof. Ouch.

Oh my God! Kitty, I need help. What am I going to do? Oh. I think I broke my leg. Oh, kitty, it hurts. Is that the phone? I can hear it. The workers aren’t scheduled to be here until Monday. I can’t be here for four days. Wait, Mark is coming over to go through the plans. No, that’s not until tomorrow. The trailer guy won’t be here until tomorrow. I have to get to my phone.

Who’s here? Claire? Is that you? I can hear you up there. Claire! I’m down here. Please help. Mom! Mom! I need you.

Kitty, help me get up the stairs. I can do it. Claire! Claire! Call 911! I can hear you up there. Please help!

Kitty, im almost there. Thank you for staying beside me. You keep me centered. Focused. I know this world is real because you’re here for me.

Claire! It is you. Help me. Please? Bring me my phone. I don’t think I can make it.

Choose? What do you mean choose? There’s nothing to choose. I want you. I want this house. I want the promise of this house. What do you want me to choose? Do you want me to choose you? I already chose you.  love you. Oh, kitty. I don’t think Claire is really here. I hit my head really hard. There’s blood everywhere. Help me get to the phone. Kitty, help me. You are always there for me. Claire. Kitty. Help. One of you help me.