The Coop: A Short Story

A seemingly ordinary young boy named Herman Mudgett was wandering the woods that surrounded Gilmanton, New Hampshire, when he discovered a house. He had not come across it before, so he decided to explore what was inside. The door was already open, and the condition of outside convinced him that no one was living in it. Herman first noticed an upstairs landing that overlooked most of the common area. The home looked as if no one had ever occupied it; the walls were white, but looked grey due to the overwhelming amount of dust, and it was almost empty. Herman decided to continue his tour upstairs. When he finally reached the second floor, he carefully looked over the unstable railing to observe the space from above, although it did not look much different from the lower view. Herman continued to wander the halls until he heard a loud thump in one of the bedrooms.

The mouldy, rotting, brown house stood in front of Emily, only fear keeping her feet planted to the ground. Moaning and creaking noises being projected from the house. The grass was damp from the evening fog and every time she took a step the mud squelched. The bottom step squeaked as she applied pressure with her foot, she let out a sigh of relief as the old structure hadn’t swallowed her up. The door, slightly off colour from the rest of the house, loomed over her like a giant as he reached for the brass door handle. A shiver ran through her body like an electric current, the musty smell of a house that had been long abandoned filled Emily’s nose. It was dim and uninviting. The furniture dusty and old, looking as if it would crumble to dust if she was to touch it. Mould ate away at

I went to the garage and as I opened the door the sound of something cracking filled the air. Yellow bits of an egg shell laid broken in the far corner in one big clump. The door had debris stuck on it, the sticky residue of the interior of the egg was on the door. I picked up the shell, and it oozed with a thick fluid. One breath later, I gasped for air. The smell was rancid. I had to stop breathing, or I’d gag from the smell coming from the putrid shell. With my broom, I scooped it into a black trash bag. I didn’t like this thing stinking up the place, so I figured the

Dread and sorrow wash throughout me. We spent so long in this cursed building to prevent us from ending up like we did. I furrow my brows. The foul smell of rotting old wood came upon my senses. Now, I could only taste dryness in my throat. This attic has still not changed one bit.

Carole and I were fleeing with urgency down the steep driveway, arms and legs pumping with fear. Which way to go? Down the reedy river path with potential snakes and the risk of being seen or the creepy drainage ditch? Looking back toward the house with rapid fire beats in our hearts, fear drove us forward. We searched to see how far ahead we were. Not far. Not as far as we needed to be, but he hadn’t appeared yet. The only logical way was through the rusty damp and dark pipes so we wouldn’t be seen. Our noses wrinkled with the disgust upon entry, filling our nostrils with a strong smell of mold and crud collected from storms.

I took a deep breath as I walked through the doorway. The door was stuck open, hanging on just one of its hinges. It was clear that no one had been near this place in a long time. As I entered, a stench hit me. It smelt sickly sweet, almost like rotten fairy floss. I looked around the room at the faded and ripped wallpaper, and the broken furniture. The air was so thick with dust it was almost impossible to breathe, and everything was thickly covered with dust. The little light there was came from the cracks in the yellowed blinds.

The roof looked battered and dilapidated. The roof was pointy, like the point on a witch’s hat. The roof sloped at odd angles. So much so that you would look at it and wonder, what would happen if you skied off the roof in the winter? The house had droopy, wooden shutters on the windows that were hung crookedly on purpose. The house was a yellow beige color with odd leadlight

On one of those nights, when I drifted off into a nightmare, I found myself alone in a silent town that looked to be abandoned. The walls of the buildings, as well as the sidewalks had writing on them. Words such as "Mr. Piggyton" and "Play!" were drawn on with chalk. There were also random names written as well. The most troubling was the large drawing of Mr. Piggyton that was drawn on the walls of an abandoned candy store. Below that, "Let's all have some fun!" was written.

Charlie,Lawson,Ron,and I are walking down the street the sun is starting to fade away.We walk up on this creepy house. We try to look in the windows but, there are vines and cobwebs every where there are even vines going up the house.Charley and Lawson are arguing about whether we should go inside or not,so we take a vote on it Ron,Lawson and I want to go in but, Charlie doesn't so we tell her to stay outside with the bats she runs up behind me and tells me to protect her. We open the door it creaks loudly.We walk in and the door slams with a loud “THUD”.There is so much dust Charlie and I start to sneezing.Everything was covered with white sheets.We start to walk forward every step we take is followed by a loud creaking noise.

When you wonder at night the door will shriek across the moldy floor. The shutters will open and close, and open and close. OPEN HOUSE, there is a new house on the market. One that has lots of character. One with exterior that is crinkling and washing away. With blood of the last calling your name. The front porch is caved in like someone was murdered just before coming in. The lawn not mowed. When you get to the rough and cracked concrete you would enter but you can’t the black shadow that passed the door faster than i light. the blood marks on the rails down to the deck and on to the door handle. Now it's your turn, when the deep wail of the wind carried with dirt gets in your eye now you start to cry. this is not a place for children no no sir this is for all those who don't believe

Dalton took the bat and sat down on his uncomfortable, worn out, brown leather couch. He stared blankly at the black television screen waiting, he was waiting for the unknown, he was waiting for the being that was on the other side of the wall. Thoughts floated through his mind all night. “When is he going to come?” “Why didn’t he come yet?” “What happened to Linda?”. When morning finally came he tried to call sick to work but it didn’t ring once and decided to take a look at Linda’s house and when he was leaving his house he noticed something weird. He wasn’t in his apartment building any more.His apartment looked like it had been taken out of the building and put into the field behind where his apartment used to be. Out of nowhere he heard strange noises he looked around and saw nothing, until out of the corner of his eye he saw something, something that didn’t belong and it saw him. He started to run. He saw a patch of trees, he ran towards it. He ran through the trees for an hour, he started hearing cars in the distance so he knew he was close to

In the middle of everything a small barn stands. Made of cement brick that is crumbling at the corners and a tin roof hiding a loft full of hay. The square wooden door that opens the loft to the outside has a small round hole where a golf ball took the wrong path. Dust swirls in the air inside, making shapes in the sunlight. Opening the gate with a squeak and a bang, I stroll onto

Silence. It was too quiet for a Manhattan neighborhood. My eyes slowly opened, welcoming sunlight in, as I looked around my room, I strained my ears to catch for any sounds. I decided to get up and figure out why our usually bustling neighborhood went from noisy to quiet. Walking down the stairs, I was welcomed to a totally destroyed living area, all my furniture against the door, all my windows boarded up with multiple nails pierced into the board. Creeping towards my kitchen, all my belonging looked as though it had not been touched. Opening the oak cabinets, I noticed all my food was in place, including my box of chocolate granola bars, with four left. Grabbing one, I leaned against the counter, my eyes glancing towards the daily newspaper crumpled on the floor. Bending down

I stared in horror – that wall was stained with gruesome blood stains. What the smell was became all too obvious and I felt the need to vomit… that motion put away and forgotten in an instant when the shuffling of feet rustled behind me. Panic. I turned around in a blur, my eyes huge and watering. My stomach stirred in the slightest. A lamp? Indeed, a tall standing lamp radiated a warm light only a few metres in front of me. Was it real or a figment of my abused mind? Curiosity would get the best of me, lending me a tiny spurt of energy to boost me on my feet. Teetering footsteps led me forward cautiously, random tremors reminding me of my weakness. The lamp was close enough to touch, its friendly warmth the only hope in the world to me. Basking in it for some slow seconds, I wondered, maybe there were more things in the room that hadn’t been revealed to the naked eye? Turning sharp on my heel, I let out a blood curdling screech as I came face to face with the most horrific thing I had ever seen. Huge fly-like eyes took in my paling complexion, and a lopsided smile of stinking razor sharp teeth mocked me. Rancid skin that looked like the algae layer that sat upon a swamp bubbled and oozed, trickling down a sharply shaped ‘face’. Flight or fight reaction chose the obvious option and I turned back again to run. Where, I did not

"Grandma?"I cry out.The scratching grows more aggressive.The moans develop into a gurgling.My breathing has decreased to nearly nothing as I lie on my starved stomach.No telling if either I've disabled my breathing or my fear got to it first.The gruesome scent trailed to my nose triggers my gag reflex.I'm reminded back to the moment me and Jamie find an abandoned barn.Dead cow carcass and moist hay scattered the floor.I feel as though the dead carcass is practically lying on the other side of the door.The door cracks pulling me into reality.Jumping away from the door I take a long breath.My heart beat speeds up because I know whatever is on the other side of that door isn't human and it's coming in.After several moments of scratching and fear