Cause Unknown Read online

  Cause Unknown

  Barbie Bellinger

  Copyright © 2009

  All rights reserved – Barbie Bellinger

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the permission, in writing, from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments,events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Strategic Book Publishing

  An imprint of AEG Publishing Group

  845 Third Avenue, 6th Floor - 6016

  New York, NY 10022

  www.StrategicBookPublishing.com

  ISBN: 978-1-61897-118-0

  Printed in the United States of America

  Book Design: Rolando F. Santos

  Cover Design: Matthew Thurston

  Contents

  Chapter 1 — Moving

  Chapter 2 — The Attic

  Chapter 3 — The Binoculars

  Chapter 4 — A Brush From The Past

  Chapter 5 — Attempt At Retrieval

  Chapter 6 — The House Has Eyes

  Chapter 7 — Back To The Past

  Chapter 8 — The Present Future

  Chapter 9 — The Capture

  Chapter 10 — The Investigation

  Chapter 11 — Temporary Treatment

  Chapter 12 — Coming Clean

  Chapter 13 — Night Visits

  Chapter 14 — Return To Necropolis

  * * *

  Cause Unknown

  They drove down the dirt road to their new house: new to them anyway. It was a house they had unexpectedly been able to afford and it was unbelievable. A real bargain.

  Their original house had mysteriously burned down. No one could determine what started the blaze. Arson was ruled out right away, no faulty wiring could be detected, and no lightning had struck even though it had been raining that night.

  It was just one of those unexplainable things. The fire was eventually classified as “Cause Unknown.”

  * * *

  Chapter 1

  Moving

  After three weeks of living in a hotel, Marty Cooper, along with his wife Lola and their four children; Kerry 12, twins Rachel and Alysha 10, and Corey 4, had read in the newspaper of an abandoned three-story house for only one hundred dollars!

  Marty was very excited. “It’s perfect Lola, something we can definitely afford.”

  Lola on the other hand was not at all convinced. “We haven’t even seen it yet, so how can you say it’s perfect?”

  “I meant the price is perfect Honey,” he said trying to be patient. He obviously hated living in a hotel.

  Lola, a skeptic at heart, said, “For one hundred bucks it’s probably a real doozy! More than likely, it’ll cost more than twenty thousand just to fix it up. Besides, it might already be gone for that price,” she said hopefully.

  Marty assured her it wasn’t. “I’ve already called about it and it’s ours if we want it.”

  Her heart sank. “Don’t you think we should at least look at it first?”

  “How does tomorrow morning sound? We just have to swing by the bank and pick up the key.”

  Lola got her hopes up, “The kids have school tomorrow Marty, and they can’t miss it.”

  He pointed out to her, “They’re home-schooled Lola, and they can study in the car.”

  She tried another tactic. “Reading in a moving vehicle puts a strain on the eyes. I don’t want them to get headaches.”

  “Fine,” he said, while glancing at her mischievously, “I’ll go myself and I’ll make the decision if we buy the place.”

  Acquiescing, she said, “Well… as long as you put it that way, I think the kids can miss one day of school.”

  “I knew you would come to your senses” he said and kissed her cheek.

  Lola asked, “So where is it anyway?”

  Reading the paper for the exact location, he said “About ten miles off the main road in Brookeville… uh… on a dirt road called Pineview.”

  “Pineview? Never heard of it… or Brookeville for that matter.”

  He agreed, “Me neither, but its worth checking out.”

  Kerry, Rachel and Alysha knocked on the door to be let in. They had just played a game of baseball with the neighborhood kids.

  Waking up from a nap Corey said, “Mommy, I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”

  Lola answered while opening the door, “Good question. I’m hungry too.”

  The other three kids were as well. Marty said, “I’ll order pizza so we don’t have to go out. It’ll be delivered,” and phoned the nearest local pizza parlor.

  Alysha asked, “What’s there to drink? I’m thirsty.”

  Marty and Lola say simultaneously, “Water.”

  Kerry said, “Oh gag! That stuff tastes like frog slime!”

  Corey asked him, “You tasted a frog before? That’s gross Kerry!”

  Lola explained, “Not a real frog Corey. Kerry just doesn’t like water very much.”

  Rachel, the family’s health food freak, said, “I can’t eat pizza, it’s not healthy.”

  Her twin, Alysha, the junk food fanatic, asked, “What’s for dessert?”

  “Water,” chimed their parents again.

  Lola, a cleaning fanatic, quickly grabbed a scrub brush and began heading for the bathroom. She couldn’t deny her strong urge to clean before food arrived in the cramped room. Marty watched her for a moment and said, “Honey, cleaning is a good idea but you’re down right obsessive and that is not healthy. Put that shower head back on and sit down for a while!”

  Reluctantly complying she sighed, “Maybe you’re right, I just hate to think of all the germs dousing us when we’re showering.”

  Kerry spoke up, “That’s why soap was invented Mom.”

  Lola retorted, “Only if you use it Kerry!”

  Corey asked horrified, “You don’t use soap Mommy?”

  “I do sweetie but I doubt that Kerry does,” Lola teased.

  Twenty minutes later the pizza arrived and they devoured every slice.

  By then it was ten o’clock and Marty said that they should all go to bed so they could get an early start to look at their possible new home. All four kids protested, but were soon in bed trying to sleep. Corey slept with Marty and Lola, while Kerry and the twins occupied the other bed.

  Sometime during the night, Marty dreamt about the house they planned to see the following day. In his dream, it was autumn. The leaves were turning all shades of reds, browns and oranges and falling to the ground. He hated the fall season; it always reminded him of death. Both of his parents had been killed in an autumn car accident when he was eleven years old. It was no wonder he hated that time of the year.

  In his dream, the house didn’t look bad at all. It had slightly peeling white paint on the outside with faded red trim. He got the feeling standing out back of the house that it was, well, not haunted but was the keeper of some horrifying secret.

  He awoke with a start, sweating profusely and terrified, but unsure why. He didn’t remember dreaming anything but was sure he did not have a nightmare. He looked at the clock and it said five-oh-five a.m. He got up as Lola whispered, “Honey where are you going?”

  “The bathroom,” he lied, too afraid to tell her he was terrified. Of what he had no idea. How could he tell her he was afraid but could not say of what? He just needed to get into the bathroom where he could turn on a light and reassure himself that he was all right.

  He stayed there u
ntil it was daylight. When everyone else had awakened, there was a line to get into the bathroom, “Hey,” said Lola banging on the door, “hurry up in there, everyone has to go!”

  Opening the door quickly and standing in the doorway, Marty snapped, “Can’t a guy get any peace and quiet?”

  Lola came right back at him, “Not when you’ve been in there since after five this morning! It is after nine. I thought you wanted to get an early start?”

  Calming down he asked, “After nine already? Huh, I must have dozed off.” He feigned a sheepish smile.

  Corey, jumping up and down, said, “I gotta go right now!”

  Motioning Corey in, Lola said, “Corey you go first, then the girls and then Kerry. I’ll go last.”

  Kerry grabbed a jacket and said, “I’ll go outside. The girls will take too long.”

  Marty quipped, “If you get busted for indecent exposure. we don’t know you!”

  “I’ll risk it!” Kerry said.

  “Don’t forget the passkey,” Lola added.

  Corey came out of the bathroom and Alysha went in.

  A few minutes later Kerry came back into the room. “I couldn’t find a secluded enough place. Are the girls done yet?”

  Now Rachel was in there. Lola yelled, “Hurry up Rachel, there’s still a line out here.”

  Exiting the bathroom, Rachel said, “Alright already, keep your shirt on!”

  Kerry flew into the bathroom.

  Corey asked, “What’s for breakfast? I’m hungry.”

  Rachel threw a pouch at him. “Here Corey, here’s a Pop Tart.” Alysha tried to intercept the toss and said, “I want some too.”

  Rachel looked apologetic, “Sorry sis, that’s the last packet.”

  As Kerry exited the bathroom, Lola went in.

  Marty said, “We’ll stop at Mickey D’s for breakfast. Let’s just get going.”

  Everyone was dressed and ready to leave fifteen minutes later.

  Piling into the family station wagon, Rachel asked, “How many bathrooms does this house we’re going to see have?”

  Marty replied, “I’m not sure sweetie. But with three stories, it’s bound to have more than one!”

  They arrived at Mickey D’s for breakfast and spent more than ten minutes waiting in line. They got their food and ate at last. By the time they left, it was past ten-thirty. Marty said, “Now… on to the bank for the keys and directions.”

  Alysha asked astonished, “You don’t even know how to get there?”

  “Not without directions Aly. The paper doesn’t say how to get there, it just said to stop by the bank and pick up the instructions from the owner.”

  Upon their arrival at the bank, they all went inside to speak with the owner who was more than happy to hand over the keys. “It is a really fine house,” the owner, who had a scar from an apparent burn on his left cheek, said nervously. “A real steal for only one hundred dollars!” He was practically begging them to buy it.

  Young Kerry bluntly asked, “Then why are you trying to pawn it off on us? What is wrong with it? Is it possessed or something?”

  Marty chastised him, “Kerry James!”

  Kerry continued without missing a beat. “What are trying to hide? You’re sweating like a…”

  Interrupting, Lola pleaded, “Kerry, let your father handle this.”

  Marty said, “All of you in the car now! I will handle this myself.”

  Everyone got into the car. Three minutes later Marty joined them. When they were back on the road Marty could not hold back any longer cracked up, “Mwaahaaahaaa, Kerry… I should be angry at you for that little outburst, but did you see the look on that guy’s face when you said he was sweating?”

  Interrupting again Lola responded, “We saw the look Martin! That will be enough from everyone.”

  They all giggled and snickered, including Lola who was doing her best to hide it but failed miserably.

  They drove down dirt road after dirt road. After nearly two hours Kerry, looking out of the window mumbled, “Man, we’re heading into freaking nowhere!”

  Lola spat, “Watch it Mister!”

  “What does freaking mean?” Corey wanted to know.

  Lola answered, “Never mind honey, it doesn’t mean anything.”

  They had been turning down one dirt road after another, confusing them all.

  Kerry was very good with directions and had won a merit badge from the boy scouts for being the only child to find his way back to camp five consecutive times. Now, even he was not sure which direction they were traveling.

  Rachel appeared worried, “Where are all the neighbors? I haven’t seen a house for miles!”

  Lola agreed, “Me neither. Marty are you sure we’re going the right way?”

  Marty pulled the car over to the side of the road to consult the map, “Uh… according to the map we should have one more left hand turn to make and that will be Pineview Road.”

  Kerry mumbled again, “I think you mean Belleview Road!”

  Marty began driving again and said, “So far I haven’t seen any street signs yet… or should I say road signs, but not too far up ahead we should turn left.”

  Corey who had better than 20/20 vision pointed and said, “I see a road up there, you guys see it?”

  Everyone leaned forward slightly as Lola asked, “Where honey? I don’t see a… oh wait a sec there it is.” She pointed up the road a little ways to the left.

  Marty stopped the car before turning the corner. “This can’t be it… this is more like a cow path than a road!”

  “No Marty, this is it. There’s a road sign,” said Lola pointing to the ground on the right hand side of the car.

  Alysha said, “I’ve got a baaaad feeling about this.”

  No one said anything, but they all shared her unease.

  They drove for another ten minutes until they saw the house for the first time, off in the distance. “Marty, I think I see it over there,” said Lola as she pointed to her right.

  They turned into what they hoped was the driveway. It was overgrown with weeds, and grass growing in the middle.

  Marty pulled up slowly as the driveway bent around to the backside of the house. He stopped the car and removed the keys without taking his eyes off the structure. He slowly stepped out of the car, eyes still transfixed on the house.

  Lola and the children got out of the car and Lola said to them, “Don’t go wandering off guys. Stay close to us.” She noticed Marty sweating profusely, mouth agape. She walked up to him, grabbed hold of his trembling arm, and asked, “Marty what’s wrong?”

  No response. She glanced at the house and then back at him, and gently shook his arm. He jerked it out of her grasp and looked at her through a terrified haze. After realizing who she is, his gaze softened and he smiled and asked, “Shall we go inside and have a look around?”

  She just looked questioningly at him. He tried to ignore her but the closer he got to the back door, the more apprehensive he became. He stopped just short of the door and was beginning to look horrified again.

  “Marty,” Lola began. This time he knew he had to tell her something, so… why not the truth?

  Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he admitted, “There’s something about this place Lola, that gives me the heebie-jeebies… like I’ve been here before… in a distant memory…” His voice faded and after a moment he snapped back into reality. He thought to himself, ‘I know I have seen this place before… but where and when?’

  He had seen this place before… the night before, in his nightmare.

  He hesitated at the door and then finally said, “I don’t know why Lola, but this place reminds me of something… terrifying.”

  Lola stood beside him for a moment and then quietly asked, “Do you wanna go back and wait for another house to come on the market?”

  That brought him back to himself, and he replied, “Hell no I don’t want to wait! This price just can’t be passed up… now come on, we have some looking a
round to do,” he opened the door and did not hesitate again… until he was inside the house that is.

  Once the door was opened, a rancid smell hit all of them and Corey began to gag. “Oh my God, what is that awful smell?” asked Rachel.

  “It smells like rotting flesh,” said Alysha.

  Kerry, not affected at all by the stench, asked, “Hey can I go exploring upstairs?”

  Lola managed to keep Corey from tossing it all, and said, “I think we should all stick together, don’t you Marty?”

  No answer.

  Kerry protested, “But we can cover a lot more ground… or rooms if we split up.”

  Lola looked at Marty again, who looked back this time and nodded his consent to allow them to wander.

  Lola, not liking it one bit said, “Alright, you can go exploring in the house only, and only if you take the girls along.”

  Kerry grunted while rolling his eyes and said, “Well, come on then.” The three raced upstairs to pick out their new bedrooms.

  Corey grabbed hold of Lola and said, “Mommy I’m scared, hold me.”

  Lola picked him up.

  Marty silently thought, ‘I’m also scared, hold me too.’

  Looking around herself, Lola realized they entered in the kitchen. Slightly ahead and to her right, pots and pans hung from the ceiling over the ‘island’ in the middle of the floor, which also had a range top stove and counter space. To her left and forward slightly, a double oven is built into the wall. To her immediate left is a door sealed shut by some sort of glue or cement. As a matter-of-fact, the entire door is encased in this gluey cement substance. Lola realized that the door is where the stench is emanating from.

  Putting Corey down, who now clung to her leg, she turned on the light switch. To her surprise, the lights came on. Corey tentatively let go of her, but stayed close.

  Even though it was daylight and sunny outside, the house was dreary and dank on the inside.

  Marty tried desperately to conquer the apprehension he felt, but failed miserably. Lola opened the kitchen window to try to air out the stench.

  The three older children came back downstairs and announced they had all found their respected bedrooms, which, by the way, had their very own private bathrooms. There were eight [bathrooms?] in all.