I can actually hear the crickets outside and the stars look like moons. After all those years of being pent up in the Bronx I can actually think clearly. Back in the city, being a new lawyer in town with a cheap firm was too much of a hassle. I was fed up with having to deal with the wannabe gangsters and having to cover their immoral behinds. And all the other lawyers in town just wanted to tear each other down - no matter the penalties. I graduated from NYU cum laude and the only reason why I went there was because I had a full ride scholarship. Call me unthankful, but if you were in my shoes you'd understand. My parents wanted the best for me awhile all I wanted to do was to leave the city. Friends were never a problem since I was always home schooled and the kids in the home schooling program were toffee-nosed rich kids. My parents were well off; my father a nurse and my mother a substitute teacher. Call us poor but we had two beds and enough food to keep us full, so I'm not complaining.

When I told my parents I was moving into a place of my own they appeared happier than the day I graduated with my master's degree. When I told them where, my dad nearly had a heart attack and my mom actually passed out.

So here I am; Seul, Texas. It is about five hours from Houston, Texas. How did I find this quaint little town? I told my parents I was going on a trip to see if I could get a deeper understanding of myself as a whole. I had no clients at the moment so my life was back to the road. I had the luxury of my parents being able to travel all over during breaks, weekends, holidays, you name it. But Boston was not far enough for me. I grabbed my car keys, packed a week of clothing, tooth brush, tooth paste, you name it. The drive took a day and a half long to get to my mystery destination. I didn't stop for sleep nor eat much. I stayed on I-10 West for the time being until I hit Houston, Texas. I didn't want to stay in the city so I continued on I-45 until I came across a town that looked like it came out of a country edition of Home & Garden Magazine (my mother talks about it enough, it's not like I indulge on that stuff).

Our Home is Your Home.

Rodeo at the Griffon Tower tonight.

Stop by for Real Southern Cooking at Billie Bib's Buffalo Catfish.

This town was decorated in signs of all kinds of things. I passed by a few gas stations that looked like they took place in the 30's; Must have been one of those oil or baby boom towns . I may have seen cows in text books, pet zoo's, even plastic one's in the museums but I've never seen so many on just an acre of land. And they didn't come in just black and white! I saw brown, black, white, blonde, grey, you name it. The sky was actually blue covered in specks of fluffy white clouds. The roads were neat and litter free. I saw a couple kids play in the front yard's of their homes. And the homes were another subject in themselves. Almost every house looked to be made in the 1700's because they all had shingles, slopes, slants, balcony's, and pillars much like a Victorian Home. Every house had grass that radiated of their owner's care. I was so busy paying attention to the sights that a little boy ran out in front of the street to catch a ball. My tires protested in exasperation as I squealed to a stop. Me and the blond haired toddler locked eyes for about a minute. You nearly kill the boy and you just sit there and do nothing, nice grand entrance into the town, Mark .I heard my conscience tell me. I looked back at the kid and nearly banged my head on the roof of the car. For a split second, his skin looked black with holes of decay. His eyes were replaced with black sockets displaying no emotion - only death. His bottom jaw was no longer in place and dried up arteries hung over his jaw all awry. His neck looked as though it was snapped and his head rested painfully on his shoulder. I blinked and the blond haired child with blue eyes filled with youth took place again. I almost forgot that have not ate a thing. Man, I was completely loosing it. The boy started running his fingers along my silver '07 Honda Accord.

"Wow. What is it?" The boy said in a strong Texas drawl. His mother came running towards my car to pick up up her son. Instead of her apologizing to me and nagging at her son, she backed away with her eyes wide with fear.

"What is it?" The mother asked nobody in particular. I guess they were talkling about my car.

Her son was a copy of her; her thin blonde hair was fluttering in the southern current and her blue eyes were wide with curiosity but an unmistakable trepidation.

"Um, it's a car. Don't you have one?" I said trying to clear the air.

"Why do you sound like that?" The lady asked me.

I realized she was talking about my accent. Ever since I left the Bronx, and headed south almost every gas station employee asked where I was from. "I'm new here. I am just traveling and I came ac-"

"Oh my Lord, where on tarnations are my manners? My name is Risa James Pearson. This is my son Christopher. Welcome to Seul, Texas. The city of your dreams." She lifted her right hand towards me. She sounded as if she rehearsed that whole thing in a 1930's commercial. Though she didn't have the outer appearance down, she had the right twinkle in her eye.

I took her hand. "Slotski. Mark Slotski."

"Hello Mark." Her hands were shaking as if she had arthritis. Kind of young to be hitting such an elderly curse but I have heard about incest acts in the South, but more than likely it was an old rumor. "Oh my word. You are starving! When was the last time you ate?" I never said anything about being hungry nor did my stomach protest but I went along with it.

"I haven't eaten in over a day."

"Boy, I have sausages and grits right on the stove. Stay right here." She left to her house leaving her son outside. He sat on the front yard playing alone humming some kind of childish tune off key. His mother came back out of the house with more than a plate of sausage and grits. She had bacon, biscuits, scrambled eggs, and of course the sausages and grits.

"Thank you so much." I was about to eat until she started shooing me off to my car.

"Get in your whatchamacallit and take a tour of our beautiful town." She ordered me. I thanked her again, keyed my ignition, and continued sightseeing. Before I shifted into drive, Risa stooped down to my window. "And by the way son, there has been a nice house for sale two blocks from here. If you go down Benson Avenue then turn left you will see a grey house much like mine. The last people that lived there decided to leave unnoticeably. The yard is a bit unkempt but if you ask the Dinger Boys who live right across the house, they would be more than glad to clean it up. But that is only if you're interested. Well, I won't keep you. Go on, get!" I gassed the car and went to the house as I ate my food.

Even the people were nice. And not only were the people great but the food was so rich and just... mmm! The eggs could just melt in your mouth. Did I taste a bit of cheese for a second? I could just live here. On second thought, that wasn't a bad idea.

**********

So here I am at the very moment, Seul, Texas. A week ago, I called the Realtor of the house and asked him how much he wanted. He told me the house was move in ready and was only 62,000 dollars! This same house would cost three million bucks back in New York. I got a plane ticket that weekend, told my parents good-bye, got the little furniture I had and left New York.

The house may be big and grand but it had this loneliness and quiet that I always desired. Through my living room windows, I could see kids laughing and running through their yards awhile their mother's sat on the porch reading a book. The view was so calm and serene. Why can't life always be that easy? In the town, there was vacant office space and to make things better, the court house was looking for a city lawyer. Thank God, I already had a few clients. Most of the cases took place over misdemeanors like 'he said, she said' stuff. My job just got easier. People in the town were too nice to fight for little things like abuse, rape, molestation, fraud, you know the drill. As a matter of fact, these people were too nice to commit such acts. I became pal's with the county Sheriff and Judge. They were the most funny oldie timey guys I have ever met. The Sheriff stops by my house personally everyday to see if things were up to par. The Judge even allowed for me to work from my own home to handle and cases. Last night my parents called me saying they were worried about me. My father even asked if I rode a wagon to go to and fro around town. I noticed that everyone seemed to keep things old-fashioned. The TVs sold in town had dials. The phones were vintage. Cars were collectibles. I have not seen one car that was recent besides mine. Oh yeah, did I ever mention how much I love this town?

**********

I was sitting in my living room reading a book I found in the kitchen cabinet's when I heard someone knocking at my door. I open the door and see nobody but birds playing tag. "Kids." I laugh under my breath. As I took my seat someone began knocking at my door again and of course I answered it to see nobody there. I close my door back and continue reading. Then someone rang the doorbell. Who the hell is it this time! I just sat behind my book and said, "Come in." I was smart this go around and left the door unlocked. To my amazement the door opened itself. I get up and close my door back. Whatever this game is, I'm out.

**********

Thump...







Thump...







Thump...







Flu-thump!







I can't even sleep in peace. It has been a week and lately the house seemed to come alive. But who am I kidding? I grab my robe from the door hook and open my door as quietly as possible. I'm not going to go without protection so I grab a nearby lamp by my hallway door and continue towards the sound or possible burglar. My heart quickens in pace. My mind began to whir. What if they have a gun? It could possibly be a rodent of some sort? I think I forgot to shut one of my shutters. Yeah, that's it. I laugh at my air headed action and let down my guard.

Thump...







Thump.







Thump!







The sound got louder, as I continued my pace towards the shutter. Out of nowhere I trip over some kind of black object. Idiot, you forgot to put up the book you were reading. I go towards the center of the room and flick on a lamp. Wait a minute; this book was never here before. The cover and binding had no trace of a title. It looked aged with its dirty champagne color. I flip through the pages and see nothing. All blank. I was about to close the book until I saw something. I turned back to the page that appeared to be playing tricks on me. Or that's what I thought.

Seul.Okay? I rub my eyes again to see if I just saw that. It looked as if someone wrote the word "Seul" awhile I was holding the book. That is just BS! I blink and the words were gone. Before I had the chance to close the book, another word appeared.

Lues. Is that it? If it is, I'm not going to be awake to see anymore magic tricks. What's next? Pick a card out of a magical deck? Grab a bunny out of a hat? I threw the book on the sofa and began to walk back to my room. At least the thumping stopped.

Thump!







I turn back around to see the book back on the ground. I bent down to pick up the book but its pages began to turn at a perilous pace giving me a serious paper cut in the process. A few drops of my blood fell on the pages but the book seemed to soak my blood up like a sponge. All of a sudden, red writing appeared on various pages.

Plague. Evil. Death. It said on the first few pages.

Run. Leave. Escape. It said on the others.

I think I'm getting homesick. I threw the book back down and left to my room. Throughout night I continued to hear thumping noises.

**********

First thing tomorrow I was going to go out of town and get a taste of some city air; Houston.

My car didn't want to start this morning. All it did was sputter and die.

"I think you should let your vehicle have a break." I heard a familiar voice.

"Oh Sheriff, just the man to come around and brighten my day." I say and we shake each other's hands.

"It sounds like your missing a few things in your ride." He said with a wink.

"I'll try to fix it soon." I look under my poor car and see a bit of oil dripping and wires were hanging loose. "What the hell! I think someone tried to jewk my car." I get up to see if the Judge could respond but my heart froze in place. I was staring at a skeletal body that had dark decay clinging to it for oxygen. His shirt was left open giving the view of a ripped open stomach and chest. Dried up guts was hanging outside of his stomach. Maggots were still there eating up the remainder of his decay. His left hand was missing. His eyes had the same emptiness as I saw before on the kid. I blinked several times to see if he would change back to normal.

"Are you all right son?" He said in his normal voice.

Instead of responding I back up to my door. Every step I took back he took forward. "I uh, forgot that I had to, uh, wash my sofa." Wash my sofa? I run into my house and slam my door on his face.

"I don't appreciate you slamming your door in my face but I'll be back to check on you. Don't go anywhere now." He left whistling that same tune the kid was whistling. Is it supposed to be that off key?

I see the book open again on my living room table. I walk towards it as if in a trance.

We. Warned. You. Too. Late. Face. Consequences.

"Who are you!?" I shout at the book.

About a minute later the book showed something devastating.

The. Owners. And. Those. Before. You.

**********







I tried to wash my hands after encountering the Sherirff because they smelled like death... and oil. The Sheriff is the culprit of jewking my car! Why would he do that? I had packed up all my belongings and put them by the front door. No way was I staying here if I had to live like this. My house was even haunted by who or whatever the hell I should call them. I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror. My eyes were red with desperation. My hair was disheveled pointing wildly in every direction. My clothes were drenched in sweat with anxiety. I heard knocking at my front door and didn't bother to let them in, but apparently I didn't have to because I heard their footsteps and voices trace along the walls of the house. The bathroom door immediately shut itself. So the house was trying to protect me.

"Mark. We know you're here. We just want to talk." The Sheriff's tone was light and cheerful.

I gripped the sink until my knuckles showed white. I felt as if my bile's were about to come through my mouth. The sink turned itself on and I drunk some of its water. How long has it been since I had a drink? Why did the house care so much for me?

The Sheriff continued. "I guess you know about us." Know about what? "Did you think we could actually tell you? Boy, you still got a lot to learn."

"Sweet heart, I know you're up there. I can tell you haven't eaten. " The second voice was Risa. "I brought some food over to keep your belly full for your long day tomorrow." I now smelled the food; Bacon, eggs, and everything fulfilling.

I slowly opened the door, though it protested against my actions, and walked down stairs. The food was now covered in an awful stench of decay. I saw the whole town of people standing below my stairs and outside. Maggots and flies were buzzing in the silence. Jaws were missing, limbs were missing, life was death. All at once, they came at me as if they were one and engulfed me into darkness.

**********

"Hey, babe. That new show is about to air, called Tremors at Nightfall. How long has it been since we saw a horror movie?" Mr. Slotski began to ask his wife.

"Oh honey, it's been awhile. The last one we saw together was about a few months ago. I forgot the name but you took too much Viagra at the time." She responded.

"Oh, how can I forget that moment!" They began to engulf each other in kisses to replay that nights events.

"Hold up. I actually want to see this. Sylvia down stairs said this was going to be scary. She also said there was a big surprise that she couldn't tell me." Mrs. Slotski stated and pushed her husband off of her. He mumbled a few curses under his breath promising to get her later.

Two hours later







"I never knew Mark was such a great actor! I mean, the unease of the situation portrayed itself on camera very well. I remember when I was substituting for a Latin teacher the word 'lues' meant 'evil' or something like that. And how could he be so stupid and ignore the signs?" Mrs. Slotski looks over to see her husband siting quietly.

"Didn't he say that he moved into that town?"

"He was playing a joke to surprise us. I told you he wasn't going to just leave like that!" She started laughing.

"I don't know. It was just too realistic. You know he can't lie worth a damned thing." He said.

"Oh, so my honey was scared?" She playfully asks.

"No. It's just instinct. But where were we not too long ago?" The gleam of desire appeared in Mr. Slotski's eyes as he began to trail his fingers along her sides.

"You dirty little thing!"

"You taught me all I know." And they laughed into the night and made one.

**********

I was surrounded by spirits. Me. Mark. Or whoever I am. My spirit and the other's will be locked inside of this house until someone understands what is going on and leave's safely. It turned out that in the 1930's, a drought hit the town hard. The Sheriff used ancient slavery witchcraft to make the town rich again. In the process, he would have to let a devil devour all their souls for eternal damnation. But he did it without the town's consent, so the Judge, who was deeply religious, found out and went away on a crusade to kill all the townspeople. He was joined by a few other men and commmited suicide in the end. But the Sheriff must have pronounced something wrong or forgot an ingredient to follow through the curse. They may be dead in the spirit but they would have to always live their life in the flesh over and over again. In order to keep up their youth, they would have to take a living soul and replenish off of it, if not they would be decaying flesh or dust and never see the light of heaven (though they were all cursed). Or they wouldn't be able to burn in hell until all existence was flushed away from Earth also known as the rapture that appears in the chapter of Tribulations from The Bible. One traveler, who was a history buff, almost got away. He came to town to record its history but after research it all had a dead end. Nothing was recent, all of its history was all based in the 1930's. The towns' people figured out that he found out too much for his own good. He left a book behind in order to write all the events that took place. Unfortunately, he was too late and suffered. But the book was no ordinbary book, it was the book of afterlife. A book he stole from a historical manor in Califonia. Little did he know this book was used for the deceased to communicate with the living.

In order to make a mockery out of the town and its people, a movie would air the main events that took place. It would feed into the human soul making them laugh or ridicule the stupidity that happened in order for things to get this far.

How do I know this? Other spirits and past owners told me. We, the spirits turn into this house. Question is: Would. You. Save. Us?