One Shots.

If you walk along the main road in a tiny little town you may see a quaint little cottage. Once, many years ago there was laughter and smiles in that house. Now there are the ghosts of the past. Haunting any who come in or try to get out.

Ashlea, 18, had just moved out of her parents’ house with her twin sister Emma. They were close to each other, they did almost everything together. They had even gone into the same profession, photography. When they saw the little town and the perfect little cottage they thought nothing of their friends’ warnings. They just had their eyes on the prize, well it was more of Ashlea wanting the cottage and Emma following her lead as always, it had been that way since they were conceived.

Ashlea. The assertive one. Always getting her way or going down kicking and screaming. Ashlea, the older of the twins. She knew what she wanted and she got it. Most defiantly. She would do everything in her power and her daddy’s power to get what she wanted. Stepping over people was no problem to her. In her mind she envied Emma. Soft spoken, kind, caring Emma. By far the calmer of the twins. Always in the shadows, when Ashlea was always center of attention. Always at parties and being well, just noticed.

Emma was more of a shadow of Ashlea. Ashlea covering Emma in the ultrasound. Ashlea coming first. Emma not being any bother in labor. Ashlea getting a boyfriend first. Ashlea, Ashlea, Ashlea. All the time, but it didn’t bother Emma, she preferred to be behind the scenes. Gently comforting Ashlea when her first boyfriend broke up with her. Coaxing her to ignore him in the halls with his new girlfriend. Helping her through her tough time. Always being second best, but Emma didn’t mind.

Within two weeks of living in the cottage, it was getting to Emma. She was always the quieter, more timid of the pair, as where when Ashlea set her mind on something she got it.

Emma began to her voices, no, not in her head. Voices she couldn’t place.

Emma, Emma, listen to us Emma! Get out before it is too late! Before they won’t let you leave! GET OUT EMMA! the voices screamed at her, sounding somewhat childlike.

Ashlea never seemed to hear them, or so Emma thought.

The voices had to work harder on Ashlea and they knew that, so they started earlier than with Emma. They started on Ashlea a week before Emma.

If she was in the shower they would shriek wicked things to her.

We’re watching you Ashlea, our pretty little Ashlea, you will be ours, alive or dead, Ashlea, Ashlea. Are you listening to us? We need you, and we will have you.

Ashlea shivered as she got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her shivering, wet form. She heard a slightly muffled thud.

“Emma?” she called uncertainly.
“I’m okay! I just dropped my book,” came Emma’s muted reply.

Ashlea quickly dressed and went into the living room where her sister was.

Emma had picked up her book and placed it on the little table they had positioned at the end of the couch. She sighed.

“What’s wrong?” her sister asked, worry clouding her eyes.
“Nothing, I’m just bored,” Emma replied with a halfhearted smile.
Then the house spoke to both of them. Well, more appropriately the ghosts spoke to them.

Get out of our house you stupid bitches, you are not welcome here! GO AWAY!

Emma promptly started crying once the ghosts added on a slew of gruesome threats.

“So, you hear them too?” Ashlea asked and Emma nodded.
“Pack your things, we’re moving back to Memphis.”

The following day they had moved back in with their parents and the house was back on the market. Ashlea had stopped hearing the voices. Emma on the other hand had stopped hearing them until a month after they moved back to their childhood home.

Emma, come back to us… We need you Emma.

A strange force pulled on Emma that night. When Ashlea and their parents asked her if she would like to go to lunch, she politely declined, claiming she was dreadfully fatigued. When she heard their car pull out of the drive way and disappear down the street she quickly scribbled a note to them.

Sorry, went for a drive. Need to think about some things. Be back by morning. Don’t wait up. Love you guys.

Then, she went out to her car and got in quickly. She turned on the stereo and her C.D that was in started blasting. It took two hours to get to the house that had haunted her dreams.

She somehow knew what she was about to do. For some reason she believed she had to do it. The ghosts had convinced her she must. When she arrived at the house, there was a light on in the attic. She used her key to open the front door and was thankful that no one had bought the house yet.

She took off her coat and hung it on the coat rack after shutting and locking the front door. As soon as she did this she saw a little boy on the landing beckoning to her. She was shocked to say the least but she obeyed. Walking up the old stairs and following the little boy to a part of the house she hadn’t seen yet, the attic.

Emma hated attics. She thought they were disturbing and unnecessary. This wasn’t our Emma though. The ghosts had control over her. They new what they wanted, and like Ashlea, they were going to get it.

The little boy motioned as if he were taking shoes off and Emma took off her own shoes. He nodded and gave her a boyish grin. A little girl came out from behind a couple big boxes by the windows. She was frowning and looked upset. Emma looked at her quizzically.

You know what you must do. two childish voices told her. She hadn’t seen their mouths move. How had they spoken to her? She wondered but took the rope the little girl handed her anyway. She sighed and grabbed a chair from the wall.

You’ll be out of everyone’s way like this Emma. We need you Emma. We love you Emma. Hey don’t love you Emma. Come on Emma. Don’t you wish to be with us Emma? Hurry up Emma. He’s coming to take us away Emma! You must do it now! two little voices shouted as the children stared at her urging her with her eyes and their thoughts to do it. The thing she wanted most. To die.

Emma tied the rope quickly around the beam closest to her while standing on the chair and tied it around her neck. She took a breath, dug her nails into her palm and kicked the chair away. She gasped shocked and couldn’t get air. Just then the little children turned into monsters, their sweet faces twisted into malevolent grins.

Now you are ours Emma! You can never go back!