Mind the Gap
Mind the Gap
Mind the Gap
“You know, sometimes, on still quiet evening like this I almost get a creepy feeling that they will walk in through that gap in our basement,” said Lily to her aunt Bellatrix. They were sitting in their cosy kitchen. Both women looked at each other. Unpleasant memories filled their minds. Lily shivered when she relived that scary memory. She was about to say something else but then they heard a noise in the hallway. They realized it was just their newest visitor and relaxed a bit.
A few seconds later, a man walked through the door. He had greasy, black hair which was hanging all across his face and covered the biggest part of it. They just revealed a pair of black eyes and a weird nose. The visitor’s name was Alan Snape. Alan stayed at their house for a while because his wife found out about his affair with a young and attractive redhead.
Alan moved towards the kitchen table and sat down. He glanced at Bellatrix and grinned a bit when she got up and left the room. It was more than obvious she didn’t want to be in the same room as Alan.
Alan followed her with his eyes. He acted like he didn’t understand why the woman didn’t like him at all. Lily felt sorry for him and tried to explain it to him: “My aunt’s tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child. She then decided to tell the sad story of her poor aunt. For that, they had to go to the basement. Lily showed Alan the gap.
“It’s been three years but is seems like it only happened yesterday,” she said before she went on with the story. “My aunt and I were here, practicing Voodoo. That is our religion, you see. We were just summoning an evil spirit when it all went wrong. Apparently we didn’t close the magical circle well. The spirit – Andy The Warrior Prince, who died in the first World War – escaped and made this huge gap in our basement.” Lily pointed at the gap. Some smoke floated over the edge and filled the air with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs.
“At first we thought nothing serious would happen. It was just an innocent smelly gap, you know. But then, in the deepening twilight, three figures were walking across the lawn towards this gap. They all carried guns under their arms. Apparently they had come to take revenge on Andy The Warrior Prince because he betrayed them during the war. We were extremely scared when those heavily armed men approached us. They believed we had helpen Andy to escape from hell so they wanted to kill us too.” Lily stopped for a moment and looked at Alan. Again, he grinned like it was a funny story.
“I know,” he whispered. He smiled for the first time since he arrived.
“Y-you know?” Lily was frightened. How could he possibly know? Unless …
“I was there …” he whispered again. His lips barely moved but the words were clear. Lily suddenly understood why he had seemed familiar when she first saw him in the house. It hadn’t been their first meeting. He was one of those armed men … One of those men who had tried to kill her and her aunt.
“We didn’t help him on purpose!” Lily said. She now remembered all details of the hectic night.
“I know now,” Alan said, if that was his real name of course. “I just missed your sweet little aunt Bella.”
Lily didn’t really understand. “What do y- you mean?” she asked.
“Don’t you get it? I’m not here for that Andy person. I’m here for you. You’re the one I came for in the first place. You’re ‘poor aunt’ has been my partner for all these years. … In more than one way.” He laughed out loud when a hand was placed on his shoulder. “Bella,” he said softly and turned around to kiss her.
“I don’t understand.” Lily said helpless.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Bellatrix said. “You never were a smart child, were you?” Alan gave a snort of contempt.
“Did you never wonder why your parents left you with me?” Bellatrix asked. “Did you really believe it was because they didn’t have enough time to raise you?”
A single teardrop found its way down Lily’s chin.
“No, my dear. They knew. They knew you were destined to die for the greater good. They knew you were the Child of Doom. All the omens were there.” Bellatrix almost showed sympathy for the young woman.
“I’m sorry, dear, but you’ll have to die, I’m afraid. You are the bringer of death and sorrow. The world will never be a peaceful place with you in it,” Alan said seriously. Bellatrix nodded. “It’s time,” she announced.
Lily begged: “Please, don’t hurt me!”, but it was too late. Before she had any time to resist, Alan had already grabbed her arms.
“Mind the gap,” he whispered in her ear before pushing her in it …
“You know, sometimes, on still quiet evening like this I almost get a creepy feeling that they will walk in through that gap in our basement,” said Lily to her aunt Bellatrix. They were sitting in their cosy kitchen. Both women looked at each other. Unpleasant memories filled their minds. Lily shivered when she relived that scary memory. She was about to say something else but then they heard a noise in the hallway. They realized it was just their newest visitor and relaxed a bit.
A few seconds later, a man walked through the door. He had greasy, black hair which was hanging all across his face and covered the biggest part of it. They just revealed a pair of black eyes and a weird nose. The visitor’s name was Alan Snape. Alan stayed at their house for a while because his wife found out about his affair with a young and attractive redhead.
Alan moved towards the kitchen table and sat down. He glanced at Bellatrix and grinned a bit when she got up and left the room. It was more than obvious she didn’t want to be in the same room as Alan.
Alan followed her with his eyes. He acted like he didn’t understand why the woman didn’t like him at all. Lily felt sorry for him and tried to explain it to him: “My aunt’s tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child. She then decided to tell the sad story of her poor aunt. For that, they had to go to the basement. Lily showed Alan the gap.
“It’s been three years but is seems like it only happened yesterday,” she said before she went on with the story. “My aunt and I were here, practicing Voodoo. That is our religion, you see. We were just summoning an evil spirit when it all went wrong. Apparently we didn’t close the magical circle well. The spirit – Andy The Warrior Prince, who died in the first World War – escaped and made this huge gap in our basement.” Lily pointed at the gap. Some smoke floated over the edge and filled the air with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs.
“At first we thought nothing serious would happen. It was just an innocent smelly gap, you know. But then, in the deepening twilight, three figures were walking across the lawn towards this gap. They all carried guns under their arms. Apparently they had come to take revenge on Andy The Warrior Prince because he betrayed them during the war. We were extremely scared when those heavily armed men approached us. They believed we had helpen Andy to escape from hell so they wanted to kill us too.” Lily stopped for a moment and looked at Alan. Again, he grinned like it was a funny story.
“I know,” he whispered. He smiled for the first time since he arrived.
“Y-you know?” Lily was frightened. How could he possibly know? Unless …
“I was there …” he whispered again. His lips barely moved but the words were clear. Lily suddenly understood why he had seemed familiar when she first saw him in the house. It hadn’t been their first meeting. He was one of those armed men … One of those men who had tried to kill her and her aunt.
“We didn’t help him on purpose!” Lily said. She now remembered all details of the hectic night.
“I know now,” Alan said, if that was his real name of course. “I just missed your sweet little aunt Bella.”
Lily didn’t really understand. “What do y- you mean?” she asked.
“Don’t you get it? I’m not here for that Andy person. I’m here for you. You’re the one I came for in the first place. You’re ‘poor aunt’ has been my partner for all these years. … In more than one way.” He laughed out loud when a hand was placed on his shoulder. “Bella,” he said softly and turned around to kiss her.
“I don’t understand.” Lily said helpless.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Bellatrix said. “You never were a smart child, were you?” Alan gave a snort of contempt.
“Did you never wonder why your parents left you with me?” Bellatrix asked. “Did you really believe it was because they didn’t have enough time to raise you?”
A single teardrop found its way down Lily’s chin.
“No, my dear. They knew. They knew you were destined to die for the greater good. They knew you were the Child of Doom. All the omens were there.” Bellatrix almost showed sympathy for the young woman.
“I’m sorry, dear, but you’ll have to die, I’m afraid. You are the bringer of death and sorrow. The world will never be a peaceful place with you in it,” Alan said seriously. Bellatrix nodded. “It’s time,” she announced.
Lily begged: “Please, don’t hurt me!”, but it was too late. Before she had any time to resist, Alan had already grabbed her arms.
“Mind the gap,” he whispered in her ear before pushing her in it …