Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Ten

Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Ten

By: Roger Alderman 

Dr. Stadler thunders up the first flight of stair, “MAGGIE!” Emily startles him as she emerges from her room, “Is everything okay, Dr. Stadler?” He shakes his head no, “Go! Get outside find Rodney! Stay with him until I find you.” Emily looks concerned, but before she can speak Doctor Stadler scowls at her. 

“No, go now! Don’t look back until you find him,” Dr. Stadler yells. Emily rushes past him and down the stairs. He waits until he hears the front door open and slams closed behind Emily. He notices the bathroom light on inside the second-floor restroom.

“Damn it,” Dr. Stadler shakes his head against his thoughts to rush to his wife’s side.  The kids depend on him and he has to make sure they are all safe and out of the house. He runs to the bathroom door, but stops when he reaches the soaking wet carpet next to the door, “the hell?” He opens the partially open door to the restroom. 

Dr. Stadler’s eye widen seeing Julie’s lifeless body lying in a crimson pool of both water and blood, “No. Julie.” He slips at first in the pool as he crosses to Julie’s body, but stops short of her corpse. He raises his hand to stop himself from gaging.  

“Get away from her,” He yells, but he can do little more than watch as another shadow dog pulls at the fleshy inside of her wounded arms with its massive jagged maw. The sickening sound of the rubbery tendons pulling free from her bones fills the air. The disturbing noise is followed by the meaty wet crunching of the beast chewing on and swallowing the young woman’s remains. 

The beast raises its massive head and growls at the doctor, but it returns to its meal. He steps back into the doorframe with his arms raised defensively in front of himself. The beast makes an eerie noise almost like it was chuckling at the doctor’s actions.

Dr. Stadler slowly walked backward out of the large restroom making sure to close the door behind himself in an effort to keep the beast contained. He turned and ran up the stairs to the third-floor landing. Thoughts of his wife’s safety fueled his ascent to the third floor and his rushed pace to reach the master bedroom. 

A look of worry hung heavy on his face and brow as Dr. Stadler reached for the door handle, “Maggie?” He entered the room and quickly turned from the sight that awaited him. Maggie’s disemboweled body splayed out for all to see just inside the open master bedroom closet. He looked at his broken wife’s body and the color drained from his face. 

Dr. Stadler knelt next to his wife sobbing. He carefully lifted her remains and carried her to the bathroom tub. He had lost his composure and wits. He did not know what he was doing just that she loved the bathtub. He needed to bring her to the tub. He lowered her body into the tub and kissed her forehead.

Dr. Stadler broke down as he realized his hands are covered in blood, and he has blood around his mouth. He rushed to the bathroom sink and desperately scrubbed at the gore to cleans himself of it, “Why?’ He sobbed loudly begging for answers.

Standing in the open bathroom door was Anna, “we came to collect what was and is ours.” She entered the open door and walked to the side of the massive tub containing Maggie’s remains. Dr. Stadler lowered his head and cried out, “Just kill me... You have taken everything else from me.” 

Anna closed Maggie’s eyes and turned to Dr. Stadler, “I only came to collect what was mine, in the first place.” She stepped away from the tub and took the doctors hand in hers, “Silly boy. You have nothing I want.”

Dr. Stadler looked down at her small hand. His eyes widen as he sees her hands and now his yet again are covered in gore from Maggie’s remains, “She was mine, not yours.” He collapsed to his knees, “just kill me.”

Anna places her hand on his head, “You’re not mine to take.” She kisses him gently on to his cheek. She slowly raises his glance to meet hers, “Maggie, John, Tyler, and even Julie all died, but were stolen from me before I could take them.” Dr. Stadler’s expression turns to confusion amidst the young girl's disturbing words, “Anna?” 

Lightning Crashes and Thunder Booms outside the group home near enough to illuminate the master bathroom. Dr. Stadler looks deep into the near mummified and demonic face of the Anna, “What the fuck are you?” Anna laughs maniacally for a long moment then returns her gaze to his and whispers, “Death.” 

“Then Take Me, too!” he begs the specter beyond the innocent visage of a young girl. “Don’t leave me here,” he lowers his head in acceptance of what he hopes will follow. A long moment passes, but no end comes. Dr. Stadler looks to Anna standing above him. 

Anna shakes her head No, “We need you.” He stops crying and stares at the Spector that stands before him. “You will help us find those that were stolen from us. After, and only afterward, will we allow you to pass beyond the veil to the Fallen World of Shadow Do you understand us?” He shook his head, “how can I possibly help you murder people?”

“Not Murder,” She demanded, “They were already dead. We are here to return them to their proper place in the fallen world.” Anna kneels down next to him and continues, “You helped us pass into this girl’s body to seek those who fell but were stolen from us. This body laid dying and rotting and she fell to the fallen world, but as she did your words allowed us to enter the vessel.”

“The Hypnotherapy? I thought I was just easing her pain,” he exclaimed to the demonic Spector kneeling next to him. “How?” he asked. “By preparing another vessel for us to use,” added Anna. “Why would I do that?” he demanded. “Because we will make you undying and eternally rotting in this flesh suit,” She explained. “Once our ledger is clear we will both leave this world. To our final reward,” she smiles and proceeds to run her long-nailed corpse-like hands through his dark hair. 

Anna steps away from Dr. Stadler revealing Emily standing next to her. Emily drops a bloody claw hammer to the floor, it lands with a resounding thud. Dr. Stadler sees the hammer covered in gore on the floor, “Rodney?” The young girls stand holding hands, “We are sisters, but we need you to bring us together. Before they Take Anna from us forever.”  

Dr. Stadler shakes his head No against the girls' request for his intervention. “Refuse us again and I will drag Maggie out of purgatory and to hell myself,” Anna demands. Dr. Stadler nods reluctant agreement, “Fine.” He takes a deep breath and performs the hypnotic ritual.

The rain falls hard across the grounds of the group home. Rodney groans back awake, “what the?” He touches the side of his head in an attempt to discover the cause of his pain. He brings his hand back into sight and sees the rivulets of blood that fill his open palm. He struggles to his feet and staggers down the long driveway using the wooden fence to help him remain standing. 

Rodney stumbles onto the newly paved Grissom Parkway but is nearly struck by the car of a Sherriff’s Deputy on patrol. The car locks its brakes and slides into the ditch. The deputy slowly climbs from his car he sees the injured boy and makes his way to his side, “Son, are you okay? Where did you come from?”

Rodney points at the driveway, “She’s killing them.” He gasps again, “The dogs.” The deputy looks in the direction he gestured and barely spots the concealed driveway. The Deputy runs back to his car and retrieves the C.B. radio, “I need back up at the Stadler House Group Home and send an ambulance.” The radio operator agrees and announces the need of the officer on the new roadway. 

The deputy helps Rodney into the back of his car, “Just rest here, son, I have back up on the way and an ambulance coming.” Rodney closes his eyes and exhales in the safety of the deputy’s car. “Can you tell me who did this to you?” the deputy begs. “Anna,” the words fell from Rodney’s mouth as he lost consciousness. 

Rodney awoke to himself being loaded into the back of an ambulance in the driveway of the group home. He quickly set up terrified at what was happening, “Why are we here?” Paramedics tried to get his to calm down as he spotted Dr. Stadler calmly sitting in the back of a police car. His head leaning against the glass. Dr. Stadler waves bye-bye to Rodney and smiled.

Outside the police are putting up crime scene tape in front of and around the house. Rodney screamed to get the officers to notice Anna and Emily sitting on the porch of the group home, “No! Not him she did it!” He struggled against the paramedics and pointed at the girls. He fell silent as they sedated the young man.

The deputy walked to the paramedic’s side, “poor kid he watched them all get butchered by that sick fuck.” The paramedic shook his heads in disbelief, “I went to school with Dr. Stadler. He had real promise was supposedly working on a new therapy to help people overcome trauma and near-death experiences.”

The police car pulls away from the house with Dr. Stadler inside. Anna and Emily hold each other on the porch in the reflection on the car window in the doctor’s view. They wave a cheerful goodbye to Dr. Stadler as the car moves beyond sight.

End of Book One.

Stadler House: Chapter Nine

Stadler House: Book One:

Chapter Nine

By: Roger Alderman

Maggie sits rocking on her bed with a flashlight in her hands with terror on her face. She quickly moves the light around the room, “Hurry up, Stephen.” She jumps with the sudden crash and boom of lightning and thunder outside the group home. 

Maggie notices a shadow move along the wall and quickly points her flashlight in its direction only to reveal nothing. She exhales in relief, “Just the storm.” The bedroom door clicks and slowly unlocks. Maggie watches in horror as the door slowly swings open. 

“Stephen?” Maggie pleads. Maggie jumps when the door reveals Anna standing in the hallway just outside the door. Anna seems to glide slowly into the room as if carried along by a slow-moving air current, “are you okay, Ms. Maggie?”

“I’m fine, but how did you,” Maggie watches Anna cross the room to the foot of the master bed. Maggie pauses feeling a sudden stabbing pain in her abdomen. Maggie moves off the bed and pauses to grab her stomach. 

“Did it hurt?” Anna rounds the foot of the bed towards Maggie. Maggie stares in shock as she notices Anna enters leaving a bloody footprint with each step. Maggie groans in pain, “Did what hurt?”

Anna’s hair suddenly turns white and her eyes become soulless voids, “When they cut her from you?” Maggie watches unable to defend herself, “What are you talking about?” Maggie falls to the floor doubled over in pain, “Her who?”

Anna glares at Maggie raising a single clenched fist and gesturing at Maggie, “Your child was murdered by the same doctor’s that saved you from bleeding out.” Maggie writhes in agony and pain as sensations of ripping and tearing come from her abdomen, “No, they said the baby was dead.”

Maggie pulls a single hand away from her stomach as her pain intensifies. She stops when she sees that now blood covers her palm and her eyes widen in terror, “What the hell is happening?”


Anna small mouth slowly twists into a vile and ghoulish toothy grin, “Both of you were ours.” Maggie slowly pushes herself up from the floor to her feet, “please go get Dr. Stadler I think something is very wrong?” A massive torrent of blood splashes to the ground from beneath her nightshirt.

Anna twists her small fist in the air, “Your daughter misses her mommy.” Maggie quickly turns pale as more blood hemorrhages from her pooling on the floor beneath her. She gasps wide but cannot find the strength to speak. Maggie tumbles to the floor once again and begins crawling away from Anna.

Anna watches Maggie trying to escape her, “Mother and Child should never be separated.” Maggie reaches the open door only to have the heavy wooden door pull from her weakens grasp and slam closed, “Why are you doing this to me?” 

“We are bored with explanations. Just die!” a Long shadowy tendril surge across the floor from the room’s closet. The tendril tears into Maggie penetrating her beneath the nightshirt. Maggie screams, “Stephen!”

Maggie stops her scream as blood erupts from her mouth. The shadow tendril rips a large chunk of flesh away from Maggie’s insides dragging it from beneath her nightshirt. The tendril drags the flesh across the room to Anna side.

From the shadows next to Anna forms a dog-like shadow creature that immediately moves to the lump of quivering flesh and starts to consume it.  Anna pats the shadow dog on the head encouraging it to continue. 

Two more shadow tendril lance from the darkness to Maggie seizing her legs and forcing them wide apart. Maggie feels hips rip from their sockets and screams, “Stop!” Anna glares at her and twists her fist again. Maggie’s body unleashes a violent torrent of blood and meat from beneath her nightshirt.

Maggie’s face turns pale as more tendrils lash out from the shadows ripping deep into her flesh. Each tendril exacts a lump of quivering jelly-like flesh and drags it back to the shadow dog. The shadow dog is joined by more dog-like creatures that begin to fight over her insides.

Maggie’s flesh loses its strength as she feels herself slipping into unconsciousness. She falls to her side watching as the tendrils continue to rip her apart piece by bloody piece feeding it to the shadow dogs. 

Anna smirks as countless shadow tentacles lung out of the master bedroom closet and seizes Maggie’s near lifeless body. “Take her already.” Anna declares loudly. She watches as in a swift single motion the tentacles yank Maggie’s body into the closet followed closely by the shadow dogs.

The door to the game room burst open as an enraged Dr. Stadler storms in, “Rodney. John. Tyler. Who made the mess in the kitchen and did not clean it up?” Dr. Stadler quickly scans the room and sees no one. He shakes his head and moves to the end of the couch.

He stops walking as he hears a wet crunching sound, “Storm’s getting bad everyone to the main house, now.” He turns cautiously to the darkened corner emitting the grotesque and sickening noises. He feels compelled to approach the darkness and does. 

“What the fuck!” Dr. Stadler discovers a shadow dog-like creature chewing on John’s remains. He becomes horrified and slowly backs away, “John!” The creature raises its head to examine Dr. Stadler only to return its full attention back to its meal. 

Dr. Stadler turns to flee and trips across Tyler’s remains, “Tyler?” The shadow dog turns to the doctor and snarls at him. It stops eating John and crosses the floor seizing Tyler’s body. It growls at Dr. Stadler then proceeds to drag Tyler next to John’s remains. 

Dr. Stadler burst into the kitchen through the back-door and turns to slam it shut. He immediately locks the door behind him, “the fuck was that thing.” He searches his thoughts for a rational answer to what he witnessed.

Dr. Stadler jumps with fright when he hears a Rodney’s muffled voice come from the refrigerator. He bound to the refrigerator and snatches open the old appliance door. “Rodney?” he watches startled as Rodney tumbles out.

Dr. Stadler kneels next to the young man and checks to make sure he is still breathing, “thank god!” Rodney coughs and gasps for air, “Anna?” Dr. Stadler tries to comfort the teen, “I haven’t found her yet.”

“We got to get out of here, Doc. She’s the one who locked me in the refrigerator,” Rodney pleads. “She’s just a little girl, Rodney,” Dr. Stadler tries to remind the teen. Rodney shakes his head defiantly, “No! She’s Not!” Dr. Stadler looks confused by his confession.

“She got into my head,” the color returns to the young man’s face. Rodney points to his head, “She got into my head, Doc. She made me see the accident all over again.” Rodney lowers his head, “I watched them die all over again, “She kept telling me it was all my fault.”

“Either way we got to find her. There is something in the house and it has killed Tyler and John,” Dr. Stadler assault the young man with news of his discovery. Rodney weeps immediately, “What How?” Dr. Stadler gestures to the Game room door, “We need to get everyone out of her right now!” 

Dr. Stadler helps the young man to his feet. They jump startled when something crashes hard against the inside of the Game Room door next to them. Sounds of something clawing and digging against the door send them fleeing from the kitchen.

Upon reaching the staircase Dr. Stadler turns Rodney to face him both men’s faces are full of fear and terror. “Meet me outside. I have to get Maggie and Emily out of the house.” Rodney shakes his head at the words, “If you run into Anna.”

“I’ll get her out too,” Dr. Stadler offers as he starts his ascent of the staircase. “No,” Rodney interrupts, “Run.” Dr. Stadler lowers his head and continues up the staircase. Rodney searches his feeling for a long moment.

The sound of a door splintering echoes from the kitchen. Rodney offers not second for the evil to reveal itself to him. In a flash, the young man sprints through the hall and out the front door to the group home. 

Rodney stops once on the lawn far from the front of the house. He looks back to the group home and spots Anna glaring at him from the master bedroom window. A Chills run down his spine as the demonic form true form of the creature dwelling in the girl reveals itself during a brilliant flash of thunder. 

“Doc, be careful she’s in your room!” He screams refusing to re-enter the building. He stops yelling as he hears the sounds of low guttural animalistic growls surround him just beyond the reach of the poach lights illumination.  He leaps from the lawn and sprints down the poorly-lit path leading away from the group home. 

Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Eight

Stadler House: Book One:

Chapter Eight

By: Roger Alderman

The open refrigerator door illuminates the darkened kitchen as Rodney searches for a midnight snack with a look of disappointment, “Come on.” Rodney pushes item after item aside in a desperate attempt to end his quest for the perfect snack.

Anna quietly enters the kitchen through the door to the Game room. She stops to study Rodney from the opposite side of the center island. She places the glass of milk on the countertop. 

Rodney smiles and withdraws a gallon of Ice Cream from the freezer. In a single motion, he grabs a spoon from the dish strainer and digs into the Ice Cream. He inhales a huge spoonful of creamy delight. A look of euphoria crosses his face and he breaks into an enthusiastic dance.

“You’ve always liked the cold. Haven’t you, Rodney?” Anna words startle Rodney. He spins and stumbles into the counter, “Damn it, Anna. That’s why no one likes you. You’re so damn creepy.”

Anna smirks at his response, “Does the cold remind you of the day you died skating on the lake?” Rodney’s expression turns to anger. Anna circles the center island as Rodney stomps after her, “Your friends should have been more careful.”

Anna pauses and feigns an expression of deep contemplation, “You were the only one to survive, weren’t you?” Rodney drops the Ice Cream and lunges for Anna, but stops to collect himself, “How do you know about that?”

“We know, you fell in, and died,” Anna Begins, “but those fucking paramedics stole you from us.” Rodney shakes his head in defiance of her cold-blooded words, “They couldn’t revive any of the others.” Rodney notices his breath in the air as he speaks, “What’s going on? Anna?”

Rodney steps away from Anna and rounds the center island of the kitchen to keep his distance from the peculiar girl. Anna stops and lowers her head in front of the open refrigerator door. He notices his hands beginning to tremble as the temperature of the room continues to drop. 

Rodney closes his eye, but when he opens them he finds himself on the ice side by side with his friends. Linda, his sister, slides ahead of him laughing. A smile curls the corner of his lips as he recalls her grace on the ice. A tear falls from his face as she leaps into the air, “She would have been a star. She was so gifted.” 

Anna watches on the bank of the lake, “Exactly what made you so special. Surely she should have survived instead of you.” He continues to watch the memories flashing before his eyes, “She was so beautiful.” “We know and agree,” Anna shrugs.

Rodney lowers his head only to look up to his left as his childhood friend, Larry, rushed past him across the ice, “Catch me if you can, Rodney?” He smiles until the worst part of the memory strikes, HARD. Rodney rushes to his friend’s side, as the three children collide and crash down hard enough on the surface of the ice that it shatters.

Rodney’s ears fill with the memory of the screaming parents rushing across the ice to try and save the three before the darkness of the frozen depths can claim them. He feels himself once again sinking quickly into the depths of the lake. 

Rodney remembers reaching out to the others as he was pulled from the frigid waters. He watched helplessly as the blackness of the frozen lake sucked Linda and Larry down into its abyss. “Yet, you were the one they saved. Why? Your sister would have had a great future and Larry would have gone on to greatness, but you…” Anna growls.

“You stole their future. They died. You lived and what have you done with that gift?” Anna glares at Rodney from across the counter.  “Shut your mouth! I loved them both,” Rodney yells defiantly against the accusations of the girl. 

Anna looks in the refrigerator and pulls out a juice pack, “You don’t deserve to live. You killed them.” “Stop it,” Rodney yells as he slams the spoon down on the central island. “You killed her,” Anna chuckles. “Anna, stop,” Rodney demands as he storms towards her. “You’re a killer… A fucking child killer, Rodney,” Anna shrugs. 

Rodney dives across the counter at Anna, “You Little Bitch! I’ll kill you.” 

Anna ghoulishly grins as she slurps at the contents of the juice pouch, “Stupid Boy.” Rodney’s expression turns to shock as he passes through the smoke-like form of Anna and slams into the open refrigerator sending its contents flying in all directions across the kitchen.

Rodney shakes his head and looks to Anna from inside the

nearly empty refrigerator. Anna looks disappointed with Rodney and kicks the refrigerator door closed on him. The refrigerator door clicks and locks closed. Anna turns the light off as she exits the kitchen, “Now that was cold.”

Rodney screams in the darkness of the inside of the refrigerator, “Someone please open the door!” He makes a fist and punches the interior of the door repeatedly, “Please let me out!” Terror fills his thoughts as he hears the compressor and interior light go out, Please, someone… help me.” 

Time slowly passes for Rodney as the cold silence slowly exhausts the young man. “I deserve this,” he whispers thinking of Linda and Larry. The sensation of suddenly plummeting into the darkest abyss fills his last thoughts as the cold coupled with the lack of air finally claims him. 

Across the group home and two stories above the kitchen. Dr. Stadler steps out of the master bedroom and raises his flashlight. He becomes upset as the light does not work. In frustration, he shakes it resulting in it finally turning on. 

“You know this is bull, right?” Dr. Stadler yells at the master bedroom door. “You got it, honey, I have faith in you,” Maggie calls out from the other side of the door and beneath the protection of her thick comforter. “Bitch,” He whispers as he returns his attention to the long corridor before him. 

Dr. Stadler walks down the darkened landing onto the second floor. He turns to face the first of the children’s rooms. He aims the illumination of the flashlight down the hallway to see if any of the children are out of their rooms, “Hmm all in bed.” 

Lighting STRIKES and Thunder BOOMS nearby outside startling the doctor, “Shit!” He realizes quickly that he has pissed all over himself. He looks down as disappointment fills his face seeing the pool spreading out below him. 

Dr. Stadler continues his inspection of the children’s rooms. He reaches Emily and Anna's room first, “Emily? Anna?” He slowly opens the door, “Are you two awake?”

Dr. Stadler sees Emily sound asleep in her bed, but Anna’s bed looks empty, “EMILY, wake up?” Emily awakens startled by the doctor’s words, “what’s going on?” Dr. Stadler gestures to the empty bed, “Where’s Anna?”

Emily rubs her eyes, studies the empty bed, and shrugs, “I guess I fell asleep after she went to go get us a drink. Is everything okay?” Dr. Stadler assumes the confusion comes from him waking her, “Yeah, no worries just checking in on everyone.” Dr. Stadler walks to her bed and gently tucks Emily into her bed. 

Emily sits upright in her bed as he reaches the open door, “She’s kind of strange, isn’t she?” Dr. Stadler chuckles, “We all have our quirks.” Emily smiles before flopping back onto her bed, “Anna maybe weird, but we're family.” Dr. Stadler smiles and looks back to Emily, “That’s right family first.”

Dr. Stadler closes the door. He next stops outside of Julie's room and knocks. He waits a long moment before knocking again, “Julie, you okay?” He becomes concerned as more time passes and opens the door. 

Dr. Stadler opens the door and peers inside to see if Julie may be asleep. Her bed remains empty which puzzles him, as he looks to his watch realizing it was well past eleven o’clock. “Where the?” He puzzles to himself. He closes the door and looks down the hall to the next room.

Dr. Stadler makes his way quickly to the next room and throws open the door, “John? You boys in …” He stops cold seeing none of the boys are in their room asleep as they should be by this time. He pauses to think aloud, “Game room.”

Dr. Stadler closes the door and rushes down the hallway. He moves down the staircase to the first floor, “They are all gonna be grounded if they're still awake.” He crosses the house and enters the kitchen. He stops in his tracks seeing the mess in the kitchen.

He sees melted ice cream on the counter and can smell the caramel sweetness in the air. He becomes aware of the contents of the refrigerator scattered across the floor with juice pooled and sticking to the floor. Finally, he notices the refrigerator has been unplugged and his face contorts with rage as he stomps to the door to the game room.

Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Seven

Stadler House: Book One:

Chapter Seven

John pauses as an expression of confusion forms on his face. He detects wet CRUNCHING and GROWLING sounds in the direction of the dark corner of the game room, “The hell?” He approaches cautiously stopping to place his ham sandwich and glass of milk on the small table near the end of the sofa furthest from the darkened corner that holds his attention, “Tyler?”

John’s thoughts race to his past as it all seems to become all too real. A past full of abuse and torture at the hands of his protector. He sees something in the shadows inside the corner of the room, “The fuck?”

The shadows coals into a very familiar shape without fine definition.  “You Afraid Boy?” a voice from his past echoes inside John's head. The color drains from the young man’s face as he shakes his head in defiance of what he sees, “who are you?”

The Shadowy form of a man lights a cigarette and takes a long puff. The illumination of the red tip of the cigarette reveals no features of the Shadow Man. The Shadow Man exhales a long steady flow of smoke, “Don’t you recognize family, boy?”

The remaining darkness of the shadowy corner fades revealing two large dog-shaped shadow creatures chewing and tearing at Tyler’s remains. The horrified expression of his fate still hangs on Tyler’s face. The creatures give pause to their meal and turn their attention to John, as they both release long low guttural growls. 

“Tyler,” John whispers as shock takes hold of the young man’s awareness of his situation. He quickly snaps out of the stupor that has claimed him. He steps back away from the shadow man and creatures that now stalk him. John covers his nose and mouth to stop the assault of the pungent metallic odors that he only now recognizes as the remains of his friend Tyler.

The Shadow Man walks directly towards John remaining veiled in his shroud of darkness, “I see you’re still playing at being a man.” The Shadow Man flows through the sofa losing no momentum until stopping just feet in front of John, “Well, aren’t you gonna run. That’s what you do isn’t it?”

John’s confusion turns to anger summoning the strength to yell at the Shadow Man, “You Shut Up. You don’t know me.” John snatches a billiard stick from the rack and takes a bold step towards the Shadow Man, “Fuck You, then come get me.” John swings the billiard stick at the Shadow Man but becomes concerned as it passes through him.

Shadow man takes a long slow drag from the shadowy cigarette then exhales and chuckles at the young man’s attempt to inflict injury upon him.

“You forgot all about Uncle Paul’s lessons?” The Shadow Man pats his right thigh calling the dog-like creatures to his side, “You remember my puppies, don’t you?”

John’s face contorts with fear, “No. Paul was put in prison. You can’t be him.” John tries to create distance again between him and nightmare that has manifest before him. “Paul’s dogs killed my dad and almost killed me,” tears of horrific torture stream down John’s face.

The doorknob of the game room wiggles catching both John and the Shadow Man’s attention. John and the Shadow Man look to the opening door. Anna enters the room and closes the door behind her. “Go get help,” John pleads with Anna.

Anna smiles ghoulishly and runs her hand along the wall. She slowly crosses the room until behind the Shadow Man. “Go Get Help. Why are you just standing there?” John points to the door as he pleads again with Anna. John moves against a wall as the dog like shadow creatures corral him, “Anna, stay away from them! They killed Tyler!”

Anna strolls to the dog like shadow creatures and kneels to pet the creatures, “It’s okay John they are not going to hurt us... Well, me anyway.” Anna glares at John. Her hair turns white and her eye becomes dark soulless voids, “John, they stole you from us. You know you’re not part of this world. We are here to take you home.”

“The hell with this!” John runs for the door only to have one of the dogs like shadow creature block his escape. The large dog-shaped shadow creature snarls and growls at John. He steps backward away from the creature bumping into the wall opposite the door to the house. He searches the room for another exit but finds none. “What are you?” He pleads with Anna.

The Shadow Man walks towards Anna only to fade into Anna’s body. “Ankou, but you may call us, Anna. We collect those who cheat death,” Anna states as the corners of her mouth become a twisted grin. Anna smiles and rubs the head of one of the dog-like shadows, “You were never supposed to survive that dog attack.” 

The dog-like shadow creature separates itself into four equally terrifying creatures of immense size and ferocity. John stands in terror watching the dog like shadows, as one keeps him from fleeing. John lowers his head and tears stream down his cheeks, “Please, I don’t want to die.”

John raises his head to watch Anna cross the room stopping next to him. Anna reaches out past the shadow dog creatures and takes John by the hand, “Come on now, John. It will only hurt for a moment.” Anna chuckles devilishly at John as he pleads, “Wait. What?”. 

The four shadow dogs pounce on John driving him to the ground with a THUD. John screams incoherently and raises his arms defensively in front of his face. Each shadow dog grabs one of his limbs and rips and tears at it. He pulls against but their strength is beyond his mortal frame. The last circles his head but does not strike. Instead, it looks to Anna patiently waiting for her command. 

John screams out in pain and agony as his flesh begins to separate and pull from bone under the sharp teeth of the shadow dogs. He begs for the shadow dogs to stop but no quarter is given as his lower left leg separates from his body. The shadow dog drags his lower leg away to consume it. John drops his head back against the hard floor of the game room. 

John opens his eyes to see Anna standing above him, “Nice to have you back, “John.” Johns eyes slowly blur as he feels his abdomen rip open under the powerful jaws of the shadow dogs. Everything goes dark as out of the corner of his eye he spots the last dog rush towards his neck. 

Anna pops up and happily skips to the end table holding John’s last meal. She pauses remembering her promise to bring Emily a drink back when she returns. She picks up the glass of milk, turns off light, and finally exits the game room. The wall holding the light switch ages, rots, and crumbles down to the studs beneath her touch.

Across the group home in the master bedroom, Maggie quickly sits up with an expression of confusion as she looks around the room. Maggie pushes against Dr. Stadler, “Are you awake?” Dr. Stadler groans and pulls the blankets over his head. “Did you hear that?” She asks still examining the room for signs of what created the noise that awoke her.

Doctor Stadler throws back the blanket and kisses her on the neck, “I am sure it was just the storm. Now go back to sleep.” Maggie pushes him away and looks around the room, I'm “serious, Stephen, I know I heard something.” Dr. Stadler attempts to caress Maggie but she pulls away. “Fine I’ll go look,” He insists. 

Maggie points to the door, “Go.” She retrieves a flashlight from her nightstand and passes it to him. Dr. Stadler groans and exits the bedroom. Maggie leaps to her feet, closes, and locks the door behind him. The sudden boom of thunder and lightning frighten her causing her to leap back into bed. She shivers in fear pulling the blanket close around her.

Stadler House: Book One: Chapter Six

Stadler House: Book One:

Chapter Six

By: Roger Alderman

Dr. Stadler and Maggie’s master bedroom contents are made of heavy old stained wood. A massive king-sized sleigh bed fills the center of the large room. A nightstand sits on both sides of the bed with matching bronze colored lamps topped with off-white shades with ornate floral designs circling the bottom of each. 

An enormous colorful Persian style area rug fills much of the floor space allowing only partial glimpses of the stained and sealed wooden floor below it. At the foot of the great bed resting on the rug comfortably rests a wood and leather bedroom bench. Dr. Stadler’s clothing from the day rest atop it.   

   

Maggie Stadler lays on her stomach in her long nightshirt examining the contents of Anna’s file from Dr. Stadler’s Office. A bewildered look holds firm in her expression as she slowly moves between the gathered documents. Maggie sits upright and looks to the master bathroom door, “Are you almost done? You promised to go over Anna’s file with me.”

The bathroom door opens and a wall of humidity and steam flow out followed closely by a damp Dr. Stadler wearing in boxers, as he towels his head. Maggie smiles mischievously at him. She seductively moves from the bed to his side, “Why, Doctor Stadler, are you trying to seduce me?”

Maggie pouts childishly and sits on the bed. She playfully pulls him onto the bed. He lands on the bed and grabs a handful of documents. He shakes them in her direction, “She’s already undergone the first of the treatments. She has gone deeper and opened more than any of the other subjects.” Dr. Stadler drops the pages and kisses Maggie on the forehead.

“She’s very odd,” Maggie blurts out. Maggie playfully pulls the towel from the Doctor’s hand and runs her fingers through his hair.  Dr. Stadler closes his eyes allowing the sensation of her touch to lead him back down onto the bed. Dr. Stadler smiles and she stares at him with starry eyes. 

Maggie straddles Dr. Stadler hips as he opens his eyes. “So, it’s working then?” He smiles and gently thrust his hips skyward, “So far so good.” Maggie lowers herself across his chest and moves in for a kiss. He leans forward to kiss her, but is met by her playful bite on his lower lip, “Yeah, but it wants to be called Ankou?”

Maggie sits upright on his hips, “What does that mean?” Dr. Stadler slowly begins to unbutton her nightshirt, “Not sure just yet.” She places a finger on his chin and then slowly traces it down his chest to his navel, “But it will listen, right?” A slowly growing bulge forms inside his boxers. Maggie smiles as she takes his planned response into her hands. Dr. Stadler exhales loudly as tingling runs down his spine with her supple touch, “Not… Sure… just yet.”

Maggie’s grasp becomes uncomfortably firm, “What do you mean you’re not sure?” His eyes bulge as the pressure intensifies. He gasps, “she’s the first for the process to work with. I know where I messed up with the others.” “And,” she demands as she tightens her grip. He clenches his eye closed unable to handle the increasing discomfort, “With Anna, we can prove that we can bring the mind of the dead back.” He tries to pull away.

“Into a prepared subject,” she smiles devilishly and slowly releases he grip upon his manhood. He sits up and she meets him nose to nose. They stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment. He squints his eyes. She nibbles on his chin then looks into his now open eyes, “now…”

Dr. Stadler and Maggie embrace as sexually passionate couples do. The wood of the bed frame groans rhythmically as the headboard collides forcefully with the wall behind it. Moans of passionate lovers fill the air. The lightning from the storm outside offers a glimpse to each lover’s inhibition free focus. 

A second flash of lightning reveals Anna standing a silent and ghastly vigil in the room just outside of the view of the Stadler’s. She exits silently through the door amidst the loud sounds of passion generated by the couple. Following closely behind her are two shadowy figures vaguely resembling humans. 

Anna moves down the long corridor to the second-floor bathroom. She pauses once she notices the steam slowly rolling from under the door and entering into the hallway. Anna smiled ghoulishly as she glares at the door.

Pop music plays loudly inside the second-floor bathroom. The large mirror opposite the bathtub and shower combination casts only a blurry reflection due to the presence of the steam and humidity in the air creating large amounts of condensation.  The bathroom counter space offers his and hers sink combination an assortment of toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and various cosmetics fill the void between them. 

Julie stands naked in the bathroom as she roughly towels her hair dry. She wipes the steam from the enormous mirror, as she sings along with the songs playing on the small radio. She stops singing as she sees her reflection. She turns to looks away from her reflection and begins to sob, “Pathetic Loser.”

Julie punches the mirror causing small thin cracks race out from under her hand. Fragments of the mirror fall into the sinks of the bathroom with a loud CRASH. She pulls her fist back and examines it closely making sure to have no new injuries to explain to the Doctor or Maggie.

Two shadow figures pass under the door and slowly move above Julie on the ceiling. “Poor Girl,” the whispers fill her head as Julie’s focus holds at the long scars running the length of her wrists. “When you needed them where were they?” She slides her numerous colorful bracelets into place to hide her scars.

“No one has ever been there for you when you need them,” more whispers fill her thoughts. Julie’s newly applied mascara runs with the flow of her building tears. “Everyone leaves me,” Julie pouts softly to herself as she covers her athletic frame with her towel. 

Julie does not notice the shadowy figures move from the ceiling back down to the sides of the doorway. The door quietly opens revealing Anna. The loud pop music conceals Anna’s entrance followed by the closing of the bathroom door. Anna’s eyes resemble large voids as she saunters to Julie.

“They know you don’t belong,” the voices continue to fill Julie’s thoughts. “She shakes her head, “I know.” Julie clenches her eyes closed as the voices in her head offer, “They know you died.” Julie shakes as she leans on the countertop trying to rationalize a response to the unspoken words, “but they brought me back.”

“What makes you so special?” the words in her head strike hard at the core of her being.  “It should have been me,” Julie sobs loudly, “I should have stayed dead. Not you mommy. I didn’t mean to.” Julie opens her eyes and sees Anna standing close by.  Julie and Anna stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment.

“You know what you have to do,” Anna hands Julie a shard of the broken mirror.  Julie nods and closes her eyes. She snatches off her bracelets. The bracelets slide and CLATTER across the bathroom floor. Julie’s willpower fails her as she announces, “I’m sorry, Dr. Stadler. You tried so hard, but I just don’t belong here. I never did.”

Anna raises her clenched right hand. Julie mimic’s Anna’s movements precisely. Her right hand holding the broken mirror shard. Anna hammers her fist against the soft inside of her forearm repeatedly. Blood sprays across the mirror as Julie stabs the shard into her forearm. Her arm releases numerous fountains of blood with each tendon tearing strike. 

Surprise fills Julie’s expression as she realizes what she has just done. She touches the inside of one of her newly inflicted wounds confused at the lack of sensation. The young woman’s vision becomes blurry and she slumps to the floor unaware that the lack of sensation comes from both shock and trauma that will now allow her to pass beyond the veil. 

Anna walks out of the bathroom into the hallway and gets startled by the near collision with Emily. “Where have you been?” Emily asks painfully oblivious to the events that have transpired this evening. Anna turns to greet Emily, “downstairs watching the rain. It really puts me at peace. Why what up?”

Emily smiles and shows Anna a small nail polish kit, “As my new sister. I want to do your nails for you.” Before Anna can offer verbal resistance, Emily seizes Anna by the wrist and leads her off to their bedroom. 

Across the house, John enters the garage, as the lights flicker following a recent lightning flash outside the group home. He pushes the door closed with his foot while he clings to his glass of milk and ham sandwich, “Tyler, you still in here?” He crosses the threshold and pauses at the billiards table to glance around the room. 

Lightning flashes and thunder booms nearby outside causing John to jump a little. His twitch sends a line of milk out of his glass and to the floor. He watches concerned that he will end up in trouble, again. The lights flicker making the fluorescent light slow to flash back to life. 

“Come on man, where you at?” John waits a moment for a response. John sees movement out of the corner of his eye drawing his attention to a darkened corner near the weight bench. He slowly crosses the room, “Tyler? That you?”

The heavy smell of nail polish fills the small bedroom of Emily and Anna. Anna sits on the top of a bed braiding Emily’s hair from behind. She stops and looks in the direction of the game room. A low growl comes from the small girl’s body, “I need a drink.” 

Anna stands up and walks towards the door. Emily looks up at Anna, “can you grab me a drink too?” “Sure, no problem,” Anna glances back across her shoulder, though her attention clearly is focused elsewhere. 

Anna shakes her head as she turns back to Emily, “Promise me you’ll stay put.” Emily nods, “Sure but you do my toes next, K?” Anna smiles and leaves quietly closing the door behind her.