Aunt Hilda
by Tina Winzer
Chapter 1
"But mum, I don't want to go and stay with Aunt Hilda!" said Hannah.
"We have to, we haven't been to see her for ages and after all, we are her only relatives. Don't worry, it'll only be for a day or two."
"It's not fair. It's the Christmas holidays and I have to go and spend them in the middle of nowhere away from all my friends," complained Hannah.
"Don't argue with me Hannah, we're going and that's that!" said her mum.
The next day, Hannah, her mum, dad and little sister Melissa set off from their home in Barnstaple to visit their blind old aunt who lived alone right in the middle of Dartmoor.
They went up the drive and saw the cold old house standing in front of them, desolate and isolated.
"How are you dears? It's been such a long time since I saw you last. Come a bit closer so I can tell how much you've grown. You were only babies when I came to see you at Barnstaple," said Aunt Hilda.
"Now, how about a nice cup of tea," said Aunt Hilda.
"That would be lovely," replied Hannahs mum. Hannah and Melissa knew that she didn't really mean it. She hated visiting relatives especially the old ones who kept on about how much you had grown! They went into the huge house and could see that it was once a very magnificent place although now everything looked old and shabby. Cobwebs hung from the chandeliers and a thick layer of dust covered everything.
They sat in one of the large rooms drinking tea and talking for ages and the two sisters were glad when they were told that it was time for bed they both slept in the same room as neither of them wanted to be alone in that monsterous house.
Hannah and Melissa stayed chatting for ages, discussing their old aunt and the way she managed to survive on her own in the massive house. Surely she must be really lonely? Melissa, who was only five years old, found it hard to sleep. A full moon shone in through the curtains and a strange red light was glowing under the door. She was anxious to find out what it was, but didn't want to go alone, so, she woke her older sister and they quietly crept out of the room and onto the landing.
They could see a tinge of red in the darkness, it was coming from a small room across the corridor. They decided to investigate.
Melissas small hands turned the handle of the creaky, wooden door to reveal Aunt Hilda.
She was sat in a chair, her frail hands holding a small white blanket with something inside it. They couldn't see what it was, but that was definitely where the red light was coming from.
"Who is it?" she asked, in a slightly anxious tone.
Maybe she didn't want anyone to know about the 'red thing', or maybe she was scared because of her blindness. Whatever it was, she was definitely frightened.
"Its only us," replied Hannah, "Sorry, we, we..."
"We couldn't sleep and decided to explore the house, you don't mind do you?" asked Melissa.
"No, of course not. Here, have a sweet, I always have a sweet when I can't sleep." Aunt Hilda offered the two girls some sweets.
Hannah could feel the red thing staring at her from under the blanket. It was like the feeling you get when someone is creeping up on you, about to pounce. She had to get out there, and fast!!!
She accepted the sweet and hurriedly made an excuse to get herself and Melissa away from Aunt Hilda and the terrifying 'red thing'.
Chapter 2
"Melissa, Hannah, time to get up. Come on, we've got a surprise for you."
Hannahs mum walked into the room, already dressed and started drawing back the curtains. She walked over to Melissa.
"Come on Melissa, wake up. Melissa? Melissa!
Melissa didn't move, she was fast asleep, or so it seemed. Her mum reached out to shake her, but as her skin touched Melissas cheek, it was stone cold. In fact her whole body was cold!
Her mum, panicking, went over to Hannah, and she too was deadly still and as cold as ice.
She screamed for her husband who became running and then broke down onto her knees and started sobbing: Her girls, her two little girls, they were dead, gone forever!!!
Chapter 3
Tragic Deaths of Two Girls
Hannah Harrison (9) and her little sister Melissa (5) went with their mum and dad to visit a relative on Dartmoor, never to return again.
They were staying with their Aunt Hilda in her large Victorian house when their bodies were found dead in their beds. Also, their aunt was found with a 4 inch knife plunged deep into her heart.
Police have examined the scene although nothing has been found. So far, there seems no reason for their deaths.
We spoke to the girl's parents who are devastated about the deaths of both their children. They say, "The girls were both perfectly healthy when they went to bed."
"We have no idea who would want to do such a thing to two innocent young children."
Chapter 4
Hannahs mum and dad went to sort out the stuff in the big house before it was sold.
Whilst sorting out the staff in a cellar, Hannah's dad heard a noise; it was someone walking down the steps, someone light, someone fragile!!!
"Michelle, is that you?" he asked to his wife.
"No, its me!"
The character continued on down the steps, and as it's feet came into sight, he realised that they were that of Aunt Hilda!
He stared at her in amazement, "But it can't be, you're, you're dead!"
"It's okay, I'm a ghost. I come to say sorry, about the children. I didn't want to, but I had to. It's the only way I can see them, since, since the death of Stephanie; the 'red thing' made me."
"What do you mean? Are you telling me that it was you? You killed your own flesh and blood? You killed my children?"
"Look, I'll explain."
"You expect me to sit here and listen when my children are dead?"
"Please, this isn't easy for any of us. Just listen to what I have to say. It all started a long time ago, when your Uncle Tom was still alive. We had a child; Stephanie I called her. But your Uncle Tom wasn't satisfied with that, no, he wanted a boy, an heir to everything he had worked for. So one night, he killed Stephanie; he said she was bad luck! I was so upset that I cried for weeks and after that I didn't want to see children; they upset me too much. When the pain had finally eased, I found that I couldnt see children, not even if I wanted to. Tom told me I was being stupid and that I would see the good he had done eventually, but I didn't. I couldn't bear the sight of him, so it was only a matter of time before he left me. He left his stupid red thing behind as well. It's like a robot that took over my life. In the end, it was ruling me totally and there was nothing I could do about it. So you see, everybody thought that I was blind. Blind, old and stupid, but I wasn't. It was only children that I couldnt see, unless they were dead.
That's what the red thing told me. They were the one thing that matter to me most and I had to do something about it.
Anyway, they're safe now, safe with me and I promise I'll look after them now and forever!!!"
Copyright of this short story is Tina Winzer, 2001. All rights reserved
All short story characters are fictitious and no reference is intended to any person living or otherwise.