The presence
New beginnings
In the crisp autumn air of upstate New York, the Benton family emerged from their moving truck, gazing at the sprawling expanse of their new paint peeling under the weight of time new abode. Josua Benton, an architect by trade, felt a rush of excitement mingle with apprehension. He specialized in refurbishing old homes, and this project was his most ambitious yet. It was also the first home he'd taken on that had a name, The Rose.
Claudia, his wife, clutched their 14-year-old daughter, Beth, and twelve-year-old son, Ben, close to her side. Claudia was an artist whose landscapes captured the very essence of nature, but today, as they stood before the farmhouse, her heart fluttered with an unfamiliar urgency.
“Let’s go inside,” Josua suggested, breaking the silence. His voice was clipped, an unusual edge creeping in as he gestured toward the front door. The family stepped into the dimly lit foyer, a musty smell enveloping them like an old blanket.
As they crossed the threshold, a chill ran down Claudia’s spine. She shook it off, attributing it to the drafty old house. “It’s beautiful,” she said, her voice echoing in the empty space. “Just needs some love.”
“Yeah,” Ben mumbled under his breath, rolling his eyes. He was a good kid, but the move had been a hassle, and he wasn’t keen on the idea of living in a house that looked like it had come straight out of a horror movie.
Beth, on the other hand, was enchanted. She wandered into the living room, her fingers trailing along the dusty mantle. “Look at this fireplace!” she exclaimed, her spirit untainted by the house’s eerie aura.
As the family began to unpack, Josua found himself increasingly irritable. The moving company had promised to deliver their belongings at a specific hour, yet they were running late. He paced the room, glancing at his watch every few minutes, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “What’s taking them so long?” he snapped.
Claudia, sensing the shift in her husband’s demeanor, stepped forward. “Josua, why don’t you take a break? I’ll offer them some water when they arrive.”
“No,” he barked, surprising even himself. “They don’t need anything. They’re just here to do a job.”
Claudia hesitated, the warmth in her heart flickering. She busied herself in the kitchen, silently pouring glasses of water for the workers when they eventually arrived. As she moved, a peculiar thought crossed her mind—a need to paint something different, something raw and untamed.
Dark Transformations
The first night in the Rose House was restless. The wind howled outside, rattling the old windows. Josua lay awake, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing with blueprints and designs. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with the house, a lingering sense of unrest that gnawed at his core.
Meanwhile, Claudia found herself unable to sleep. In the dead of night, she found her easel and paints, her hands trembling as she created a series of erotic landscapes, images that felt foreign and uncharacteristic. They were filled with passion and darkness, shadows dancing across the canvas in ways she had never dared to explore before.
Beth and Ben, too, felt the effects of their new home. The once well-behaved children began to exhibit troubling behaviors. Beth, who had been shy and reserved, now ventured into boldness, making inappropriate jokes and comments that shocked her teachers. She thrived on the attention, her laughter ringing out in the hallways like a siren’s call.
Ben, however, took a darker path. He began to sneak out at night, prowling the neighborhood like a shadow. When a stray cat wandered onto their property, he saw it as an opportunity—his first act of cruelty. He couldn’t explain the thrill that surged through him as he ended its life; it felt like power, a release of pent-up energy that coursed through his veins.
As days turned into weeks, the family dynamic shifted dramatically. Josua’s irritation grew, and he found himself snapping at Claudia and the children for the smallest infractions. Claudia, in turn, struggled to rein in her artistic impulses and the strange desires that surged within her. The house seemed to pulse with an energy that fed their chaos.
The Descent
Six months passed. The Benton family was now a shell of its former self. Josua, once a dedicated architect, was consumed by a dark obsession with the house. He spent hours alone, sketching grotesque designs that reflected his inner turmoil. The walls of The Rose felt alive, whispering secrets that clawed at his sanity.
Claudia, too, was lost in her creative frenzy. Her once-peaceful paintings became increasingly disturbing, depicting twisted forms and unsettling imagery. The erotic themes flowed freely, her art becoming a reflection of her fractured psyche. She longed to share her work but feared the judgment of the world outside their crumbling sanctuary.
Beth’s personality shifted once again. She became openly defiant, challenging her parents at every turn. Her flirtations with boys at school became increasingly provocative, and she reveled in the attention, embracing the chaos around her.
Ben’s actions grew more sinister. He crafted a makeshift guillotine in the shed, a perverse tool for his nighttime escapades. He would sneak out into the darkness, a predator in search of innocent creatures to torment. The thrill of the hunt was intoxicating, and with every kill, he felt more alive than ever.
The atmosphere in the house thickened with malevolence, a tangible force that seemed to wrap around them like a noose. Josua’s thoughts turned darker, a desperate contemplation of violence simmering beneath the surface. He found himself staring at his family with a twisted sense of rage and despair, the line between love and hatred blurring.
The Breaking Point
One fateful morning, as sunlight streamed through the grimy windows, Josua sat at the breakfast table, the air thick with tension. Claudia was preparing fruit salad, her mind racing with thoughts of her latest painting. Ben was silent, his gaze fixed on the table as he absentmindedly twisted a fork between his fingers. Beth, however, was a whirlwind of energy, her laughter filling the room like a cacophony.
“Do you ever think about what we’ve become?” Josua asked suddenly, his voice low and strained.
“What do you mean?” Claudia replied, her brow furrowing in confusion.
“Us. This house. It’s changing us,” he spat, the words escaping him like a venomous serpent. “We’re not who we were.”
Claudia’s heart raced. “Josua, we can fix this. We can—”
But before she could finish, Josua stood abruptly, his chair screeching against the floor. “Fix what? This house is a curse!”
At that moment, something inside him snapped. He glanced at the chef’s knife on the counter—its blade gleamed menacingly. Thoughts raced through his mind, dark and twisted. He envisioned a way out, a release from the torment that consumed him.
In a flurry of action, he lunged for the knife, his heart pounding as he raised it above his head. The family froze in shock, their eyes wide with horror. Before he could come to his senses, he brought the knife down—his own heart racing as he plunged it into the fruit salad, but in a moment of madness, it turned toward his own chest.
The Aftermath
The house fell silent. Claudia’s scream echoed through the halls as Josua collapsed, blood pooling around him. In that moment, the haunting presence within The Rose seemed to revel in their despair.
Claudia, in shock, grabbed the knife from where it had fallen. In a fit of madness, she turned it upon herself, stabbing deep into her heart. Her lifeblood spilled onto the floor, mingling with Josua’s, a grotesque dance of death that echoed through the house.
Ben, witnessing the chaos unfold, felt a surge of adrenaline. He rushed to the shed, his mind racing with the thrill of creation. He used the guillotine he had built, the blade glinting in the dim light. With one swift motion, he ended his own life, a final act of defiance against the darkness that had consumed him.
Beth, left alone in the house, found herself choking on the pit of an avocado she had been snacking on. The darkness closed in around her, suffocating her as she struggled to breathe. The house, once a home, had become a tomb.
The Silence of The Rose
Weeks passed before anyone noticed the Benton family’s absence. The school reported the children missing, and a welfare check was conducted. When the authorities arrived at The Rose, they were met with an overwhelming sense of death—a stillness that hung heavy in the air.
The bodies were discovered, lifeless and intertwined, a haunting testament to the horrors that had transpired within the walls of the farmhouse. With no living relatives to claim them, the Bentons were quietly buried under the shadow of the old rose bushes that had once flourished in the garden.
The Rose House stood empty, a silent witness to the darkness that had seeped into its very bones. The whispers continued, echoing through the halls, waiting for the next family brave enough to call it home.
The karaoke
incident
Bart "Bubba" Butterfield was not known for his grace, especially not after a few pints of Miller . Tonight, however, he'd surpassed even his own legendary clumsiness. It started subtly, a slight slur in his speech, a stumble near the dartboard at The Rusty Mug. Then, the karaoke started. That's when things truly went south.
Bart, fueled by liquid courage and the misguided belief that he possessed the vocal prowess of Freddie Mercury, grabbed the microphone. He chose "Bohemian Rhapsody," a feat he'd never achieved sober. The first verse was... questionable. The second, a mangled mess. Then came the operatic section.
Bart, attempting a particularly dramatic high note, threw his head back with unbridled enthusiasm. That's when it happened. A thwack sound echoed through the pub, followed by a sickening clatter on the sticky floor.
Silence. Bart, momentarily forgetting the lyrics, blinked in confusion. He touched his mouth. A gaping hole greeted his probing finger. Panic bloomed. "Me teeth!" he slurred, horrified. "Where are me teeth?!"
The song abruptly ended. All eyes were on Bart, who resembled a bewildered walrus. He frantically searched the floor, a growing puddle of spilled Miller hindering his efforts.
"Looking for something, Bart?" asked Aggie, the barmaid, her voice laced with amusement.
Bart wailed, "Me dentures! I've lost me goddamned' dentures!"
Aggie pointed to a small, white object nestled amongst the peanut shells near the dartboard. "I believe those are them, hun. You nearly clocked old Mr. Henderson with 'em."
Mr. Henderson, a wizened old man with a permanent scowl, glared at Bart. He hadn't appreciated being used as target practice, even unintentionally.
Bart retrieved his dentures, now slightly sticky and smelling faintly of peanuts. He tried to reinsert them, but they wouldn't stay. "They're broke!" he cried, his voice thick with despair.
Aggie sighed. "Looks like soup for you tonight, Bart."
Bart, defeated, slumped onto a bar stool. Losing his teeth wasn't just embarrassing; it was a symbol. He was getting older, clumsier, and increasingly reliant on artificial aids. The drunken bravado evaporated, replaced by a chilling realization. He was losing more than just his dentures tonight; he was losing his grip.
He ordered another pint of Miller, knowing full well it wouldn't solve anything, but it was all he knew how to do. He just hoped tomorrow's hangover wouldn't be as painful as the realization that he was, in many ways, falling apart.
Marthas last trick
It was a cold and rainy night in the city, the kind of night that made everyone want to stay indoors and huddle up with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea. But for Martha the night was just beginning.
Martha had seen it all in her years on the streets - the highs and lows, the danger and the thrill. She had been a young and beautiful girl once, with dreams and hopes of a better life. But life had other plans for her, and she found herself walking the streets, selling her body to anyone who would pay.
Now, in her 60s, Martha was no longer the fresh-faced girl she once was. Her skin was weathered and worn, her eyes tired and filled with a lifetime of regret. But she still had a fire in her, a burning desire to keep living life on her own terms, no matter how much society judged her for it.
As she walked the familiar streets, she couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over her. She had made so many memories here, both good and bad. She remembered the first time she had stepped onto these streets, the fear and excitement that had coursed through her veins. She remembered the friends she had made, the lovers she had taken, and the enemies she had made along the way.
But tonight was different. Tonight was going to be her last night on the streets. Martha had made a decision to retire, to leave behind the life that had defined her for so long. She had saved up enough money over the years, and she was ready to start a new chapter in her life.
As she made her way to her usual corner, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart. This place had been her home for so long, and it was hard to imagine leaving it behind. But she knew it was time. Time to move on, time to find a new purpose in life.
The rain had started to pour harder, and Martha pulled her coat tighter around her, shielding herself from the harsh elements. She stood on the corner, waiting for a customer to come by, but none seemed to be out on this particularly dreadful night. It was as if the universe was telling her that it was time to go.
J ust as she was about to give up and head home, a car pulled up beside her. The window rolled down, and a man with a smug grin on his face beckoned her over. Martha hesitated for a moment, but then she took a deep breath and approached the car. This would be her last customer, she decided.
The man in the car was young and handsome, with a cocky demeanor that Martha found irritating. But she put on her best smile and leaned into the window, asking him what he was looking for. He named his price, and Martha agreed, knowing that this would be the last time she would have to endure the touch of a stranger.
As they drove to a nearby motel, Martha's mind drifted to all the things she would do with her newfound freedom. She would travel, she would find a little cottage in the countryside, she would live a quiet and simple life. No more late nights, no more danger, no more selling her body for money.
When they arrived at the motel, Martha got out of the car and followed the man inside. He was rough with her, and she felt a surge of anger and sadness wash over her. But she pushed through it, knowing that this would all be over soon.
As the man left the room, Martha sat on the bed, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She looked around the dingy room, taking in the faded wallpaper and the stained carpet. This was not how she wanted to spend her last night as a hooker.
She got up and started to gather her things, feeling a sense of urgency to leave this place behind. As she reached for the doorknob, she heard a voice behind her.
"Are you okay, ma'am?"
Martha turned around to see a young woman standing in the doorway, looking at her with concern in her eyes. She was dressed in a uniform, and Martha realized that she must be one of the motel staff.
"I'm fine," Martha replied, trying to sound convincing. But the woman didn't seem to believe her.
"Are you sure? You don't have to stay here if you don't want to. I can help you get out of this situation."
Martha looked at the woman, feeling a surge of gratitude and relief wash over her. Maybe this wasn't how she had imagined her last night as a hooker, but maybe it was a sign that she was making the right decision. She nodded at the woman, and together they left the motel, leaving behind the life that Martha had known for so long.
As they walked out into the cold and rainy night, Martha felt a sense of freedom unlike anything she had ever felt before. She knew that she was finally free, free to start a new life, free to leave behind the old hooker that she had been for so long. And as she walked away from the streets that had defined her for so long, she knew that she was ready for whatever the future held for her.
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The lost city
The relentless sun beat down on Omar's face, each ray a tiny hammer blow against his resolve. Sand, fine as powdered gold, swirled around his worn leather boots, a constant reminder of the unforgiving landscape. He adjusted the keffiyeh shielding his head and squinted at the horizon, a shimmering, heat-hazed line that promised nothing but more of the same. He’d been walking for days, driven by a legend, a whisper in the desert wind – the tale of Zerzura, the lost city of white.
Omar’s grandfather, a renowned Bedouin storyteller, had filled his young mind with tales of Zerzura. A city of unparalleled beauty, hidden deep within the vast Sahara, a place of flowing water, verdant gardens, and buildings sculpted from pure white marble. A city lost to time and swallowed by the sands, now only a myth, a dream whispered by weary travelers around crackling fires.
Most dismissed it as folklore, a romantic fable. But Omar had found something more. While sifting through his grandfather’s belongings after his death, he discovered a tattered, leather-bound journal. Inside, written in faded ink and a flowing script, were detailed descriptions of Zerzura, accompanied by cryptic maps and astronomical charts. It spoke of landmarks, constellations, and forgotten oases, clues scattered across the desert like breadcrumbs leading to a hidden treasure.
Driven by a desire to honor his grandfather's memory and fueled by the tantalizing possibility that the legend was real, Omar embarked on his quest. He spent months deciphering the journal, cross-referencing the information with ancient texts and consulting with seasoned desert guides. Many scoffed, warning him of the dangers of the Sahara, the futility of chasing a ghost. But Omar remained undeterred, his heart set on uncovering the truth.
Omar followed the journal's instructions, navigating by the stars, enduring scorching days and freezing nights. He battled sandstorms that threatened to bury him alive, and navigated treacherous canyons that echoed with the silence of centuries. He bartered for water and supplies with nomadic tribes, listening to their stories, searching for any mention of the lost city.
Days soon bled into weeks, and weeks into months. Doubt began to creep into Omar's mind, a insidious whisper that echoed the skepticism of others. Was he a fool, chasing a phantom? Was Zerzura just a story, a beautiful lie designed to entertain and inspire hope in a harsh world?
Just as despair threatened to engulf him, he stumbled upon a landmark mentioned in the journal – a towering rock formation shaped like the head of a jackal, its weathered face gazing eternally towards the east. Hope surged through him, rekindling his determination. He consulted the astronomical charts, aligning the position of the stars with the jackal's gaze. The journal indicated that Zerzura lay hidden beyond the next dune sea, concealed by an ancient sandstorm that had reshaped the landscape.
The dune sea was a formidable obstacle, a seemingly endless expanse of towering sand mountains that stretched as far as the eye could see. Omar pressed on, his camel struggling through the shifting sands. The heat was intense, the air thick and heavy. He rationed his water, his lips cracked and bleeding.
On the third day, as the sun began its descent, painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and red, Omar crested a particularly high dune. And there, in the distance, shimmering in the fading light, he saw it.
It wasn't a mirage. It was real.
A city of white, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. Buildings sculpted from gleaming marble, their intricate designs hinting at a civilization of unparalleled artistry. Gardens overflowing with lush vegetation, fed by a network of canals that sparkled like liquid diamonds. Waterfalls cascaded down terraced walls, their gentle roar a symphony in the otherwise silent desert.
Zerzura. The lost city of white.
Omar stood in awe, tears welling in his eyes. He had done it. He had found the unfindable, proven the legend true. He urged his camel forward, his heart pounding with anticipation.
As he drew closer, he noticed something strange. There were no signs of life. The city was pristine, untouched, but eerily deserted. The gardens were meticulously maintained, the fountains still flowed, but there was no sign of inhabitants, no sound of human activity.
He entered the city, his footsteps echoing through the silent streets. He explored the magnificent buildings, marveling at the intricate carvings and the exquisite craftsmanship. He found libraries filled with ancient scrolls, workshops filled with tools and unfinished projects, homes filled with personal belongings, all perfectly preserved, as if the inhabitants had simply vanished overnight.
He felt a growing sense of unease, a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. Where were the people? What had happened to them?
In the center of the city, he found a vast plaza, dominated by a towering obelisk made of pure crystal. As he approached the obelisk, he felt a surge of energy, a powerful vibration that resonated deep within his soul. He reached out and touched the smooth, cool surface of the crystal.
Suddenly, images flooded his mind. Visions of Zerzura in its prime, a thriving metropolis of art, science, and spiritual enlightenment. He saw the people, a peaceful and prosperous civilization, dedicated to harmony and knowledge. Then, he saw the cataclysm.
A massive sandstorm, unlike any the desert had ever seen, descended upon the city. It raged for days, burying Zerzura under mountains of sand. The inhabitants, realizing their city was doomed, gathered at the obelisk, using its power to transport themselves to another realm, a place beyond the reach of the storm, leaving their city behind as a testament to their existence.
The visions faded, leaving Omar breathless and shaken. He understood now. Zerzura wasn't just a lost city; it was a portal, a gateway to another dimension. The inhabitants hadn't died; they had simply moved on.
He spent several days exploring Zerzura, documenting his findings, and paying homage to the lost civilization. He left a small offering at the obelisk, a symbol of respect and gratitude.
Then, he turned his back on the city of white and began his journey back to the world, carrying with him the knowledge of Zerzura, the legend made real. He knew that he could never reveal its location to anyone. Zerzura wasn't meant to be rediscovered, to be exploited or defiled. It was a secret, a sacred trust, a reminder that there are wonders in the world beyond human comprehension, and that some things are best left undisturbed, lost to time, whispered only in the desert wind. He was no longer just Omar, the grandson of a storyteller. He was Omar, the keeper of the secret of Zerzura, the lost city of white. And that was a burden, and a privilege, he would carry for the rest of his days.