The Visitor

The large oak door swung open as the real estate agent entered 114 Maplewood Boulevard. The portly African American agent, dressed in a suit that was clearly meant for a smaller man, was followed in by a family of three, the Andrews. First through the door was Maria Andrews, a small blonde haired woman, whose sparkling blue eyes widened as she entered the vast hallway at the center of the house. She was closely follow by little Dennis, a small, fragile looking six year old blonde boy who was clearly built like his mother instead of his father who entered last. Frank was a strong, tall, bald man with a dark beard stubble. He easily towered over his wife and child.

“Come in, come in,” ushered the agent with his chubby hand motioning inside. “I think you will want to move in immediately after you see this wonderful house! Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room, kitchen, and a spacious backyard with a patio!”

Frank merely grunted under his breath at the over enthusiastic real estate agent. Maria quickly put a figure to her lips in hopes to silence her husband before the agent noticed, but they were all quickly distracted by a shout of joy that shot from Dennis as soon he saw the backyard. The agent quickly followed trying to look professional and keep up with the boy which proved impossible, “Ah, yes young man! No doubt you’ll enjoy playing ball with your father in this yard…”

With the other two gone Frank and Maria starting touring the house themselves. The first story housed the living room and the kitchen while the upstairs had all three bedrooms. After they had seen each one, Frank only half-heartedly trying to seem interested as they turned towards the stairs again, but something caught Frank’s eye. At the end of the upstairs hall was a small room. He opened the door to reveal a small study, three of the rooms four walls were covered with filled book shelves, which was surprising as most of the house was unfurnished. Reading was one of the few things Frank enjoyed; now he was interested. Before getting a good look, however, he remembered his wife waiting for him.

A few moments later Frank reached the bottom of the stairs, where Maria was waiting for him, a hopeful look in her eyes. “Well, did we finally find the one? Remember, you promised not to be picky,” she said sharply!
“Look, I’m just saying I don’t want to rush into buying our first house…” replied Frank uneasily.

“Rush!? We’ve been looking for a year! We can’t fit in that cramped apartment any longer!” Suddenly Maria switched tones from snappy to pouty. She leaned against him stroking his head with one hand and his chest with the other. “Think about it, we could buy a puppy for Dennis, fit a bigger TV in the living room for you, and best of all we’d get more privacy,” she said with a seductive smile.

Frank smiled, than planted a kiss on his wife’s lips. She smiled too, knowing she had just earned the house of her dreams.

It was three weeks later; everything was finally moved to the house, and unpacked. Maria, wanting her new house to look as beautiful as possible, would not remove the white dust covers from the furniture in the living room until they bought new presentable furniture, which led to an argument. Dennis, although he loved his new puppy, kept pestering his father to build a tree house in one of the large trees planted in their backyard, which led to an argument.

Wanting to get away from the two before he snapped Frank started up the winding staircase to the study. As he opened the door he smiled for the first time in a while, for the previous owners had forgotten to take their book collection with them. It was night, but as Frank flipped the switch the bulb in the ceiling just sputtered and emitted no light. Cursing under his breath, Frank pulled the chair from the desk and positioned it under the light bulb.

Frank stood on the chair and reached for the bulb, which was now a few inches from his fingers. A little closer, a little closer…suddenly a crash and Frank’s scream echoed throughout the house.

“Honey, are you all right?” yelled Maria from under the stairs.

“F-fine,” stuttered Frank as he straightened the chair to sit on. Clutching his rib Frank finally got a chance to look at the room more carefully. Staring at side of the room without a bookcase Frank realized the room was twice as large as he had thought. But the most shocking sight of all was directly in front of him.

A man, completely covered in shadows, so no detail was visible sat in a chair across the room from Frank. Behind his were three more walls covered with books. The man, still shrouded in darkness, to Frank’s terror, opened his mouth and spoke. “Careful, you just bought a new house. Try and live long enough to enjoy it.”

Over the next few weeks, the situation in the Andrews home failed to improve. Even the smallest disagreements turned into full blown arguments between Frank and Maria. Dennis was scared to approach his dad most of the time now, seeing his anger brewing up during his parents fights.

Franks visit to the study had become more and more frequent. At first he had feared the man, the ghost, whatever it was, but then the thing in the shadows relaxed his mind. It talked to him about the annoyances and frustrations of Frank’s family. Every time he talked to the Visitor he got a little more fond of it, and hated his family a little more.

Tonight, as always, he sat across from the Visitor, whose facial features were still covered in shadow. Frank hadn’t fixed the light, fearing what it might look like. “Well of course I’m on your side Frank,” it managed to say soothingly despite its raspy voice. “That stupid woman, she doesn’t understand you, so she mistreats you.”

“It’s just…I work ten hours a day, to pay for this damn house, which I didn’t even want,” yelled Frank, his voice growing more angry with every word. “I walk through the damn door, and already she bombards me with chores, fix this, clean that, IM NOT HER SLAVE!”

“You really didn’t think it would work out, did you? You two argue all the time. Also, you don’t really believe her when she says she’s going out with her GIRLfriends, do you? Think about it, would you even still be together if it weren’t for Dennis?”
Frank desperately tried to shove the idea of his wives probable affair into the back of his head and focus on Dennis. “Oh, don’t get me started on the boy. He’s just as bad. Bought this house with a nice backyard for him, but that’s not enough. He wants a dog, a tree house, a bigger TV for his room!”

Just as he finished his sentence the study door slowly swung open. Dennis stood in the hall, confusion is his eyes. “Daddy, who are you talking to,” he asked timidly?”

Frank slowly stood up, madness in his eyes, “Dennis, I thought daddy told you to stay out of his study.”

“I’m sorry…will you read me a story before bed,” stammered the little boy, still not any less confused.

Trying to mask the obvious displeasure at this request, Frank agreed and leaned down to take Dennis’s hand. As he was bending over, a vision flashed into Franks eyes. He saw Dennis and Maria, always pestering him, never being satisfied, never having enough. Then he saw himself and Maria screaming back and forth as Dennis cowered in the corner, then he recalled the words the Visitor had spoken moments before. Just then he felt his hand clench and impact something.

He opened his eyes as Maria screamed from down the hall. At his feet lye Dennis, blood streaming from his nose.

Maria had grabbed Dennis, who was returning to consciousness, screaming at Frank that he was a beast, a monster. She screamed she would leave him for this. After a brief screaming match she carried Dennis into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Through the door Frank could hear a suitcase and clothes being moved around in between Maria’s sobs. Then came Franks own tears.

He paced up and down the hallway, thinking of some way he could apologize, some way he could make it up to his family. Then a familiar voice flooded from the study. “You can’t let her leave you. She’ll sue you for assaulting your son; she’ll make you pay alimony. She’ll screw up your life!”

More images floated into Frank’s vision. He was standing over a limp form of his wife, now he was burying her in the backyard, a storm brewing over his head. “NO,” he screamed! “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”

The bedroom door creaked open. Maria, who had been sitting on the bed next to a half packed suitcase, sobbing and cradling her son looked up in fear. There stood her husband, yet it wasn’t he husband. His eyes, his face, showed no emotion what so ever. Rising to her feet she looked him right in the eye, “G-get out of our way,” she stammered. With that Frank leapt forward. He knocked her onto the bed, his hands closing in around her throat, his thumbs blocking off her windpipe. The last words she choked out before passing out, willed Dennis to run.

As soon as his wife stopped breathing Frank looked up, his son was nowhere to be seen. He stepped out into the hallway, and the eyes of a beautiful golden retriever looked up at him. Frank knew Dennis loved the dog. He slowly reached down and scooped up the puppy. Then when it was in his arms, he started to squeeze until its cries filled the house.

A few seconds later Dennis exited the closet quietly, in the middle of the floor was his puppy, whimpering. He approached it cautiously. When he finally reached it, his father stepped out from the shadows.

Frank entered the study tears rolling down his face. “I’ve done it! I did what you want, NOW GET OUT OF MY HEAD,” he screamed! The Visitor was there but gave no reply. It just continued to stare, a cold, heartless, black void. Was Frank any different? Was he just as much of a monster? “WHY!? WHY WON’T YOU ANSWER ME?” In anger, Frank finally built up the courage to approach the thing that had destroyed his life. He finally got close enough to see its face, and stopped a few feet in front of it. The Visitor was a strong, tall, bald man with a dark beard stubble.

New Jersey State Asylum 11/7/09
Patients Report
Franks Andrews, age thirty-two was brought in November 2nd 2009. The patient’s neighbors had called the police regarding strange noises they had heard coming from his home. When the police arrived they found the patients family murdered, his dog seriously injured, and the patient in a study, pounding on a mirror that covered a whole wall shouting for someone or something refers to as “The Visitor” to come out.
The patient has an extreme case of schizophrenia. This patient, unlike most others, does not just have multiple personalities, but two or more of the patient’s personalities can be conscious simultaneously without being aware that they are sharing the same body.
The patient is to be considered extremely dangerous and kept under maximum security.

Dr. Robert Sylva