Last Trip down Memrie Lane

Chapter 3
Chapter 3

3

“Go on. Knock the door!”

“I am! I am!” she said, not even wanting to think about what she was about to do.

A few more second passed. “Well?!” Laura said, quietly but urgently.

Harley gulped to herself and turned to face the heavy wooden front-door. The Large brass handle was shaped in the likeness of an eagle’s head pointed down, with the large metal ring clamped in it’s beak.

A few minutes prior they had all arrived at the front gate. None of them dared to speak as they looked up through the iron bars to lay their eyes on the silent dark house which lay beyond. It was barely visible against the night sky, save for a small, almost imperceptible sliver of moonlight which hung above them. After what seemed like ages compressed into a few short moments, Laura finally said with the merest trace of a quiver in her voice, “Well? Someone go and knock on the door!”

Two pairs of eyes shot around to look at her. “Are you fucking serious?!” Tania said in the gloom, “I’m not knocking on the door! This was your idea, you go knock on it!”

“Oh come on,” Laura said, once again trying her best to keep calm, “Did yo think we walked down this road just to sight see?”

“Laura,” Harley said calmly, “None of us particularly want to be here. So go and knock the door so we can get to the party as soon as possible.”

Laura looked as though someone were forcing her to clean her room or take her dog for an unreasonably long walk. “Ughhhh…” she groaned. “Fiiiiine. But you to babies are coming with me.”

They pushed open the unlocked and neglected front gate and stepped over the threshold. Almost immediately Harley got the chilling sensation that something was watching them. Goosebumps sprouted on her arms and stocking-clad legs. But still they walked on, down a front walkway as smooth as glass to the front steps of the house. Harley could feel Laura’s confident knees give a shake of terror as they moves closer. They stopped at the bottom-most step of the front stoop.

“Well?” said Laura.

“Well what?!” Tania said with every trace of fear in her voice. “You wanted to come here! Knock on the door and let’s go.”

Laura shook her head in fear, “No way!”

Harley’s fear suddenly shifted to frustration at Laura. “Oh for Pete’s sake! You wanted us to come here! Let’s just knock on this door and go!” and before she knew what she was doing, she had stepped onto the stoop and up to the front door.

“Go on! Knock the door!”

“I am! I am!”

“… Well?”

Harley looked at the door, and slowly her hand crept up to the brass knocker. It was as cold as ice. She took a deep breath and knocked…

CLONNGGGG……

It sounded like a cannon blast in the darkness.

CLONNGGGG……

Or a hammer slamming down onto an anvil in some deep, dark cavern.

CLONNGGGG……

And with the third loud knock, the door creaked itself open. The three girls all gasped in shock as the heavy doors swung open with a creak and a bright yellow light poured out from within. Harley put her hands up in fear and surprise, but nothing happened. Then a voice came from within a few seconds later.

“Well? Don’t you have something to say to me?”