The Dead House

t on everyone. Alex shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his hands resting uneasily on the table. Acro

by an almost eerie stillness. The scrape of a fork on a plate was th

t house is cursed?" she aske

back to her. "Is this anothe

s tone. Instead, she leaned forward, her

she said. "It's history.

ned but k

t was built on belonged to another family, the Hawthornes. They were farmers, not wealthy by any means

opportunity. Wealth. Power. The land wasn't worth much to the town, but Nathaniel believed there was

refused. They said the land wasn't for sale, not at any price. Nathaniel wasn't the kind of man that too

m of theft, of hoarding supplies, of anything that might turn the town against them. The

h as if bracing herse

.. he set

Alex to his bones. Ethan's hand tightened aro

n and make them desperate enough to sell. But something went wrong. The fire spread faster than a

nes died that night. The father, the mother, their youngest daughter, Margaret, and three cousins that lived with the

stood in the ashes of his home, the bodies of his

careful. No one could prove he was behind the fire. He played the role of a concern

l's wells, destroying his crops, and stealing his livestock. But Nathaniel wasn't easily intimidate

of water to clear her parch

William di

d. "Disappe

said he ran away, that he'd finally realized he couldn't win. Others believed Nathaniel kill

and he had always wanted and that is exactly what he did. He built Blackwood House,

n strange things

d lower, forcing

e soil. The livestock grew sickly and weak. At night, the workers reported hearing wh

the dea

ack. They found his body in the woods days later, twisted and broken, as if he'd falle

his eyes filled with fire. She begged Nathaniel to leave, but he refused. One morning, she was foun

oftly. "Why didn'

in curses. He thought it was all superstition, tricks of the

ghtened. "What

oved to show off his wealth, even as the town whispered about his losses. Tha

restless. He kept looking over his shoulder, glancing at the windows as if expecting someone, always

imself, saying he needed some air. He wal

blood that didn't appear to be his, his eyes wide open. His face... they said his face was twisted in

knew better. They said it was the curse, that Willia

seemed to burn quieter, its flames

urned to see his father reenter the room. His expres

grandmother, "that's enough. Sc

tone steady. "If Alex is going to that hou

his voice sharper than he

rd those stories? I grew up with them, Alex. I saw what that house did to Tobias. To my father.

mself to hold his father's gaze. "I have

ir. "Then promise me you'll be careful. Promise

he wasn't sure he be

his small voice trembl

a joke. But the words wouldn't come. Instead, he look

dmitted quie

grip on his fork

admission settled deep in hi