BAD NEWS BARN

— THE WELCOMING OF THE SWALLOW’S

Staring out into the wilderness as my parents’ car drives further and further away from everything I have come to know and love. I shake my head in despair, “why do we have to move to this crap hole of a town again?” “Alex, Honey!” “Watch your mouth son!” “I know this isn’t the ideal time to move but everything will be fine.” Said Mrs. Swallow. I sighed and kept staring out the window thinking to myself why my parents had to create such important tech that led us to move to the middle of nowhere. My life is turning upside down as we head to some no named town. A few minutes later the wilderness cleared out and opened to a sign that said Welcome to Browning!

Then we entered this tiny town that gave me a shudder down my spine because not only did everything feel robotic and staged, for some reason I felt like everyone was staring at us like we were aliens or something. Super weird but then my attention turned to my dad Allan saying here it is son. We turned onto a dirt road and passed this old mailbox, but I could not see what name it was. Then my eyes caught something, so I turned to this massive piece of land with a 3-story plantation home and a gritty old barn to the right of the house. The house looked like an old school mansion with a balcony wrapping around the entire house. But this barn was not as lavished as the house. It eerily looked like something from a horror film, with dark and hulking doors, weather-beaten walls and somewhat dilapidated but I was all for checking it out.

We pull up right in front of our massive new home, again I sigh as I throw my bag over my shoulder. “I get dibs on the master bedroom!” I shouted as I ran up the stairs to the front door. I race past my parents and swing open the front door. Inside looked like a blast from the past, as if this place were frozen in time. I ran upstairs into a large bedroom and yelled “DIBS!” I threw myself back onto the dusty bed but sat up quickly to look around my new room, but as I turned to the closet door again another chill down my spine. Hey mom, I think I am going to check out that old barn instead. Kicking rocks all the way down a stone path to my new hideout. Now standing in front of these hulking doors that seem to reach the sky I pull hard but its locked. Darn it! MOM!!!!!!!! I yelled. What is all the shouting about? The door is locked mom where are the keys to this hell hole? Hey! Shouted Sylvie. Let me ask your father to bring them down now. Mom returns with a ring of keys all shapes and sizes. Which one is it? I asked. Figure it out Alex’s mom said, kissed me on the head and walked back to the house. As I began to go through the countless number of keys on this big ole ring, I hear something coming from the barn. It was like a light tapping noise I could barely notice, so I placed my ear up to the door and BAM! The door swings open as if the wind pushed them back but wait the door was locked. What the heck?! Where is the lock now?!

#Twilight zone

I am left there standing with a ring of keys to a barn that was just locked and now is wide open with no lock in sight. I must be in a twilight zone and hope to wake up soon. I thought to myself. I slowly walked into the barn one foot in front of the other carefully looking around. Heellooo?! Is someone there! I called out. Silence, utter silence, but in the distance, I can see what looks like a little girl sitting on the floor with her head in her knees. As I walk towards whatever it was, I was seeing, I feel someone grab my shoulder and I scream as loud as I could possibly scream. AAAAHHHH!!! “Mijo, wake up”! It was my mom shaking me awake. You must be having a nightmare son; you were screaming like a girl. Whoa! What the heck is happening here, I thought to myself as I looked around to see I never left the bedroom after all. Super weird.

The next day, my mom decided to stay home with me after signing me up for school, while my dad went to the new office to set up. Well at least I get to explore the grounds today and get to the bottom of that pesky dream. As the day went by, I scoped out the entire grounds. It was a graveyard of old bikes and tractors rusted down to nothing as a permanent fixture or tomb stone. Nothing seemed to be remotely interesting until I reached the front of the driveway and found that old mailbox I saw when we first arrived. Perfect research time! I ran over to the rusted old box and wiped off some dirt to see the name clearly. It said The Bancrofts on the side. When I went to open it it nicked my finger and the mailbox dropped to the floor. At that moment, a key flew out. Huh? What’s this I thought to myself. I began to examine the key which looked older than time. I wonder what this key is for.

I ran back to the house and showed it to my mom. Son already getting hurt? Said Sylvie. Oh, I almost forgot, I found this mailbox in front of the driveway, and it nicked me. I also found this cool old key inside. My mom was so enthralled in her unpacking that she shrugged me off and handed me the first aid kit. Clean that before it gets infected and walked away. That’s when I heard it, the noise again. That slight tapping noise has returned, and I will get to the bottom of this. I began to walk over to the barn just as I did in the dream. I wonder if…as I step right in front of the barn, I notice the key has the same symbol as the lock. This must be it. I reach over and presto! The key unlocked the barn doors and now im standing inside. Heeelllllooooo?! Is anyone there?

Silence just silence. Hmmmm? Ok maybe it was all a dream. Then there it was the light tapping again coming from the back of the barn. I quickly turned on the light from my cell phone and called out again. Heeelllloooooo?! Anyone there?! With this barn covered in cobwebs I could barely make out what I was walking towards. I see a shadowy figure and decide that’s it Alex just walk up to it. I stood tall and slowly walked up to the shadow. As I got closer, I thought, Am I still sleeping? I then reached out to touch the figure and as soon as I was close enough to reach it, my eyes widen with fear. Now right in front of me was the same little girl I saw in my dream with her head in her knees sitting on the floor. To my horror she looks up at me, but she has a gunshot wound in the center of her head and even worse her eyes were gouged out. As she reaches for my hand, I scream and run out the barn. Who was that? Why was she dead? How was she in my dreams? My mind raced as I ran back to the house and called for my mom. This cant be real, this can’t be real.

— THE BANCROFTS

Mother! Cried out Alice. How are you feeling today? Mrs Bancroft just stared blankly past Alice. Its such a beautiful day, lunch in the barn again? Mrs Bancroft just stared out again. Would you like me to take you to the barn dear mother? Ok let’s go. As Alice prepares to take her mother outside, she wonders why no doctor nor pastor could confirm this affliction. As Alice pulled her mothers chair onto the front porch, she called for her father to help. Mrs Bancroft was a man with eyes only for Elizabeth even catatonic he speaks to her as if nothing is wrong. My Beautiful Darling! Said Apollo. As my father pushed my mothers chair to the barn, he ever so gently kissed her forehead and then mine. My precious girls, I must get back to tending these crops. Then I entered the barn with mother.

Elizabeth has only shown desire to be in the barn, so lunch is always in the barn. For some reason today my mother spoke. I could not make out what she was saying and in shock called out to my father and then leaned in. What was that mother? Asked Alice. At that very moment, the lantern flickered and turned off. I gasped and reached out to my mother. I fell forwards, her chair was empty. Mother?! I began to turn the lantern back on. Come on! Once back on, I turn to my mother’s empty chair. Mother?! Then at that moment Alice feels as if someone is standing behind her and turns with a blood curdling scream the lantern turns off again. Apollo working in the fields hears a loud scream in the distance and runs to the barn. The barn now pitch-black Apollo grabs the lantern outside and turns the light towards the barn. To his horror he sees his wife on top of Alice. Apollo gasps at the sight of his beloved wife carving the eyes out of Alices corpse. He drops the lantern, catches Elizabeth’s attention as she leaps forward. From a distance a yell then gunshots were heard.

— THE TAKEOVER

Alex comes home from school. Hey how was your first day? Said Sylvie. Ugh! Uneventful I sighed and tossed my bag on the table. Hey mom I was wondering if you know anything about the last people who lived here. I tried asking but everyone I asked at school just starred at me. Super weird right? I believe it was back in the 60s said Sylvie. Alex pulled out his laptop, remembered the mailbox, and instantly searched for The Bancrofts. Seconds later my eyes widened as I began to read. Most articles were the same, stating issues with possession and satanic worship but specifically, The Bancrofts was one of the worst cases to date.

It was 1962 and a family of 3 moved into our farmhouse. The Bancrofts consisted of a Wife Elizabeth, daughter Alice, and husband Apollo Bancroft. One night in 1966 the family was found slain in the barn. The police suspected the mother was possessed and sacrificed her daughter and husband by shooting them in the head with a shotgun, removing both their eyes and consuming them in the name of Satan. Then turning the shotgun and killing herself.

Alex looks over at his mom and notices Sylvie isn’t reacting. Mom? You ok? Then Sylvie turns around and starts walking towards the barn. Mom? Sylvie utters one phrase “Alice is calling me” and walks out the door. I run out after and as I reach the barn the lights go out and the doors slam shut. Sylvie turns to Alex “I need your eyes for Alice” and lunges towards Alex. They battle in the dark while Allan pulls into the driveway. He walks into the barn and BAM!

Years later a new family moves in…

THE END