Page 10 - WOTS_Issue_69

THE TENANT

ith rotting face and twisted frame, the old house gaping threshold. A severely sickening stench gripped his
stared back at him in quiet desperation through senses once inside and he was overtaken by a fit of coughing.
gnarled trees. The amount of work that needed to Every piece of wood in the house groaned pathetically as the
W done threatened to crush him as he breathed old woman scurried towards the back door. Pursuing through
be
out what felt like his last ounce of hope. Then she appeared in what was left of the dining room and kitchen, he caught a
the doorway. The gray bundle of a woman was barely visible glimpse of her robes as she fled from the house into the brisk
in all the rot, but she was unmistakably present. Nearly as November woods. He watched through the shards of a
twisted and ancient as the house itself, he almost regretted broken window as she ran, moving quickly for a woman of her
what he had to do, but knew it desperately needed to be age until she was a stone’s throw away. She turned back for a
done. moment, filthy cloak heaving with raspy breaths. He met her
gaze, calmly walked to the back door, and pulled its frame
As he advanced, she disappeared frantically into the decay. shut. A growl of protest rose from deep within her and ended
Calling out her name, he proceeded to deliver the same in a fit of wet hacking that shook her entire body. Without
speech that had been given to her numerous times before as making eye-contact again, she disappeared into the forest
he cautiously climbed the stairs and pushed through the leaving the landlord alone with his house.