The House Diary

“Laurence, Alice is here!” cried Laurence’s mother.
“Yah, send her up,” he mumbled.
“Hey Laurence,” chirped Alice, “so we goin’ to do the usual routine; watch a movie, hide and go seek, scary stories, brush teeth then read in bed?”
“I don’t care,” he snapped.
“What’s up?”
“It’s just, well, haven’t you ever wondered what it would be like to do something different for a change?”
“Sure. We could rearrange the schedule or maybe we could go make swords out in the swamp for this sleep over. Of course I’d have to be careful with the knife being as I’m such a ditz,” Alice suggested.
“No I’m talking about something really different; like a secret passage or something.”
“Laurence, I think you’ve been reading far too many books,” laughed Alice.
“Ya well something needs to happen to save me from everyday syndrome,” chide Laurence.
“Ya well if you’re that desperate; your house is 200 years old and your attic always seems to hold some kind of strange gismo,” she suggested, “you never know what you’ll find.”
“Dust particles and a few rats,” grunted Laurence, “But I guess it’s worth a try.”
“Ok, then lets go!” cheered Alice.
“But let’s use the other way this time. My parents wouln’t let me use their entrance ever since we caused a whole pile of junk to collapse and fall into their room.”
“Ok, so where’s that?” Alice questioned.
“Right here in my room in my closet. I always keep it locked at night.”
“Watch you step.” Laurence warned her, “These stairs are old and steep and the floor boards aren’t any better.”
“Phew. Glad I don’t have long hair or it might get caught on one of these hooks. Why are there all these hooks here?” Alice asked.
“No one knows. When we first moved here last year, we were worried about what this house might have to hide. It always feels like there’s something watching us,” Laurence whispered, “Why do you think I lock the door to the attic at 14.”
“Hey, look over here!” Alice cut in, “I think found some old book.”
“It’s a diary.” Alice observed.
“Let me see it,” Laurence commanded, “Look at the date. The last entry in it is from 1760!”
“Look what it says on the front; ‘House Diary Secrets by Lauren Welsher,” Laurence observed, “That’s the name of the original house master’s daughter!”
“Read it,” ordered Alice, “This is the kind of thing you’ve been looking for.”
“Ok,” Laurence sighed, “here goes nothing.”


“January 8th, 1750
To whoever has finally acquired this diary,

I have tried to warn the people of what this house withholds, but my father has threatened me with my life if I dare let the secrets beyond my lips. So I have decided to not let them out with my lips but silently through pen and paper. I no longer hold control of the situation and pass this information down to you. I would resolve this threat with my own two hands, but, alas, they lack courage to stop them from shaking. So I have written down what I have learned and what I continue to learn as I live the rest of my life in this cursed house. It is up to you to decide if you wish to finish what I started and lock away the horrors this house conceals. If you accept my plea: turn the page and we shall begin. And remember that the world’s most terrible and gruesome truths are only seen when the last lamp has been lit.

Lauren Welsher