This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 17; the seventeenth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.
Apartment No. 13. An apartment that was always shrouded in mystery since tenants started renting it.
Last year, a very young couple was found dead, the criminal went untraced. After that, a new tenant came and a daughter went insane. A few months back, neighbors heard incessant cries of a baby. Neighbors wished to come to the rescue but every time they did, those strange resonances from the apartment ebbed down or the tenants would have left without a word.
Last month, a new tenant had occupied the apartment. A family of four, a father, a mother, a college daughter and a son of ten. A priest came to bless the new abode for this family to send away the evil spirits believed to be causing those terrifying incidents.
For the last three nights, neighbors again heard violent fights and impish cries from the occupants. 'This time," Jennifer muttered to herself, "I will not let this pass again, without probing further."
One night, Jennifer entered into the foyer of apartment 13 of her friend Irene. Though Irene and her family had just moved in recently, the two got close to each other soon. The main door was left ajar but the door to the living room was almost closed. Jennifer wanted to confirm from Irene of the program they were to attend for the next day, afterwhich they will go the mall. She was hesitant to knock the door when she heard loud noises inside. She stood there listening.
It was around 8:00 in the evening. She heard Irene’s daughter, Ellen’s voice loudly and clearly.
“Dad, you cannot do this to me. Please don’t stop this marriage. We are in love with each other for quite some time now. We are so intimate that we cannot live without each other. I only wanted Mom’s and your blessings before we embarked on our married life."
“No, I will never grant your wish....it will be over my dead body!!! This marriage will not take place. I command you to call it off. I would not like you to meet him again, this is final,” her Dad was heard almost mad at Ellen.
“Mom, how can you keep quiet? Were you not aware that Bryan and I were friends since grade school? How can Dad interfere in my affairs and ask me to ditch him just like that? It is just not possible for me to forget him now. Please plead on my behalf. Please.... Mom....I do not wish to antagonize you both but I am going ahead no matter what you say, no matter how much you negate,” she pleaded with her mother.
“I do not care what your Mom may feel about it. But I will not allow this to happen under any circumstance. I will even kill you. Do you understand, you brat?” shrieked Ellen’s Dad.
“For that reason, I do not need your permission anymore. I am going ahead even without your blessings. I am walking out of your house….now!!! I will carry nothing of yours except the dress I am wearing. You can forget your daughter forever,” Ellen was heard to shout back between sobs with finality.
It was then that Jenifer heard a loud scream from Ellen. “Ahhhhh! Dad, you are hurting me. Please take your hands off me!!!”
Her Dad roared…....“If you wish to save your life, promise me that you will forget him. I would rather kill you than allow you to marry him!”
“Why, why can’t I marry him? Give me one valid reason Dad, please…” she retorted.
“I cannot tell you the reason but you will not marry him, and that is final, understood?”
“I will,” she replied stubbornly. It was then that Jennifer heard a loud scream from the girl.
“You have stabbed me Dad.....please......stop......” Her voice trailed into silence. Jennifer heard hurried footsteps.
Her mom was heard crying. “You brute, what have you done to our dear daughter? You have killed her!!!” Help...................!!!!!!!!
“Irene, Forgive me. How can I reveal the secret that has been in my heart for two decades now? Bryan is my illegitimate son. I could not tell her or you out of shame,” he was heard sobbing with a sense of remorse in his voice.
Jenifer silently tiptoed outside and rang for the police to save the dying girl. Soon there were sirens of police cars. When Jennifer led them in with their guns drawn, she was aghast seeing them all on the sofa munching pop corn and laughing before the TV.
“Why Jennifer? What is wrong? Any problem? You have police officers with you. You could have called me.” Irene stood up with surprise in her voice.
The police officers blinked in embarrassment. "Sorry madam, we heard there was an attempted murder.”
Irene and her family stood perplexed for a while before they broke into peals of laughter. “Jennifer, did you misunderstand the dialogue we had a while back? We were helping Ellen rehearse her part on a stage play where she will take part," explained Irene.
Jennifer could only shrug off her shoulders and could not look at Irene eye to eye.
Poor Jennifer, she was a picture of total embarrassment as she stood there amidst the raucous laughter all around.
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