The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

The Blind Date
by E.A. Black

‘Where are you?’ Jeanette texted. It was the third time she asked. She hated it when men kept her waiting.

‘Here.’ Her phone pinged. It took him over a minute to return her text. What was he, some kind of Luddite?

She climbed the steep stairs past the wrought iron gate towards the abandoned Hasker mansion. The place had been in disrepair for decades. Didn’t anyone own it? The brick monstrosity was a real fixer-upper, if you didn’t mind lead paint peeling from the walls and poisoned water from bad pipes.

‘Where is here? I’m on the stairs. Out of breath, if you may ask.’

‘In the ballroom.’ he texted after 45 seconds. At this rate, she’d be inside the house before she caught up with him.

The tall wooden door creaked as she used all her strength to push it open. She was surprised it was unlocked but people had been breaking into the Hasker mansion for as long as she knew it existed. The lock to the front door was broken. She walked into the yawning foyer and texted him again.

‘You’re in the ballroom?’

‘The ballroom.’ 30 seconds this time. His speed was improving.

Jeanette had been on blind dates several times but never before had she been on a blind date to a mansion haunted by demons. Both she and Steve discovered they had a taste for the macabre and chose the Hasker mansion as their first date. As long as they didn’t get caught by the police, all was cool.

She walked to the ballroom but didn’t see him anywhere.

‘Where are you? I’m in the ballroom but I don’t see you.’ she texted.

Her phone rang. It was Steve.

“Jeanette, my car won’t start. I’m stuck in my driveway. You want to do something else tonight or is it a rain check?”

A chill descended upon her. “You’re not at the mansion?”

“No. I’m home. Why? Are you there?”

“Have you been texting me?”

“No.”

“If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”

Her phone pinged again. She looked at her text message and her blood ran cold.

‘Turn around.’

Fiction © Copyright E. A. Black
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

More from E.A. Black:

Midnight Movie Creature Feature 2
Short Story: Trailer Trash Zombies

Please step inside the May December Multiplex! Check out any of our thirteen screens for tales that will titillate, tease, and terrify. Come check out a host of other nasty beasties. So pop some corn, pour a beverage of choice (alcohol is permitted provided you have appropriate ID), and pick out your most comfy seat. Yes, come in and enjoy the show. And the best part is…your ticket is good for every screen! No need to sneak from one theater to the next…it is ALL included in the price of admission! Hurry and find your seat, the show will start as soon as you are ready!

Stories by Theric Jepson, Lillian Scernica, Stuart Conover, Chantal Boudreau, Matt Kurtz, EA Black, Tom Ribas, Suzi M, D Alan Lewis, Jill Behe, Elsa Carruthers, Jay Wilburn, and Michael James McFarland.

Available on Amazon!