The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!
The Cheshire Street Banshee
by Naching T. Kassa
Constable Domino parked his bicycle outside the ivy-covered cottage and peered at his wristwatch. The dial read five to twelve. He had a five-minute wait.
A woman approached as he dismounted. She wore flower-print dress, her grey hair fashionably styled.
“Hello, constable,” she called to him.
“Good morning, Mrs. Dunwitty,” Domino replied. He glanced at his watch again. “Or should I say after—”
The second the minute hand of his watch touched twelve, the screaming began. Hollow shrieks filled the air, drowning out every sound in the area, including the voice of Mrs. Dunwitty. The woman showed no sign of surprise at the sound. She didn’t seem to hear it.
This fact did not shock Domino in the least. No one had seemed to hear the screams last month either—or the month before that. Only he could hear the horrible sounds which emanated from the little house on Cheshire Street.
It had been quite embarrassing the first time he’d heard them. The urgent and agonized voice had pleaded for help—as it pleaded now—and he had rushed to the rescue, breaking down the door and bursting in, his truncheon in hand. He had been greeted by empty room after empty room and the screaming had ceased.
The owner of 51 Cheshire hadn’t been too pleased about the damage, and a large portion of Domino’s meager pay had gone toward reparations.
This fact alone should have kept Domino away from the house, but the phenomena fascinated him. As a boy, his mum had told him stories of strange creatures, things like the banshee, whose cries had foretold tragedy. He wondered if such a thing could exist. After all, no one ever seemed to hear it but him. And so, he’d returned every day to witness its recurrence at the stroke of noon. The screams never varied. Just as they didn’t vary now.
Help me! Please! He’s going to kill me!
“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it, Constable?” Mrs. Dunwitty said. Domino moved closer to hear her better.
“It certainly is. Good day for a stroll.”
Oh God! He’s got a knife!
“It’s supposed to rain tomorrow. Will be good for my roses.”
“Roses do love the water. I have a new variety in the garden. Only I can’t remember the name. I was going to mention it to you the other day.”
Help me!
“Well, if you remember, let me know. I must be off. My sister is waiting. Good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Dunwitty.”
Mrs. Dunwitty continued on her way. She’d taken only three steps when he remembered the name.
“I say, Mrs. Dunwitty, I remember!”
The woman didn’t turn. He called after her again and when she didn’t respond, he hurried after her. He caught her by the arm, and she started.
“Oh heavens, Constable! You frightened me.”
“I called to you. You couldn’t hear me?”
She tapped her ear. “Oh my, I’ve forgotten to adjust the volume again.”
“But you heard me before.”
“I couldn’t help but hear you. You were so close and speaking so loudly—Wait! Where are you going?”
Domino had bolted back toward the cottage. He threw his shoulder against the door, breaking it off its hinges, and rushed inside.
The shrieking had stopped.
Furnished rooms awaited him. Each one a testament to the struggle which had taken place within. A whimper sounded from up the stairs, and he sprinted toward it.
He caught sight of them in the bedroom. The woman cowered in the corner; her arm raised above her face to shield it. The man held a butcher knife in his left hand, ready to strike.
Domino fell upon him, smashing him across the crown with his truncheon. He fell and the knife clattered to the floor.
“Thank heaven you’ve come,” the woman cried. “I…I thought no one heard me.”
Domino helped her to her feet. “I did. I heard you. It just took a little longer to do something about it.”
Fiction © Copyright Naching T. Kassa
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
More from Naching T. Kassa:
Arterial Bloom
Lush. Brutal.
Beautiful. Visceral.
Crystal Lake Publishing proudly presents Arterial Bloom, an artful juxtaposition of the magnificence and macabre that exist within mankind. Each tale in this collection is resplendent with beauty, teeth, and heart.
Edited by the Bram Stoker Award-winning writer Mercedes M. Yardley, Arterial Bloom is a literary experience featuring sixteen stories from some of the most compelling dark authors writing today.
With a foreword by HWA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Linda D. Addison, you are invited to step inside and let the grim flowers wind themselves comfortably around your bones.
Dragonflies
Sheriff Frank Hill knows about the evil simmering beneath the surface of White Creek. He’s battled it before, and it cost him dearly. Once again, he must step up to do the job he’s tried to run from for a lifetime.
Small Town Terrors, a collection of White Creek horror stories!
Nyctophiliac Confessions:
