Macabre: The portrait

Rude Awakening

Everything around me is a blur as I lie on the dining room couch, peering into Jake's kitchen. A mysterious figure moves about, shrouded in a black dress. The house suddenly transforms, devoid of any mess or dust.

"Ja...Jak..Jake!" I struggle to call out, my mouth dry and words barely escaping.

"Jake is playing outside, he won't come in now," the lady responds, her heels clicking closer. It's her—the lady from the portrait!

"I didn't know Jake had friends," she says, gently caressing my hair. The door creaks, and footsteps draw near. Just as Jake approaches, I glance to the side, and the lady vanishes, leaving the house back to its normal state.

"WHAT DID YOU DO, JAKE??? DID YOU POISON ME?"

"What? What are you talking about? I handed you the water bottle, and you fainted. You didn't even drink the water. Look," he explains, picking up the untouched bottle.

"And you didn't think of taking me to the hospital? I'm out of here."

"I thought it was just fatigue, so I let you rest. What about the project?" he asks, reaching for my hand, his fingers covered in sand.

"I'll do it on my own!" I declare, storming out the door. I'm never going back to that dreadful place. No wonder everyone calls him a weirdo.

At home:

I plopped onto my bed, completely exhausted, and instantly passed out. But then, I started hearing these eerie sounds, like someone struggling to breathe. My eyes shot open, only to find my room engulfed in darkness. Ugh, I was so tired, and the lack of sleep from yesterday didn't help. I dragged myself out of bed, determined to close the curtains.

But holy moly, what the heck is this?! The floor is drenched in blood, like a gruesome bloodbath. And that wheezing sound keeps getting louder and creepier. I frantically searched my sheets for my phone, but it's nowhere to be found. Seriously, this is so frustrating! It's always missing when I need it, even though I know where I left it. Ugh! And to top it all off, there's this bizarre figure chilling in the corner of my room. It looks like an old man, sitting there with an oxygen tank.

As spine-chilling as it feels, he's coming closer to me! I let out a blood-curdling scream, and just like that, my sister bursts into the room. Everything vanishes into thin air. She flicks on the lights, confusion etched on her face. "What's happening?"

"Huh? Oh, it was just a nightmare. I'm okay," I stammered, trying to shake off the horrors.

Then, she notices something strange. "What did you do to your hair?" she asks, squinting to get a better look.

Curiosity piqued, I rush to the mirror. Lo and behold, I'm a brunette, but the part of my hair where Jake's mother caressed has turned blonde! It's like the frame came to life, transforming the still image into a living masterpiece. It's both mesmerizing and unsettling.

I can't handle this anymore! It's all because of Jake. And if all this madness is happening today, what awaits in the days to come? I have no choice but to meet him tomorrow.

The confrontation:

"Come out, Jake!" I shouted into the chilling night, my voice echoing through the desolate streets. The silence seemed to swallow my words, until finally, he emerged from behind the gate, his eyes filled with concern.

"Hey, Mel. You alright?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry.

The shadows danced around us, as I confronted him with a mixture of fear and accusation. "What dark secrets are you hiding in this house, Jake? What horrors lurk within these walls?"