John Doe and me

Chapter VI

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"I was beginning to enjoy your company. It's not often I find a responsive buyer and it does become awfully benign simply eating everyone comes over," Maison said as his creepy yet familiar smile was replaced with a frown. And the whole room itself suddenly changed. What once was a large and lovely living room, now felt smaller, darker. The light that the room had were also gone; as the walls that once had windows vanished and were replaced with red markings, branching out like roots.

"E...Eat..?"

"Ah yes... You're new in town. This must be very confusing for you, correct? That's alright, you don't need to talk, I will simply explain the situation."

"Explain..? Situation..?"

"After all, I am Uncanny Valley's number one realtor and I have been doing this for a very long time, though it's been decades since I found someone so receptive and the other folks here in the valley hates explaining anything. A very lucky chance you met me first."

I was so confused, nothing was making any sense to me. And it's even worse that I can't do anything, I can barely move. It's almost like I'm being pulled into the couch. I could even feel Maison crawl over to me on the couch, his hands placed carefully next to my head as he leaned in close to speak in my ear. He felt extremely warm to the touch as his skin brushed against mine.

"How I wish I could move right now..."

"You see, dear buyer... Being the number one realtor comes with its responsibilities. I'm not like the other realtors you see, I take great care in what I do, unlike those who simply want a quick snack. It's become so hard here in the valley to find buyers, the other realtors have taken to simply snatching and running. Quite barbaric, wouldn't you agree?" Maison said, while gently cupping my cheeks as he spoke. I could feel him nodding my head for me to be in agreement with what he was saying.

"I...I'm not following... What do you mean..?" I asked quietly, as the warm temperature was slowly getting to me. Instead of giving me a direct answer, he ignored my question and just continued talking.

"No... No, my value is much, MUCH higher! I find only the finest of buyers to incorporate into something MUCH greater than themselves. I can't just have ant tenants to eat, now can I? I have my standards and I will not stoop to such low behaviours."

I weakly nodded my head, with his help of course. Not entirely comprehending what he was saying or talking about. At this point, much like my body, my hearing was slowly slipping away. I can hardly make out what he was even saying anymore. Even any sense of mind that I'd had was leaving. His words sounded further and further away as my body began to grow heavier, it feels like as if you were sinking into the meat of the couch.

"Ahhh... I just knew that you'd understand. I suppose since we're getting ever so close now, I could drop my own facade, it does get tired controlling this, albeit quite handsome, cumbersome little lure."

I watched as Maison's eyes grew dimmer and his body fell limp, still being held up by something, but his limbs no longer retaining their rigidity. Anyone would assume that he was dead, given how still he was. But he was still very much alive and breathing.

"W...What the hell are you..?"

"Quite impressive isn't it? With such an attractive lure, it's become quite easy to bring in such tasty, prospective buyers the old-fashioned way. I suppose it's just my luck to be so gorgeous naturally. It's clearly no wonder how I became the number one realtor, right dearest buyer?"

"Pretty sure you're old enough to be my uncle..." 

Before I could even try and say something, I blearily watched as Maison was yanked backwards and up towards the fleshy ceiling lamp. I even noticed the umbilical cord-like rope protruding from his neck as he hung limply. I wanted to scream, cry or anything, but I couldn't. My body was totally paralysed at this point and all I could feel was the growing burning sensation as something hot slowly seeped through my clothes and onto my skin.

"I truly wish I could make the digestion process slower than this... I truly do dearest buyer. I would greatly enjoy some stimulating conversation... Alas, this is how it simply is and always has been, and I have not eaten in quite some time."

"Digestion..? Eaten..? Either Maison is going to eat me... Or the house..." I thought as I watched with fear growing.

"Perhaps in another world, another time... We could have spent more time in each other's company. I'm sure you understand that one must eat though and I am truly grateful to you, dear buyer."

Maison's voice was no longer coming from his limp, lifeless body, but instead sounded as if it was coming from the very walls around me. I could hear him sigh wistfully and the walls looked as if they were breathing along with it.

"I will always think of you, long after you've become part of me."

"I...I can't get away... Pop... Dad... I'm so sorry..."

With the thought of my family in mind, I finally allowed my heavy eyelids to close as I sunk deeper against the warm couch. I could feel the meaty fabric of the couch moving to cover me up, like a soft blanket, almost tucking me in as I let myself slip into a deep sleep, one that I would never wake up from again.

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(Before anyone says anything; no the story isn't over yet.  We just have a couple of chapters left till we see John and then get into the grits of the main story character.)