Haunted House Part 5

There was no lighting equipment to help illuminate the path to the forest, and Sean's phone was still dead because its battery hadn't been charged. I also didn't know where the flashlight was kept in this house. Fortunately, when I stepped out of the house, the moon was shining brightly as it was a full moon, allowing me to see the forest even though it was dimly lit. My heart was beating fast, especially since the screams continued to intensify. Undoubtedly, the sound was coming from the pine forest next to the house. I walked towards the gate, opened it, and despite an overwhelming sense of fear, I continued towards the forest. The forest was very dark, but once again, the moonlight allowed me to see. I kept walking towards the source of the screams, confident that it originated from the middle of the forest. Inside the forest, there was no sound except for the woman's screams; not even the sounds of nighttime insects were audible. It was eerily quiet, and as I ventured deeper into the forest, the screams grew louder. "Who's there?" I reflexively turned to the left when I thought I saw someone standing there, but there was no one, even though I was sure I had seen someone earlier. "Show yourself. I know you're here!" The wind suddenly blew very strongly, and my body shivered, the hairs on my neck standing on end. Then the screams returned, this time very close. "I know you're here, and you also surely know that I can see you, can communicate with you. So, show yourself. Tell me what happened to you that you keep screaming in pain like this. I will try to help you." My body trembled because of the cold, and I regretted not wearing warm clothes earlier. With a trembling body, I continued walking forward. I felt the presence of that figure getting closer as I began to feel pain in my head, a sign that the ghost was very close to me. "Hey, who's there?!" For the umpteenth time, I screamed hysterically because now I felt someone blowing on my neck. I could clearly feel the cold breath hitting my skin, and the sound of the breath greeted my hearing. There was no doubt that the figure was standing right behind me. Even though I had seen ghosts many times, I couldn't deny that fear always struck me, like now. Tears fell involuntarily on my face, with a body that continued to tremble. Don't ask about my heart condition; of course, it was beating fast, as if it would jump out of my chest. I swallowed saliva before turning around; I had decided to see that figure. Wasn't this the reason I dared to come to the forest alone? However, as soon as I turned around, the figure I believed was standing behind me was not there. Once again, it disappeared before I could see it. "I beg you, show yourself. I am here to help you because I care about you. Hey, come out. Who are you really? Why does your scream sound so painful?" Since I still couldn't see the figure behind me, I intended to move forward again, and that's when I was shocked beyond belief. As I turned around, right in front of me, someone was hanging on a pine tree right next to me. The figure had wrapped its legs around a branch, hanging upside down so that its head was right in front of me. Oh no, more precisely, the face of the figure was right in front of my face. "Aaaaah!" I screamed spontaneously at the sight of a terrifying face right in front of me. The face was extremely pale, almost purple. Its eyeballs bulged as if they were about to roll out of their sockets. It was staring at me intensely. What made it even more horrifying was that its neck was almost severed, as if someone had slit its throat, causing its demise. This figure was that of a female ghost. She stretched both her hands towards me. Although I was terrified and felt the urge to run away, I decided to stand my ground. I was convinced that the female ghost wanted to show me her memories. When a blinding light suddenly appeared, my guess was correct. The ghost was revealing her memories before her departure, and soon I would uncover all the mysteries and find out who this female ghost really was. *** I found myself in a room, observing a woman sitting while reading a book. The woman was very beautiful and looked familiar. After a closer look, ah, yes, she was the female ghost I encountered in the pine forest. I was now in the world of her memories before her departure, witnessing her life as a wandering ghost. "Erlena." The woman I now knew as Erlena instantly turned around upon hearing someone call her. A middle-aged woman entered the room and walked towards Erlena. Erlena looked panicked; she quickly stood up, causing the book she was reading to fall to the floor. "You have no shame. Instead of doing housework, you're lazying around reading books here." I furrowed my brows; the middle-aged woman seemed very stern towards Erlena. Who was she? Erlena lowered her head, appearing very frightened and not daring to meet the woman's gaze. "I was just taking a short break, Ma'am. I already finished washing the clothes." "Only finished washing clothes, and now you're resting. You haven't done anything else, like sweeping and mopping the floor. Oh, yes, also prepare the food; your husband Roul will be coming home from work soon, and as a wife, you should prepare a meal for Roul." "But Roul will come home in about two hours; if the food is prepared now, it will get cold." Erlena replied like that, and it seemed to make the middle-aged woman very angry as her eyes bulged, and her face turned red. "You are told by your mother-in-law, you should obey. Pity Roul when he comes home, and there's no food in the house." "I will prepare food for Roul, but in a little while, so the food will still be warm when Roul arrives." "Huh, just say you're lazy to cook. Even though the person living in this house is not just you and Roul, but Roul's parents are also here. Don't you think about your father-in-law? Maybe he's hungry too." Erlena was startled. "Oh, my father is hungry. In that case, I will cook now." "Tch, tch, you really are a useless wife. Four years of marriage, and you haven't given Roul a child. You don't even work. Pity Roul, who has to earn money alone, while you laze around at home. It wouldn't matter if you were from a wealthy family, but in reality, your family is also poor. Roul is really unlucky to have a wife like you." After uttering these cruel words, the middle-aged woman, who turned out to be Erlena's mother-in-law, left Erlena alone, who was now shedding tears because she had been humiliated and belittled so heartlessly. I could feel the heartache Erlena was experiencing, making me remember my own issues with Aunt Silva, even though luckily the problem between us has been resolved, and she has approved of my relationship with Sean. As a woman, I understood the pain Erlena was feeling right now. I felt like hugging Erlena to comfort her, but I knew very well that in this world of memories, there was nothing I could do but watch. Blinding light appeared again, causing me to reflexively close my eyes. It seemed I would be moving to another place, and indeed, as I opened my eyes, I was already in a different location. Now I was in a bedroom. I could hear a woman crying, and as I looked around the room, I found Erlena crying on the balcony. My attention was diverted from Erlena as soon as I heard the door being opened, and a man appeared, entering the room and approaching Erlena on the balcony. "Darling, what are you doing here? Why are you crying?" the man asked. Erlena, who was sitting in a chair, hurriedly got up and threw herself into the arms of the man who seemed to be her husband, Roul. "I can't stand living in this house anymore. Your mother always insults and belittles me. She treats me like a servant. I want to leave this house." Erlena expressed her desire while crying. Roul didn't say anything; he just gently and affectionately stroked Erlena's head. "Come on, you know your mother is like that. I've told you countless times, just ignore her." "How can I ignore her? She keeps treating me badly every day. Today, she talked about me not giving birth to a child for you. You know I'm always hurt when discussing this issue because it's not my desire that we haven't had a child." Erlena's cries became more hysterical, and her tears flowed freely. Everything she said made me feel like shedding tears as well. "Your mother even insulted my family, saying they're poor. I also don't work and just laze around at home. Your mother has gone too far, Roul. I can't stand living with her anymore." Erlena raised her head as Roul remained silent, even though his wife was pouring out her grievances. "When we consulted with the doctor, he said I shouldn't be stressed if I want to get pregnant quickly. But how can I not be stressed if I'm continually mistreated by your mother? Maybe we will never have a child." "Hey, don't talk like that, Erlena." Roul seemed emotional hearing Erlena's words, but I, listening to their conversation, strongly agreed with what Erlena was saying. "I'm telling the truth, Roul. I'm very stressed living in this house. When will we have our own home? I don't want to live with your parents anymore. It's enough for us to stay in your parents' house." Erlena's cries sounded even more heart-wrenching, yet Roul continued to gently stroke her head. "Roul, don't you hear my complaint?" "Yes, I hear it. I will find a way out for our problem." Blinding light appeared again, preventing me from hearing the couple's conversation any longer. When I looked around, I had already moved to another place. Now, I was in a car, sitting in the back seat, and in the front seat, Roul was sitting with his wife, Erlena. Something might happen soon. "Roul, where are you taking me?" Erlena asked, breaking the silence in the car. Roul smiled thinly. "You'll find out soon. I'm sure you'll like it." "Hm, now I'm curious." Roul grinned broadly this time, and the journey came to an end. I was stunned when I saw Roul stopping his car in front of a house. A house that was not unfamiliar to me because this was where Sean and I were currently located. "Whose house is this, Roul? It's so beautiful and big?" Erlena asked, confused. Once again, Roul smiled thinly. "Of course, this is our house. I bought this house with all my savings." Erlena widened her eyes, surprised, but I could see a hint of joy on her face. "Are you serious? This house is our house?" Roul nodded. "Of course. How could I lie to you? My friend at the office was selling this house, and the price wasn't too high because it's close to the pine forest." "Oh, right. There is a forest next to this house." "Don't worry; there are no wild animals in that forest. It's just a pine forest. Besides, every day, villagers from the nearest village come to the forest to cut down trees, so you don't need to be afraid." Erlena nodded, seemingly relieved to learn that there was a forest next to her house. Roul's explanation dispelled Erlena's doubts. I could guess that from the expression on her face, which once again smiled with joy. "Why is your friend selling this house?" "He and his family are moving abroad. I think we're very lucky to be able to buy this house. How about it? Do you like it?" "I love it. Does this mean we can move out of your parents' house soon?" Roul nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, tomorrow we'll pack up and move to this house." Erlena screamed with joy, looking very happy as she threw herself into her husband's arms. Witnessing this moment made me feel happy too, as it meant Erlena didn't have to endure the heartache anymore due to her mother-in-law's cruel treatment. For the umpteenth time, blinding light hit my eyes, and reflexively, I closed them. When I opened my eyes, as usual, I had moved to another place. Judging by the surroundings, it seemed I was in Erlena and Roul's house. In front of me, Roul was busy in front of the computer, probably working on office tasks. His face was serious, and his fingers danced skillfully on the keyboard. "Darling!" A shout from the door diverted Roul's attention. The owner of the voice was Erlena, who entered the room with a radiant face. "What's up, Darling?" Roul asked, welcoming Erlena, who suddenly seated herself on his lap. "I have a surprise for you." "Oh, really? What surprise?" "Close your eyes." Roul furrowed his brow. "Why do I have to close my eyes? Just tell me now." "Huh, it's not a surprise if I tell you directly. Just close your eyes quickly." Roul sighed, appearing annoyed. "Come on, just tell me, don't joke with me. I have a lot of work. I have to prepare reports for tomorrow's meeting." Instead of feeling guilty for making her husband upset, Erlena laughed. "That's why quickly close your eyes. If you don't want to close your eyes, I won't tell you the surprise no matter what." "Alright, alright." From their side, I continued to observe. I saw Erlena taking something out of her pocket, a tool that I knew very well was a pregnancy test. Wait, could Erlena be pregnant? "Now open your eyes." Erlena said enthusiastically, and Roul immediately opened his eyes. "Darling, congratulations. You're going to be a father. I'm positively pregnant." Roul was stunned, looking very surprised. "You're pregnant, is that true?" "Yes, I checked using five different pregnancy tests, and the results were the same. All positive. Finally, after four years of waiting, we'll have a child, Darling." Roul finally expressed his joy, carrying Erlena and kissing her face while continuously thanking her because Erlena gave him such a beautiful surprise. Meanwhile, here I was just smiling, watching their happiness, truly happy for them with this good news. Then I knew I would be moving again because that annoying dazzling light was once again hitting my eyes. It turns out I was still at Erlena and Roul's house, and this time they were in the room I shared with Sean. The room faced a pine forest, and unexpectedly, this room was Erlena and her husband's. In the room, it wasn't just Erlena, Roul, and me witnessing their interaction, but also a small, cute, and handsome baby in Erlena's arms. Ah, their child had been born. "Are you sure you're going to London, Roul?" Erlena asked amidst her busy moments of cradling the baby. Roul, sitting next to Erlena, nodded. "Yes, I have to go to London; it's an assignment from the office." "Are you permanently transferred to London?" "It seems so." Upon hearing Roul's answer, Erlena looked sad, her eyes teary. "Rory has just been born, and we've also recently bought this house. Do we really have to leave? I feel at home and comfortable here." Roul snorted, gently nudging Erlena's nose, reminding me of Sean because he often acted similarly towards me. "Who says you have to leave this house? You and Rory will continue to live here." Erlena furrowed her brow, looking confused. "What are you talking about? Earlier, you said you were going to London." "Yes, but only I am going there." "Meaning you're leaving us here?" Roul's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a sad expression upon hearing his wife's question. "Yes, for a while, we have to be apart." "No. I want to go with you." "Earlier, you said you didn't want to leave this house?" "But I can't if it means being far from you. I'd rather leave this house than be separated from you." Roul snorted, then tightly held one of Erlena's hands. "We have to be apart for a while. Rory is still too small to take to London. Besides, I don't know the conditions there, how the house the company provides for me to stay in is. Meanwhile, here, Rory will surely be comfortable in this house. I feel more at ease if Rory and you stay in this house rather than coming with me to London." "But Roul, I don't want to be far from you." "Don't worry. It's only temporary. I promise, once I'm sure it's safe and comfortable for you and Rory there, I'll invite you to come to London with me." Erlena's eyes welled up, and I could understand the sadness she was feeling. "If you go, I'll be alone with Rory in this house. We will definitely be lonely." "Just invite your family to accompany you here. If they're here, you won't be lonely, right?" Erlena fell silent, and it seemed Roul's words helped her find a solution to their problem. "But there's still something else bothering me." "Something else? What is it?" Roul looked very curious. "If we're apart, you'll be alone in London. I'm afraid you'll be lonely and turn to another woman." Laughter immediately came out of Roul's mouth; he laughed at Erlena's words, even though his wife was expressing her concerns seriously. I agreed with Erlena; if I were in her position, I would worry about the same thing. "Your thoughts are exaggerated. There's no way any woman could replace you. You know I love you very much." "You could meet beautiful and sexy women in London, and then you might be attracted to them and tempted," Erlena expressed her concern. Roul laughed again. "That's impossible, Darling. In my eyes, you're the most beautiful woman, no one can replace you. Besides, we've been together for a long time; do you still doubt my loyalty?" "We've always been together, Roul. I don't know what will happen if we're apart later." Roul took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Alright, now tell me what I should do to make you trust me and not think badly of me anymore." Erlena fell silent, perhaps deep in thought. "Promise me you won't be tempted by other women. You will always be faithful." "Of course. I promise, I will always be faithful. You're the only woman in my heart, forever." "You also have to contact me every day." "That's a given. How could I stand not communicating with you even for a day?" "And you have to come back here often." "Okay, I'll come back every three months." "Every three months? That's too long." "I can't take leave frequently, Darling." "Huh, you shouldn't have moved there." "I didn't want to either, but what can I do? It's an assignment from the office." "What if you just quit working at that company and find a job elsewhere?" "I would like that too, but it's impossible for now. You also know all my savings were used to buy this house. We already have Rory; we need to save a lot for his school and other needs." Erlena fell silent again, and I'm sure she realized the truth in Roul's words. "Let it go, don't worry too much. I promise everything will be fine. Moreover, this separation is temporary. I will take you and Rory to London when the conditions there are safe and comfortable. We also have to wait until Rory is a bit older so he can handle long travels." Erlena took a long breath before finally nodding in agreement. "Alright, I allow you to go to London, and I trust that you will keep all your promises." "Thank you, Darling. I will always love you." From their conversation, I now know that this is the beginning of Erlena and Roul's separation. After this, I wonder what happened that Erlena is no longer around and has become a wandering ghost. This mystery makes me even more curious to find out the truth.