A Dream House (1)

On a gray and rainy day, we entered a simple and dark house, illuminated only by flashes of sporadic lightning that made the shadows move like living beings. The hurried footsteps of two people filled the environment, occasionally interrupted by the sound of a box being closed with force. The creaking of the floorboards underfoot was almost a whisper that competed with the sound of the wind howling outside. The air was filled with a smell of dampness and accumulated dust, as if no one had set foot in that place for years. There we watched two figures moving quickly, as if they wanted to leave as soon as possible, and we couldn't help but feel that something dark and mysterious was lurking in that house.

"Maark!! Finish packing quickly, we have to go." A woman shouted from the door of the house as she slowly made her way towards the car, weighed down by the box she carried in her hands.

This woman is Lisa. She is a radiant woman, with a beauty that seems to light up any place where she is. Her black hair falls in cascades over her shoulders, with a silky shine that seems to reflect the light. Her eyes are large and bright, of a deep and mysterious blue that attracts the attention of all who look at her. Her smile is warm and welcoming, and her presence fills the room with a cheerful and comforting atmosphere. Lisa has a natural charisma that makes her stand out, and her personality is as beautiful as her appearance.

"I'm almost done!" Mark shouted from his office as he finished packing the last few things he had left in it.

Mark is a man who stands tall and slender, as if he could walk through the doors of the house without even stooping. His face always seems wrinkled with tension, as if he is always engrossed in his thoughts. His blue eyes are sharp and penetrating, and he rarely allows himself a smile. He seems to be constantly lost in his thoughts, with his head tilted down and his shoulders tense. Often, his posture denotes a man who has dedicated his life to his career and has no time for trivial distractions.

Shortly after Mark finished packing his things, he felt Lisa's impatience infecting the atmosphere. He knew she was anxious to leave as soon as possible, and he couldn't blame her, after all, he was too. But, still, he took his time to make sure they didn't leave anything important behind. Finally, with the last box in hand, he hurried down the stairs, finding Lisa at the entrance, impatiently tapping the ground with the tip of her shoe. He couldn't help but feel his own nervousness increase as he saw her like this, knowing they had a long journey ahead to reach their new dream home.

When Lisa heard Mark's footsteps approaching, her heart began to beat faster, almost out of control. Her eyes widened as she saw him enter through the door, and a wave of excitement washed over her when their eyes met. Everything they had planned for so long was finally about to happen. A wide and luminous smile appeared on her lips, making them shine on this very dark day. Lisa couldn't help but feel excited about what was about to happen, they were finally going to move to their dream home together.

"Are you ready?" Lisa asked with that unmistakable excitement in her voice.

"Of course," replied Mark, also with a rare hint of excitement in his voice as he slowly approached Lisa and planted a warm and loving kiss on her lips.

Mark then finished loading the last boxes into the car and got into the driver's seat, with Lisa joining him in the passenger seat to begin their journey to their new home. On the way to their new house, neither of them said a word; both were surrounded by a relaxing and calm atmosphere mixed with a hint of excitement as they enjoyed the ride.

As Lisa admired the scenery through the car windows, she fondly remembered how she and Mark had met. They had met in a small and cozy café in the city center. Lisa had come to the city for an audition at the local theater, while Mark was there to find inspiration for his next novel.

When Lisa walked into the café, she found a crowd of people and couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. That's when she saw Mark, sitting at a table in the corner, with a notebook and pencil in hand, jotting down some ideas. Lisa was drawn to his relaxed posture, his blue eyes that sparkled with a spark of intelligence, and his well-groomed beard.

Mark, for his part, had noticed Lisa from the moment she walked into the café. He had seen her walk around the room, with the confidence of a consummate actress, and had immediately felt intrigued.

Without thinking twice, Mark approached Lisa and asked if he could share her table. Grateful for the offer, Lisa accepted, and they started talking. They talked about their respective careers, hobbies, and dreams, discovering that they had many things in common. Lisa was impressed by Mark's talent and passion for writing, while Mark found in Lisa a great source of inspiration for his female characters.

As they talked, Lisa and Mark began to feel a small spark and connection between them, an electric current that seemed to unite them. There was something in the way they looked into each other's eyes, in the way they spoke, that suggested a deep and mutual understanding.

When it was time to leave, Mark gave Lisa his business card and asked her to call him if she ever needed help with a particular performance. Lisa smiled, grateful for the offer, and promised herself that she would call him.

After that afternoon, Lisa and Mark stayed in touch, calling and texting each other, talking about their careers and personal lives. Slowly, that small connection became something bigger, something they couldn't ignore. And so, their love story began, a story that seemed destined to be written on the pages of a book.

Returning to reality now, Lisa noticed that they had already left the city and were approaching their destination. Her heart began to beat faster with excitement, and she looked at Mark with a bright smile that widened even more when she noticed that Mark was also smiling.

The car came to a stop in front of their new house, located on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by thick forests that seemed like a natural wall protecting it from civilization. There were no neighbors in sight, which provided them with unusual privacy, but also gave them a sense of isolation. As they approached the house, Mark and Lisa noticed that the atmosphere became stranger, as if the house had a life of its own and was watching them with its large windows framed with hand-carved wooden moldings.

The dark red brick facade contrasted with the greenery around it, making it even more imposing. The solid wooden front door was decorated with a wrought iron handle and a lion-shaped knocker. Upon entering, they found themselves in a spacious foyer with high ceilings and marble floors. To their right, a living room with a wood-burning fireplace, a worn leather sofa, and velvet armchairs. To their left, a spacious dining room with a large wooden table and upholstered chairs.

As they climbed the dark wooden staircase, Mark and Lisa noticed that the rooms were spacious and bright, but something about the house made them feel uneasy. They couldn't put their finger on what it was, but the atmosphere became increasingly dense and oppressive. In the master bedroom, a four-poster bed and an antique wardrobe matched the large windows overlooking the tall grass of the backyard. However, the strange feeling persisted, as if something was stirring in the darkness of the house. Although they didn't pay much attention to it at the time, the oddities of the house didn't diminish their excitement about being there.

Mark and Lisa fell in love with the house the moment they saw it, and as strange as it may seem, the eerie atmosphere and slightly old-fashioned aesthetic of the house delighted the couple. Mark said it inspired him in his new horror novel he was writing, and Lisa had always loved old things.

Finally, after inspecting the entire house, Lisa and Mark went back down to the car to unpack their things and begin cleaning and renovating their dream house slowly without any concern. Suddenly and without their noticing, a door that had been closed moments before was now slightly ajar, as if someone or something had pushed it.

To be continued...