Fear and Cleaning in the Lounge
A Gentle Horror One Shot
Thanks to
for his Flash Fiction Friday prompts. This short story was inspired by the 31st January prompt; “The type of character who doesn’t feel safe.”Maria shuddered. She knew it was there, it was always there. Waiting, watching. No matter where she went it followed her. When she sat to drink her tea and watch TV it was there. When she went for a snack from the fridge, it was there. When she showered, it watched her. If she went outside to tend to her garden, it stalked her. Her skin prickled with the thought of the ghastly thing.
Maria shuddered.
She sat in her high-back armchair, reupholstered from the worn dun leather to a joyous red tartan. Only it no longer had her imprint and the cushion was over stuffed. It would take many months, if not years, to make it hers again. Years of being watched. Years of being scrutinised by a hundred eyes.
Maria’s tea was lukewarm and so she went to make another. As she stood she noticed a cobweb hanging down from above the door frame, the thick grey dust danced in the warm air wafting up from the radiator. She went to the kitchen, set the kettle to boil, and fetched her duster. With a swipe she caught the string of greasy dust. As Maria stared at the ceiling she saw more dust, more cobwebs, hanging from the picture rail, the architrave, the cornicing, clinging to the walls. Had it been so long? Soon she found herself clambering on her sofa and jumping to catch the highest offenders. The kettle boiled, announcing its achievement with a single shrill beep, but Maria did not stop.
All the while she got goosebumps knowing she was being watched and judged for her actions. But she did not stop. Could not stop. Her lounge would be clean and maybe it would leave.
Once the long thick dust bunnies had been caught and wrapped around the feather duster she moved on to the skirting boards and the furniture, the sofa and the shelves, the television and the router. All of it lined in a thin grey veneer, neat grey thin lace connected the television to the router, the router to sofa leg, the sofa to the bookshelf. With each swipe colour returned to the lounge and with each swipe her fear ebbed a little. No longer did tiny eyes watch her. No longer did her skin prickle with the feel of all those legs. No longer did she shudder at the thought of encountering it. Soon Maria would enjoy her tea in peace.
She swiped the last leg of her overstuffed armchair and sighed at a job well done. Her duster was thick with dirt and detritus. The lounge was now spotless. Maria returned to the kitchen and set the feather duster back in on its shelf in the utility cupboard. The kettle was still warm and so she made a cup of tea, milk with one sugar. She lifted the still warm kettle with one hand and poured the steaming water into her mug, the tea bag soaked in the water and floated, and as she set the kettle on its stand she shuddered. Something was watching her.
It was watching her.
A prickle caressed the back of her hand. Goosebumps rose on her arms. She released her hand from the kettle and a hundred tiny eyes stared at her, eight legs crawled along her wrist.
Maria screamed and flailed.
The spider flew from her hand, a black speck against the white walls and cabinets, and landed out of sight. Maria panted and searched frantically, but it was gone.
Maria stood, petrified, trying to feel for anything creeping across her skin, across her clothes, but there was nothing but goosebumps and itchy skin. A few thundering heartbeats later she poured the milk, her hand shaking so it sloshed out in fits and spurts, and then a heaped teaspoon of sugar followed. She stirred, squished the tea bag out and deposited it in the bin. She retreated with her tea to the lounge, sat in her over stuffed armchair and shuddered knowing those eyes were watching her, knowing that the spider was plotting to rebuild its home. Maria would allow it, if it left her alone she would leave it alone. Both forever stewing in their fear.
Thank you for reading, it means so much!
Check out Chapter 1 of my new serial novella, The Mage Hunter:
I'm betting the spider was just as afraid of Maria. I've definitely felt this as I am no fan of spiders but like Maria, I do try to leave them alone. They do get rid of many pests after all. Lots of gripping chills in this one. Thank you for sharing, Redd.