Grotty and ruined, the house stood grounded to the earth. I shivered as though ice had replaced my spine. The cold air enveloped my entire body. The multiple layers of clothing could not protect me against the deathly cold. The walkway leading up to the house was cracked. Weeds and dandelions poked out from these cracks. Red roses grew wildly in thick patches by the gate. The moonlight cast a ghoulish glow on the house. Vines formed a twisted maze upon the side of house, reaching their tentacles towards the roof. The house's walls showed black decay from neglect. Splotches of the original white paint hinted at the house’s former prosperity. Cobwebs covered the corners of the doors.
The door begrudgingly creaked open. A musty, dank odour crept up my nose. The house was dead a silence, except for the intermittent creaks and moans. Black and brown mould dotted the ceiling in clusters, evident of rain seeping through the roof. Quietly, I entered the dark living room. The windows were covered in grime and dirt, the calm moonlight struggled to penetrate the darkness making thin rays of light across the rutted wooden floor. Sharp shadows roamed around the room. The sofa and chairs overturned revealing deep grooves on the ground where they used to sit. Wallpaper lay curled on the floor. A large jagged hole, dug through the wall, stood as though daring any to enter. Sharp shadows roamed around the room. A misplaced grand bookcase stood in the corner of the room, undisturbed for a long time.
I made my way back into the hallway, a shimmer of light came from behind a door. I approached and opened the door. I had reached the bathroom. The single window was mildly dirty, a flood of light flowed into the room. Dust swirled around the room as I made my way inside. The medicine cabinet mirror lay shattered in pieces on the floor. Empty medicine bottles lay in the porcelain sink. The only sound to be heard was the drip, drip, drip of the tap. A closer look