Axe And The House Of Horrors

• Hudson Jones, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2021

Axel Peterson called “Axe” by many of his friends was a curious kid, always finding new and mysterious places and old abandoned structures to explore. But one day Axel went a bit too far with his searching and this is where the story all starts. As the kids all filed out of Wood Lodge Elementary School at the end of a tiresome day Axe and his friends talked about the new house on the block owned by the elderly man Mr. Hartley and his Wolfhound “Spike.” As they made their way down the street they stopped at the local playground to hangout. “Why don’t we just check it out guys? We’ve gone further than this before and it’ll be cool!” Exclaimed Axe almost too excited to wait. His friends seemed uncertain and sure enough declined the offer. “There’s something wrong with it that just doesn’t fit” Said Lucas one of his closest friends usually eager to join in on the findings.

The following day Axe gathered some food, water, a torch and some other supplies before heading off to school. After school Axe waved goodbye to his friends and walked down to the street where Mr. Hartley lived and cautiously made his way over the crumbling brick fence and started his way through the overgrown front yard and straight away, he started to think that maybe this wasn’t the best idea but pushed on anyway. As he climbed up the steps Axel tripped but stopped his shout and kept quiet. Shivering with fright Axe kept moving up the steps and over to the front door using every muscle in his body to keep him from running straight back, up and over the fence and running straight home.

Although Axe wanted to run away screaming there was also something about this house that drew him in and towards the strange sounds. As the door was slightly ajar already all Axe had to do was gently push it open and take cover behind one of the old, dusty couches. As Axe bolted to the door to escape this disturbing house, he saw someone walking or rather hobbling over to him from the dining room. Just as Axe tried to speak Mr. Hartley started to melt! Ripples of skin waved throughout his frail body and then just like that he morphed into something else entirely! A monster with cold grey skin, fangs as long as his fingers and a black and red collar up behind his neck. Axe tried to run but couldn’t and just like that he was transported to a dark room and to this day nobody has seen or heard from Axel Peterson.