“I think it's nice”, Flutter Shy said admiring the house from the street. “It has everything I could possibly want.”
Flutter Shy had lost her cottage to a nasty bit of weather. The weather team in Ponyville had apologized for the mishap but the damage had been done. Some may argue that living in a plant may not have been the best idea and Flutter Shy had taken that bit of advice to heart.
The new house she was purchasing was closer to the center of the town. Though it was not an old house by any standards years of neglect had left the house in mild disrepair. It was a two story house with a large yard. It was unlike the other cottage stile houses that the town was known for. On a whole it was rather boxy looking and very symmetrical. With out any sort of accents the house was often labeled bland. The description also fit the Egg Shell white that the house was painted; cracks and chips in the exterior painting found the name of the of the paint fitting.
Inside the house was just as bland as exterior. The walls were daubed in the same off white color as the exterior of the house. A poor paint job led to drip lines in the paint. The banister on the exposed stairs was a dark stained wood leaving an unpleasant contrast between the walls and the stairwell. The four large front windows sat in pairs on either side of the door letting the morning light spill onto the velvet red carpet.
Up the exposed stairwell the second floor boasted four bedrooms. Though the decor was lacking, the amount of space was attractive. Each of the rooms was identical with the exception of the master having a joined bathroom. Also the room listed as the “forth bedroom” was locked. Since no keys were left with the house Flutter Shy had called for a locksmith to come by and replace all the locks.
Another peculiar, though not unwelcome, oddity of the house was that it was left completely furnished. A thin layer of dust had covered a majority of it in a gray haze. The plates in the cupboards and clothes in the dressers were saved from the dust. Flutter Shy was grateful for the furniture having lost most of hers in the same manner as her house. Once clean Flutter Shy found most of the items in the house better than the ones she had owned.
“I don't know Flutter Shy. Are you sure you don't want one of the larger houses on the out side of town”, Rainbow Dash said skeptical of the house. “I was told to get you any house you wanted. This house seems like kind of a waste if you ask me.”
“Oh no, I couldn't ask for anything more than this”, Flutter Shy said. “It has a large yard, plenty of room and it comes with furniture! Besides, I have lived on the edge of town for a while and it was always lonely. Being this close to town, I will never be alone.”
“Well, ok then. I will speak to the realtor”, Rainbow Dash said. “I probably won't see you again until Pinky's party. I will have the deed and other paper work then.”
“How do you know there is going to be a party”, Flutter Shy asked lifting her wings slightly in excitement. Rainbow Dash did not vocalize her response but the look of disappointment on her face may have screamed, 'why do you think there is going to be a party!'. Flutter Shy getting the hint lowered her wings and shrunk back a bit, “I suppose I better start getting the place cleaned up. I don't want the guests thinking that I live in a messy house.”
Flutter Shy did not mind having the company. She had always attended parties at other pony's houses though this was the first time that the party was going to be at her house. The thought of entertaining many guests flustered her a bit. She started to panic but through focusing on cleaning she was able to avoid the unwelcome feeling.
As Flutter Shy was hanging the last of her remaining pictures in the upstairs hall way she glanced down at the fourth bedroom. She had assumed that it looked a lot like the other bedrooms yet the sense of not knowing what was behind the door unnerved her. She was not the bravest of ponies but even she could rationalize the fear as just excitement of spending the first night in a new house.
The house, being thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned, was ready to for the party. Flutter Shy fluttered the in middle of the main room taking one last look to make sure she had not missed anything obvious. Being satisfied in her work, she landed in the middle of the room. Almost if on cue there was a knock at the door.
Apprehensive from the timing, Flutter Shy answered the door. An explosion of confetti answered her with vibrant colors. The suddenness of the explosion startled Flutter Shy who let out a small yelp of terror. Pinky Pie stood behind the paper shrapnel with a grin on her face.
“Hiya Flutter Shy! I heard that you got a new house”, Pinky Pie exuberantly said ending with a snicker.
“Hi Pinky Pie. I did get a new house”, Flutter Shy said pulling herself off the floor and out of the confetti pile. “Want me to show you around?”
“Show me around? No silly! I don't have time for that. I am too busy planning your house warming party”, Pinky Pie said letting herself into the house dragging her party cannon with her. She surveyed the room quickly and with another blast of party 'favors' from the cannon the room was decorated for a party.
Flutter Shy was reminded of the face that Rainbow Dash had shown her earlier that day and tried to mimic it. The look of disappointment did not slow down Pinky Pie. Flutter Shy just hung her head and resigned to have a fun time at the party and worry about the mess later. “It looks nice Pinky. When are the guests supposed to arrive?”
“We are already here”, Twilight said from the door way. She was accompanied by Apple Jack; both were carrying gifts wrapped in bows. Twilight leaned in from the doorway and whispered to Flutter Shy, “You just found out about the party, didn't you.”
Flutter Shy nodded, “Officially, yes.”
Without further delay, the party was full swing. Rarity had shown up shortly after Twilight and Apple Jack. She did not stay for long giving reasons of workload and sisterly activities. Everypony noticed the way she cringed as she looked at the velvet red carpet and other decors and wondered if her reasons were only excuses to leave. Flutter Shy knew her friend and was not offended by her excuses.
Shortly after Rarity left Rainbow dash arrived carrying papers with her. She placed them on a clear table. The papers were placed in a card stock envelope with a wax seal enclosing them. The other ponies joined her at the table.
“That should be just about everything you need right there. The deed and a copy of the receipt are in there along with a formal apology letter”, Rainbow Dash sounded like she wanted to avoid talking about the subject. She took a piece of cake from what was apparently the designated party table.
“It is ok Rainbow Dash; bygones are bygones. It was fortunate that we were able to find a house with furniture in it”, Flutter Shy said. She put a hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.
“Yeah, about that. I had asked the realtor about the furniture. According to them the family that lived here last had just up and left one night. The realtors tried to contact them about what they left in the house but they never answered”, Rainbow Dash said through a mouth full of cake.
The party continued on into the night. They played games and reminisced about times of old. They had finished the first cake fairly quickly but they had trouble getting half through the second one. The presents were simple and fit for house warming gifts. By the time the large bowl of punch had been emptied, the ponies were ready to call it a night. Flutter Shy thanked her friends for throwing the party for her as the party group emptied onto the street.
The room was a mess. Pinky Pie's parties always were difficult to clean up after. Flutter Shy, too tiered to pick up the room, decided to pick up the room in the morning. She placed what was left of the half eaten cake into the refrigerator. With one last look at the room, Flutter Shy turned off the light and went upstairs.
The single light in the second floor hallway left the corridor dimly lit. Flutter Shy looked from the doorway of the master bedroom to the end of the hall at the door on the fourth bedroom. The hall looked uncomfortably thin. There was a fetid oxidized copper smell in the air that emanated from the end of the hall. Flutter Shy choked on the smell. She covered her nose with one of her hooves and floated down the hall to the locked door.
The door seemed thicker then those on the other bedrooms. Flutter Shy slowly reached down with her free hoof to grab the door handle. Her breathing increased to quick deep gasps as she reached for the handle; her heightened hearing could hear the throbbing sound of her heart beat as it rushed from the adrenalin.
Her hoof reached the cold handle. Flutter Shy paused and gently placed her ear to the door. The surface of the door was much colder than the hall was. Condensation from her breath formed quick droplets on the surface of the polished door. She listened to the sound on the other side of the door.
Something was breathing slow deep breaths, waiting with anticipation.
Author's Note
I have always wanted to try my hand at writing a spook story, Let me know what you think. If you would like me to continue I will but if not then this is as far as the story goes.
