Read Online Fourteen Days by Steven Jenkins - Free Book Online
Authors: Steven Jenkins
Tags: Fiction, Haunting, Horror, dark fantasy, Novel, ghost story, steven jenkins, barking rain press
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Could it just be a bizarre coincidence?
Frowning, he glanced over at his wife again. She was still fast asleep. He shook his head in disbelief. I’ll ask her tomorrow. See what she says. It can’t be a coincidence. Impossible. But what’s the alternative? An actual ghost? In my house?
He groaned. More stress.
This is the last thing I need .
Chapter 6
Day 6: Sunday
R ichard awoke to the sound of hard rain hitting the bedroom window. He hadn’t been able to drop off until about 5:30 a.m. The idea that his house might be haunted kept his mind busy throughout the night. Was everything that Karen had told him right? Was there a dead woman in his kitchen? Did she want something from him?
And if so, what?
What could Richard Gardener have that she needed? He wasn’t an expert when it came to the supernatural. He knew a little, but the majority of his knowledge came from movies and Stephen King novels.
Not real life.
Not his life.
He slipped both hands behind his head. I’ll ask Nic about her dream when she wakes . He sighed. What’s the point? She’ll never believe me. And even if she does, she’ll come up with some logical explanation—that I won’t agree with—and then we ’ll start arguing again. No, it’s not worth it. Best keep my mouth shut.
Turning onto his side, he watched as Nicky began to stir. Maybe I’ll save it for another day. I think today I need to give this house a wide berth and try to enjoy my Sunday.
Nicky half-opened her eyes and smiled. “What d’ya think you’re looking at?” she whispered.
“Why don’t we do something nice today?” he asked.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know—just out.”
Sitting up in bed, she glanced across at the window and noticed the rain outside. “But it’s pouring out.”
“So what? We don’t have to have a picnic. We can just go for a drink. Or a meal. Or even to the cinema. What do you think?”
Rubbing her eyes, she yawned. “Why don’t we just get some take-out and watch a DVD? We’ve got loads of films from Christmas we haven’t seen yet.”
“Because I’ve spent the last week eating crap and watching DVDs. I’m sick of it. And you’re the one always saying we should go out more often.”
“Fine. Point taken. Let’s go for Sunday lunch somewhere, and then go to the cinema. But no horror films. All right?”
Beaming, he kissed her on the cheek, “All right, no horror films. Something we both like.” He then rolled out of bed. “Maybe we could even go out for breakfast too, and then hit the shops. We haven’t done that in ages.”
Frowning, she climbed out of bed. “What’s with you? Why are you keen to leave so early?”
He slipped on his jeans. “Like I said, I’ve been bored when you’ve been at work all day, and yesterday you had to visit your sister. So I think we should spend the whole day away from this house for a change.”
“All right, if that’s what you want. I’ll take a quick shower and then we’ll go to The Coffee-Pot for breakfast.”
“Sounds good.” Relief circulated through Richard’s entire body.
Finally, a break from the house.
They were sitting in the Forester Arms, eating their roast-beef dinners. As usual, Richard had almost finished his in record time, whereas Nicky seemed to have barely touched hers.
Sipping his lager, he asked, “How is it? Nice?”
“Good, I’m just a bit full. Had too much breakfast this morning. Can’t eat as much as you.”
He smiled, and then stole a roast potato from her plate using his fork.
“Take more if you want,” she offered. “I’m not going to finish it.”
Unable to answer due to a mouthful of Yorkshire pudding, he nodded instead. After he had devoured both plates, he sat back, bloated, and rubbed his stomach. “I’m stuffed. Feel like I’ve eaten a whole cow.”
“I think you have,” she replied, shaking her head in astonishment. “Fancy a dessert? Some cheesecake or something? Maybe some chocolate fudge cake?”
Exhaling
Frowning, he glanced over at his wife again. She was still fast asleep. He shook his head in disbelief. I’ll ask her tomorrow. See what she says. It can’t be a coincidence. Impossible. But what’s the alternative? An actual ghost? In my house?
He groaned. More stress.
This is the last thing I need .
Chapter 6
Day 6: Sunday
R ichard awoke to the sound of hard rain hitting the bedroom window. He hadn’t been able to drop off until about 5:30 a.m. The idea that his house might be haunted kept his mind busy throughout the night. Was everything that Karen had told him right? Was there a dead woman in his kitchen? Did she want something from him?
And if so, what?
What could Richard Gardener have that she needed? He wasn’t an expert when it came to the supernatural. He knew a little, but the majority of his knowledge came from movies and Stephen King novels.
Not real life.
Not his life.
He slipped both hands behind his head. I’ll ask Nic about her dream when she wakes . He sighed. What’s the point? She’ll never believe me. And even if she does, she’ll come up with some logical explanation—that I won’t agree with—and then we ’ll start arguing again. No, it’s not worth it. Best keep my mouth shut.
Turning onto his side, he watched as Nicky began to stir. Maybe I’ll save it for another day. I think today I need to give this house a wide berth and try to enjoy my Sunday.
Nicky half-opened her eyes and smiled. “What d’ya think you’re looking at?” she whispered.
“Why don’t we do something nice today?” he asked.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know—just out.”
Sitting up in bed, she glanced across at the window and noticed the rain outside. “But it’s pouring out.”
“So what? We don’t have to have a picnic. We can just go for a drink. Or a meal. Or even to the cinema. What do you think?”
Rubbing her eyes, she yawned. “Why don’t we just get some take-out and watch a DVD? We’ve got loads of films from Christmas we haven’t seen yet.”
“Because I’ve spent the last week eating crap and watching DVDs. I’m sick of it. And you’re the one always saying we should go out more often.”
“Fine. Point taken. Let’s go for Sunday lunch somewhere, and then go to the cinema. But no horror films. All right?”
Beaming, he kissed her on the cheek, “All right, no horror films. Something we both like.” He then rolled out of bed. “Maybe we could even go out for breakfast too, and then hit the shops. We haven’t done that in ages.”
Frowning, she climbed out of bed. “What’s with you? Why are you keen to leave so early?”
He slipped on his jeans. “Like I said, I’ve been bored when you’ve been at work all day, and yesterday you had to visit your sister. So I think we should spend the whole day away from this house for a change.”
“All right, if that’s what you want. I’ll take a quick shower and then we’ll go to The Coffee-Pot for breakfast.”
“Sounds good.” Relief circulated through Richard’s entire body.
Finally, a break from the house.
They were sitting in the Forester Arms, eating their roast-beef dinners. As usual, Richard had almost finished his in record time, whereas Nicky seemed to have barely touched hers.
Sipping his lager, he asked, “How is it? Nice?”
“Good, I’m just a bit full. Had too much breakfast this morning. Can’t eat as much as you.”
He smiled, and then stole a roast potato from her plate using his fork.
“Take more if you want,” she offered. “I’m not going to finish it.”
Unable to answer due to a mouthful of Yorkshire pudding, he nodded instead. After he had devoured both plates, he sat back, bloated, and rubbed his stomach. “I’m stuffed. Feel like I’ve eaten a whole cow.”
“I think you have,” she replied, shaking her head in astonishment. “Fancy a dessert? Some cheesecake or something? Maybe some chocolate fudge cake?”
Exhaling
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