What Deadly Secrets Did Lola Discover In her Bedroom Closet?

WHAT DEADLY SECRETS DID LOLA DISCOVER IN HER BEDROOM

CLOSET?

The noise Lola heard coming from her bedroom closet interrupted her sleep three nights in a row. Because of her lack of sleep, she took a couple of days off from work so she could catch up. She worked in a fast-paced call-center environment for a major cable company, often working overtime. The money was good, but she didn’t always get the proper rest that she needed.

Bang, Bang, Bang, was the noise she would hear over and over, as if someone was hammering and trying to fix something in the apartment below. This noise was followed by a scratching sound, which sounded like an angry cat sharpening its claws for a scheduled brawl with another feline.

Memories of her cat Davies sprang to mind about how he used to dig in the space between the wooden floor panels in the back of her bedroom closet. Davies wasn’t responsible for the noise going on now, because he passed away several months earlier from a breakdown in his dental structure. Poor boy stopped eating and lost a lot of weight. When he was alive, he used to give her wooden closet floor a total workout.

Lola remembers yelling at him to stop, threatening to tap his nose with a newspaper.

“Meow!” Davies would say, and then scatter out of the closet and into the hallway.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with this crazy cat sometimes,” Lola had said.

That was then, but now Lola needed to figure out where the noises were coming from.

After Lola woke the next morning, she washed up and got dressed. She walked out of her apartment and down one flight of stairs to her neighbor’s apartment. She had moved into the building one year earlier, and hadn’t made any friends or acquaintances. She was a loner and a bit shy, so she was a little hesitant about this visit, but she felt she had no choice.

“Who is it?” a gruff voice bellowed through the door after Lola knocked.

“I am your neighbor from upstairs,” Lola said.

“What do you want?” he growled.

“Do you have a couple of minutes?”

“Alright,” he said as she heard him shuffle heavily to the door. Lola heard the sound

of two locks turning, and then the door swung open.

“Hello, I am Lola. I live in 20A, right above you.”

“My name is Luis,” the rotund, sixty-something-year-old-looking man said. He was

covered in a large silk robe with spiritual images of meditating beings, lights, and

candles.

Strange outfit, Lola thought.

“I’ve seen you around, but we never spoke.”

“Yeah,” Lola said shyly. “I like keeping to myself.”

“So, what brings you here?”

“I keep hearing strange noises coming from my bedroom closet at night. Have you

heard anything?”

“No,” he answered sharply, as if he were hiding something.

“It starts with loud banging sounds, and then I hear some scratching.”

“Maybe that pesky cat of yours came back to visit you!”

“How do you know my cat passed away?”

“Was he a boy?”

“Yes.”

“He was annoying. I used to hear him scratching and knocking things over

all the time. One day I stopped hearing him; I figured something happened.

Afterwards, when I used to see you in the elevator, you looked so sad.”

“From that, you concluded that he died?”

“Am I right?”

“Yes, you are.”

He peered around the hallway, then leaned in closer.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret. I am a bit psychic. I see things, hear things, and know

things,” he whispered.

“Interesting, but I didn’t realize my cat was such an annoyance.”

“I kind of miss him. I live here alone. His annoyances kept me company

sometimes.”

“That’s comforting to hear.”

“Since I can’t help you, let me offer this. Sometimes noises travel in this huge complex that we live in. You think it’s coming from the apartment below when it can be coming from the apartments surrounding you or above.”

“Well, thanks for your time.”

“You’re welcome. And if you ever need my help again, you know where to find me.”

He said before closing the door.

Luis may be right. In that case, I can’t go around asking all of my neighbors about

hearing this noise. I am going to report this to management.

Lola went back upstairs and into her apartment. She walked into her bedroom to get her cell phone so she could call the management office. When she looked on top of her dresser for the phone, it wasn’t there. She walked into the kitchen and looked on top of the table and then into the living room, and on top of the bookshelf. She searched down in her pocketbook, which sat on the couch. No phone!

Lola decided to go downstairs to the management office in person. She would find the cell phone later. The management office staff member said they would send a public safety officer to her apartment when she heard the noise again, no matter what time of night. Lola felt some comfort in their support, so she went back upstairs to her apartment. She sauntered into her bedroom, and her eyes widened.

“I can’t believe this,” she said as she spotted her cell phone sitting on top of her dresser.

This is crazy. I looked all over this apartment. How in the hell did this cell phone get here? She pushed her hair back and let out a deep breath. She didn’t want to become more nervous than she already was. Maybe I overlooked the phone in my desperate need to find it.

She scrolled through the phone, making sure everything was alright. There was one text. She dropped the phone on the bed and covered her mouth. The text read,

“Help me!”

But there was no number attached to it.

I don’t know what’s going on, but this is getting weird. She needed someone to talk

to about what’s been happening.

“Don’t worry, honey. Maybe you are just working too hard,” her mother said.

“But, Mom, don’t you find it kind of strange?” Lola said, speaking into the cell phone.

“You’ve always been the nervous type; afraid of everything.”

“Thanks a lot, Mom. I should have known better than to come to you for support.”

“You know I love and support you, but just get yourself some rest. When we are

really tired, sometimes our minds play tricks on us.”

“Goodbye, Mom.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow to check up on you.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Maybe Mom is right. I do work hard, and my job can be quite hectic, but I still don’t

feel good about any of this.

Lola snuggled into bed that night, after taking a warm bath. She slipped on a pair of

pajamas and kept her robe on the side of the bed in case she had to get up and let

the public safety officer in. She prayed she wouldn’t hear any noise tonight. She

closed her eyes, and then dozed off.

Bang, Bang, Bang.

It was 2:00 a.m. in the morning. The sun hadn’t risen yet.

Lola’s eyes popped open. She clutched her chest. Here we go again. She had to wait

to hear the noises for a few minutes before she made the phone call. The public

safety officer needed to hear the noises for themselves before something could be

done about it.

Bang, Bang, Bang.

The noise got louder and louder as each minute passed. Lola jolted out of bed,

picked up her cell phone, and dialed the public safety phone number. The noise was

almost deafening at this point.

But through all that noise, she thought she heard someone call out for help!

“Please,” she said as she spoke rapidly into the phone. “The noise is getting louder.”

“I will send someone as soon as possible,” the operator said.

“Hurry up,” Lola said, disconnecting the call.

Lola had to get out of that room; she threw on her robe and fled to the kitchen.

She turned on the light and sat at the table, trembling.

“Please, help me,” she heard a tiny voice call from her bedroom. Then she heard

what sounded like small feet shuffling towards the kitchen area.

She jumped up from the chair and bolted toward the kitchen drawer and pulled out

a sharp knife.

“Go away!” she screamed. The sound of the shuffling feet stopped. She

sighed in relief, but still held the knife tightly in her hand. I wish they would hurry

up! she said to herself as she felt a small drop of pee pushing itself out.

Knock, Knock, Knock. Her heart pounded along with each sound of the knocks.

“Finally,” she said, letting go of her breath. “I am coming.” She placed the knife

back into the drawer, then she sprinted towards the living room to get to the front

door.

“Public safety,” the voice on the other side of the door said.

“Thank God, you are here.” Lola opened the door. Her eyes widened. Her entire body shook as she backed away. Am I losing my mind?

There was no one standing on the other side of the door. She closed the door, bent down to her knees, and bellowed.

“Why is this happening to me?”

“Lola, please help me,” she heard the voice say. She was scared shitless, but

decided to turn around to see who was speaking.

What she saw standing before her was a young boy about seven years old. He was barefoot, wearing a pair of brown shorts and a white dress shirt, which was open. He had medium olive skin and large, sad brown eyes. He was very thin, almost looked emaciated.

Although afraid, seeing such a small, helpless-looking child lessened her defenses.

“Please, help me, Lola,” the child said.

“Who are you?”

“I am scared, Lola,” he whispered in his tiny voice.

So am I.

“How can I help you?” she asked.

“I need you to save me,” he said as he glided closer.

“Stay right where you are!”

“I won’t hurt you,” he said as he kept moving towards her. Lola realized that she

couldn’t stop him from approaching her, so she moved further away. It didn’t

do any good because he kept following her.

She paced around the living room, trying to escape. He stayed on top of her until he backed her against a corner, and she had nowhere to go. She kicked at him with her left foot, trying to unbalance him. He grabbed her foot, and she tumbled to the floor.

He jumped on top of her, grabbing her hair, biting her face and neck. She fought back, swinging at him. Then she tried desperately to pull his little body off of her. Suddenly, she realized she was no longer fighting the little boy; he had turned into a creature with fangs hanging out of his mouth.

He was the same size as the child, but a large hump protruded from his back. Dirty brown hair covered his body. His eyes were slanted, and his pupils were colored bright red. She felt woozy as if she was going to pass out, but she knew if she did, he would kill her. If I could get to the kitchen and grab the knife, I’d have a fighting chance against this thing!

With all of her might, she managed to grab the thing and hurled it against her 52’ inch television.

“Aaargh!” the thing yelled, as pieces of glass from the television shattered all over the floor and on top of him. Lola ran to the kitchen and opened the drawer. She pulled out the knife. She could hear him storming towards the kitchen. He now stood at the entrance, jumping up and down as blood covered his body, and his nostrils flared.

“Bitch!” he yelled in a voice that sounded like it came straight from hell.

Lola held the knife in her hand, ready for battle. He lunged towards her. She swung the knife. It landed in his chest. He fell to the ground screaming. Lola leaped over his wounded body and bolted to the front door. She hurriedly opened it.

She ran out. Then she hobbled down one flight to Luis’s apartment.

“Open up,” she yelled, banging on the door.

“Who is it?” Luis asked.

“It’s me, Lola!”

Luis opened the door, and Lola fell onto his apartment floor.

“What in the world has happened to you?” Luis asked as he examined her bruised body.

“Something tried to kill me!”

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” He helped her off the floor and into the bathroom.

After cleaning her up, he brought her back into the kitchen, put on some water to

boil for a hot cup of tea.

“My dear,” Luis said. “I am so sorry this has happened to you. Have a seat.” Lola

sat down in a cushioned kitchen chair.

“I just don’t understand any of this. Do you?” she asked as she looked down at her bruised hands.

Luis didn’t answer her, but a few minutes later, he turned away and removed the boiling water from the fire.

He reached above his head and looked up into the kitchen cabinets.

“What type of tea do you drink?” he asked.

“I’ll take anything you've got at this point.”

“Chamomile tea works well for the nerves,” Luis said.

“If I have any nerves left.”

Lola’s hands shook as he handed the cup of tea to her.

“Luis, this is crazy! Can you tell me who used to live in my apartment before I moved in?”

“I will answer all of your questions, but I need to ask you something first.”

“What is it?” She sipped some tea.

“How much did you pay to move in?”

“Why are you asking me such a question now?” She asked angrily.

“How much?”

“$7,000.”

“I paid $20,000, and I believe most residents living here have paid as much as I did or more.”

“Why was my unit so cheap?”

“Because of what took place in your apartment before you moved in.”

“Is it haunted?” Her legs started shaking underneath the table.

“I would say it is.”

“What happened, Luis?”

“What did you see in the apartment?” He asked, staring at her.

“I saw a little boy, but then he turned into that thing!” She cried.

“My heart bleeds for that little boy.”

“Who is he? And why did he ask me to help him?”

“His name was Miguel Morales. He used to live in your apartment with his

grandfather, Herman Morales.

Herman was a cruel and abusive man. Neighbors believed that he would lock the little boy in the closet and not feed him for days at a time. There were also beatings. The old man ended up killing Miguel, and then himself.”

“That breaks my heart,” she said, placing her hand over her chest.

“It was tragic.”

“Why didn’t anyone call child protective services?”

“Some neighbors did, but every time they came out, one of the grandfather’s friends

in the building would warn him.

He must have put on a show for the social workers. The little boy must have been too afraid to speak the truth, because nothing was ever done.”

“Where were the boy’s parents?”

“They were hanging in the streets. They never had time for him. The grandfather

was given custody.”

“That’s sad, but what am I going to do?”

“If you want to continue living here, I can help you.”

“Did other people live in the apartment after Miguel and his grandfather, and before me?”

“Yes, and they abandoned the apartment without telling anybody.”

“I will accept your help. I can’t really afford to live anywhere else right now.”

“Herman Morales has an evil spirit. It sounds to me like he wants to possess Miguel’s

spirit and take it to hell with him. But Miguel is putting up a fight. That’s why you are hearing the noises, and he asked you for help. I am going to help you by using some scriptures from the Bible and light some candles. I am also going to use some holy water I keep in my bedroom.”

“You are really prepared, aren’t you?”

“Always! I’ll take care of everything. The only thing you have to do is be willing to go

back into the apartment with me.”

Lola contacted the management office and told them the noise no longer existed.

When she and Luis went back into the apartment, they saw the creature on the

kitchen floor, bleeding. The knife was no longer in his chest, but lying by his side. He

was moaning and groaning.

“Our mission is to separate the grandfather’s evil spirit from the boy’s,” Luis said.

Luis sprinkled the holy water on the demon, and then started reciting scriptures from the Bible. The demon screamed while clutching his belly. He twisted around in the blood on the floor. He kept twisting back and forth as the Biblical words and the holy water worked their magic. This ritual went on for several minutes until the demon let out one howling scream. Slowly, his body transformed back into the little boy’s.

“It’s Miguel,” Luis said. Miguel got up from the floor and walked over to Lola. She

jumped back.

“It’s alright,” Luis said. “He’s harmless.”

Her eyes twitched.

“Don’t be afraid, Lola,” Miguel said with tears in his eyes. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Lola asked.

“For making me free!” He threw both his tiny arms up in the air.

With that, Miguel skipped happily to the back of the room and disappeared, never to be seen again. After Lola and Luis cleaned up her apartment, she thanked him before he headed back downstairs.

Later that night, after Lola took a shower, she lay in bed for a while before closing her eyes and having the best sleep of her life!