The Forgotten House of Greenwich Hill

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Heading back from college with my friend Jim, we take the usual road that acts as a shortcut. When within my house and emptying my bag of a few things, I noticed an invitation for a party taking place on that road. No-one had given it to us, and I hadn't noticed anyone around who could have put it there.

But a Halloween party is a party that's sure to be good. I talked to Jim about it, and he wants to go, so we'll both be heading there just after six for what is sure to be a great night.


Kevin wasn't much for elaborate costumes, but he had at least made the effort. With a face currently the whitest of whites, a black suit with white shirt and gloves, he called himself a newly-created zombie whose former profession was a butler, though Jim said he looked more like a modern vampire.

As for Jim, he had gone all out as usual. Being something of a maker of helmets, he had built one that looked like a pumpkin head, the face of which was upside down, as the rest of him was covered in green. On the cuffs of the trousers he wore were a variety of brown stripes of some thick material he had used to give the impression he had been rooted from the ground.

"So which house is it?" Jim asked.

"The one at the highest point of the hill," Kevin replied.

The road of Greenwich Hill wasn't that steep of a slope on its longest side, but the road was a long one, so the top of it was quite a few meters higher than its lowest point.

The two had reached the top of the road, where the tight curve turned to the left to join onto the main road.

"So what house are we going to?" Jim asked.

Kevin pulled the invitation from his pocket. "It's on the outside of the turn... Level with where you're currently standing... Why is there no number on this thing?"

"I'd say maybe it's a quest, where those worthy of joining the party are able to find its location, but if that were the case, it wouldn't have given a road to be going to."

"Well, we can't just stand around in the dark all night," Kevin said, sitting on the edge of a low wall that marked the driveway of a house. "Maybe we should... Has that house always been there?"

Jim took a step forward, looking bewildered. "What house?"

"The one to my right. The one whose wall I'm sat on."

Jim walked to stand in front of his friend. "These houses have always been... Okay... I don't remember this one. Are we sure we haven't seen it before and just forgot it, though? After all, why should we be remembering every house on a road?"

"But I'm sure there was nothi... Let's get in and join the party."

Jumping up from the wall, Kevin walked up to the door that was within a small alcove with Jim following behind.

Knocking on the door, it opened after a few seconds. No music could be heard inside the house. No chattering people or laughter.

"Are we early?" Kevin asked.

"No, no. Come in," said a voice from inside.

Kevin turned to Jim before stepping inside to quietly say, "This is obviously going to be a surprise or something, where everyone else will try to scare us. Try not to overdo the reaction."

Jim smiled at that, then followed Kevin inside.

Inside was cream-coloured walls with wood floor panelling, and the only light available to see all that being a single lamp in the far corner of the hallway sat upon a wooden stool.

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