Audrey had driven by the building countless times and was always drawn to its beauty. Today she could resist the urge no longer. After parking her car across the street from the house, she made her way up the walkway to the front door. She knocked and was greeted warmly by a man with a charming smile and a slight frosting of grey hair at his temples.
She introduced herself and explained to the man how often she thought of this place. There was no plausible explanation for her longing to see the inside and she was hopeful that he would forgive her intrusion. His voice was almost ethereal as he welcomed her into his home.
The inside was just as lovely as Audrey had imagined. Hard-wood floors spanned each room and the decor was pristine. The fire was roaring in the fireplace which lent a diffused scent of acrid smoke to the air. There was another odor lingering underneath but she couldn’t readily identify its essence.
The entire house was breathtaking. Each room was decorated beautifully, boasting warm colors and tones, but even amongst those warms colors Audrey could not ignore the slight chill she felt. Following him up the winding stairway, they made their way to the top floor of the house. She was shown the door to what she anticipated to be the most quaint room in the house – the Widow’s Watch. He was behind her now and slowly pushed the door open so she could enter. The movement of the door seemed to trigger the motion light and she stared blankly at the black cavern in front of her.
His voice startled her back to reality. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
His hand found the small of her back and he shoved Audrey into the chamber. The door closed and she heard the lock engage. The other smell that had plagued her was now overwhelming enough for her to identify. It was decomposition. Audrey screamed.
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328 words written for the Trifecta Challenge to use the word “quaint” and, as always, the third definition of the word.
QUAINT (adjective)
1: obsolete: EXPERT, SKILLED
2a: marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India
ink — Herman Melville>
b: marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance : ODD
b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint
phrase>
Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn’t meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
polysyllabic profundities 
Yes! Great horror tale. I think we all have houses that fascinate us, but going in seems like it’d be a bad decision!
Thank you. I used to drive by a house I would have loved to have seen but I never went to the door. Probably a good thing!
Holy Moly! This is good! Yeah, I’ve got one of those houses too, now I’m definitely not knowing on the door.
Haha….thanks very much!
You set this up beautifully with this line: His voice was almost ethereal as he welcomed her into his home. Great, great write.
Thanks very much!
Scary Stephen King-ish tale. Ewww…decomposition! Note to self: No matter how beautiful of a house it is, never ask for a tour 😉
Thank you. I have a feeling not a lot of people will be coming to my house after this post!!
Well, you could always Febreeze 🙂
I concur! ha!
🙂
Awesomely chilling! 😉
Thank you very much. 🙂
Next time, I don’t think I’ll read this while the house is creaking in the wind.
Well done!
Thanks….mine house was cracking with the cold last night. I freaked myself out a little!
Dang, that was creepy! Curiosity kills more than cats, it seems…
Haha….thank you.
Hey, that room wasn’t quaint at all!
A great story, Susan! Are you considering taking the story from there, or is Audrey doomed?
It certainly wasn’t. Interesting you should ask that….I thought I may continue the story. Poor Audrey is a fighter, she can’t be doomed after 5 paragraphs!!
Good foreshadowing, enjoyed it.
Thank you.
Seems she was quite a bit too trusting. I love the descriptions of the house. I think I’ve seen that house in person (just from the outside). You built up to the ending very well. Love the foreshadowing you provided.
Thanks very much.
Oh, and don’t knock on the door….just saying. 🙂
ahhhh! I screamed too. So hitchcockian.
I like the gorgeous description and the way you sucked me in with methodical precision. Great word choices.
Thank you. I really appreciate that.
Yikes!Poor innocent soul-lured by the outer beauty!Loved this:-)
Thanks very much.
🙂
Great dark piece – I love how the dark twist came so suddenly and so well, catching us along with the poor victim.
Thank you very much.
This was chilling. So well written. Enjoyed it immensely. Would love to read a continuation.
Thank you….I think I will try to continue the story in the next few challenges.
Nice little twist.
Thanks Draug. 🙂
Ooh, awesomely creepy! Love this. 🙂
Thanks Suzanne. Much appreciated. 🙂
A wonderful build up to the chilling end.
Thanks!
A wonderfully crafted, creepy story. Loved the ending.
Creepy. And disappointing too, to have that lovely place turn on you like that.
She may still find her way out of there. I haven’t decided yet. 🙂