DUMBWAITER
Oh great, it’s one of those old-fashioned dumbwaiters that are in all the horror movies. After a brief inner struggle, you decide to open the dumbwaiter. Inside, you find a shaft leading up. A piece of luggage has been stuck inside.
You warily stick your head in the dumbwaiter shaft and look up. You can see the bottom-side of the dumbwaiter cart further up, but can’t reach it. You carefully remove your head.
You attempt to lower the cart, but the dumbwaiter won’t function. It seems to be missing some pieces…
While awkwardly maneuvering the luggage around in your arms, you notice a fine mist begin to pour out from within the dumbwaiter. The mist collects on the floorboards below, then starts to form upwards into the shape of a worn-looking man in a hat.
“Funny how you can’t leave some things behind, ain’t it? Not even in death.”
“Tired looking man, tired looking luggage, you’re the lodger!”
“And you must be stark mad mingling with the likes of this place, after what happened and all.”
“How about helping me help you, eh Emmett?”
“Can’t say I have anything better to do at the present. Whad’ya need?”
“Fairly much everything. I had been out during much of the day running a few errands for myself. When I got back to the McDermott’s place, Vera came and got me from my room. She needed help moving some furniture or some such truck. I obliged. A nasty storm was brewing, I could smell it before we left. Well, we didn’t make it far down the road before Vera’s car knackered out on us just as it started to pour rain. Lo and behold this salesman fellow pulls up right along, impeccable timing really, and gives us a lift back. Once inside we all try to warm up a bit, and I head to my room. Remember when I said I remembered fairly much everything? Well whatever happened next is the part I can’t recollect. Next thing I knew I was here, floating about, as curious as everyone else as to what had transpired.”
“It’s been several decades, at least. Oh, you mean before I died? It was just about a year, longest I’d ever stayed in a stranger’s house, actually. I’d lodged in a couple of cities before, but this was Mr. McDermott’s first time offering up a spare room to a stranger. We spoke briefly beforehand and got along right well. They were understandably apprehensive at first but as the months went on everyone loosened up and it really started to feel like a home. I get along real well with the young ones, and I think that helped a bunch.”
“Sure, I get it. A gentleman like myself moving from house to house wherever strangers will have me. I must be running from the law or something, right? Wrong. I’m not hiding nor running from anything neither. I’m a bit down on my luck at the moment but things will get bett— Well, I guess they won’t get better, will they?”
You warily stick your head in the dumbwaiter shaft and look up. You can see the bottom-side of the dumbwaiter cart further up, but can’t reach it. You carefully remove your head.
You attempt to lower the cart, but the dumbwaiter won’t function. It seems to be missing some pieces…
While awkwardly maneuvering the luggage around in your arms, you notice a fine mist begin to pour out from within the dumbwaiter. The mist collects on the floorboards below, then starts to form upwards into the shape of a worn-looking man in a hat.
“Funny how you can’t leave some things behind, ain’t it? Not even in death.”
“Tired looking man, tired looking luggage, you’re the lodger!”
“And you must be stark mad mingling with the likes of this place, after what happened and all.”
“How about helping me help you, eh Emmett?”
“Can’t say I have anything better to do at the present. Whad’ya need?”
“Tired looking man, tired looking luggage, you’re the lodger!”
“And you must be stark mad mingling with the likes of this place, after what happened and all.”
“How about helping me help you, eh Emmett?”
“Can’t say I have anything better to do at the present. Whad’ya need?”
“Fairly much everything. I had been out during much of the day running a few errands for myself. When I got back to the McDermott’s place, Vera came and got me from my room. She needed help moving some furniture or some such truck. I obliged. A nasty storm was brewing, I could smell it before we left. Well, we didn’t make it far down the road before Vera’s car knackered out on us just as it started to pour rain. Lo and behold this salesman fellow pulls up right along, impeccable timing really, and gives us a lift back. Once inside we all try to warm up a bit, and I head to my room. Remember when I said I remembered fairly much everything? Well whatever happened next is the part I can’t recollect. Next thing I knew I was here, floating about, as curious as everyone else as to what had transpired.”
“It’s been several decades, at least. Oh, you mean before I died? It was just about a year, longest I’d ever stayed in a stranger’s house, actually. I’d lodged in a couple of cities before, but this was Mr. McDermott’s first time offering up a spare room to a stranger. We spoke briefly beforehand and got along right well. They were understandably apprehensive at first but as the months went on everyone loosened up and it really started to feel like a home. I get along real well with the young ones, and I think that helped a bunch.”
“Sure, I get it. A gentleman like myself moving from house to house wherever strangers will have me. I must be running from the law or something, right? Wrong. I’m not hiding nor running from anything neither. I’m a bit down on my luck at the moment but things will get bett— Well, I guess they won’t get better, will they?”