A Promise

This is a horror story of a promise. A promise that was made by a wife to her soldier husband who went to war and never came back. A promise that she would never leave the house until she died. A promise that turned into an obsession and a curse.

She always sat on the reclining chair in the living room, facing the window that overlooked the street. She waited for him to return, day after day, year after year. She ignored the letters that informed her of his death, the calls from her relatives and friends, the knocks on the door from strangers and social workers. She refused to believe that he was gone. She clung to the hope that he would come back someday and fulfill his promise to her.

She stopped eating and drinking, but she did not feel hungry or thirsty. She stopped bathing and changing clothes, but she did not smell or rot. She stopped moving and talking, but she did not stiffen or decay. She became a living corpse, a ghost in her own house.

She did not realize that she had already died of old age, that her body had withered and dried up, that her skin had turned gray and wrinkled, that her hair had fallen out and her teeth had crumbled. She did not realize that her eyes had glazed over and her heart had stopped beating. She did not realize that she was no longer waiting for him, but haunting him.

She did not realize that he had come back, but not in the way she expected. He had come back as a spirit, a restless soul who wandered the earth in search of his wife. He had come back to the house, but he could not enter it. He could only watch from outside, as she sat on the reclining chair, staring blankly at the window. He could only call out to her, but she could not hear him. He could only cry for her, but she could not see him.

He tried to break the curse, to free her from her promise, to end her suffering. But he could not. He was powerless against the force that bound them together, the force that kept them apart. He was doomed to watch her forever, as she waited for him forever.

This is a horror story of a promise. A promise that was never broken, but never fulfilled.

***

"Please don't go," she said, holding his hand tightly.

"I have to go, my love," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Promise me you'll come back," she said, looking into his eyes.

"I promise you I'll come back," he said, smiling sadly.

"Promise me you'll never leave me," she said, clinging to him.

"I promise you I'll never leave you," he said, hugging her.

"Promise me you'll always love me," she said, sobbing.

"I promise you I'll always love you," he said, wiping her tears.

He put on his uniform and picked up his rifle. He walked out of the door and waved at her. She waved back and smiled through her tears. He got into the truck and drove away. She watched him until he disappeared from sight. She went back inside and sat on the reclining chair. She waited for him to return.

***

"Mrs. Jones?" a voice said from outside.

She did not answer.

"Mrs. Jones? It's me, Sarah, from the Red Cross. I have some news for you," the voice said again.

She did not answer.

"Mrs. Jones? Please open the door. I have a letter for you," the voice said louder.

She did not answer.

The voice went away after a while. She heard footsteps on the porch and a thud on the floor. She ignored it. She waited for him to return.

***

"Mom?" a voice said from outside.

She did not answer.

"Mom? It's me, David, your son. I came to see you," the voice said again.

She did not answer.

"Mom? Please open the door. I miss you so much," the voice said with emotion.

She did not answer.

The voice went away after a while. She heard sobbing and a car engine starting. She ignored it. She waited for him to return.

***

"Hello?" a voice said from outside.

She did not answer.

"Hello? Is anyone home? I'm from the social services," the voice said again.

She did not answer.

"Hello? I'm here to check on your welfare. Please open the door," the voice said firmly.

She did not answer.

The voice went away after a while. She heard knocking on other doors and talking with other people. She ignored it. She waited for him to return.