The Haunting of the Lobster

Trees fly past the window as Lil picks up speed, the sooner they get there the sooner it will all be over.  Looking back she checks on Justine and Jules.  Jules is fast asleep, not surprisingly, it was only 6am and he had spent most of the night jumping up and down on his bed, demanding to know when they were leaving.  Justine is glued to her mobile and won’t even look at her, still angry at missing her friend’s sleepover.  Well, you don’t always get everything you want, a good life lesson to learn.  Lil presses harder on the gas and takes the car up to 90, only 3 more hours and they would be there, time to practice smiling, convincingly.

Lil hums along to the radio and lets her mind wander over to the last visit with her mother-in-law.  What a disaster that had been.  The woman was clearly crazy and since Jon had died she had got even worse.  Maude had never been a people person,  but now she was downright nasty to anyone that wasn’t her grandchildren including Lil.  But if she wasn’t nice this visit it would be her last, Lil was determined of that and she would tell dear old Maude that as soon as they arrived.

“Mum, mum, mum, are we there yet?  Do you think Grandma will have presents for us?”

Lil checks the rear view mirror, Jules is wide awake now and squirming in his seat.  Bit too much to ask that a four year sleep through the whole four hour journey.

“Not long now sweetie.  Justine why don’t you play a game with your brother, I-spy or something”

“God, do I have to.  It’s not like I even wanted to go in the first place.  This sucks”

“Play the game with your brother.  The weekend will be over before you know it.”

Lil turns the Land Rover off the main road and into the old country lane, thanking God she has 4 wheel drive.  The Land Rover rides smoothly over the bumps and without throwing them all over the place.  Her hands grip the wheel tightly and she concentrates on avoiding the pot holes.  Justine is still playing I-spy with her brother and Lil looks out the window.  There was no question, the view was beautiful.  The sea spread out to her right with rocky beaches hugging the road.  The waves are choppy and Lil thinks they may be in for a storm.  She could understand why Maude had moved so out of the way.  The middle of nowhere was extremely peaceful.
It was now eight o’clock and the next hour flew by, Lil didn’t pass any other cars and she felt like she was driving to the end of the world.  As soon as she hit the steep hill it was the home stretch and her spirits picked up, only 10 more minutes to go.  Thankfully the kids were quiet now, I-spy had begun to grate on her nerves.  Jules was staring out the window into the fields happily counting the cows and Justine was singing along to her i-pod.




Lil watches as Maude rushes out the front door, scooping up Jules and giving him a big wet kiss, she then turns on Justine who deftly ducks out the way and manages to get away with a quick hug.

“Hello, Lillian.  Have you put on weight?”

Here we go, always with the remarks.  Lil plasters on her best smile and turns back to the car, grabbing their suitcases from the boot.

“I’ll take them inside and get them something to snack on.  You can leave the suitcases in the spare room”

“No probs, Maude.  It’s good to see you too.”

Lil sticks her tongue out at Maude’s back and despite feeling a little childish her ego gets a quick boost.  She could do this, it may be the longest weekend of her life, but it was only two days.

Retreating to the kitchen Lil makes herself a strong coffee.  She can hear Maude in the living room, telling the kids a childhood story about Jon, the fishing one.  Lil smiles to herself, no matter what she thought of Maude she was good with the kids, and it was good for them to hear stories about their father.  Jules could hardly remember him even though it had only been a year since the accident.  Lil’s head snaps up as a loud banging on the front door rocks the house.

“You horrid old cow, open this damn front door!”

The banging continues and Maude rushes to the front door, pulling it open Sandra almost falls at her feet.  Lil grabs the kids and ushers them back in to the living room, closing the door behind her.  She switches on the TV and turns the volume up to drown out the sound of Maude arguing with her nearest next door neighbour.  Clearly one mile away was not far enough.





“What was all that about?”

Maude turns away from Lil and puts the kettle on.

“Cup of tea?”

“Sure.  You gonna tell me?  That woman scared the hell out of Justine and Jules.”

“It was a stupid misunderstanding, that’s all.  The stupid old cow thinks I killed her cat for pooping in my garden.  Found the thing dead on her front door step.”

“And did you?”

“Of course not!  Here, drink your tea.  I’ll start dinner.”

Lil leaves Maude to it and goes to check on the kids, helping them choose a board game from Maude’s ancient collection and they sat down to play Monopoly, the entire afternoon episode is forgotten as they try to cheat each other out of fake money.  Even Maude joins in happily and surprisingly doesn’t make any sarcastic remarks.  Maybe the weekend won’t be so bad.

Lil tucks Jules in and kisses him goodnight, the poor thing is shattered, already his eyes are closing. Pulling the door to, Lil leaves a sliver of hallway light to filter in to the room.  Justine shouts night and her door slams, she is a little beyond, which was her word, the kiss goodnight.

Back in the living room Maude is sipping her nightly brandy, eyes glued to the TV screen.

“Did you want a drink?  You know where it is if you do.”

“I’m fine, thanks.  Think I’ll go to bed too, I’m shattered.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Night, Maude.”

Lil makes her way to the back room relieved to get some peace and quiet at last.  Halfway there, she thinks to herself, switching off the light and climbing in to bed.  No sooner has her head hit the pillow she is asleep.

She was on her knees, rain hammering on her back.  The boat rocked from side to side as the wind picked up.  Her hands came together and she started praying, rain dripped into her eyes from the brim of her hat.  The rain was getting heavier and she could feel it starting to soak through her jacket.  She prayed harder, the wind howled.  Waves crashed over the side of the boat.  Forgive me, she heard herself whisper over and over again.  A huge wave struck the boat, lobsters rained down on her, hundreds of them.  They hit her in the face, slammed in to her back the force knocking her to the floor.  Then another wave, bigger than the first hit the boat and sent it rolling over, she felt herself pulled under, the current too strong as she was pulled down.  Her lungs filled with water and as she tried to breath they filled up more, a brief burning sensation and just when she was about to scream, blackness.



Lil woke to the whistling of the old fashioned kettle boiling and she could hear Jules talking to Maude, describing his fisherman nightmare, crying over the man drowning.  Chills sweep down her body and she grabs Maude’s old housecoat.  Jules’ dream gives her the creeps and she doesn’t know why.  Glancing at the clock she realises she has slept the whole morning away.

“Morning honey,”

Lil kisses the top of Jules head and turns to Justine who is listening to her ipod, Justine graces her with a nod of her head before she goes back to her magazine.

“Mum, lookee at what Mrs Joyce gave Nanna.  Isn’t it cool, but I don’t think I would eat it, he’s way too cute.”

Lil looks at the lobster, he is a monster.  Again that chill runs down her spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.  It is one helluva  ugly looking thing.

“It’s a present from Sandra, an apology for accusing me of hurting her cat.”

“That was a quick change of heart, I thought the two of you had never gotten along?”

“Well she came by early this morning and wanted to make a peace offering, guess the dimwit came to her senses.  As if I would hurt her mangy old cat, crazy woman.”

Maude makes coffee and sandwiches and they all go in to the living room to watch Finding Nemo, Jules’ favourite film of the moment.  Maude seems to like it too, wonders never cease.

Lil relaxes and watches everyone enjoy the film, she has seen this a hundred times. The afternoon passes and she can hear the wind picking up and howling against the glass.  The  rain starts and she hopes the worst of it will hold off for the drive home.

“Can we watch it again, Nana? I love Nemo!”

“Jules, why don’t you pick something else to watch?  Or we could play a game? What do you want to do Justine?”

“I don’t care, but I don’t wanna watch that crappy film again.”

“It’s not crappy, it’s not crappy!”

Lil closes her eyes and feels the beginning of a headache.  Here we go again.  Trying to divert Jules attention she grabs the ancient copy of Game of Life and starts to set up.  Even Maude helps her get everything ready and as the thunder starts they all settle in for a few family games with the inevitable arguing and cheating.  Even Justine seems to be enjoying herself, not that she would ever admit it. 


After Justine’s third victory they all call it quits.  Jules is on the verge of tears so Lil sends them upstairs to pack.  The wind and rain seem to have died down and it is starting to get dark, definitely time to go.

“Well, it’s been fun, Maude.”

“Not as bad as you thought eh?  Put the kettle on we’ll have a quick cup of coffee before you go.”
 
Lil obeys, she can feel Maude’s eyes on her back.  She makes them coffee, Maude likes it black.

“Lil, I do appreciate you bringing them, they’re all I have left of John.  I wanted you to know that.”

Lil wonders if Maude is psychic, this is the first time Maude seems grateful at all.  Lil is glad she never threatened to not bring them.

“I know, you’re good with them too.  I know we don’t see eye to eye, but they are your family.”

“Well I guess you’ll need to be off soon, before you go I have something for you, I’ll just get it. Start boiling the water for the lobster, and pop it in for me would you.  I’m starving”

“You’re going to eat that thing?”

“Why not, that’s what they’re for.”

Lil listens to Maude labour up the stairs, she can hear Jules and Justine arguing about something until Maude breaks it up and all goes silent.  She puts the pan of water on and sipps her coffee.  Jules screams and Lil figures Maude has just given him a present.  She does spoil them.  Justine’s present must not have been so great as Lil doesn’t hear a sound from her.  Lil watches the water boil and waits for Maude to come back down, she has to admit the curiosity is killing her, Maude has never gotten her gift before, apart from the obligatory birthdays and Christmas.

“The waters boiling, chuck that lobster in.  It’s not upstairs, must have left it in the back room.  I’ll just get it for you.”

Grabbing a pair of tongs Lil gently picks the lobster up and out of the fridge, she was not going to touch the damn thing.  Least it wasn’t alive, Lil wasn’t sure she could bear that.  Hearing a couple of pairs of feet bound down the stairs, Jules and Justine burst in to the kitchen.

“Look what Nanna got me!”

Jules is holding up a huge Finding Nemo colouring book, a big grin on his face.  Justine is behind him holding a new doll, a not so big a grin on her face.  Bless Maude, kind of, she did try.  Teenagers were hard to buy for.

“You all packed?  Good.  Grab your bags and bring them down, we’re get them in the car and then we’ll be off home.”

Obediently they obey and head back up the stairs.  Lil dumps the lobster in the pan of boiling water.

Screaming starts, Lil stands still, frozen on the spot, not quite sure where it is coming from.  Chills run down her spine and the screams turn into a blood curdling howling, like an animal in pain.  Unfreezing Lil realises it’s coming from inside the house, she run’s out of the kitchen and follows the now quiet whimpering to the back room.  She can hear Jules and Justine running up behind her.  The low moaning stops altogether as Lil reaches out for the back room door.

As her hand grips the door knob, it takes a moment to register and she rips her hand away before she gets too badly burnt.  The door knob is roasting hot, Lil pulls her sleeve down over her hand and quickly turns the knob, the door swings inward and they can all see her now.

Maude is lying all curled up on the floor, her eyes are glazed over and staring straight at them.  Her skin is red raw, bloated, her mouth hanging open in one last silent scream.  Shattered on the floor beside her is a framed wedding picture of Lil and John, a surprise gift.  Lil starts screaming.