The Gate

The Gate
Mara yearned for a simple and happy life. She was not born into the best of circumstances or happiest of homes. Her alcoholic mother could only be upstaged by her verbally abusive father. Mara spent much of her childhood trying to find a balance between pleasing them and not angering them; two very different things. She was in essence, a people pleaser. She never quite learned how to stand up for herself. With no brothers or sisters to help lighten the load, Mara always sensed a deep feeling of solitude. She often looked back on her childhood with sadness, pity and remembered the loneliness. More than anything, she never wanted to be alone. And yet, here she was.
Along the way, Mara saw many men come and go. She was never really one for healthy relationships. Sometimes she’d turn to pills to help cope with her struggles. She often reached for a bottle of liquor to numb the pains of the past. Mara couldn’t undo her childhood, but she was still affected by it. Never lonesome for too long, she was quite happy alone, with the comforting partner of her thoughts that she was gonna go far in life. She was going to make her mark. Someday, and in some way, she was going to be great.
Late one dark and dreary night, after restless sleep not helped by her pills or cold beer, Mara decided to go for a walk. She set out with a light jacket and some gloves, along with a dark scarf for her neck. The street lights had no rhyme or reason; some were lit, others out, while some flickered. The air was cool, and the stray cats roamed quietly as people trudged along, some stopping to score a joint and others stopping to stare at the night sky. No matter how creepy, her neighborhood could always be counted on to keep Mara awake and alert.
Rounding the corner, Mara tried to pick up her pace. Maybe it was a little too cold and late for exercise this night. Maybe she should’ve stayed in and read a book. Or maybe two more drinks would’ve done the trick. Something was eerie in the evening air. Mara could not put her foot on it, nor could she ignore it. Turning left to circle back home, Mara came abruptly to a stop in front of a gate sitting by itself on a large front lawn.
It was no ordinary gate. It was in front of a home, the house looking quite dark and abandoned. The bright silver of the gate attracted her. She felt cold and empty staring at it, the gothic designs standing out against the green mold of the pickets. It was surprisingly sturdy looking, for hold old it must have been. Mara walked closer to get a better look.
“Do you know who lives here?” asked a man’s voice behind her.
Mara jumped as she gasped at the words. She had no idea someone else was nearby, and it startled her badly.
“No, I was just on a walk” she mumbled as she turned back toward the street.
“Ah, don’t go just yet…I am always happy to meet new people…get to know them” said the man. His voice was clear, his coat scabby and old, and he was wearing an old fashioned black top hat that stores didn’t sell anymore. It was an outfit most likely dug up at the good will store.
“No thanks” she replied, again trying to get past the man who now stood in front of her path.
“Ah but I do know who lives here . Or, more accurately, who used to live here.”
Mara turned her head slightly and crossed her arms. “Hm. Really? No one living there? It sure looks empty”
“Now I didn’t say it was empty. Just that no one lived there. You see, it was a home of happy people, good people, and one day…they picked up and left. I never saw them again. No one in the neighborhood did. Very strange.” Said the old man
Mara raised an eyebrow. “It happens. People move” she said.
“No, not like this. It wasn’t natural you see. The stories started shortly after that. A few crazy tales. Then again…” the man whistled as he pulled out a cigarette. “Maybe one of the stories was true…”
Just then a window slammed shut in the old house. Mara jumped, pulling her scarf tighter around her, shivering as she did so.
“Something evil took over that house. Not someone, but something” the old man explained as he exhaled a cloud of thick smoke. “Ain’t nobody ever set foot in that house since. People…” he paused, “are too scared”.
Mara raised her eyebrows. “I’m not afraid”.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes…” she hesitated. I could totally go in there, she thought. Why not? No one had ever had the nerve to before, and she could definitely gain some popularity in the neighborhood if she did. Suddenly, the idea pulled at her strongly. She was not a coward! She could definitely do this.
“Hmm.” Said the old man. “Well, the door has never been locked you know. It’s all open. There are windows, too. Full pane windows that you could just step into to. But…I wouldn’t.”
“Really? You sounded like you weren’t afraid…”
“Oh but I am!” sounded the man. “And it’s not a challenge. I would say, do not step past that gate and enter that house. No one has ever done it because not one soul can…”
Suddenly Mara felt confident. She was not afraid! This was getting ridiculous.
“So…I AM going to enter that house. And there’s not much you can do to stop me.”
“Suit yourself.” Whispered the man. “But before you go in, you’ll have to open that gate there. Old and rusty. Very old. Probably locked.”
“Nah, I’ll just jump over these bushes.” Looking at them closer, Mara noticed the sharp thorns. They enclosed the entire front lawn. She peered back at the gate, touching it. “Look,” she explained, “I can open it. This is hardly a difficult task.”
The man stood there stiff and pale. “I warned you, lady. Don’t go in…” and Mara cut him off. “This is silly! It’s an abandoned house! No one is there. I’m going to prove it to you.”
Mara stepped forward slowly, pulling her coat tight around her. She clutched the gate’s handle and turned the cold and frosty metal. It swung open slowly. Mara walked three steps, and the wind took hold of the gate, slamming it loudly shut. Mara swallowed and continued walking, shivering more than ever. She reached the door. Without any problem, she turned it’s handle and entered the old house. Once inside, she exhaled, not realizing she was holding her breath. She smiled at the old man.
“Wow, what an awful house! So scary!” she mocked. The old man stood there quietly, his fidgure becoming darker with the shadows of night.
“Hmmm, however will I sleep tonight!? Oh, the nightmares!” she laughed.
The old man smiled thinly, tipping his hat. “Congratulations” he spoke clearly.
Mara shook her head, feeling more cold and chilled by the minute. Suddenly, she was drained. It was late. She wanted to leave. She had to go home. Why was she so obsessed with this challenge to begin with!? It was time to go. She walked towards the gate and stopped. The man was barely noticeable. He looked like a shadow of his former self…
Mara clutched the handle and turned. It did not budge. Her grip tightened and she tried again. It was not opening. It wasn’t even budging. She tired with both hands. Again, to no success. The gate would not open!
Mara’s eyes widened. She looked around at the thorny bushes, slowly blinking. They were not bushes anymore! Where had they gone? Where were they? The front yard was surrounded by the gate…it stretched long and stood taller than the front. The dark skies grew blacker and the wind picked up its pace. She was trapped!

“What is this!” she screamed at the man. “Why can’t I get out?!”
“What this is…” he explained clearly, “Is the result of a foolish girl. I warned you. I told you no one had entered and returned. And you…” his gaze trailed off. “Didn’t believe me” He shook his head. “They never do”…
Mara saw him look beyond her. She slowly turned. There were white spirits wailing in sorrow. Lonely, desolate sorrow that she had felt before…but now. Now, she really felt the weight of solitude. She felt trapped. She felt damned.
“Look at it this way…” the old man said. “At least now, you’re not alone” and he smiled devilishly.
“No! No! Damn you! NO!!!!!” she repeated, shaking the gate as hard as she could.
The spirits approached closer. The old man walked away…laughing as he did, his head nodding.