Only she knew...!

The house. It still stood out the same way. Its dark outline still reaching towards the sky. From where she was, she could clearly make out every detail about the house from the outside. The ivy clinging to it, trying to use the outline to reach for the sky, the bricks that made it up, exposed here and there and the huge set of stairs that led to it. The house itself was located on what could best be described as some sort of small plateau, raising above everything else in its vicinity, the stairs leading to it raising the structure even more making sure that it stood out. Imposing and alone. Only she knew what secrets it hid inside.
The red-gravel path way that led to it was all strewn with leaves. The Silver Birch trees flanking it on either end. Everything seemed to have remained the same. Even after so many years. A shiver ran through her. It was cold, but that was not the reason. The reason was something entirely different. And yes it had to do with the house. The house she used to live in all those years ago. As a child. With her parents. And her brothers.

Something about her was different. She was not the bubbly, naughty 3-year old. There was something about her that scared everyone around her. Her mother even. Her brooding intensity, her highly unpredictable moods that ranged from being completely normal one minute to quietly getting up and locking herself in a room the next. She still remembered how she had walked away from the dinner spread where everyone sat without saying a word. There was a pin-drop silence as her small feet carried her towards the small room. Not one person stirred. They knew better not to. One move from them and she'd be out of control. Lunging, thrashing about, scratching, screaming at the top of her lungs, pulling hairs and all sorts of crazy stuff. Then as suddenly she'd become quiet with a vacant look on her face. So everyone would just watch as she'd make her way to the room. Almost with relief. It'd be a couple of hours before she'd make her appearance again. That meant a couple of hours of being away from her presence. A brooding and scary presence. Only she knew what went on inside her presence.

What she did in the room no one knew. Her brothers had tried to peep in through the key hole once and had got the rudest shock of their lives when the door opened and she stood there staring at them. The boys had just stood there shocked, in terror. She continued staring at them in turns walking to and fro between them. The brothers did not even dare go near the room even when she was not in it. The parents had tried in the beginning to unlock the door. But it would not budge. So they had tried to break it open. They were horrified as the door hit her and injured her badly. She was standing right behind the door when it swung open hitting her badly on the head. They panicked and took her to the nearest doctor. All through she did not say one word. Her mother was sure she even saw a satisfied smirk on her face. Everyone left her alone after that incident.Only she knew what went on inside the room.

Soon things fell in place. Even the weirdest things seem normal after they have gone on for a while. That's what happened with her family. They took her behavior in stride. Yes she was weird, but she was their flesh and blood, so she was loved like her brothers. Even more so sometimes because parents have this soft corner for their not-so-normal children. She was an exemplary child otherwise. Intelligent beyond her years, never fussing over anything, never getting into fights...everything a parent would want from a child. Except of course that she was too perfect for such a small child. Too perfect and too quiet. Only she knew as to what made her so perfect and yet so imperfect.

Some of the well-wishers advised them to seek an exorcist. This was a classic case of a demon taking posession of her body was their . The parents tried doing that. It was a big disaster. The little girl was so scared, she screamed her lungs out. The screams broke their heart. They never tried it again. Only she knew as to what happened to her there.

Strange things would happen from time to time. Like the time their 16-year old neighbor took her out. The next thing they heard was that she had fell in the well and died. Her body was fished out and the doctor confirmed that she had gotten into one of her fits as she was standing at the well. The little girl's family let out a sigh of relief. Only she knew what went on at the well.

Another time it was the case of the kittens. 4 of them. Found with their heads severed from their bodies. Nobody knew if it was the work of the big Tomcat. The brothers knew that their sister had been giving the 'strange-eye' as they called her cold stare just the day before. Only she knew what happened with the kittens that night.

She took a deep breath and started ascending the land form. She remembered the 2 boys squealing with delight, running after each other, sliding down and she remembered her watching them. Giving them the 'strange-eye'. They did not pay attention to her. Not anymore. They had tried to do so, but were always greeted with silence. So they stopped trying even. It was like she just did not exist for them. They did not have the natural love the parents had for her. To them, she was a strange creature. They did not understand nor want her presence in their life. The mother watched her three children. Two of them having the time of her life and her eldest just sitting there staring vacantly at the silly games.

She was almost near the stairs. She looked up. The house seemed even more ominous from near. It stood up like an incrogous and awkward figure not knowing what to do with itself. She felt the familiar dread creeping inside her. But she had to do it. There was no other choice. Suddenly the packets in her hand felt very heavy. The cold breeze stung her hard. But she could not bring herself to rush in. Only she knew what horror awaited her inside...!

**The End**