The House of Strange Entities (short story)

[Fifers12]

A/N: I know, I’ve posted again!! I’m currently sick with Bronchitis and have nothing better to do than write all day  (just kidding, I could do all my missing college work) but I prefer to write this!! It’s a six part story, already fully written so I’ll post two parts together every few days! I am also still working on my other story: Babydola so if you haven’t read that, go check it out!! Enjoy for now!

Synopsis: At the House of Strange Entities, nothing is normal, even seemingly lonely old Mrs. Fox. If only Clara had realized that sooner… 

ooOoo

Part 1: The Arrival 

The House of Strange Entities was a very strange place indeed. The young woman had stopped for a bathroom break, spotting an exit sign for the pink one-story building a few miles back traveling down interstate-145. Filled with miscellaneous objects, each room was a different discovery yet there was one common denominator: vintage

Everyone had their interests and Clara was the last to judge but there was just something… off. Though in the beginning, She hadn’t been able to put her finger on it. Now, she wished she had.

But it was too late. 

The owner of the museum, Mrs. Fox seemed surprised when the blonde appeared. She said they didn’t get many visitors. 

“Yes, well I thought it best to use the bathroom,” Clara’s cheeks flushed pink. “I’ve still got another few hours to drive.”

“Where are you headed? I can tell you're not from around here.” Her voice was delicate and soft, reminding the nineteen year old of her grandmother. 

She must have been in her mid sixties, possibly even early seventies from the wrinkles just beginning to show on her aging skin and salt and peppered hair. Dressed in a yellow floral print knee length dress, white cardigan and a string of pearls around her neck, the older woman certainly did have style.

Clara knew the importance of stranger safety but this woman didn’t seem capable of hurting a fly much less a five foot four, one-hundred twenty pound girl. 

“I’m from Massachusetts, actually. My cousin’s getting married in the Finger Lakes Region.” she admitted. 

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” the woman exclaimed. “I lived up there for many years. What a beautiful place. I must say though, you seem awfully young to be traveling this far on your own…”

“Well, I'm nineteen,” the young girl shrugged. “My family wanted to come up earlier and I was still finishing my college exams. I’m joining them now though.”

“Hmm…”  the woman smiled, eyes glued to her face. 

She gulped, shifting back and forth on her feet, unsure how to respond. It was the same as when she met someone and they said, “oh I knew you as a baby!”

Like oh! Ok! That’s Interesting?

Wearing a sundress she wasn’t cold but her arms wrapped around herself, feeling the slightest chill despite the humid air. Brushing it off, she turned back to peer out the window, her car parked right out front. The sun was lower than before, she noticed and if Clara was going to make the trip before sundown, she’d have to leave soon. 

“Oh, do you have to leave? I was going to offer you a tour!”

“A tour?” She said turning back, head cocked to the side. 

“Yes! I’ve got quite the collection of old items around here. Antique rooms from way back when. I usually charge a small fee but I’ll show you for free!” 

Her lips pursed, unsure whether to take up the offer. Instead, she apologized, “I’m sorry, it’s just that it’s going to start getting dark soon and-“

“Oh, it’s just a straight drive pretty much from here,” the woman waved her hand like it was nothing. “Where are you going, Ithaca? Geneva? It’s a Wednesday afternoon, there’ll be hardly any traffic. Stay for a bit longer, it’s only a few rooms. Besides, it’s nice to have company. Not many people come around.”

Ok, now she just felt guilty. The woman seemed genuine and Clara would hate it if her own grandma hardly had any company like this. She’d want someone to stay for her. Sighing, reluctantly, she agreed knowing how much one small act could mean to another. A half hour couldn’t kill and then she could get back on the road. 

“Oh this is just splendid! You won’t regret this, trust me!”

She hoped not.

Walking behind, Clara couldn’t help but shiver at the breeze that followed. 

ooOoo

Part 2: The Cooking Station 

She’d lead her through another door, entering a 1950s style kitchen. While black and white tiles lined the ground, the cabinets were a striking pop of turquoise blue compared to the brightly colored red table. 

Staring in surprise, It’s like she’d taken a step back in time. 

“Welcome to the cooking station, dear. It’s not just any regular old kitchen.” 

Oh she could see that. 

Lined on the table were an antique china set of plates, priceless just buy the look of them while the cabinets were full of unrecognizable gadgets she could not name for the life of her. There were little place cards , she didn’t bother to read, gazing around the room in great interest. 

“I was always quite the collector and I knew, even way back then, that these items may be of value some day,” the woman explained, standing by the stove, mixing something in a steaming pot. 

Had that been on this entire time? Clara tried to look closer only for the woman to shoo her away. 

“Each room is interactive, you know. You go through it as if you are a part of it! Sit down dear, you’re too skinny. This’ll be sure help!” 

Cracking a smile, Clara couldn’t help but obey. Settling down at the table, undoing the lacy cloth in her lap, she was hungry now that she came to think of it. Being the broke college student she was as well, never would she deny free food.

“So this is part of the experience?” 

“Oh, yes,” Mrs. Fox replied as she scooped out what looked to be mash potatoes into a bowl and poured a glass of steaming milk. 

Setting down the dishes, Mrs.Fox sat across with none for herself but staring with a questioning glance, she felt it best not to ask. 

“Everyone once in a while a larger group will come and I’ll have many more dishes.  People have always loved to fantasize about the past so I thought why not bring it to them in a different way!” 

It was smart, the young girl had to admit as she took a spoonful from the small dish. 

“What you’re eating there is Morning Glory Mash. It was a common dish back in the day. My mama used to feed it to me and I bet if you ask your mama, she’d know exactly what you’re talking about. The black bits in there are the seeds and give great nutritious value. Great for getting your tummy grumbling as well when you need to go number two.” 

Ewww. The young girl grimaced slightly, not wanting to think about taking a shit. However, at the woman’s hopeful glance, she continued to eat, forgetting about it. She could defiantly taste the seeds, biting into them. They had a certain bitterness that canceled out nicely the saltiness of the potatoes. It only took a few moments to finish as she ate bite after bite until the bowl was empty. 

She’d have to remember to ask her parents about this. 

“The milk now has just a touch of sugar,” the woman said, pointing at the glass. “It’s another staple with any meal or if you have an upset stomach.”

Clara didn’t think much of it, gulping down the creamy sweet deliciousness until the last few drops and her stomach was full and bloated. 

“Good?” The woman smiled, nodding toward the empty dishes. 

“You’re a great cook!” she said, patting the cloth to the corners of her mouth. “It’s almost as if people get to physically taste the past! It’s a nice change from the normal history museums, just looking through a glass case-”

“Yes, well food is the key to anyone’s heart!”

They both let out a laugh, knowing oh how true that was. 

“Shall we move onto the next room? I think you’ll find each one a little different.” 

Without a thought she agreed, following behind the shuffling woman in absolute naivety. Ignoring her previous reservations, Clara realized she had been silly.

There was no danger here. 

OoOoo

A/N: Thanks for reading! Two more parts will come in a few days (or if I decide just to post early)  I love reviews also so please tell me what your thoughts are! I’d love to hear them!!  

[Ishigreensa]

It's a nice set up, but I'm not sure about this story yet.  It has intrigued me, but there just isn't enough information as yet, to know if I'm going to go along with the story, if I'm being honest.  You have set up an intriguing situation, but for all I can tell, at the moment, we are just at a museum, where the woman was perfectly honest with her about the food she ate and the milk, and while that might cause an accident, I don't really know at the moment if there is a reason to treat her like a child over it, and for my mind to find logic in it.

The fact it is a museum, with tactile hands on learning, and that it seemed to be on a pretty big route to a popular destination, from what I understood.  I don't know that area of Europe, well, any part of Europe to be honest, so I could be wrong, but it feels fishy that very few people would see the museum and if the tours were that good, I'd have expected people to have talked about it.

So, I am having trouble believing that this place is just out here, for no apparent reason, and the girl didn't get evil vibes even before she went in to use the restroom?  But then again.  This is only one opinion, and just because I'm not quite buying the "reality" of it yet doesn't mean it's a bad story at all.  I don't have the experience to really judge a good story.  Just being honest with the "flaws" that my own mind is seeing.  And honestly, if you were to pick my stories apart, I know you'd find a lot more flaws than I've found in yours.

I do like the pacing of this story though, and if something happens in the next few chapters that make me go Aha!  I might actually change my mind on the "reality" of your world.  So, please do continue.  And don't put too much stock in what I said about the "fixes."  It is just one opinion, but I did think it should be stated in case it gives you an idea of how to fix it?  But I might have been too vague, though, too.

[Fifers12]

3 hours ago, Ishigreensa said:

It's a nice set up, but I'm not sure about this story yet.  It has intrigued me, but there just isn't enough information as yet, to know if I'm going to go along with the story, if I'm being honest.  You have set up an intriguing situation, but for all I can tell, at the moment, we are just at a museum, where the woman was perfectly honest with her about the food she ate and the milk, and while that might cause an accident, I don't really know at the moment if there is a reason to treat her like a child over it, and for my mind to find logic in it.

The fact it is a museum, with tactile hands on learning, and that it seemed to be on a pretty big route to a popular destination, from what I understood.  I don't know that area of Europe, well, any part of Europe to be honest, so I could be wrong, but it feels fishy that very few people would see the museum and if the tours were that good, I'd have expected people to have talked about it.

So, I am having trouble believing that this place is just out here, for no apparent reason, and the girl didn't get evil vibes even before she went in to use the restroom?  But then again.  This is only one opinion, and just because I'm not quite buying the "reality" of it yet doesn't mean it's a bad story at all.  I don't have the experience to really judge a good story.  Just being honest with the "flaws" that my own mind is seeing.  And honestly, if you were to pick my stories apart, I know you'd find a lot more flaws than I've found in yours.

I do like the pacing of this story though, and if something happens in the next few chapters that make me go Aha!  I might actually change my mind on the "reality" of your world.  So, please do continue.  And don't put too much stock in what I said about the "fixes."  It is just one opinion, but I did think it should be stated in case it gives you an idea of how to fix it?  But I might have been too vague, though, too.

Thanks for your review! This story really isn’t supposed to be realistic at all and I actually got the idea loosely based off the Black Mirror episode, “Black Museum”. If you decide to continue, the whole story just continues to devolve more into fantasy, stuff that could never be possible in reality. And without revealing anything, nothing about this woman is honest or the situations that have happened so far. 
 

I suppose you could also say the main character is loosely based off myself. I am probably the least attentive person, until someone points out the obvious and honestly in her situation, I would’ve been the same way ahaha. 

The story is set in America (Upstate New York) so apologies if it was Inferred to be in Europe? Being from Massachusetts and having been on many road trips, my favorite thing is finding little places like this off the grid not many people know about. I thought I’d implied not many people visit but those who do, she enjoys giving tours too. I’ve been to places like this many times, little museums in country towns people have never heard of. 

Keep in mind as well that this is only the first two parts, and still setting out the lay of it all! There is more to come and some of the stuff you were wondering about will come to make sense if you decide to stick around 😊! 

I do appreciate your comments however and I’ll be sure to keep them in mind! 
 

 

 

 

 

[keith60]

I hope there is more of this story soon 

[Ishigreensa]

I'm not sure where I got it confused with somewhere in Europe, as I reread the story (skimming this time) to try to find where I thought it looked like you pointed out a place that I thought I'd heard of in Europe and was not a place I heard of in the states, but I can't find it now.

Given that there is nothing that is reality base in the story, one trick that most successful authors do, is to try to make it make enough sense that you don't realize that you've entered a different world until later, unless they are being blunt about it being a magical place, but you know, that doesn't have to be your style at all.  Now you've explained it a bit to me, I am looking forward to see what happens next.  I will only really know if I'll like it if I read a few more chapters.  It is an interesting setting though.

[JJDaddy]

Liking the story so far. Funny that I know the areas you named and lived in a couple growing up.