IT REALLY IS EXCELLENT WINE

A horror story with I hope a few differences

I knew this was a bad idea! We should have just stayed in the car until morning, but no you said that there must be a house somewhere so off we went, freezing bloody cold and getting dark! I'm sure we've walked about ten miles though you say it's only two and all the time I kept saying to you that we we're in the middle of nowhere and there are no houses, and even if there were what kind of weird folk live all the way out here? Not anyone I want to meet thank you, but as always you brush my opinion aside as stupid and irrelevant and now here we are! Against the odds  we’ve found a house but look at it!  I was right! Straight out of Frankenstein! There’s no way I’m going in there!
“You can go back to the car and wait if you want” you say as you march to the front door. That would be a great idea except of course I haven't a clue how to get back there.  I don’t remember a single feature on the way here, not a tree or an old barn,nothing at all and it’s now getting to be as  black as pitch out here and not a light to be seen except the one coming from this strange house looming up out of the dusk so I hurry after you knowing it's pointless to try and talk you out of it.
“There’s probably a dungeon in there with an 8oo year old vampire waiting to be awoken” I shout above the rising wind.
“Or a mad scientist dressed in stockings and suspenders” you laugh as you reach an  old oaken door. This is just like I knew it would be. There's even a bloody chain to pull for the bell for God's sake.
You grab hold of the chain and pull it and there'e a  horrific clanging sound which  seems to echo through the house and seems to go on for ever and I could swear the house is shaking though if I told you that you would give me your scornful look and laugh .This was just what I was expecting.
“There’s no one here! Let’s go!” I say.
“Give them a moment” you say laughing. My discomfort is amusing you I know and I wish I could be brave like you .We seem to be waiting for ever then just as you are reaching for the bell again, the handle turns and with a horrible creaking sound the door begins to open. Inside is only blackness and then suddenly a figure looms forward and I lose it and turn to run.
“Don’t be stupid” you say grabbing my arm roughly. I turn round nervously and in place of the hunchback I was expecting ther's  an old man with a gentle bemused face standing there and then I see a  beam of light and I see instead of the lantern I was expecting he is holding a modern powerful battery torch, such as the one that we should have had in the car if I hadn't left it at home somewhere.
“Can I help you gentlemen?” says the old man.
“Yes thank you” you say. “Our car broke down a couple of miles back and we can’t seem to get a signal out here on my mobile. May we please use your phone?”
“Of course” he says stepping back to let us both in.
“That’s not necessary” I say seeming to find my voice from somewhere. “We’ll go back to the car. Could you please ring for us?”
“If you wish.” says the old man. “But it would be very nice if you came in and had some supper with me for it is rare that I have any company all the way out here.”
“We don’t have time!” I say firmly but you look at me with that  expression that always seems to be asking me if I am as stupid as I look and turning to the old man you accept his offer with your winning smile.
“We haven’t eaten since this morning” you say quite truthfully. “Someone forgot to pack the basket that we prepared.” "Someone" of course was me so what could I say?  I accept your rebuke because it is deserved. “Someone” had also left your wallet on the kitchen table and so we couldn’t even stop anywhere to get food. “Someone” had also forgotten to replace the spare tyre which was why we were in this situation. "Someone had left behind the road map!" You could go on for ever and no doubt you will. I take the criticism in your voice because I know I deserve it.
We follow the old man through a gloomy hallway; I can just about see a tiger rug, some old pictures on the walls and portraits of old men in uniform. There is a huge  candelabra above our heads which looks as old as the house but it isn't lit. He leads us into into a dining room where at last there is some light. There is a huge dining table that could seat thirty people and there are candles dotted all along it. Even better there is also a roaring fire for which we are both very grateful after walking in the cold evening air, “ Someone" forgot to pack our winter jackets. This isn’t so bad I think though why he has to keep the place so dark I don’t know. We sit down at the table while the old man shuffles off to get some food and as he puts it,” a bottle to take away the winter chill”
You get up and start wandering around admiring the furnishings which are no doubt very old and very expensive though I have no idea how old or how much and nor do you though you pretend otherwise. I am suddenly struck again by another feeling of unease but I can’t put my finger on it.
Our host returns with a cold supper and a bottle of some wine or other which he starts to talk about and you nod pretending to know what he is talking about while I tuck straight into the food gaining again that look  from you which this time  I ignore. The quicker we eat up the quicker we will be out of here.
The old man, who did I think say his name but I wasn't listening pours the wine into our glasses telling us that it is nice to have someone to share such an excellent vintage with. You start to waffle about a painting over the fireplace which you have already scrutinized asking if it is a “ Van Duyer”? You have of course already found out that it is by reading the signature. Our host replies that it is and that it is nice to meet a fellow art lover. So few folk he says seem to appreciate the finer things in life these days.
It is then that I realise what's  been disturbing me. The table was already set! The plates were already here, the wine glasses were here! All of it here when we entered! The exact number! How could he know we were coming? Then a horrible thought comes to me. I look down at my already cleared plate, at my empty wineglass. I look across at you already on your third glass and talking loud and fast as you always do when you’ve been drinking.
I feel okay! Could we have been poisoned? What to do? We have to get out of here quickly car or no car! I think! The old man must have a car surely? How does he get shopping all the way out here without a car?
“Is anything wrong?” the old man says. He is looking at me with a strange smile.
“No” I say. What else to say? My mind is working overtime. What to do?
“Relax will you for God's sake?” comes the command from your voice. Always when you are drinking the mask you keep on for the world is in danger of slipping.
“I think it’s time to go!” I say with as firm a voice as I can muster.
“Don’t be so stupid” you say. “We can’t offend the hospitality of this gentleman by leaving now. Can’t remember when I last had such excellent wine. Even the cold food was better than anything you could cook." "Mind you that wouldn't be hard would it?" At this you belch, apologize and then reach for some more wine, helping yourself, without this time bothering to ask permission. Our host says nothing but suddenly he is looking  at me with a curious smile. Suddenly I am no longer frightened.
“You can stay the night if you wish” he says. I realise he is talking only to me.
“Thank you” I say. “That is very good of you”
“Not sure about the night" you say. “ Don’t know if we want to leave the car out there all night. Perhaps it’s time that we called someone now to come for the car.” At this you get up but then suddenly stop. A curious expression comes over your face. You look at me, look at the old gentleman, in your eyes is a question and I never saw a question there before for you know everything don't you?  Something seems to swim in your eyes and then you fall with a crash on the carpet. Everything is suddenly deathly quiet.
“Would you like some more wine?” says the old man. “Please do. I can assure you your glass is perfectly fine.”
“Thank you” I say. I reach for the bottle and pour myself another glass.
“Would you like to stay the night?” he says. "You would be very welcome. I get so little company out here. Your car will be fine till the morning.”
“I don’t care about the car” I say. “It's his car. I just drive it.”
I take another sip from my glass. It really is excellent wine.

Author's Note

I'm just interested in any general opinions.

Reviews

[Calypso]

Nice story.