Brian (27) and Megan (25) were a young couple who enjoyed camping in their downtime. Brian was a physical trainer with his own studio and Megan had a job as a secretary for a private financial service. On the surface, they couldn’t be more different. Brian was a six-foot monster of a man with a very muscular body that women fell head over heels for. Megan on the other hand was a five-foot, six, skinny girl who looked way too young for her age. People always mistakenly assumed she was fresh in college or Brian’s younger sister. Brian’s friends often wondered why he stayed with her, when pulling significantly hotter girls was like taking candy from a baby for him.
However, both loved each other for reasons not on the surface. Brian, deep down, was a history buff and a little bit of a nerd. He always finished top of his class everywhere he went to school, and excelled in business logic, which allowed him to open and successfully run his own business. Megan was very traditional, with Brian being the first man she ever slept with. She respected him for his gentleness, and his traditional values. Brian loved her for those very same reasons. She was pleasant, and good-hearted, something that was incredibly hard to find in a world of the OnlyFans chick. That was why they had been together, for a love that was much deeper rooted than appearances alone. However, they both held secrets, fears, and desires in the back of their heads, something the House was keen on bringing out.
Brian and Megan were hiking on a new path through the Sierra Nevada, a place they had always wanted to visit. While the rest of the day had been picturesque California in terms of the weather, it quickly changed for the worse, with a strong rainstorm brewing above them.
“I don’t think we’re going to make it back to the basecamp, Brian. This weather looks bad.” Megan said, grasping Brian’s arm tightly.
“I know, Meg. I mean I have the camping gear, but I doubt it’s going to be fun holding down a tent in this…” They continued walking back the way they came, following the blazes Brian had made in the trees. That was until they came to a hill that looked unfamiliar, with trees surrounding the cliffs on both sides of them. They had no choice but to follow the path up the hill. Climbing the steep gradient, they eventually came to a clearing, not believing their eyes at what they saw.
There was a house, a large Victorian-style home that looked like it had seen better days. The strong wooden siding has faded and had dead leaves sticking between the creases. The windows were boarded over, and the roof had missing shingles.
“Uh, we didn’t pass this on the way up, did we?” Megan asked nervously.
“No, we didn’t…” Brian replied, examining the mysterious house. They were about to turn around, but something was strong feeling in their gut was beckoning them to come closer.
“Maybe we should hold up here, just until the storm blows over.” Brian proposed.
“Here?! The whole place looks haunted!”
“Oh please. It’s not haunted, but it looks strong enough for us to crash for a little while.” Brian said. Megan stared into his eyes before gulping, nodding, and tightening her grip on his arm. They started slowly up the pathway, until the skies finally opened, and the rain hammered down on them. Brian and Megan ran up the path and up the few steps to the rickety porch. Brian checked the windows before trying the door. It wasn’t locked, but it was difficult to open. He gave it a few pushes and it finally gave way, allowing both of them to walk inside.
The house was dark and musty, with cobwebs hanging from the ceilings, and dust covering the furniture. Brian and Megan stood there, looking around slowly before the door slammed shut by itself, causing Megan to jump and latch onto Brian.
“I told you, HAUNTED.” She whispered. Then, they heard thumps on the wood floor above, moving from directly above them to the far end of the living room where the staircase was. Brian pushed Megan behind him, holding her with his left arm as he tried to see through the darkness.
The footsteps became louder and more pronounced as someone came slowly down the staircase. As Brian’s eyes adjusted, he was able to make a figure as it came further down the steps. It paused, raised its arms, and clapped twice as the chandelier and wall sconces came to life, illuminating the entire space. Magically, the cobwebs, dust, and mustiness disappeared, as the living room became basked in a light orange hue. The full image of the figure was also now visible…
The figure wore a black cloak, the length of its body, stopping just above its black boots. It wore black gloves, a hood, and a plague mask from the Bubonic plague, with the eyes glowing in a magnificent blue aura.
“Welcome my curious travelers!” The man exclaimed in a deep, yet reassuring voice. Brian stood at the ready, still holding Megan, who was trembling in fear.
“Who are you? What is this place?” Brian asked confidently.
“Well, this is my humble abode, and I, am the steward of this place. You can call me Cellarius.” They all stood there in silence, Brian not knowing exactly what to say to this mysterious man. Cellarius tilted his head and continued down the steps until he was eye level with the two. “I suppose you were hiking in the woods before this storm hit. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. That is our purpose.”
“I don’t understand, what purpose?” Megan asked, becoming curious about this man.
“Why to cater to those who have gone astray of course! Please fear not Miss Burgess, I am only here to serve.” Both Megan and Brian were taken aback by this.
“How did you know her name?” Brian asked.
“Well now Mister Parker, surely you have come to some hypothesis by now, haven’t you? You are a very smart man, you must have realized something is very off about me and this house, starting with the fact that it seemingly appeared out of nowhere?” Brian was speechless but was intrigued to listen.
“This house, this… sanctuary, is the culmination of my work for centuries. We only appear to those who truly need us, who truly need a change…”
“A change?” Megan asked.
“Yes, my dear. Allow me to elaborate; you, Megan, are unsatisfied with your physical appearance. Despite your age, people always mistake you for a teenager, and not as Brian’s girlfriend, but rather his younger sister. This infuriates you. But what troubles you the most, is the fear that your boyfriend is not satisfied with your flat physique and will leave you for someone more… voluptuous.” Brian turned around quickly at Megan, stunned at what he heard, as Megan never brought this up to him before. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes asked, “is that true?”, and Megan only frowned and nodded shamingly, with tears streaming down her cheeks.
“And you, Brian. You are satisfied with the work you have done to achieve your ideal physique. However, people always tend to see just that side of you. You often feel a lot of people just appreciate you for your physique, and not your equally as powerful mind.” Brian sighed, it was true, and it annoyed him equally as much as Megan’s body did her.
“But, how? How do you know these things about us?” Brian asked. Cellarius chuckled.
“Trust me Mister Parker. I have had a lot of experience over a great many years.” He paused and looked at both of them. “But now, the question remains; do you want me to help you?” Brian and Megan both looked at each other, then back to the mysterious Cellarius. Something in the blue glow of his eyes just propelled them to trust him. And besides, where were they going in the mountains during a storm? They nodded, and Cellarius clapped his hands together.
“Excellent! Let me show you to the living quarters.” He said, beckoning them up the staircase. Brian and Megan followed Cellarius as he ascended the grand staircase to the upper floor. They arrived at a landing with a long hallway lit by the same wall sconces from downstairs. Cellarius stopped in the middle of the hallway between two doors. “Here are your rooms. I shall be with you momentarily.” He said. Brian and Megan were hesitant about separating, but Brian nodded to Megan as she released his hand and they both went their separate ways into the rooms.
They opened their respective doors and came to similarly looking bedrooms. The rooms were bare, each with a basic bed, dresser, and vanity table with a mirror. However, this was by design. If they chose to accept Cellarius’ “help”, and the house’s power, these rooms would shift to match their new forms.
Megan sat on the chair at the vanity table in her room, and Brian sat on the bed in his as they both waited for their mysterious host to appear.
“Hello, Miss Burgess.” Cellarius spoke, startling Megan as she saw him appear in the mirror before her. She raised her hand to the glass, almost believing that it was not real. “So, shall we get started?” Cellarius said as the house prepared its magic for Megan...