Sealed Room

Twelve year old Susan took a deep breath as she gently removed the covers from her bed. The sound of rain, hitting the window of her bedroom and the distend roar of thunder sounded almost soothing as she slipped out of bed and slipped her feet into her bunny slippers. Releasing her deep breath she reached over and checked her phone. The square screen turned a bright blue. The time was two o’ clock in the morning. Everybody should be sound asleep. Even the teens should now be fast asleep.

Slipping out of bed, she made her way toward her housecoat.  Quickly she slipped the garment over her thin nightdress. Then she reached over and started to rumble around in her nightstand. Soon she felt the tips of her fingers running across the cool plastic surface of a backup flashlight. Quickly she fished the torch from the drawer and without a minutes notice she slipped it into one of the deep pockets of the coat.

Torch in hand, she opened the door to her bedroom and peered out, she looked down one hallway to the left and then she looked down to the right. Once the coast was clear, she stepped out and started to tip toe down the hallway, down the many doors. Each one marked with a thin strip of brass, engraved with the name of the girl the room belonged too.

Each step she took, she felt her heart beat a little louder, the floorboard groaned under her weight as she slipped passed the last door and down the stairs. Soon she was slipping down the main staircase, and then through the living room she went, till down the basement she went again. Once down in the basement, she paused to catch her breath. It was raining harder now, and long lines of white hot lighting crisscrossed the sky. A loud boom, followed by a crackling noise filled the air. And even the old manner house, ratted down to its very foundation after each blast.

“Bloody Hell.” She said sighing softy as she took a deep breath. “Late night winter thunderstorms are the worst.” She said standing up and moving toward the end of the room. The basement was filled with clothing baskets, and a long line of washer and dryers lined one side, followed by a line of tables meant for folding cloths lined the other one. Closing her eyes she started to count the seconds between each strike of thunder. The storm was right on top of them, it was a blessing. No doubt the adults would be busy with little ones scared out of there wits to noticed her being gone. Rolling the mental dice, she stood up and started to walk toward the old door located at the far end of the room. A simple, plastic sign had been tacked to the center of the door. In the middle of the sign, written out in big bold letters was. “DANGER: DO NOT ENTER.”

Gathering up her courage, she reached up and wrapped her tiny fingers around the brass doorknob. Giving the handle a twist, she pushed it open. Reaching into her housecoat pocket, she fished out her flashlight and turned it on. She then stepped inside.. And then everything she knew changed in the blink of a eye. Once she stepped into the room, the whole air changed.


The halo of light cast by her flashlight reveled a landscape littered with old bottles of housecleaners. Long sections of copper tubing, long since turned to green from age feed into these empty plastic bottles. Old glass beakers dotted what appeared to a old kitchen countertop. Some of these where resting on old burners that had long ago burned out.

Then the smell, it was a smell worst than anything she had ever seen or smelled before. The smell caused her to gag. A bolt of lighting flashed over a dirt encrusted window, causing the whole room to light up. The old linoleum covered kitchen title seemed almost out of place. In some places they where covered with grim and dirt a good inch thick. Then Susan noticed something sinister.

Toward the back of the room, dozens of old propane burners and bottles sat, some where broken and burned, others where still hooked up, the wall behind them was black and crusted with ash, the smell of sweet and savory smell of something burning lingered in the air. Another flash of lighting reveled dozens of discarded cold medicine bottles laid about.

“What the..” Susan was having a hard time taking this in. It all seemed too odd for her. Then she felt a hand touching her shoulder. Quickly she spun around. Then, she came face to face with the stern looking face of one of the adults of the household. Standing there, like a phantom was the stern face of one Lavender Violet. Her long blonde hair and firm blue eyes peered down at her through the lenses of her glass’s.

“What in the name of..” Her voice trailed as she gently pulled her by the arms out of the room. Once they where out. Lavender closed the door and started to strip Susan down, Quickly she removed her housecoat, then she started to unfasten the buttons to her nightgown, and finally she started to remove the rollers from her hair.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Susan finally shouted as she shock of being undress faded and her wits started to return to her, quickly she tried to smack away Lavenders hand. But her efforts where meet with women, turning her around and smacking her bottom with her open hand.

“WHAT WAS THAT FOR! HAVE YOU GONE MAD OR SOMETHING.” Susan shouted as she picked up her discharged nightgown and folded it to her chest to cover herself.

“WOULD YOU BE QUITE FOR A MINUTE SO I CAN TALK. BECAUSE NOW GIRL, YOUR DIGGING YOUR OWN GRAVE, AND IF I WAS YOU. I WOULD PIPE DOWN, OPEN YOUR EARS AND LISTEN GOOD. THEN, MAYBE THEN YOU CAN STAR FILLING IN THIS HOLE YOU DUG FOR YOURSELF.” Lavender shouted. Normally she was not one to raise her voice, but now she had little time for small talk. She needed to get right to the heart of the matter.

“…” Susan was forced into a stun silence.





“Good.” Lavender said taking a deep breath. “Because right now you’ve seen something that your not suppose to have seen. So a little heart in heart is in order. But right now, you need to strip down naked and get a good, long hot shower. Wash everything, and I mean everything.” She peered toward the discarded pile of clothing and hair curlers. “And these need to be burned.” She said sighing as she started to strip down.

Susan blinked and blinked again as she watched Lavender started to remove her own nightgown and slippers. Sighing a little she started up the stairs. Soon Lavender appeared behind her, naked as she was.

“Come on girl.” She said narrowing her eyes. “Move your bottom. Or need I march you up the shower?” Without thinking she reached over and smacked Susan’s bottom. Sending another wave of sting, rolling into her pale bottom cheeks. The sudden smack, caused her bottom to wiggle and bounce.

“I’m moving.” Susan said growling as she quicken her steps. Soon she was moving through the living room. Out of the corner of her eye. She noticed the clock hanging on the wall read. Two’ twenty one. Twenty one minutes had passed since she left the comfort of her bed.

“Once you’ve gotten you shower, and we’ve had are little talk. Where going straight to the A & E Room.  Your in for a long night, and a even longer day.” Lavender said folding her arms across her chest as she watched Susan mount the first step.

“But I got school tomorrow..” Susan said blushing deeply as she turned.

“Pox on school, your grounded tomorrow. And If any of those fleece head, dawn treading, liberal arts educated sons and daughters of sheep, have anything to say about it. Tell them to come to Lavender Baker Violet, and she’ll set them straight.” She paused. “Plus you be in no shape to go to school. As you’ll be in Hospital, getting tested for everything known to man. Yes Ms. Bell, Hospital.”

“HOSPITAL?! BUT I’M NOT SICK.”

“Of course not.” Lavender said gently pushing Susan along. “And we want to keep it that way. There a lot we need to talk about, so you best go shower and get changed. I need to shower and change myself. Meet me back in your room. I trust your not ninny enough to try to hide from me.”

Susan felt her cheeks color as she peered straight into Lavenders eyes.

“And what if I am?”

“Then I’m going to march you down to the punishment room. And paddle you till you’ll be wishing you had a pillow to sit on. Then I’ll take you to the A & E Room. And then, after you’ve rested up. I’ll march you back down to the punishment room.” She said in a low growling tone of voice.

“.. Fair enough.” Susan said blushing as she started toward the shower.

Lavender took a deep breath and started toward the adult shower as well. Something, something deep inside of her, was telling her she was in for a long night and a even longer day. Releasing her deep breath she stepped into the shower and started to wash. Once she was washed, she slipped on a woolen, navy blue dress and a heavy cotton, button down blouse. Black, heel boots rounded out the outfit.

Once she was dressed, she walked over to her dresser and picked out her personal paddle. It was short, thin wooden thin. With a dozen or so holes drilled into the surface. The wholes where suppose to give the paddle a nice ‘Sting’ she doubted it.. But she supposed the sight of the hole paddle will drive home the message she was trying to show. Once the paddle was in her hand, she started to make her way down the hallway. Soon she found herself crossing the threshold of Susan’s bedroom. A small smile crept across her face, the girls room was indeed clean, spotless you could say.

Still smiling, Lavender eased her bottom down upon the bed. The girl was still showering it seemed. No matter, she’ll be here when she got out. Setting the paddle to the side. She started to smooth out her skirt.

Susan soon returned to her room. A pink towel wrapped tightly around her still dripping frame. Without thinking, she walked over to her dresser and pulled out a fleece nightdress. Quickly she slipped the gown over her body. Then out of habit she sat down and started to brush her hair with a heavy wooden hairbrush, one hundred strokes. Once the one hundred strokes where finished, she reached over and tied the hair back with a blue ribbon. Then.. She stood up and peered toward Lavender.

“You can keep your seat.” Lavender said as she smirked a amused smile. Her smile quickly feel from her face as she peered toward Susan. “Okay, I’m sure you have some questions, and those questions can wait. Let me speak now, questions can come later.” She started as she waited for Susan to give some sign of understand.

Susan nodded her head.

“What you saw in the room. Was a old lab. Okay its not really that, it was more of a plant.  The production of methamphetamine took place there. Long ago. Before the Forest’s took this place over.” She paused and closed her eyes. “The first owner was into that, and one day the thing backfired. It was a big boom you know. Killed some people or so the rumor mill says. The whole house had to cleaned, but that, that place being ground zero was blocked off. We adults still need to go in there, to do some cleaning and stuff.” Lavender paused. “Its like a bloody shrine I guess. Only there no Saint Medals and pictures of angles hanging up there. Anyway, its dangers girl. It can make you sick, sicker than a dog. More sick than you where last winter.” Lavender opened her eyes. “Sick enough that it would take more than four days best rest and a few shots to get you well.”

Susan only nodded her head along with Lavenders eyes. Her face hid the storm brewing inside her mind.

Lavender stood up and patted her hand down upon the bed. After giving the bed a few pats, she picked up the paddle and wrapped her fingers tightly around the handle.

“Come along girl. Hands down on the bed. Bottom up. Taking to hospital in the morning. And the morning not far away.. Then again. Might have Josie look at you. She’s a nurse and all. Four year degree, Latin honors and all that frills and lace.” Lavenders tone of voice was flat and voice of any and all emotions.

Susan blinked and blinked again as she stepped forwarded and placed her hands down upon her bed. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried her best to steady her heart. Her heart was beating a hundred or so miles a minute it seemed.

“Good girl, good to see you’ve not lost all the sense God gave you.” Lavender said, placing the paddle under her arm and using both hands to raised up Susan’s nightdress. Once the night dress was pulled back to the small of her back, she lowered her panties and placed the wooden paddle upon her backside.