the house in a bubble of vacuum, the shadows moved in, blocking the sunlight, it again breathed unnatural coolness. He shook his head trying to get rid of the strange feeling of sticky fear, not understanding the reason for its occurrence. Around everything was peacefully calm nothing that could cause a sense of danger, only this old house.

Contrary to his own instincts, Jason took a few hesitant steps, coming closer. The house looked like an empty box with a pointed roof, a black wrought-iron fence surrounded the untidy lawn, a narrow path lined from granite tiles led from the door through a heavy gate to the street.

Jason experienced a strange awkwardness, he suddenly realized that the silhouette of the house reminds him of a caricature, as children usually draw at home. The square, the window and the door on the first floor, two windows on the second, the third in the attic under the roof, didn’t have enough of a chimney rectangle looking out from under the ramp, and the picture would be finished. Jason himself painted such houses on paper as a child.

The boy strained his memory, trying to remember whether he had heard about the owners of this house, and could not. At the same time, the structure looked neat and well-groomed, with clean windows shining in the sun. Only a neglected lawn and rusty wicket loops knocked out of this picture. He still could not understand what so frightened the dog. The house did not look bleak. Jason swore under his breath, agreeing with Richie's assessment of the dog, and had already turned, intending to leave, when he finally discovered strangeness.

The front door was ajar. It was not wide open, but it was ajar to such a distance that a dog or a little boy could look inside, as if invited to enter. She did not move, did not sway from side to side, as it would have been if her draft had opened slightly, she was just slightly opened.

Jason felt a burning sense of curiosity. Uncaused and absorbing all nature, fear ceased to mix with it, this house seemed very peaceful. He stepped toward the gate, looking at the open door.

- Hey! There is someone here ... ”he shouted loudly, pushing the metal grille, which gave way unexpectedly easily, as if it had been thoroughly oiled. Hello? ... your door is open!

As soon as he fell silent, silence enveloped him again. The door did not move.

There was a feeling of some kind of irregularity. His heart beat fast. Instinct woke up, strongly advising to turn away and quickly get out of here, forgetting about the strange house. On the other hand, the more he looked in the doorway, the more he wanted to look into the unknown.

Curiosity has overcome fear. Jason looked back and stepped into the gate. After walking a few meters along a narrow path, the boy climbed onto the porch and peered through the slightly opened door.

- Hello? He called again, waited for a pause, waiting for an answer, and stepped inside.

His footsteps responded with a quiet rustle and the creaking of obviously very old wood. He found himself in a very unusual living room, furnished with furniture reminiscent of the style of the 60s of the last century. A soft chair with a high curved back, a narrow crimson carpet stretching from the front door, two small low stools, a table on curved legs with a cherry-colored tabletop with a mirror-like surface with a rounded edge, a wide sofa right behind it. On the left, on the left, there was a fireplace with a large hearth and strips of soot on a stone-lined wall, above, above a broad shelf of coarse wood, hung a large, apparently very old clock. The large copper pendulum swung back and forth in a measured manner, producing a soft one — tik-tak, tik-so.Next to the clock hung a large portrait in a carved oval frame of a darkened from the time tree, depicting a very beautiful woman with raven hair and penetrating sad violet eyes.

Jason approached the fireplace, becoming interested in the portrait. The scarlet, plump lips of the woman formed a sad and at the same time flirtatious smile, they contrasted with a white round face, with a barely noticeable blush on her cheeks. Black curls of hair fanned out on a snow-white dress, with a deep neckline and lace ruffles on full shoulders. The portrait ended just below the deep hollow of a high and quite lush chest.

On the frame under the portrait, he saw a small plate with the letters embossed in a beautiful tie - “Mara”.

Jason backed away from the portrait, feeling a causeless shudder piercing his whole body. He stepped into the middle of the room and stopped, hearing the clear creak of the floorboards right above his head. The boy with the vulture breathed in, turned cold, and almost jumped on the spot. His eyes were big with fear when he looked up, looking at the ceiling, afraid to see something terrible there. He froze, listening, waiting for new steps. But in the silence of the house only his quick breathing and the measured ticking of the clock could be heard.

Fear defeated this time, and Jason backed toward the door.

...Do not go and-and-and!

Jason spun around and nearly fell, banging on the back of the easy chair.

- BUT? What the hell?

He froze in place again, searching the room with his eyes. Jason was sure he hadn't misheard. It was the voice of a woman, and he sounded right in his ear, as if she was standing or sitting two feet away.

- Who is there? - he squeaked in a trembling voice. Who...

He flinched. The clock rang out loud from one to two. And then he again heard the voice dissolving into a dying chime.

...Go up.

- What? What for? - shouted Jason. Who you are?

In response, silence ...

Jason stepped with padded feet, continuing to look around. Mara from the portrait looked at him with a dumb question in the beautiful eyes.

Behind the sofa, he saw a wide arched passage that led to the dining room. It was furnished in the same style as the living room. An elegant and at the same time solid set of oak table for two people and a pair of heavy chairs, in the depths there was a staircase to the second floor. Jason took two steps to the stairs and stopped.

- I will not rise until you tell me why I should go up! He announced in a trembling voice.

...Find what you have been looking for! - rustled in response.

Jason swallowed. It seemed to him that the voice was coming from everywhere. Female with soft rustling intonations, he simultaneously seemed stern and domineering.

- What will I find? - stammered out the boy.

Silence...

Jason sighed and looked at the stairs again. Curiosity simply burned, causing violent bursts of trembling in the chest, and fear, on the contrary, dulled.

The boy carefully climbed the stairs and found himself in a small room with two doors, both of which were tightly closed. He took a step, and the neighbor, with a metallic click, opened a few centimeters.

The blood swells in Jason's ears, he did not feel such a rush of adrenaline even on a roller coaster. A hand touched a yellow round knob; the boy pushed the door away from him, ready at any moment to give a tear. And yet he was not ready for what appeared to his eyes. Jason's mouth opened wide and he froze in shock.

Before him was his own room!

When the stupor passed, he looked and realized that he was mistaken. It was the perfect version of his room. On the wardrobe there was an expensive model of a “thousand-year-old falcon,” an expensive gift that he had begged from his parents for Christmas for several years in a row, but never received. On the wall hung an extremely rare rare poster Doctor Who, which he had been trying to get for six months. Everywhere he looked, his eyes bumped into things he had ever dreamed of. The bed was wider and more comfortable, the old floor mats replaced completely new ones with bright, screaming colors that parents would never buy.

However, one thing was missing, the most important thing in his life. There was a computer on the table, and in its place lay a large book in a brown leather embossed cover.

It took Jason a minute, ... Read more →