Transcript of "Below"

“Below”
By Shannon Connant

Link: http://www.archive.org/details/Below


Newlyweds, Gene and Sam, were moving into their first new home together.

Gene walks out of the moving truck with the last box. “Here is the last of it, husband,” Gene said enthusiastically.

“Let’s do some unpacking, and then have dinner,” said Sam.

“Okay,” replied Gene.

Gene carries her box of clothes to her new master bedroom. She opens the door to her walk in closet.

“Finally the closet of my dreams,” said Gene with a smile on her face.

As she unpacks the box, she notices a square outline on the carpet. She remembers her husband mentioning that there is a basement in the house. Curious, Gene lifts the square door and sees a ladder that descends into darkness.

Gene grabs a flashlight and goes down the ladder. As she climbs down, she feels an overwhelming sense of fear. Frozen, she drops the flashlight and clings to the ladder. It feels as if something is preventing her from moving. She is unable to open her eyes. The basement gets cold. Images flash through Gene’s head but she is unable to make sense of them.

The frightening rush suddenly ends. Gene forgets where she is for a moment. She loosens her grip on the ladder and slowly continues to climb down. Confused and weary from the unexplainable moment she had, Gene picks up the flashlight and continues to roam the basement.

She cannot make clear as to why but Gene felt anxious and frightened. It felt as if something bad was going to happen, yet she couldn’t turn away.

Gene saw an old chair in the corner. She went to sit on it. Trying to make sense of what happened, Gene breaths deeply and closes her eyes. Then she hears a voice coming from a dark corner in the basement. Afraid to move, Gene listens carefully to understand what the voice is saying. The strange feeling reemerges. The room gets cold. Gene cannot move. Her eyes open and her vision is locked on the center of the basement where a mist begins to form. In the mist she begins to see visions of her husband hurt at work. Then she sees visions of herself alone in the house. Horrible, indescribable feelings overwhelm her. Gene feels a vague sense of danger.

The mist disappears. Gene closes her eyes. Apprehensive about what she saw, Gene feels she witnessed a premonition.

“Is this something I can stop? Is this going to really happen? Will I end up alone in this house?” Gene asks herself.

Gene was shaken by this event. She did not know what to do. In fear of losing her husband she thought about discouraging him from going to work, but he would not have that. Gene was afraid to tell husband what she saw because he might think she is crazy.

Gene had to decide if she wanted to trust the images she saw and do what she can to prevent them from happening or to continue living life without looking into the unsure future.

As she tried to shake off the insecure feelings, Gene slowly made her way to the ladder. She climbed up and sat in the closet. Sam yelled for her to join him for dinner.

Gene pulled herself together but could not forget what happened below. She walked to the dining room and sat with her husband at the table. Gene looked hesitantly at her husband.

“What is it?” asked Sam.

Gene stared at her husband. She wanted to tell him to not go to work. She wanted to tell him that something bad may happen. But she decided that to mess with something so unsure could cause more disaster.

Gene looked at her husband. “Nothing is wrong, Sam. I am just very happy about our new life together. Let’s eat,” said Gene.