It was the year 2002. At that time, my mother and I had just moved to the San Vicente de Maracay neighborhood. After a difficult family situation, my sister, who was in charge of the expenses, looked for a house at a good price and we ended up living in one of the last streets of the neighborhood.
I confess that I wasn’t very good at making friends, so I was alone most of the time. As the months went by, I met Cheo and Roberto, two boys from the block. I began to relate to them and little by little we became closer.
By the month of October, we had already created a kind of routine: we sat in the street to tell stories of spooks and curiosities of the neighborhood. In general, we lasted talking until late at night.
On one occasion, around 8:30 pm, we sat on the sidewalk outside Cheo’s house. In those days, we could be there until late at night without being in any danger.
Why does Yohana live alone?
That night the street was lonely. Even the supply had closed early. Roberto looked at the house across the street and was thoughtful. This house was half dark, lit only by a dim light bulb on the porch, and its front door was patched zinc. Then he turned around and asked me: “Do you know why Yohana lives alone as a teenager?”
I looked at him, because he had also asked me once. Although he knew little about her, he had seen her alone or surrounded by the street boys.
-I dont know. Remember that I am new here. Although the times I’ve seen it, I’ve wondered the same thing -I replied.
“I do know,” Cheo said. Five years ago, his mom and his dad passed away under mysterious circumstances overnight. I think I witnessed what happened. But before I tell you, I must warn you that you can’t mention this to anyone. Neither his relatives, nor a trusted person.
– Word, man! Roberto and I said at the same time.
-I believe them. That time the school holidays were ending –Cheo said-. My mom, dad and Caro went to visit my aunt and uncle in La Victoria. I did not go with them because in those days I had baseball practices.
To my luck, I was left in the care of my older sister Katy. She has always been a rat with me, now imagine spending several days under her care. After my family left, Katy made dinner. When she served me the arepa, I got upset because she filled it with the white pieces of bologna.
I refused the plate and got up from the table. Later and without speaking to him, I turned on the television. I heard footsteps behind me. It was Katy who came to turn it off and take it to her room to see Miss Venezuela. Annoyed, I went to the porch. I was sick of her. To distract myself, I looked at the street, it was lonely with smoke from the garbage dump everywhere.
Suddenly, the breeze closed the front door. I started yelling at Katy to open up. She never listened to me, perhaps because her room was the last one in the house. Though on second thought, this being her, I think she pretended not to hear me.
I screamed louder and louder and it never came out. I cried, wanting to be with my mom and dad. Then I dried my tears and jumped out the window of Caro’s room.
Hours passed in those futile attempts and Katy never appeared. Nor did anyone pass by on the street to help me. Deep down I knew it was all Katy’s doing.
The appearance of the lady
Tired of crying and being desperate, I calmed down. I stuck my head out the fence and started looking towards the corner where Gabriel lives. After a while, I saw a black car stop diagonally to the light pole. The back door opened, leaving a woman in that corner. As for the car, it started at full speed, disappearing into the smoke.
I describe the woman: she was wearing a hood, black gloves and a dark dress with a train so long that it covered the sidewalk of about five houses.
In his hands he had a black book and he walked slowly, like a kind of dance. Detailing it more, I noticed the signs of one of her hands, they seemed the curses of a witch. With great fear I tried to get my head out of her bars and I couldn’t. I freaked out and closed my eyes. I quickly stuck my head out, I had remembered the trick to do it. Instantly, I opened my eyes again and saw the lady horrified in front of my house, that is, in Yohana’s house. I sweat cold.
As I ran to hide under the big wicker chair, I tripped over one of my mom’s jugs. Immediately, I heard a superhuman groan, similar to a wild animal. I looked at the woman again and she realized that she was looking at her. Next: she revealed herself and dropped the book between her feet.
the lady of the book
He pulled the hood back from his face and I saw the most abominable thing in my life. She was not a real woman, she was a glowing skull and black snakes came out of her eyes. The skull fell from her body and levitated past the railings on my porch. Seeing her so close, I fainted.
The next day, Katy found me sleeping on the porch. She picked me up and carried me to my bed. Once in bed, she excused herself that she had fallen asleep, and she also remembered that if she told my mother she would make me eat dirt from the patio.
During lunch, we found out that Yohana’s parents had died the night before. Katy, as she was quite curious, she inquired with her neighbors and they told her something atrocious.
The gentlemen were found dead in their beds, with an expression of fear and anguish. The backs of both were scratched and the forensic experts never knew how to give an explanation.
You are the first to know this version of the story. I’m sure that after I fainted, that specter entered Yohana’s house and took the souls of those gentlemen- Cheo concluded.
shocked
After telling us that story, my mom called me to go to sleep. Cheo’s story had impacted me. I have never been afraid of paranormal or dark situations. So a few days later I decided to investigate and verify if Cheo was telling the truth.
One afternoon while they were playing a game of chapitas in the street, I saw Yohana sitting in front of her house. I went over and greeted her. While I was hanging out, she told her a couple of my bad jokes about boys and she smiled at me, I think out of kindness. Cheo was batting and at that, she gave me a defiant look. I didn’t pay attention to her and continued talking to Yohana. Later, with more confidence, I finally asked him:
-And your mother, I’ve never seen her?
-That’s a long story. She and my dad died of a heart attack in their sleep.
I’m so sorry, Yohana. Also, it is a somewhat curious situation.
-It is. The rest of the family and us, I mean, my sister and I, until today, do not know what happened that night. When we arrived in the morning after spending a weekend in Caracas, we entered and it was very quiet in the house. That scared us. When we went to my parents’ room, we found them dead in bed and their sheets were bloody -Yohana assured.
After listening to her, I fell silent and went home. As time went by, I stopped talking to Cheo and Roberto due to other circumstances. I had never told anyone this story. However, today I broke the promise forever. I also want to confess a detail: Cheo and Roberto never existed. The frightened boy who saw the lady’s face, was me.
