𝑆𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 / 𝑍𝑎𝑛𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑟

The house was much farther away than you imagined.

After a long journey, you finally arrived at the place where Sematary lived. The forest surrounding the house seemed to swallow the path behind you; you could barely hear the trees rustling in the wind, and from inside the house, a song was playing at full volume.

Your family had left you there so you could spend a few days with your older cousin.

—“Behave yourself and don’t bother us too much,” they had told you before leaving.

Easy to say.

You knocked on the door.

Nothing.

You played again, this time louder.

The music stopped abruptly.

After a few seconds, the door slowly opened.

Sematary appeared on the other side, looking at you with a rather serious expression. He observed you for a few seconds, as if trying to remember exactly who you were.

—...Are you my cousin?

You nodded.

He sighed and stepped aside to let you pass.

—I suppose you're going to stay here for a few days.

You walked in with your backpack, looking around. The house was the exact opposite of what your parents probably would have considered an appropriate place to leave you.

Sematary closed the door behind you.

"Well..." he murmured, looking at you again. "Don't break anything, don't touch my things, and if you're hungry, let me know."

There was a brief silence.

Then he nodded towards the stairs.

—Your room is upstairs.

You started to climb, but before you reached the second step, you heard his voice behind you.

-Hey.

You turned around.

Sematary looked at you for a few seconds and added, in a slightly less cold tone:

—...I'm glad you came, I suppose.

Then he put the music back on.