The Mouth of Madness - 1. One

The Mouth of Madness

It was with some trepidation that Jacob drove through the gates of the Fenwick Estate. Jacob drove up the drive and saw the manor before him, it was quite the beautiful old structure. Jacob parked his car out front and made his way to the front door and rang the bell. A minute passed and Jacob was about to head home when a portly dark haired man wearing a suit opened the door, “Master Robert is waiting for you Sir.”

Jacob Mendel took a small step back, “Ah well…thank you. I’m afraid I don’t know exactly what I’m getting myself into by agreeing to be Rob’s tutor. We’re classmates but…well I don’t know much about the Fenwicks, Rob and I run in different circles you see?”

Jacob walked through the door as he was asking this, he felt a chill run down his spine as he entered the manor. The butler smiled darkly at Jacob closing the door behind them and said, “Not much to know really, don’t see why it’s important either boy. Now go tutor the young master, the sooner you’re done and sooner you can go home.”

Jacob held his tongue and continued into the house and climbed the stairs directly inside the door. The Butler left through the adjoining kitchen. It was then that Jacob realized that he didn’t know where Rob’s room was located. He cursed to himself and debated going back down stairs to try to find the mean Butler. He quickly decided that he’d be better off just trying to find Rob, the Butler gave him a bad vibe. Jacob shivered at the thought of approaching the man again. Before Jacob lay a hallway that went both left and right from the stairway. Doors to rooms unknown adorned the walls on each side of the hallway. The stairs also continued up to another floor. Jacob called out, “Hey Rob, where are you?”

There was, of course, no response. Jacob approached the first door on the left side of the hallway closest to the stairs knocked and opened the door. The room looked to be a study, it had several bookcases, a table, and a lounge chair. What Jacob found peculiar was that in the ashtray next to the lounge chair there was a still lit cigarette in the ashtray on the Table. Jacob frowned, “Hey is there anyone here?” he asked to the seemingly empty room. As he walked in to the room. He decided that this room was the source of the chill that enveloped the whole manor, he wasn’t sure exactly what made him come to that conclusion but he knew it was true. Next to the ashtray on the table was an opened book. Jacob stalked closer to the open tome despite knowing that he should leave and seek out Rob. The open page was filled with writing in a unearthly language, one that Jacob didn’t recognize at least. Jacob had the vague impression that the language was truly unearthly. Jacob heard a murmuring from somewhere in the room that started to get louder as he gazed at the words on the page. Suddenly Jacob realized he was the person speaking, “g'lkkien eered—“. Jacob forced himself to look away as the door behind him slammed shut.

The portly butler had an indignant expression on his face as he stalked towards Jacob. “What. Are. You. Doing. Here!” The butler said in a smoldering rage.

Jacob backed away, “I’m sorry, I was looking for Rob.” Jacob’s back hit the wall as the butler continues advancing.

The butler suddenly pulled a very sharp looking dagger and pressed it against Jacob’s stomach. “Get the fuck out of my study and stop poking your nose where you don’t fucking belong you snot nose—“

The door slammed open and a voice Jacob recognized shouted, “What are you doing to my guest!? Jeeves please get the hell away from Jacob, you’re scaring him!” The butler silently pocketed the dagger and backed away.

“Certainly Master Robert, your classmate here was just poking his head where he doesn’t belong. I suggest you get your tutoring done and send him on his way! Rest assured, I’ll be talking to your father about this.”

Rob’s face darkened and he noded his head. “Come on Jacob, let’s go to my room.” At this Rob walks out the door and Jacob quickly follows. The butler slams the door shut behind the two boys. As soon as they start to head up the stairs Jacob starts breathing heavily as they reach the third floor.

The color has drained from Jacob’s face and he vaguely realizes he has arrived at Rob’s room. Tears start streaming down his face as he falls onto Rob’s big bed. The room is spacious and beautifully decorated. Robert has up a poster of a pretty girl on the wall above his bed. None of these things matter to Jacob as he starts freaking out, “Oh my god!” he starts to say over and over again.

Robert sits on the bed next to Jacob and pats Jacob on the back. “I’m sorry,” He says, “I really should have greeted you personally. Jeeves may be a little harsh with his words but he’s alright really. I guess. What were you doing in his study anyway?”

Jacob started to calm down a little and as tears streamed down his face said “L-looking for y-you. W-why did you even w-want a loser l-like m-me to t-tutor you?”

Robert frowned took a deep breath and said, “Woah calm down, seriously it’s gonna be okay. Jeeves was exceptionally rude to you but it isn’t like you were hurt or anything, and don’t call yourself a loser okay? Damn dude, I respect you. It takes a lot of guts to be who you actually are in High School. I admire how free you are, you don’t have to don a mask every day like I do, and you’re just yourself. I respect that. You know I’ve never had a problem with your sexuality, I’ve stood up for you several times when I’ve heard people picking on you. Listen, I go day to day pretending to be the perfect son around here, I’m the heir to the estate. My parents are successful in business, my life is planned out for me. You want to know why I wanted you to tutor me? It’s because you’re smart and you’re a good guy. Lord knows we need more people like you in the world.” Robert stopped to take a breath of air. He laughed and said, “Well, seems I needed to get that out. Now ummm are you calm enough to start the lesson?”

Jacob wiped some of the tears from his eyes. Truth be told Jacob did feel a lot better after hearing Robert ramble. Jacob got the feeling that he wasn’t being told the full story but he was definitely ready to start the lesson.

Jacob smiled, “Thanks Rob! That means a lot to me. You’re a good guy, excuse me for saying it but I’ve always thought you are way better than those stuck up assholes you hang out with. No offense.”

Rob laughed and Jacob could have sworn he saw a hint of a blush on Rob’s face, “Well they’re my assholes. They really aren’t that bad when you get to know them. Listen, you gonna be okay? I know things are rough for you at school sometimes, just know that you aren’t a loser okay?” He paused and then continued, Damn, enough of this sappy shit though. For real, I need help on my math.”

So they studied math, Robert was smart. Smarter than he gave himself credit for really. Smarter than most of their classmates too. Once the homework was finished Rob turned on his TV, “You wanna stick around and play a round of Xbox with me? I won’t keep you much longer, promise.” Rob gave Jacob a pouty puppy dog style face that explained why everyone loved Robert. He was the golden boy of the school: charming, nice, handsome, cute, smart.

Jacob smiled, “You know you have everyone fooled thinking you’re perfect but I know your game now!” Robert started to frown but Jacob continued, “Not that I’m complaining, sure I can play a round.” And so they did. Then another, and maybe another, and then yet another. Finally Jacob felt his cellphone buzzing in his pocket and he picked it up, it was his father.

“Hey kiddo, you still tutoring the Fenwick boy?”

Jacob blushed, “Jeeze Dad, I’m 18 stop calling me kiddo. Yeah I am still at the Fenwick manor, you should see this place. It’s beautiful.” Jacob winked at Robert, “Some of the residents are too.” This elicited a blush from Robert and a smack on Jacob’s shoulders.

Jacob heard his father sigh, “Too much info kiddo, and for your information you’ll be my kiddo until the day I die. Which, I figure will be in another hundred years or so. Don’t get your hopes up okay? Dinner is waiting for you, unless your sister and I are eating with just each other tonight?”

Jacob smiled, “Nah I wouldn’t want to impose on the Fenwick’s like that, besides I don’t have any of my things. I’ll be home shortly, give me fifteen minutes?”

Mr. Mendel laughed, “No rush son, talk to you when you get home!” and with that Jacob ended the call and stood up.

“Thanks for your hospitality, I don’t have that game at home. It was a lot of fun. Well if I don’t talk to you at school tomorrow, and realistically I probably won’t, have a good night and a good day! See you tomorrow afternoon.”

Rob got up, “Here I’ll show you out, don’t want Jeeves freaking you out again.” And so Rob did, and Jacob got safely to his car and headed home. Jacob had gotten used to the chill of the house and by as he left he felt relieved, despite the good time he had with Rob the unnatural chill of the manor was very creepy.

Once Jacob arrived at his house he parked his car in the garage next to his father’s car and walked into the living room, “Hey Dad!”

Mr Mendel smiled and Elsa, Jacob’s six year old sister, squealed and ran up to him and gave him a hug “I’M SO GLAD YOU’RE HOME!!! WE CAN FINALLY EAT!!!!!!!”

Jacob chuckled, “I’m glad to see you too little siss.” So the family sat down to eat dinner.

Ben Mendel smiled at his son and daughter as he talked about his day. Ben Mendel was a police detective, and usually had some pretty interesting stories to tell his family. Though he kept some of the more messed up things he had to deal with to himself. After Ben finished talking about his day he asked Elsa about hers, and she described her day at school. Apparently she has a crush on some boy named Jeremy, Ben didn’t really know how to feel about this news. Six year olds shouldn’t have crushes on boys! He shook his head and moved on to his eighteen year old son, “So Jacob, how was your date with the Fenwick boy?” he teased.

Jacob blushed a bright red and said, “Jeeze Dad! It wasn’t a date, I was just tutoring him. He’s a good guy, and straight too! For your information it went well, except…well it’s not really important but the Fenwick butler is creepy.” Jacob decided it was best to leave out the creepy tome in the man’s study and the threat with the knife. No reason to complicate things. “Anyway, the estate is truly beautiful, it’s huge! I got lost trying to find Rob’s room! That said it’s very cold in that House, they could use heaters or something.”

Ben smiled, “Well I’m glad you had a good time, admittedly I was a little worried when you told me that you were tutoring Mr. Fenwick’s boy. That man has always given me the creeps, I’ve had to talk to him a few times for investigations. Anyway, it’s no surprise that the family butler would be creepy as well. How exactly did you get roped into this job anyway kiddo? I don’t recall you being friends with the Fenwick boy before?”

“His name is Robert! Anyway, I wouldn’t exactly say we’re friends, more like friendly acquaintances. He’s in a few of my classes and he contacted me on Facebook about doing some tutoring for him and well you know I don’t have many friends,” Jacob blushed, “So I gladly accepted the offer to tutor the most popular boy in the school. Besides, I may or may not have a crush on him.”

Elsa giggled, “Jacob and Robert sitting in a tree, k.i.s.s-“ Jacob blushed and put his hand over his sister’s mouth to stop her from continuing. She bit his hand and he yelped in pain.

“You’re going to pay for that!” He said manically as Elsa ran off. “Come back here so I can tickle you!” He shouted as he chased her to her room giggling madly.

Ben smiled at his children as they sped off. He loved them with all his heart but sometimes they were definitely a handful. He looked to the picture of Helen on the wall and smiled sadly, “I wish you were still around sweetie, I miss you.” With that Ben cleaned up the dinner table.

END CHAPTER ONE