When my parents got divorced, my mother and I ended up renting an old crappy house in Alton, just southwest of Austin. I hated it - a dusty farmhouse that made drives into the city very difficult. This was one of those hundred year old farmhouses that had long been abandoned, so my mom managed to get the place for cheap.
During the weekdays, I stayed with friends in the city because I had school and a night job at a gas station. On the weekends, I tried to spend time with my mother who usually got drunk and complained about my dad.
I had just turned 18 and was thinking about joining the military. My mom wasn't even 40 yet, but she looked tired and ragged from too many jobs, too many drinks.
Friday night, a buddy dropped me home. I walked in to see my mom at the table.
"Christian, this place is haunted."
"What?"
"I saw a black figure upstairs. Quick, like a shadow. I've seen them before. They're all over the house!"
"You're drinking too much, Mom." I threw my dufflebag on the floor and looked in the fridge for dinner. I made myself a sandwich then retreated to the couch to watch TV.
"You believe me, son?"
I ignored her.
A couple hours later, i was asleep on the couch when I woke to some noise. I glanced at the staircase and sure enough thought I saw a shadow for a split second. it moved up so quickly, I had to blink to wonder if I really saw it. But I shook my head - just a trick of the light.
Minutes later, my mom came downstairs. She looked zoned out, stoned. Her long blonde hair was like mine, wild and unkept. She walked straight into the kitchen and made a bowl of soup. Then she brought the bowl over to me and placed it on my chest.
"What the hell, mom?" I started to move it off.
"Soup, Alan." She held the bowl in place on my chest.
I looked at it, "Why did you call me, Alan? Carrots, mom. You know I don't like carrots."
"I'll take them out." She moved the bowl to the coffee table. Then she reached for my feet and started to pull off my socks.
"What are you doing?"
She stared straight ahead, still very zoned out. "You like having your feet rubbed."
"Leave me alone, mom. You're acting crazy!"
At that, she stood up and went back up the stairs.
The next morning, I was sitting eating cereal when my mother staggered down the stairs looking very tired and haggard.
"What was that all about last night?" I asked.
"What?"
"You don't remember? You came downstairs and made me soup and tried to take my socks off."
"What? I don't remember that."
"You did! What's the matter? Are you doing ambien again, mom?"
"No!" she shook her head, looking disturbed. "No, i wouldn't mix ambien with my beer."
The next night, I was upstairs in my room. I was watching porn on my phone when I looked up and I swear I thought I saw a black figure disappear into the closet. I hopped up, opened the door but there was nothing there. Geez, this house is weird. I climbed back into bed and started watching porn again. Soon, I whipped out my dick and started stroking myself.
Again, I thought i saw something. I pulled up my shorts and jumped at the closet door, but it was empty.
It took me a couple minutes to settle down again. Lights and the phone must be hurting my eyes, I thought. I started watching porn again, jacking with my left hand, flipping the phone with my right.
I must have dozed off but I woke to find myself lying on my back in my dark room. For some reason, my arms and legs could not move. I looked left and right but couldn't see anything, the room was so dark.
But I heard my bedroom door open, and even in the darkness, i could make out the shape of my mother walking in, wearing her oversized t-shirt as she walked toward the bed.