I was driving just below the speed limit of twenty-five miles an hour, and being followed by a pack impatient vehicles, as I drove past the house to my left. I pulled in on the corner of the next block. The other cars eagerly passed. I sat for about ten seconds. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach. My anxiety was through the roof. This wasn't unusual, in fact, I think it is part of the thrill.
I saw a message pop up on my phone which read, "Red Door."
I snapped back into reality, put my keys in my pocket, slid my wallet under my front seat, turned off my phone, and hopped out of my Jeep.
It was a warm day, not as humid as it had been, and I enjoyed feeling the sun beat down on me. I crossed the street perpendicular to my Jeep and pulled out my keys to ensure that it was locked. I tucked them back in my pocket as I continued to cross the intersection. I slowly walked down the block.
I passed about six sets of semi-attached brick homes before coming to the one that stood a part from the rest. It sat back from the street with a small patch of grass in front. Potted plants and stone statues sat at either side of the short set of four steps I climbed to get on the porch. There was a large wreath, patriotic themed, and bunting under the windows. This was a three-story home unlike the others in this area.
I reached for the handle and the red door opened just more than a crack.
"Hurry, come inside," he said.
I slid through the threshold and then behind him. He was wearing nothing but his boxers, and I noticed him quickly lock and bolt the door. There were two locks.
"Upstairs," he said as he shuffled past me and ran up the stairs.
The stairs creaked and cracked as he ran up barefoot.
I stood for a moment, in the parlor, in one of the most mysterious homes I had ever seen, and I looked around. It was full of relics, fancy furniture from a hundred years ago, and its design was clearly from the distant past. It didn't belong here. Was it Colonial?
"Come on," he called, and I followed him up the stairs.
There must have been eight rooms on the second floor of the home. The massive halls were painted a deep shade of red with a dull white paint covering the ornate molding. Beautiful lights hung from the ceiling, and the walls were expertly decorated with photos of a time long past. I recognized Presidents on these walls. Was that General Washington? It felt as though they were watching me and I got the chills.
He waved me into a room and closed yet another door. I heard a 'click' as he locked it. I'd been counting and that was three. This room was gigantic, in fact, it was actually two rooms in one. The front room was more of a sitting room. There was a large white cat sitting on an old wooden chair. It looked at me. It didn't move an inch.
He walked into the second room, which included not much more than a king-sized bed, and I followed. He looked at me and smiled. He locked this door; number four. I didn't like the way this felt. It felt all wrong to me. This house, the furnishings, the pictures, the cat, the locked doors, all seemed like signs to run, but I had nowhere to go.
Sensing my discomfort, the man took a step back, put his open hands out in front of him, and said, "Dude, if you are uncomfortable you can go. I'm not going to hurt you."
I took in a sigh of relief and he reached out and touched me. He could probably sense yet again that it was exactly that which I wanted to hear.
I took a step toward him and he lifted my shirt, first a little, then over my head. He touched my chest. He moved his hand down, caressing over my stomach, before tucking just two fingers under the elastic of my shorts. He pulled down a little.