The House That Answered

Every child on the street knows the story of the woman who died in the empty house, and why nobody has answered its doorbell since.

My Husband

For as long as I could remember, the house at the end of our street had been waiting for someone to knock.

It stood slightly apart from the other homes, beyond the reach of the nearest streetlamp. Its white paint had faded to the color of old teeth, and dead vines clung to the brickwork beneath the upstairs windows. The lawn grew wild every summer, then collapsed into a bed of brown weeds when winter arrived.

Nobody lived there.

Nobody had lived there for years.

Still, every child in the neighborhood knew the story of the woman inside.

A young married couple had moved into the house around 2004. According to the adults, they had seemed happy. They were newly married, excited about having a place of their own, and still surrounded by half-open boxes when the accident happened.

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Quick answers about The House That Answered

What is The House That Answered about?

Every child on the street knows the story of the woman who died in the empty house, and why nobody has answered its doorbell since.

Is The House That Answered free to read?

Yes. Every story on RapidTale is free to read in the browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

How long does it take to read?

This story runs 1 chapter — most readers finish in one sitting, and you can stop and return to any chapter using the contents list.

Who wrote it?

Nimra Khan — original fiction published on RapidTale.