Rotting Away

December 1st

Cameron just won’t let it go. I guess stubbornness runs in the family because I wouldn't either. For hours, we argued about where we should move, and she thought Kansas was a great idea. I could write a list containing 500 reasons why Kansas wasn't a good idea, but I have given up at the moment.

I’m just glad we are finally getting rid of this old junk of a house. There is just so much mold a person can handle before losing it and the smell of rot clings to our clothes whenever we leave. As long as we don’t have to face anymore raccoon incidents, I’ll be fine with anywhere. Just not Kansas.

December 3rd

I honestly thought I lost this stupid diary along with the rest of the stuff we threw away. Dad couldn't wait any longer so we packed up as fast as we can, threw away everything we didn't need and called the moving company to drop our things off at Aunt Laurie’s house.

I thank my lucky stars that Dad didn't make us spend the night at Aunt Laurie’s. It’s not that I don’t like her, but she’s been acting weird ever since mom died. Always talking about the guilt and smell or something? Anyway, it’s just…weird.

Cameron and I are sharing a room in a motel with Dad in the room next door. The walls are so thin I could hear him complaining about the new house’s price if I press my ear to the wall.

Actually I could hear Dad just fine if Cameron isn't talking so loudly on the phone, saying the place smells like fart and old hags. For once, I couldn't agree more with her. It’s like the smell is stuck to us, following us.

December 5th

We finally moved and, as Cameron insisted, we ended up in Kansas. Dad doesn't mind where we live as long as we get away from that house. I can’t really tell what the fuss is about. So what if the raccoons have been killing a few mice and rats and leaving them up in the walls?

Dad called the pest control several times but all they would do is remove one raccoon at a time. I can’t blame him though, because it’s hard to sleep that constant scratching over your head.

The new house is pretty big and the neighborhood seems fine. Cameron took off and left the unpacking to me and Dad, and Dad bailed out once he got all the boxes inside. He said he had work to do to.

I can’t blame him for all the stress. No one is helping. Cameron is off acting like she doesn't know us and Aunt Laurie is a whole other story. She actually called today to ask if we got everything then started rambling about the smell.

Out of politeness I let her continue but everything she said went in one ear and out the other. I can’t say I made her feel better but I showed her respect and that was effort.

December 9th

We finally got everything into place. The kitchen was scrubbed clean and the living room looks great but it’s little spacious. Dad looks better than he did before, but he’s still stressing out over the whole moving thing.

I tried to get him to eat and he ignored me, so I spent the rest of the day bothering Cameron. She kept asking me every now and then if I could smell something. I acted like she was going insane like Aunt Laurie. All she said in return was, “You’re probably the rotten egg we forgot to leave behind.”

December 12th

It’s 2 a.m. and I’m more than sure something is up moving around. I went to Dad’s room a few minutes ago, but he wasn't there and it’s too scary to go downstairs and look for him. Cameron wouldn't help if I woke her up. She’d just add up to the problem.

Falling asleep is out of the question. I’ll probably just rest for a while and try to think about what could be up there. I really thought we called the pest control to check the house before we moved.

Aunt Laurie called yesterday. She asked to talk to dad, but he didn't want to answer her and made me talk to her instead. I wish I didn't because now all I can think about is her gasping voice talking about the corpse that my Dad has hidden and how he left some of it at her house.

I didn't know what to tell her so I told her to call the cops if she thinks there is a corpse in her attic. She might have lost it, but she’s family and we’re not going to be the ones to put her away in the nuthouse. The police should deal with her.

December 14th

I finally talked to dad about the noise I've been hearing, and he wasn't too happy about it. He kept mumbling about animals following us and that’s when I told him about what Aunt Laurie told me.

“Fucking Laurie lost it.” He repeated over and over then took off, leaving me and Cameron alone for a few hours. When he got home, he looked very happy with a huge duffle bag over his shoulder. I wanted to know why he left so suddenly, but he locked himself away in his room.

I really don’t know what to think of this. He hasn't left his room since he got in and I can hear little footsteps in the walls now. Cameron seems just as disturbed as I am, but neither of us have any idea of what is happening.

December 18th

I haven’t heard from Aunt Laurie in a while so I called her. It went right to voice mail. I tried to stop myself from thinking about it but it’s hard. Cameron, supposedly the wiser and older, asked to sleep besides me last night.

I feel so tried. I purposely kept myself from enrolling into school, but I’m sure once we are settled down for real I’ll have to go and the thought of it is exhausting. I’ll try to phone Aunt Laurie again tomorrow and check on her.

December 19th

I was so bored today that I ended up looking around the house, trying to find anything interesting to do. That’s when I thought about taking a look at whatever was up in the attic.

I wish I didn't, I wish I just stayed with Cameron watching Project Runaway. No time to fuss over the past, I’m only writing this down so I can go over this later and make sure I haven’t lost my mind.

When I got up to the attic, I was surprised how clean it was. It was shining, like it was completely cleaned before we moved in. But the room smelled, worse here than anywhere else. It was empty too, except for a huge rectangular shaped box in the middle of the room that shined brightly along with the surrounding.

There were several rats around it scratching at it, trying to get to what’s inside. When I stepped closer to the box they all scurried away. I didn't waste time to open the box; the lid was heavy but it wasn't a struggle.

Once the lid was off, the smell took over the room in an instance and I felt like I was being choked by a cloud of smoke. I had to cover my eyes to stop them from the burning sensation. My nostrils were on fire, and I could taste the rot in my mouth.

Despite all that I didn't want to leave until I figured out what was in the box, and like the idiot I am I glanced down into the box. Once I did I threw up on the side in disgust and shook. Inside was half of my mother, her top half only.

Her hair was falling off her skull, her eyes were flat in her sockets, the side of her jaw covered in blood stains. Her skin was tight ad stiff over her decaying features. I couldn't even look down at where her body was probably sawed through. Aunt Laurie’s body was covering the view anyways. Her face was stuck in a twisted horror and the side of her head was slashed off. I think I was crying when I ran downstairs. Cameron asked what was wrong but I couldn't get myself to explain anything.

Within after an hour I had almost everything I need packed up and I forced Cameron to pack too. She was confused and thought I was joking but she went along. Once we left we took the first bus, I didn't let Cameron leave until we got to the last station.

We both started walking on a highway when I told her everything that happened, and instead of sticking beside me she left, calling me crazy and a few other things before she took off.

So here I am, sitting down on the side of the road thinking how I’m going to tell the police my dad killed my mother and aunt and probably my sister next. I’ll come off as an asshole saying this but if she stayed with me she wouldn't risk becoming a rotten egg.

That was the last entry recorded by Hannah Carrinage, her body was found several days later on the side of the highway leading to Missouri. Her sister, Cameron Carrinage, was shot to death and her body was dismantled and hidden around the house they recently moved into in Kansas. Their mother, Nicole Carrinage, and her sister, Laurie Redstone, were found hidden in a broken refrigerator in the attic of the new house. The father, Tom Carrinage, is still missing. The police department of Kansas and Missouri are on the search. Several witnesses reporting him last seen on December 28th by Flying Eagle 277 S Ridge Rd.