The Landlady
“Your only job is to banish the rats, but instead of you’re lying lazy and fad on the coach. You remind me of my good-for-nothing deceased husband, whose soul may burn forever in hell. He tried to take me for a fool, as if I didn’t detect his flings. Nobody deceives -ding dong- Who has the nerve to ring in the small hours? What sense!” said Mrs.Embittered while throwing on her rose dressing gown. Almost everyone had not answered the door, especially as the whole house was without tenants and Mrs.Embittered already an old widow. However her curiousness always beat her fear and so the landlady opened the log-built front door. At first she could not distinguish the outlines of the man standing in front of her, due to the fact that he merged perfectly with the dark night in his black suit, hat and shoes. “Sorry to bother you, but I get totally lost while driving and I am out of petrol. Can I use your telephone and check in one of your apartments for this night?” Mrs.Embittered regarded distrustfully the young man and kept an eye on his movement as she asked him to come in. “You can take the room on the first floor situated vis-à-vis the stairs. The bathroom finds at the end of the corridor. Breakfast is at 8 o’clock.” The man nodded and went upstairs thereby the old lady became aware of his dirty shoes. It looked like he had sloshed through mud what was very strange because he seemed to be a business man. Suddenly the man turned and asked: “Where do I find the telephone?” Mrs.Embittered pointed to the left by saying: “Tenants have the possibility to use a coin box downstairs” “Thank you and good night.”
Two hours later Mrs. Embittered was woken by quite steps walking down the stairs. As she heard the clatter of coins threw in the telephone, she stood up and went to her door for eavesdropping what was so important for the young man that he had to discuss at 3 a.m.
“It’s me. … Yes, without problems. Fortunately nobody has seen me. So we are once and for all rid of that man. He had no idea that- wait a minute I hear something”
Inadvertently Mrs. Embittered had buffered against the door with her knee. Helplessly she had to listen to steps which approached straight to her door. All at once she realized her inferiority towards this man, she let in her house. It would be nothing to him to kill her. “Misses? If I woke you up, I am sorry.” The landlady rested quite, although her heart was beating fast. She expected that any moment the door would be open and the last thing she would see were the hands of the young man grapping her neck. But the steps removed and she heard a last whisper: “We see us tomorrow. I have to replace. Bye” Thereupon heavy steps on the stairs indicated that the man went to his room. As quick as lightening the landlady called the police that promised they would send immediately several patrol cars. She should keep calm and under no circumstances leave the room. The follow four minutes were the longest she witnessed in her whole life. Again and again she perceived sounds, one heart-piercing cry went right though her.
Later on as the police searched thoroughly the whole house was neither hide nor hair of him found. Nevertheless he left one special present for Mrs. Embittered in bed: the cadaver of her fad cat and a short note “Take care! Next time it could be you after listen to something you better have not.”
