My Mother-in-Law Moved In… Then Things Took a Dark Turn

Emily’s Garden, and a Moment of Peace

Emily knelt in the soft earth of her garden, her fingers tenderly working the soil around her rose bushes. The air was sweet with the scent of blooms, and the rhythmic sound of her trowel was the only thing keeping her grounded. Emily had decided to take some time away from work. She was a corporate lawyer, and her company had just finished a very strenuous case of fraud from within. Her nerves were getting the better of her, and she’d decided to take a week to rest.

Her garden was her sanctuary, one of the only spaces where she felt at peace. She and her husband, Tom, had moved to the neighborhood about five years ago, and it was only now becoming home. Her garden helped. She’d always helped her mother with her garden, and weeding had become a pleasure after getting a real job after college.

Tom worked for a car company and oversaw a lot of the technology projects across the country. He traveled a lot, which was a pain at first, but after the years it became routine, and he was never gone long, usually one week out of every month, and he would be back this weekend. She planned on cooking him something special since she had the time off. A homecooked meal always tasted the best after a long trip.

The Call from Tom

Her phone buzzed on the top step of the porch. Sighing, she wiped her hands on her jeans and picked it up. It was Tom.

“Hey,” she answered cheerfully, though the tone of his voice immediately put her on edge.

“Hey, Em. Listen, I’ve got news, and I need you to keep an open mind.”

Her stomach tightened. “What kind of news?”

“Helen’s moving in with us,” he said, “It’s temporary. Just until she feels safer.”

An Early and Unwelcome Arrival

She spent the rest of her afternoon cleaning. It was Wednesday and Helen was due on Friday. She’d cleaned most of the house before she heard a knock at the door.

Odd…

Emily set her broom and dusting pan down as she opened the front door. It was Helen. Two days early. She had two suitcases, tightly gripped in her boney hands and a seething sneer on her face. Emily did her best to smile, but this encounter with her mother-in-law singlehandedly trumped every interaction. The hairs on the back of Emily’s neck raised.

Something’s Wrong with Helen

Emily, again, tried to smile and offered to take Helen’s suitcases, but she clutched them violently.

“I can handle them. I made it here on my own, I can handle them the rest of the way.”

Emily sighed. “Fine. I was just cleaning. Your room isn’t ready yet; I only received a call from Tom about an hour ago.”

Voices from the Guest Room

However, once she came to the door, she heard her. Helen was talking to herself, but it was odd. She sounded like she was mimicking Emily, and as Emily listened at the door, the more it sounded like Emily and Helen were having an argument inside the room.

Emily dropped the plate, and it broke.

A Grocery Run and a Gun

Emily conceded, however, she was going to be cautious around Helen from now on. She called up the stairs to let her know that she was going to the supermarket for groceries. They didn’t have anything in the house and Emily had planned on going shopping anyway.

She did get groceries: steaks, potatoes, salad, and other things, but she also went to a gun store nearby and purchased her first gun.

What Lies Beneath the Roses

Once she arrived back at the house, she saw Helen knelt into her rose bed. It looked like she was digging something.

“What are you doing to my roses, Helen?” said Emily, the gun and ammunition tucked into her purse.

The Monster Shows Its Face

Inside was the remains of what Emily could only describe as a person if they were crumpled up like a paper ball and shoved in a suitcase. It was Helen! The real Helen! Emily fell backwards and pushed herself away.

Helen smiled. “Got caught, did I? Well, I guess I didn’t do a very good job of hiding it. I can never tell which ones of you hire gardeners or do your own dirty work.”

Aftermath: Truth and Trauma

The police arrived shortly after, sirens screaming. The neighbors heard gunshots and called 911. Emily told first responders the rest. They didn’t begrudge her for defending herself, but they wondered why she shot her twelve times in the head after twelve in the torso.

Tom left the site early after all. Once the police contacted him, he hurried to the airport to see his wife and identify the bodies. The other body made him shiver. The face was destroyed. If he didn’t know any better, he’d almost think it was Emily. Same size. Hair was similar too. And there was this birthmark on the right shoulder… Tom shook his head.

There was no way. His wife was locked up.

It was just a coincidence.

If you enjoyed My Mother-in-Law Moved In… Then Things Took a Dark Turn, you might also like The Black-Eyed Children Came Knocking… Again