The Infamous Red Leather Chair
By
Laura Shell
Paul and his buddy Rick carried the infamous red leather chair into Stan's room at the Featherwood Senior Living Center. Paul purchased the chair from Marketplace for only $200. He was amazed the woman selling it had let it go for such a low price. The chair was in near-pristine condition.
He'd asked the woman why she was parting with it, and she'd explained that it had belonged to her mother. In fact, all the furniture in the apartment belonged to her deceased mother, and she was selling everything at more than reasonable prices just to get rid of it all.
Fine with Paul. Stan had given him $200 to find him a decent recliner. Paul doubted he'd ever find anything decent for that price.
But he'd lucked out. This chair was beautiful. Not only did it recline, but it was also leather, had lighted cup holders, and had an assisted lift feature. Paul had looked at similar recliners online, and they retailed at $500 to $800.
Paul and Rick positioned the infamous red leather chair where Stan wanted it, which was across from his 45" TV. Paul gave Stan a quick hug and a clap on the back, and then he and Rick left Stan's place.
Paul was one of the janitors at Featherwood. He didn't have to go above and beyond for these seniors, but he did. Something within him strived to be an essential aspect of their lives. They wouldn't be around forever, and he wanted to make them happy in their final days. He was that kind of guy.
But back to the chair...
So Stan Montgomery was in excellent health. He'd moved to Featherwood because his wife needed round-the-clock care due to her dementia. She'd passed four months ago. Since then, it was just him and the TV, and now...his new red leather recliner.
Stan pressed a button on the right side of the chair, and it began to recline–the head went back, and the footrest came up. He released the button when comfortable and could see the TV clearly.
Ten minutes into Matlock, his throat tightened. He couldn't breathe. He dropped the TV remote and clawed at his neck, his short fingernails leaving red streaks on his skin. And then his heart stopped.
###
"Hello, can I speak with Dana?"
"That's me."
"Hi, I don't know if you remember me, but I purchased the red leather chair from you."
"Oh, yeah. I remember. Is there an issue?"
Paul grunted. "You could say that. Um...it seems that...well...it's passed owners three times since being at the senior living center, and...well...all three times...the owners have died while sitting in that chair."
A very long bout of silence.
"Hello? Are you there?" Paul asked.
"Yes. I'm here."
"It kinda seems like the chair is cursed, doesn't it?"
Another bout of silence, then Dana said, "My advice to you is to burn that mother fucking thing. I'll give you your money back."
"What?! Why would you say that?"
"Because my mother died in that chair."
Laura Shell has been published in NUNUM, Maudlin House, Typishly, The Citron Review, and many others. Her first anthology of paranormal stories, The Canine Collection, was released in 2024. She's a prolific writer and submitter of flash fiction and the Editor of the Flash Phantoms horror fiction site–www.flashphantoms.net. You can find more about her at https://laurashellhorror.wordpress.com
By
Laura Shell
Paul and his buddy Rick carried the infamous red leather chair into Stan's room at the Featherwood Senior Living Center. Paul purchased the chair from Marketplace for only $200. He was amazed the woman selling it had let it go for such a low price. The chair was in near-pristine condition.
He'd asked the woman why she was parting with it, and she'd explained that it had belonged to her mother. In fact, all the furniture in the apartment belonged to her deceased mother, and she was selling everything at more than reasonable prices just to get rid of it all.
Fine with Paul. Stan had given him $200 to find him a decent recliner. Paul doubted he'd ever find anything decent for that price.
But he'd lucked out. This chair was beautiful. Not only did it recline, but it was also leather, had lighted cup holders, and had an assisted lift feature. Paul had looked at similar recliners online, and they retailed at $500 to $800.
Paul and Rick positioned the infamous red leather chair where Stan wanted it, which was across from his 45" TV. Paul gave Stan a quick hug and a clap on the back, and then he and Rick left Stan's place.
Paul was one of the janitors at Featherwood. He didn't have to go above and beyond for these seniors, but he did. Something within him strived to be an essential aspect of their lives. They wouldn't be around forever, and he wanted to make them happy in their final days. He was that kind of guy.
But back to the chair...
So Stan Montgomery was in excellent health. He'd moved to Featherwood because his wife needed round-the-clock care due to her dementia. She'd passed four months ago. Since then, it was just him and the TV, and now...his new red leather recliner.
Stan pressed a button on the right side of the chair, and it began to recline–the head went back, and the footrest came up. He released the button when comfortable and could see the TV clearly.
Ten minutes into Matlock, his throat tightened. He couldn't breathe. He dropped the TV remote and clawed at his neck, his short fingernails leaving red streaks on his skin. And then his heart stopped.
###
"Hello, can I speak with Dana?"
"That's me."
"Hi, I don't know if you remember me, but I purchased the red leather chair from you."
"Oh, yeah. I remember. Is there an issue?"
Paul grunted. "You could say that. Um...it seems that...well...it's passed owners three times since being at the senior living center, and...well...all three times...the owners have died while sitting in that chair."
A very long bout of silence.
"Hello? Are you there?" Paul asked.
"Yes. I'm here."
"It kinda seems like the chair is cursed, doesn't it?"
Another bout of silence, then Dana said, "My advice to you is to burn that mother fucking thing. I'll give you your money back."
"What?! Why would you say that?"
"Because my mother died in that chair."
Laura Shell has been published in NUNUM, Maudlin House, Typishly, The Citron Review, and many others. Her first anthology of paranormal stories, The Canine Collection, was released in 2024. She's a prolific writer and submitter of flash fiction and the Editor of the Flash Phantoms horror fiction site–www.flashphantoms.net. You can find more about her at https://laurashellhorror.wordpress.com
