At the End of the Hall

Each time my foot hit the wall the wood crunched louder. It didn’t break yet, so I continued assaulting the weak spots until there was a hole big enough to pull the bones out from their copse. Reaching forward I grabbed the grey corpse and tugged at it, hearing a popping sound as something snapped when it came free.

​With corpse freed from its wooden prison I climbed inside the wall to take its place. Pushing back into the wall, taking the pain and splinters as I knew it wouldn’t matter what damage they did. My place was here now and now I need only wait for death.

It soon found me, I saw it standing at the end of the hall in front of me. A silhouette amongst the rays of light that bled from the broken ceiling. Not an angel nor demon, but a creature that would have me dead nonetheless. From the air it withdrew a spear and with such a delicate throw the spear rocketed towards me, piercing my heart and pinning me inside the wall.

The spear vanished and from the wound I bled until death, vision clouded by pain, but even then I could see the creature so clearly. It stood watching my last moments, disappearing a second before darkness enveloped me. I had died in that wall and I woke up in front of it.

Pushing myself to my feet I looked at my body. Dust was already falling on me, turning my body grey. Still, the blood remained red and my mind struggled to accept what I saw. However, my plan worked and I escaped the monster. It thought I was dead and would return to its lair to rest until the next intruder opened the door.

I, knowing better now, decided to leave the mansion through one of its broken windows. There was no blood magic to save me now, I was on my last pair of legs. If the monster were to see me again it would no doubt kill me for sure this time,

Stepped lightly through the halls I soon found a window that would be easier to break. Pulling the boards off with a few strong tugs and then using one board to break the glass and clear the sharp edges. I could see the yellowed grass, even when dying it seemed more natural than anything I had seen all day.

Climbing through the window I leapt to the ground and hit it softly. I had done it. I felt the hot, humid air of the country, the burning sun. I was freed from cold embrace and my second chance began. However, the ecstacy I felt when feeling such freedom was short lived as movement flickered in the corner of my eye.

Turning then I saw someone, a stranger to me, reaching for the door of the mansion. I made to scream at him in warning, but I was too late. By the time I had raised my hand and my through found its voice, the man touched the doorknob and disappeared, pulled inside the manor by a powerful force.

A regular man stood no chance against the monster, but neither did I in this state. I ran towards the perimeter fence and through the opening. Regretfully, I looked back to see the mansion doors wide open and the shadowy figures standing in the entrance hall.

It held a broken body in one hand which it threw aside. It was coming for me now, I was too close to the mansion when the stranger opened the door. Leaping forward I began to break into a full sprint. The monster had its limits, it was time to test how far it could go.

I ran into the small woods outside the manor. The trees weren’t so tall and their foliage still open enough for some warm sparkling lights to drip down into the forest. However, even the mansions grim aura seemed to stretch into the forest. Running in their, I realized it gave me a sickly feeling which coupled with foreboding when a spear hit the trunk of a tree next to me.

I doubt it was luck that helped me escape the point of the spear, I felt it was more of a warning. Still, with that warning, I began to tread more cautiously. No doubt it was in the forest now, so I chose my steps carefully. Speed was one thing, but if I were trip over a root it would be the end.

My decision to approach the forest carefully was paying off. I narrowly avoided some tangle of roots and soon I leapt over a stream of water. I was about to run further when I heard strange grunt. Turning on the spot I saw the monster withdraw from the stream, the water causing spoke to rise from its pale feet.

“I stand corrected,” I murmured softly. “Maybe you are a demon.”

It stopped at the water's edge and stared at me. It was unable to cross the water, it simply turned around and began walking away. Not want to turn my back on the creature I waited till it was out of sight and turned on the spot. Running through the forest felt more invigorating now. My chances were slowly rising with each second, but they were halted when I heard a whistling sound.

Turning once more to look back I found myself in the mansion. Why did I turn? I knew this spell and yet I still turned. Falling forward and pedaling myself to my feet. I was back in the lion's den, more than that, I was already being pulled into its mouth.

Coldness filled me as the next thing I felt was a spear running through me slowly. It felt numb at first, a stiffness that restricted movement, but then I felt the warmth of pain. A wrenching tug pulled the spear back and I fell. A fool thinking I could stop such evil form claiming more victims.

Pin for Later!