Flamed Encounter (short story by powerfulprotector/reahdarkrose)

The clock struck midnight and here I was, standing in an empty hallway. The grandfather clock chimed so loudly that it made my ears ring. Black, curly locks of hair fell in front of my left shoulder and behind my right shoulder as my head slowly turned to the right. Shocking blue eyes widened ever so slightly at the sight that met them. A girl, she couldn't have been older than fourteen years old, blonde, straight hair that reached down to her knees. Covering my mouth, my movements seemed to be going in slow motion, a sick feeling taking me over. The green tinge to this young girl's skin, the eyes weren't there any more. They were just black holes encircled in blood and dirt. Watching in horror as this 'girl' slowly raised an arm and pointed to the door that was behind me, next to the grandfather clock that was still chiming, I was frozen in place. Why was the clock still chiming? It was as though it was stuck on a loop.

Finally managing to glance away from the horrific sight of the 'girl' my blue orbs darted to the door that ting had pointed to. It was ajar only by a centimeter, maybe two, darkness seemed to pour out of the crack the way light would have done. Turning my head back again, only a little, the crunching in my stomach lessened. The creature in the guise of a young girl had gone. Maybe if i just ventured into this room they would leave me alone. One could hope. Edging slowly toward this door, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, it was trying to break out and run in the opposite direction. I couldn't blame it of course, if it wasn't for my accursed curiosity, I would have done the same. My mouth had become dry with the terror and dread that coursed through every inch of me like it was going to drain every drop of water in me.

Finally, as if after hours of edging forward, my hand reached the mahogany door, pushing it cautiously. Narrowing my eyes, I strained to see inside the room but there was just darkness, although, the darkness seemed to move. It seems weird to think it, but I could have sworn it was moving, beckoning me. Taking in as deep a breath as I dared to, I stepped in. Oh how I learned to regret that. The moment I was clear of the door, it slammed shut. Turning on my heels, I ran to the door and pounded on it, screaming for it to open, but to my dismay it didn't budge. Instead a small emberish glow began behind me, glancing over my shoulder, the horror began again.

Flames writhed from the center of the ceiling in the room, engulfing it completely. Pounding at the door again I began to beg and will it to open, tears of fear, determination and frustration streaming down my face. I didn't see it coming, not at all. Suddenly, all of my crying and pleading ceased as I felt a cold, clammy hand on my ankle. Before I could even blink I found myself hitting the ground, my head being split open at the back with the impact. Great, I was trapped in a room, flames on the ceiling, something dragging me around and now my head was throbbing. Trying hard to grab onto anything i passed, I knew it was useless, but i had to try any way or I would never forgive myself.

Finding myself being dragged up toward the center of the flames, I tried to scream as I saw it. An ugly, green face emerging from the flames. Again, there were no eyes, but this time there were fleshy eye patch looking things. In the very center of each an x could be seen as though carved into them. Black, stringy hair fell over it's eye patch looking flesh as it moved me closer to it, pinning me with it's hands and it seemed, it's feet. I couldn't move, yet I involuntarily began to scream something. A name. Katie. Over and over and over I screamed the name, shaking my head violently like some one possessed. This thing spoke to me. "She's inside your body. I'm going to drag you to hell with her, unless you figure out a way to get her out within a week's time." The voice, god it was enough to drive any one insane. It was one of those cackling, insane voices, that without the menace and the evil, would sound sweet. The stench of the breath was enough to make me wretch.

My eyes were wide open, but as he let me go, I felt myself hit not the hard ground, but the softness of a bed. It was my bed. The thing that I could only guess was a demon, slowly began to vanish back through the flames. Pulling my blankets up to my eyes, I couldn't stop the whimper that left my throat. The flames vanished and left me lying there in the dark, not a single sound could be heard. Not even the usually busy, main road made any sound, no headlights to send comfort. The comfort that I was in fact awake and not in another realistic dream like before. How had this all happened? I couldn't explain it at all. All I knew was that if I didn't research into this, I was going to get a less merciful meeting again next week.