“Probably just a mouse,” Ian shrugged his shoulders. His eyes widened as we heard an even louder thump directly above our heads. “A very, very big mouse…?”
“I’m outta here,” Carmen muttered and took off towards the front door. We started to follow when we heard her scream. As we made it to the main room, we saw her standing in front of the door; unmoving except for the shaking of her hands.
“What happened?” Liam called out to her.
“It just shut…” her fear causing her to stumble over her words. “…by itself!”
“It was probably just the wind,” Ricker tried to console her. She turned to us with a spark of madness in her eyes.
“There was no wind and I was nowhere near it. It just shut all by itself.” She swung back towards the door with her mouth still hanging open.
“Well, then we’ll just open it back up. That’s what they make door knobs for.” Ricker walked up to the door and grabbed the handle. There was a loud pop and his body was thrown backwards; crumpling onto the hard wooden floor. Dusting himself off, he stood immediately and made a beeline for the same door.
“Ricker I don’t think that’s a good idea-“ Liam started to warn him, but it was too late. He had grabbed the doorknob again and was sent flying once again; landing hard on the floor. Carmen rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“I have never met anyone so stubborn,” she muttered under her breath, helping him back up.
I looked around for a window, but the closest one was back in what would have been the kitchen.
“Maybe we could open a window and get out that way,” I speculated, as I entered the would-be kitchen. Once in the center of the room, the substantial wooden door to the kitchen slammed shut behind me and I heard a distinct click at the window. I tried to wrench the window open to no avail.
The lock wouldn’t budge and the stronger my fear became the sweatier my hands were. That definitely didn’t help my already compromised dexterity skills. I ran back to the door and tried the knob. It wouldn’t even turn.
“Hey! Let me out of here!” I pushed against the door and started jostling the knob as I hard as I could.
“Stasia?” Phoebe’s surprised voice came from the other side of the door, “Stasia!”
“I’m stuck! I can’t get out!”
“Hold on!” I heard her walk away, followed by mumbling as they decided what to do. I scanned the bare cabinets and empty holes where an oven or ice chest would have been. As I glanced back towards the door, I cried out in unadulterated fear. Blood. Everywhere. It covered the door; the ceiling. I watched in quiet horror as a word was methodically written across the wall in deep red.
Penance.
My lungs squeezed as panic wrapped around my throat and shattered my courage. “Get me out of here!” I screamed, and started banging on the door. “Phoebe!”
I listened intently but was only met by a deafening silence on the other side of the door.
Where did they go? Did they get out the front door? Did they leave me? I quickly noticed that the word had disappeared, but the blood that had stained the walls was now flowing down in earnest now, puddling on the floor at my feet. This wasn’t real. This wasn’t real. I closed my eyes and repeated it over and over. This wasn’t real.
I steeled myself and opened my eyes, and with a momentary wave of relief I let out a sigh.
The blood was gone. I twisted my head back and forth, hoping that I wasn’t just seeing what I wanted to see. I reached my hand out and lightly touched the door with my fingertips. Completely dry.
“Phoebe!” I yelled for her again, but was only met by more hair-raising silence.
“No!” A deep voice boomed behind me. I twisted around and met the eyes of a handsome middle aged man. “You can’t have them! Do you hear me?” he boomed. I took a step back, falling against a cabinet. He was covered in blood. His hands, his white shirt, even his trousers were drenched in crimson. My heart was jumping out of my chest but I did my best to calm down and speak clearly.
“I don’t want to take anyone! I promise!” I pleaded with him.
“You’re lying!” he boomed again, moving closer.
“Dr. Drake! I swear!” I covered my head but no retaliation came. I peeked out to see his face contorted in confusion.
“Drake?” He stood straighter, seemingly deep in thought.
“Isn’t…Isn’t that your name?” I guessed.
“It sounds familiar.” He stared at me, fascinated. “You aren’t like the others.”
“What others?” I asked, suddenly terrified.
“Get out.” His features hardened and he backed away.
“But Dr. Drake-“ I reached for him.
“Get out!” he yelled at me, and suddenly faded away.
“Phoebe!” I pressed my ear up against the door in order to hear something; anything.
“Carmen, don’t!” I heard Willow gasp, and the sound of bodies hitting the floor turned my stomach. Furniture scraped across the floor as I heard more scuffling.
“What’s happening to him!?” I heard Carmen scream.
“Carmen!” I yelled out, “Phoebe!”
My response was more muffled yelling and thumps, followed by a shrill scream. Then I realized the blood was back; once again dripping down the door and walls. I moved away as it ran down the cabinets. Now trapped in the middle of the room, I couldn’t escape the thick mass of red liquid.
“Scared of a little blood?” a voice mocked me. “Oh, boo freakin hoo.”
“Nadia.” I spun around and immediately ran at her, anger erupting through every cell of my body. “Why won’t you leave me alone?!” In a fit of rage I tried to tackle her, but she simply disappeared; causing me to land hard against the blood soaked wall.
“You’re gonna have to do better than that,” she snickered from across the room, and crossed her arms over her black leather mini dress. “So, how’s our handsome dark prince? Oh that’s right. He lied to you. Broke your fragile little heart.” She stepped closer and smiled, “You’re welcome.”
“When I become immortal, I will hunt you down….” I hissed at her.
She started laughing and shook her head at me in pity. “You really are a riot, Stasia.” She moved closer to me and the evil tendrils began to seep through her skin and into the air. Her golden skin began to shimmer as her anger grew. “You won’t make it ten minutes in the Underworld. And if you dare step foot in my river-“
“What, Nadia?” A streak of boldness shot through me as I stepped towards her. “What are you going to do?”
Her honey eyes darkened, “I wouldn’t want to ruin your pathetic story by giving away the ending. Patience, dear. Patience,” she patronized me with a smirk.
I stepped towards her again, “Let me go, Nadia.”
“Funny how you keep saying that,” she chuckled. “If you think you’re such a badass, get yourself out.” She smiled wickedly and then promptly disappeared. I ran to the door and tried the knob before resorting to banging on it some more.
“Phoebe!” The silence I was met with sent a wave of panic through me. I had to think. I looked around for something solid to break the glass window with.
“Why did you do this to us?” I froze as two small girls stared at me with nothing less than pure hatred. Their beautiful green and blue dresses were smeared with blood, culminating on their chests.