Dawnpoint

Chapter 38

He was on the same, spiral staircase again.

Whether he went up the stair or down the stairs didn't matter; he always ended up in the exact same spot.

A single lightbulb flickered overhead, but if he put a foot on a different step, it exploded and plunged him into complete darkness.

Although, this time, he wasn't alone.

Beside him stood Oryn; on his other side, Liliana and Phoenix.

The darkness was suffocating, not a single wall glowing the soft grey that had occupied the scene before.

Something shifted behind them, and they instinctively reached for their weapons only to be met with the fabric of their jeans.

They stared into the dark, eyes searching for the familiar tell of a Rulie stalking them.

The bulb flickered. Illuminated the figure.

They ran.

They sprinted up the stairs, breathing heavily, unable to shout to each other.

The Rulie advanced slowly, obviously taunting them as they ran up endless stairs, never moving from the same spot.

They knew it was futile, knew that the quickening pounding against the stone stairs from the creature clawing and snapping at their ankles was hungry for a final meal.

Micah screamed as it seized his leg, teeth sinking into his skin, snapping his bones and causing a surge of pain that almost made him throw up. He slammed against the staircase, thrashing as it dragged him further away from the people scrambling to save him.

It dragged him deeper and deeper, away from the staircase.

Liliana shouted for him to grab their hand, Phoenix tried to whack the creature away, and Oryn fell to his knees, fingers digging into the freezing mud.

But their attempts were useless.

Deeper, deeper, deeper –

Micah gasped and bolted upright in his position from the floor. Drenched in sweat, he met the fearful eyes of the three survivors trying to catch their breath. Oryn was about to talk, but Micah held his hand out to shush him as a rustle sounded directly outside the window.

They climbed over the other three sleeping figures and peered into the shadows, pulling back the curtains. Phoenix instinctively reached for the knife he had stolen from the kitchen drawer and stuffed under his pillow, Liliana pulling their own pocket-knife from the back of their jeans. Micah didn't have it in him to scold them as he stood protectively in front of Oryn, making sure he didn't strain his chest too much.

Through the darkness, a pair of glowing grey eyes scrutinised them. A pool of stagnant, stained ice that bore into them as a low howl in the distance resounded and they disappeared. Bursting through the door and scanning the town in every direction possible, every shadow that flickered under the streetlights, every small piece of trash rolling in the breeze, they turned to the mansion.

And right there, on top of the hill, baring its teeth and drooling silver saliva, stood a Rulie.

A sharp inhale disrupted the deafening silence as they saw a shimmering image of the greyed world they had escaped, and the creature disappeared with a blink. Phoenix swallowed and turned to them.

"They're here."