Epics of Noche 3, Limbo

EON CH 14 - ACT 33, MEAT

HALLWAY OF RANCID MEAT.

 1774, NOVEMBER 28th, MONDAY12:20 pm.

Noche took step after step into the meat hallway. What looked like a ribcage lined the ceiling and walls and all along the walls were flesh doors that were sealed shut. There was a distant thumping that echoed in time with her heart. In fact, it almost seemed to be a giant heartbeat. She summoned her wooden oar as a trickle of sweat trailed down her face.

The hallway appeared to be endless. No matter how far she walked the same sights laid before her. She was beginning to get frustrated when one of the doors squelched open; Noche froze.

She took a deep breath and focused herself. Multiple people had told her this reality was molded by her thoughts. If she kept feeling afraid it would reflect in the world around her. She needed to calm down.

Despite her better judgment, Noche checked out the new room. The interior was also made of flesh and scattered about were wooden desks and steel chairs. They were arranged all against the far wall with a single one in the center of the room. On it was a record player.

Noche got closer. The little muscle device had a skull-themed needle pressed against a vinyl record. It was to faint to hear at her distance, but she could make something out.

"You... Will..." it moaned.

Her lips drew into a thin line and she covered the remaining gap to the record player.

"Die."

Without hesitation Noche spun – she expected something to jump behind her. What she didn't expect was to be surrounded by the tables and chairs that were against the wall a moment ago. They had formed a perfect circle around her.

Her wooden oar changed into her dark blade in a flash of gold surrounded by black mist. There was no more movement, no additional sound, only the record repeating you will die on loop. Noche narrowed her eyes and squeezed her way past the desks. She used the flat of the blade to close the door as she returned to the hallway.

"I don't like this place."

The next door opened and Noche frowned. She ignored it and walked by only for another door to open. This process continued as Noche walked down the hall – door after door opening behind her. A few of them had guttural noises emerge from beyond sight.

One of the doors did catch her eye. Inside was a little fabric doll that laid motionless on the floor. As Noche stared at it the thing rose to its feet and smiled – revealing multiple rows of needle teeth.

"Creeps is going to eat you," it hissed.

Blood began to pour between the rows of teeth and it waddled in Noche's direction. She grabbed the fleshy doorknob and slammed it shut. Noche didn't pause to see if that was enough, she ran. Just in time too, for across the way was another room containing what appeared to be half a naked woman.

The lower torso was a few ribs sticking out followed by a spinal column that dangled like a tail. Organs trailed on the ground like a sickly paste as the thing skittered on its two arms. Her face was white, her eyes spoiled milk, and she lacked a lower jaw; she had an elongated tongue that hung down to her collar bone.

The specter didn't have time to leave the dark room before Noche turned the corner and was out of sight. After that the blonde became silent. She held her breath, focused her senses, and suppressed the anxiety threatening to well inside her. Noche continued forward.