Running With the Devil (SCP Fanfic)

Chapter 4: Black Box

James was walking up the stone steps of a small church in the middle of a forest. He stood in front of its big wood doors and pressed his palm against it, and pushed it open with a creak.

He entered the church. The hall was calmly silent and empty. He walked down the center aisle in-between the pews as the light running through the stained glass made a rainbow path for him to follow.

His steps fell softly against the ground as he made it to the pulpit in the back.

James stood at the pulpit, looking over the pews. Resting on the pulpit was a familiar black box. James picked it up and unlocked it with ease. He set it down and was about to open it. Something caught his attention, though.

In his peripheral vision, he saw in one of the pews someone sitting. He looked up swiftly and saw it was his grandfather. James picked up the box and walked over to him, and sat down.

James held the box in front of his grandfather, trying to grab his attention, because for some reason, he could not speak.

His grandfather finally looked over at the box, then at James, "It's been a while, James. Even longer since we've been in church together," His grandfather looked forward at a big crucifix on the back wall.

"I've never got to tell you something, James, about your lineage. It's important, very important. I didn't want to tell you then, but I'm here now."

James desperately wanted to talk to his grandfather so badly that he began to shed a tear.

"You can't talk in your own dream, James, I'm sorry," his grandfather put on a weary smile.

The church began to tremble and shake.

"But listen now," he said as if in a hurry, "this box will have all the answers you need. You just have to search for them. He's coming now to stop me from talking to you, I must go now. Have faith."

James stood up and looked around as dust and bits of rock fell from the ceiling.

James looked back to where his grandfather was sitting. He had vanished.

The light shining through the windows became a blood red and stained everything else in the room a dark red. The church began to fill with crimson water. James sloshed around the room, looking for some sort of exit, but there was none. The front door had disappeared.

The crimson waters pooled up to his chest as they continued to rise. The water consumed the entire room as it brought him up to the arched ceiling.

James pressed his hands against the cold stone ceiling as the water finally over took him and submerged him under.

James opened his eyes, and to his surprise, he could see he was floating in a dark red void. He began to feel the oxygen in his lungs run out and tried to breathe in, but water rushed into his mouth and filled his body.

He floated in the void, tossing and turning and thrashing, trying to fight the sensation of drowning. He opened his mouth in an attempt to let out a cry, but nothing escaped.

He felt himself shake as he heard someone call out to him from the darkness. White light shone through the water, and the muffled voice kept calling out.

"Wake up!"

James's eyes shot open. His entire body was shaking, and sweat dripped off his nose.

As he realized he was just dreaming, he noticed Malo sitting on the bed looking at him, worried.

"What are you doing in here, Malo?" He wiped the sweat off his brow.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came in here to sleep with you, and when I came in here, you were shaking and whipping your head back and forth while mumbling something. So I tried waking you up."