Rulers of The Dead

Prologue

I count to ten before releasing another breath. My exhale of carbon dioxide sounds amplified in my ears, increasing the eerie feeling that has been settling in my bones all week now. The unknown presence weighs on me like guilt, pulling my mood deep under the depths of no return to the point where I don't think asking for help will do anything.

As I intake another breath, my bedroom walls creak. My mother always told me it was just the house settling, but I know that is not what it is right now. Something else, someone else is here; taunting me, scaring me...waiting for me. I glance around my dark room, making out the faint outlines of my white furniture. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But it wasn't the furniture that wasn't right; it was everything else. The air in my room dropped ten degrees in seconds, enough so that I could see the small clouds escaping my chapped lips. To my left, my bedroom door slowly creaks closed, making me gasp out loud. It's here.

"What do you want?" I whisper, my voice shaking. I always thought if I ever had to deal with a haunting in my house I'd be the hero. But no amount of those movies can prepare you for the real thing.

As if responding, the room got colder. I held my chilled breath in my aching throat and shuffled up onto my knees. "Please...what do you want?" I ask again, my voice slightly stronger. But of course like all ghosts, they can sense fear, and my fear was throbbing throughout my large bedroom. Suddenly, a gust of cold wind picks up my hair, making it cover my pale face. "I want...you." A shrill voice said into my ear. I shriek and jump up out of bed, booking it to my bedroom door. My heart hammers in my ears as I literally run into my door, wincing as the hard wood knocks against my skull. I grab the door knob, twist then pull but the door doesn't open. "Shit." I mutter, then suddenly freeze. I can feel the coldness spread around my toes and climb up my thighs. Quickly, I whirl around and press my back to door, swallowing hard. Now, I can admit I'm absolutely terrified. This unknown presence that has been following me these past few days is keeping me hostage in my own bedroom.

If it were even possible, my room gets colder and the chill is at my knees now. I can feel cold fingers wrap around my legs, making me gasp. "I want you...now!" The unknown being pulls forward, pulling my legs straight out from underneath me. My scream gets swallowed back down my throat as I descend backwards. The last thing I hear before my head hits the hard ground, a high-pitched voice of a young girl laughing echoes around my room, into my ears, and down to my heart, gripping it tightly as if it will never let go.

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