I Survived A Horror Story *unedited version*

Chapter 10

SPECIAL POINT OF VIEW (don't get used to it)

He swiped his thumb over the screen thoughtfully, contemplating whether or not to conserve the battery charge. In the end he figured he might need it more urgently later on, and quickly powered the iPhone off. As soon as the screen faded to black he fixed his attention back up, and sighed inwardly at them making the same, slow progress.

"There's not a lot of rooms here, most of them are upstairs which the girls are checking. I'm pretty sure he's upstairs somewhere." Alen said, filling up the silence.

"It doesn't make any sense! This isn't that big of a house." Jet complained, a second later.

"That's like saying you're not a big person." Mallark said, earning the attention of both of them, "This house is huge." Jet frowned at him and Mallark chuckled. "Don't deny it."

"My house is bigger." Jet mumbled, turning away, and Alen rolled his eyes.

"Of course it is, I've been there."

"I know you have." Jet said.

"There are so many rooms though! Three bathrooms, four bedrooms, that one empty room..." Mallark listed them off one by one on his fingers.

"Oh, I forgot about that room." Alen said, "You think we should've told them?"

"I don't think it matters." Mallark said, his smile curving up as he watched Alen shove Jet forward as he was walking too slowly.

"Move you big lump!" Alen said, jokingly of course. Jet turned around and slapped Alen's hand away.

"Shut up!"

Mallark sat down onto the sofa, peering at the cushions and wondering why there was no dust. Everything looked untouched, like whoever lived here would come back the very next minute. This was another room on the ground floor with seemingly no purpose, just sofas and cushions. Maybe they tea parties here. He smirked to himself as he gazed at the coffee table. When he looked up, Jet and Alen were gone. He cursed silently. Jeez, if you don't talk and make your presence known, then they'll completely forget you. He rolled his eyes, unfazed, and strolled out of the room whistling. He could hear Jet's loud voice drifting off from somewhere. Mallark snickered. A big voice for a big man, that guy. It would be hard to lose him in a crowd. His thoughts were disturbed when, from the corner of his eye, he caught a spot of black. Ah, the cat. "Hey Coral!"

The cat's tail swished in the air, and it sat down, lazily licking its paw. "Coral..." Mallark whispered, moving closer to the cat. The cat paused, and soon its amber, gold eyes were fixated on him. Mallark huffed and ran a hand through his hair. The cat's eyes were much like his hair actually. Golden yellow. He liked it. "Here, kitty kitty." The cat got to its paws, albeit very slowly, the same lazy aura surrounding it's lean graceful body. Nails lighting tapping the tiled floor, it made its way over to him. Mallark's eyes lit up. To be honest, he wasn't a cat person... and he was sure once he got home his golden retriever Scout would not appreciate the scent of a cat on him... but there was something pleasing about this cat. It was mostly the eyes he decided. "Good kitty -" He abruptly stopping cooing when the cat passed him, completely ignoring his clueless face. "What -" Nobody just ignores me like that... "That's just rude now Coral." He chided, following after the cat. He froze, blinking, when he realized where the cat was going.

The basement.

The cat pawed at the door, and its nails made a scratching noise. Mallark reached for the sliver knob and twisted. A cold breeze blew out, tussling his blonde hair and sending chills down his spine. "Are you sure Coral? Why the he** do you wanna go down there?" His blue eyes blinked in confusion, and he gazed down into the darkness. He was surprised when he saw a hint of light twinkling down inside the basement.

Coral ignored him and elegantly stepped down from stair to stair. "Is Rocky there?" Mallark asked into the silence, and all he got was a mewl for an answer. Good enough for him. He stepped down onto the first stair, rubbing his arms as goosebumps erupted on his skin. He went down and down, occasionally turning to glance back up at the doorway, illuminated against the darkness with light. He felt something soft brush his leg. He glanced down sharply and panicked for point two seconds at seeing nothing there, and then two yellow eyes stared back up at him. It was the cat, blending into the darkness. A warm vibration filled the air and he realized Coral was purring. The cat twined itself between his legs, weaving in and out. Its tail was tickling him. "Coral! Stop!" He chuckled and reached down to pet the cat when he slipped.

It seemed to happen in slow motion, yet very quickly at the same time. Coral's surprised hiss filled the silence and his ears as he tumbled down the stairs, and a whoosh of air told him the cat had already streaked down the stairs. All this he thought as he painfully hit his head again and again on the concrete steps. On the last step he tried to reach out, to do something to soften his fall, but his elbow hit against a wall and he made the mistake of twisting his head around. His head crashed onto the floor at last, and his neck bent in an awkward angle. It hurt. Everything felt like it was exploding, and blurred images swam before his eyes. He blinked several times, trying to make sense of what he was seeing, but he felt dizzy and could not even cry out at the excruciating pain. And then everything cleared, only for a split moment, but it was enough. Lying on the floor a little ahead of him was Rocky, unconscious, and around him were candles, their flames eerie in the dark. He felt a light touch brush his fingers, and he reached out weakly. Coral. The cat's soft fur filled his touch and then... nothing. Cold, empty air was all he felt. He struggled to focus his eyes once more, and just as the darkness began to take over him he was able to see one more time. The cat sat on top of Rocky's chest, its amber gold eyes glowing.