Shadow Bite || WATTYS 2017

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I have been walking for longer than I can remember, and the night has settled down peacefully. Because of the descending presence of winter, the temperatures have risen and it's not as cold anymore, but the slight chill still manages to flee through my jacket and jeans, and covers my body in shivering goosebumps.

The trees of the forest have gradually left my sides, and I'm now carefully treading down an unfamiliar street, lined with mediocre houses on both sides. The air is cold and thin, and the darkness is only chased away slightly by the rare glow of a minority of glowing lamp posts.

I pull out the orb from my pocket again, for what seems to have been the twentieth time since I began my walk. Its soft glow illuminates the uneven pavement underneath my feet, and it pulses like a steady heartbeat in my palms as I soak its warmth into my skin. It's my only guide, and it's the only thing that I can trust to lead me in the right direction.

I could be waltzing right into one of Killian's werewolf nest for all I know.

As I come to the end of the long road and the houses begin to grow thinner and fewer, the orb's pulse picks up in speed, and I find my own heartbeat matching its erratic pattern. Fear mixed with hesitation flows through me but I force myself to keep going.

'I have to learn, I have to learn. This is for the pack', I remind myself, like a soft chant underneath my breath as my footsteps pick up faster and faster to keep up with the beating glowing ball in my hands. Slowly, I come to a stop in front of a gravelly path, standing out at the edge of the road, away from the mediocre suburban houses some feet away. I take a deep breath as the orb glows brighter, its pale shine pulling in touches of marigold. I don't miss, however, the dark patches, disappearing and appearing on its smooth surface as I trudge further down the uneven, gravelly path. Soon, another house dresses itself before me. It seems so out of place, this tall two-story suburban home among the other tiny houses down the street. However, this one, buried among dark trees, is painted in a dark wood, tall pillars stretching out from the porch that wraps around the house. It looks magisterially dark and menacing, but the broken planks and cracked windows here and there show that it can't have been lived in since a while.

Maybe I'm wrong though.

The orb now pounds stronger, those black splotches becoming more and more present. I swallow the last bit of distance and walk up the porch's front steps, wincing every time the frail and worn-out wooden planks creak underneath me. I gaze at the door, separating myself from the mystery inside. I take a deep breath and slow push it open. I hold back a gasp when a bare touch of my hand on its surface makes it slam wide open and hit the side wall hard. It stays in place, leaving it wide open, but the noise of the slam echoes threateningly through the house. It's completely dark inside, save for a few candles placed around on the floor, dancing softly in the breeze coming in from the doorway where I stand, and casting faint yellowish glows onto the dusty floor. I take a few steps in, and immediately, the door slams shut behind me.

I close my eyes and breathe in, then breathe out.

What is this!? A sappy horror movie?

I leave the closed door and let my eyes wander around the vast foyer as my footsteps resonate on the floor with each step. A large staircase swirls around itself against a side wall, broken pieces hanging limply and looking ready to fall and knock someone out cold at any moment. Dust covers everything; the floor, the walls, the large chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, and the furniture that is covered in white drapes, so that only the outlines show. It all looks... abandoned.

Something else catches my eye and I notice a door nestled away in a corner and tightly shut. However, my feet start moving towards it of their own accord, as if a force is pulling me there. The orb resumes its harsh glow, illuminating the dark path. As I get closer, I notice several of the candles die down, taking the lighting with them. An uneasy feeling creeps over me but I gulp the fear down, forcing myself forwards. I close the door behind me, and when I turn around the first thing I see - is nothing. A blinding white light fills my vision and I take a step back, forcing my eyes closed. I let out a breath when it dies down, but black splotches block my vision, as if I've been staring at the sun for too long.