Glow in the Dark

The Inn was in darkness. I bolted the iron door shut and looked around. The faint image of furniture picked my eye as I searched for light. No torch was left out and there were no windows of which the moonlight of the midnight sky could penetrate.

The sound of a clock ticking was the only noise around me, faint hoots of owls was around by the old forest but they were unclear, the Inn stood empty with little items inside. Nothing but me and the elderly Landlord roamed the property, not even a mouse or rat or rodent.

I held my arm against the wall feeling my way through the hall, dark as coal. No fire to warm up the structure or give light, I made my way up the damaged floorboards of the squeaky staircase leading to the rest of the Inn.

My foot misplaced and threw me into a stumble. I flailed to save myself, just managing to by grabbing what I thought would be a wall, but to my horror was a spider web. It quickly ripped and stuck to my dusty fingers. I caught the wall and steadily took another step. The sensation in the darkness and the shock of almost falling was a horrible one, but worst was to follow.

I prayed that I made no noise as the morose landlord was a old crone who never smiled, and he will not liked to be disturbed by my silly behaviour.

I thought I knew my way from the hall to my room, but on the second landing I must of taken a wrong turning, as through the pathway of narrow passages I found only a blank wall ahead of me. I took a few steps back and carried on walking through a different passage, groping with fear that I will find a similar looking door and enter a strange room.

Through the darkness I saw a dim reddish glow, which imaged the last few flames of a dying fire. My squinting eyes reopened and used the light to see my surroundings. The wallpaper was falling off showing the plain paint which covered the surfaces of the walls.

I followed the light, which lead towards a skeined curtain which blocked a short passage to another room. I found myself standing at the door to the room. Red was splattered on the wall around the passageway, giving me a macabre sense of fear.

Closing my eyes tightly I opened the door.

Inside was a round table with a chair neatly out next to it along with a cracked mirror. The reflection was just a glow from the lamp, its light veiled by some reddish cloth. As I glared around I noticed a figure sitting in the chair, facing the opposite direction to me, staring into the mirror. From what I saw it had red hair, a purplish gleam to it thanks to what might of been gel. Its face was covered by some sort of mask, which only left his eyes exposed. I saw the dark shawling of its clothes and a spark of green from what looked like a ring, dressed with a gleaming ruby shining from the light.

I re-glanced at the mirror, to my horror; had two reddish glows coming from it looking like eyes. They looked me straight into the orbs of my eyes and followed me around. I looked back down to see the figure had got up, and was looked also straight at me, a white gleam came from his hand looking like a blade, a reddish colour dripping from it.

I screamed and ran back, tripping over something blocking my way and jarring myself badly into some furniture.
The mirror had the full face of the figure now, though the figure was not facing the mirror at all, so how its face was resembled I do not know.

The figure began strolling towards me, laughing evilly as he did so. I got myself up just in time and ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I knew the red must have been blood, so I never looked back and focused on running.

My mouth was dry and my legs hurt, my brain crackled and burned from the stress thrown onto me so quickly without warning, and my heart pumped.

I do not remember calling out, but the landlord did find me and with a ill-gratitude, returned me to the safety of my room. I was not prepared for his complaints and concerns, I was too caught up in my own remorse. For that night I never slept that night, as I hoped to keep that room as secure as possible and all I could do was relive the horrific event over and over again.

Ever since that day I hated the colour red, just seeing a red coat would remind me, and force me into a sweat. I struggled to look at the world the same. I forever lock my door, I have got rid of any mirror or red furniture. But most of all, I have never gone near any old fashioned buildings.

I have regretted many decisions that I have made in my lifetime, but the one I regretted the most was going into the room covered by the skeined curtain on the third floor of the old Inn across the old town.

Thanks for reading! Please make sure you hit that little star, and comment me some feedback. Positive or negative, it is all appreciated! :)