A Horror Anthology

Silenced - @AaidaNawaarArpa

I was driven to a tiny glimmer of light, out of the darkness, creeping deeper and deeper, until I knew I was way past the edge of reality and consciousness. It wasn't the first time I was having this particular dream, but it resounded the same note of dread as it had the first time. The all-familiar red door loomed over me, waiting for me to step inside and revisit the deeper horrors within. My stare-off with the large door lasted only seconds before a small brown-haired girl pushed through it, oblivious to the vile aura it emitted. Daunting as it was, I followed her inside. 

Ear-piercing screams enveloped me as soon as I entered. The walls echoed with the wails and high pitched squeals of... humans? No. They definitely sounded like pigs. It had to be pigs; but the more I listened, the more unconvinced I was. I wanted to run back to the front door, however, my feet seemed to have a life of its own and I helplessly gave up control, allowing my avatar to lead me on, hanging on to the hope that it will all end soon.

I entered a room, the floor painted in blood. A maid was scrubbing the wood, knelt on the ground with a sly grin on her face. She seemed to be enjoying herself but her eyes told a different story, as if she was dead on the inside. The small girl was there again, stepping into another room, giggling all the way.

"Jasper, come on!" she said, as she pulled my arm and led me into the hall of torture. All around me butchers were slicing people up, alive, as they gave out their last attempts at escape. I could only watch as the victims screamed for help. The girl skipped along the hall, without flinching; even as a legless man with two bloody stumps crawled to us, pleading, her expression was unwavering.

At length, we stepped into another room, and I gasped in horror. There was a mass of human heads floating overhead; all with smiles on their faces, strung to the ceiling. It was only then that the girl finally stopped in her tracks, now with a deadly look on her face, eyes fixated at a certain spot on the ceiling. I wondered what made the girl stop, if the random slaughter and gruesome killing couldn't. Before I knew it, we were outside. The show's big finale. A woman in white stood before us, dark eyes puffed up and streaming with black tears. Despite the sorrow in her eyes her blood red lips revealed a wicked smile. She put a finger to her lips.

'Shhhhhhh..."

The little girl screamed.

***

Gasping, I woke up with the image of the woman still imprinted onto my waking vision. It was strange how I could not recognize my little sister, Penny, the brown-haired girl, during the nightmare. The former confusion I had felt in that dream quickly was replaced by understanding and anguish over my missing sibling. I looked out the window to find a cloudy sky hovering over my neighborhood of decorated houses. Of course, how could I forget?

"Halloween," I muttered. They had out-done themselves this time. Every house that I could see was adorned in dim lighting, with occasional mummy props or vampire coffins. I sighed, thinking, "It was her favorite holiday. Wait... Halloween! What time is it?"

I quickly glanced at the watch on my arm, which was cramping due to my former awkward sleeping position. I was supposed to meet up with Naomi an hour ago! I turned on my phone to find several missed calls. Sending a hurried text of apology, I quickly got up and rushed to meet my friend.

***

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Despite my late arrival, I was surprised by her soft words. Naomi's face was scrunched up in concern as she waited for me to respond. I repeated the question in my mind. Was I really prepared to go back there again?