Haunted (A Rhett and Link fanfiction)

Chapter Twelve

As the hours dragged by, minute by minute, Rhett's eyelids began getting heavier and heavier. He had tried to stay awake, fighting the heavy blanket of sleep that was threatening to smother him so he could save both Link and himself if something were to go wrong. Rhett yawned, his green eyes slowly closing. His body relaxed as he drifted off to sleep, it was a deep, peaceful sleep, just from pure exhaustion. Normally, in this sort of situation, Rhett wouldn't be able to sleep at all, but his body was desperate for a rest and forced him to. Link on the other hand, was having a harder time sleeping. Sure, he was sleeping deeply, but his mind was plagued with horrific nightmare after nightmare. 

Darkness swirled around Link, causing goosebumps to rise all over his skin. He shivered and looked up at the thin crescent moon, thin clouds hid its full light, plunging the world around Link in darkness. He coughed dryly and rubbed his bloodshot eyes. Leaves and twigs crunched under his weight as he took each and every cautious step. He was lost, alone, cold. Then, everything went completely dark. Link felt his heart plummit into his stomach with a dull ache. He was falling, falling, falling. Warmth, thick and gooey. Metallic in taste. Blood. It was everywhere. He fell to the ground, in a pool of it. He was now in a small, 10' by 10' foot room, no door, no window, no way of entering or exiting. The room was lit by a small red candle hanging from the wall in a red glass case. He could feel the blood, dripping from his body. It was not his own, and that completely sickened him. He hated blood in general, but being covered in someone else's was a whole new layer to his hatred.

Link ran his shaking hands through his hair, the deep red blood spreading onto his hair now. Link felt so disguisting. So wrong. "O-oh God, please, let me wake up! I-I can't take this, I'm gonna faint!" Just as Link's cracked lips and dry vocal chords uttered those words, he felt his legs weaken. He could feel the world spinning, spinning so fast around him. His name, words, screams, cries, all of those sounds cried out at once. Some voices he knew, but they were lost in the sea of others, as they screamed for help. Their voices were all pained, as though they were in great fear. Link covered his ears and fell to his knees, gagging at the warmth of the blood that was seemingly swallowing him whole. 

A huge swirling portal appeared before Link and he stood. Something was drawing him in, urging him to step through the portal. Without a thought going through his head, his legs and feet worked together to bring him into it. He stepped in, a tingling sensation and then numbness taking over his body. 

Link's eyes shot open and he sat up, groaning as he did so. Rhett woke up at that and heard soft breathing from behind him, outside the door. Without moving an inch, Rhett said in the quietest voice possible, "Link, there's something out there. It's right beside the door." As quiet as Rhett was, he still wasn't quiet enough. He heard a huff of air and then silence. Rhett and Link slowly looked at each other, both men's eyes were filled with fear and worry. The only sounds they could hear was the beating of their hearts and breath. Then, the door began to shake as something repeatedly banged its body into the door. It definitely wasn't human, that was certain. 

Making no attempt to remain quiet anymore, Rhett yelled, "Link, we gotta get out of here, brother! And the only way is the door! I'm gonna have to move, and carry you outta here! All the while, we're going to be chased, I'm sure! Get ready, cause we gotta move fast!" Link nodded, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to keep a grip on himself and his emotions. "Rh-Rhett, no! Please, you'll never make it if you get me! We'll both end up dead! Just leave me, save yourself! Please!" Link begged Rhett, but the man couldn't leave him. "Link, I can't leave you! I could never live with the knowledge that I left you to die! W-wait, wait, all the other monsters, they've been in our heads. They weren't real. Why should this one be too? Link, it's not real. You gotta believe that, don't let it scare you. If we can convince ourselves it isn't there, we'll make it."

Rhett wasn't entirely sure that this was true, but it was his only chance. Link was right, there was no way they could both make it out of this alive unless it was fake, a mind trick. Rhett stood up, the door still bending and rattling loudly every time the monster on the other side tried to break it down. "Link, this house is old, that door would have already broken down. I could break it down if I wanted to. It can't be real." Rhett stepped away from the door, it seemed that the monster was starting to give up. Rhett smiled and sat down next to Link. "See, it's getting weaker because I don't believe in it. It isn't real. You gotta do the same. I already opened the door for you, step in. We can destroy this monster." 

Link looked up into Rhett's eyes and nodded. "You're right. It isn't real. Not real. Not real." The heavy breathing, pounding on the door, it all stopped. They had defeated the 'monster'. "Link, we did it. We did it, and I think I know how we can get out of here. We're gonna get out of here."