The Murray Mansion Floorboards

Landsliding Chaos II

MADISON

Madison was in the maze again. It was as dark and cold as she remembered it. The familiar lights flickered as she wandered down the pathways. She was alone, and everything was silent.

Thump. Madison whirled around, her heart jumping. Apparently she wasn't as alone as she thought.

It's the laughing man, Madison thought. She looked around again. She couldn't see anyone. She continued walking at a faster pace.

Another loud bump sounded through the corridors. It was followed by the muffled sound of soft footsteps. Madison froze in place to listen. Then she broke into a sprint down the hall. The footsteps were coming her way.

Not again! she pleaded in her mind. I can't take any more! She frantically took turn after turn, hoping to throw her pursuer off. She ran for a while, but she was able to take it. Being athletic was the reason she had been invited to PITY, right? Madison's frightened thoughts froze, but her feet kept moving. I'm not sure that's the reason anymore.

After she was convinced that she had lost whoever was following her, Madison slowed down to a walk. She leaned forward and breathed deeply, relieved that she was safe.

Thump, thump, thump. Madison shot up straight. The footsteps were back. Not only that, but they were louder, closer....

And coming from right in front of her.

Madison stumbled back a few steps, but she didn't run. She knew when she was defeated. No matter what, the dream maze would find a way to get her. It always did.

Madison, still panting, squinted into the darkness. "Come on," she breathed. "I know you're there. Come out already."

The person obeyed and stepped into the dim light. But Madison was wrong. It wasn't the laughing man.

"Hello?" Roy said quietly.

Madison stared at the boy with wide eyes. How did Roy get into the maze? Why? She blinked, expecting the image to go away. But Roy stayed, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Please," he said weakly. "Help me."

Madison shook her head. "No," she said, her voice cracking. "It's impossible."

"Please."

"But you're dead!"

Roy looked at her with empty, bewildered eyes. "No, I'm not," he said.

Madison swallowed and took another step back. She didn't know which she preferred—the laughing man or this faded echo of the missing student. "You're not dead?" she asked.

"I'm lost," Roy answered.

"But we thought the murderer got you."

"I'm lost."

Madison shook her head more violently and took a few steps in retreat. "This can't be real. We don't know what happened to you. You can't just appear in someone's dream and tell them you're alive. It's...it's not real." Of course it wasn't real. This wasn't Roy. He didn't even know her name.

"It is real, Madison."

Madison's breath caught in her throat.

"Please help me."

Madison held her petrified stare for a minute, then bolted in the opposite direction. She didn't turn back. Roy watched her leave sadly, slowly disappearing from her view.

Madison didn't stop running. She didn't care if the dream Roy would find her again. All she knew was that she couldn't stand to listen any longer.

The hallways stretched out endlessly in front of her. He'll never be able to find me, she thought, although she wasn't entirely convinced. I just have to keep running.

A voice pierced through her racing thoughts. "I'm lost, Madison. Please help me."

Madison fell to the floor and clutched her head. "No! Get out of my head!" she screamed.

"Help me."

She shook her head and pressed her hands against its sides until her ears started ringing. "No! Go away. I just want to wake up!"

"I'm lost. You need to help. You're the only one who can."

"I won't! You're not real!"

The floorboards creaked in front of her. She looked up and saw Roy standing in front of her. But this time he was staring back at her with the same expression of shock that was on her own face.

"Is that you, Madison?" he whispered. His eyes were red, and his voice was shaky. He sounded very real.

Madison wanted to speak, but she couldn't move her lips. But then she saw what was behind Roy and screamed.

Roy turned around quickly. Standing above him was a giant, shadowy man.

Laughing.

"I have you now," he boomed, his voice shaking the ground like thunder. A monstrous hand descended from the darkness.

"No!" Roy cried. He tried to run, but he was caught up and lifted high in the air.

Madison watched in horror, unable to help.

Roy looked down at her, his eyes wide. "Madison!" he called.

Madison stood frozen in place.

"Tell Rick I'm okay!" Then he was pulled back into the murky darkness.

Madison fell to her knees as they buckled. Was he really okay? The Roy that she had run away from had seemed to be nothing but a shadow. But this other one had been real. She knew it.

But how was that possible?

Her thoughts were shattered by a deep rumble that came from the inky blackness in front of her. It started as a cold, merciless chuckle, grew into roaring laughter, and then became a voice. "I'll get you, too," the man said.

As soon as the words had been said, the floor opened up, swallowing Madison and sending her hurtling into oblivion.

She woke up.