Lonely

Chapter 2

Then there were the big rooms, with soaring ceilings and massive stone columns holding it all up. In places like these, the stones on the floor were even, smooth. It had a stale air sort of scent, but better than death. The corridors in places like this were massive, so large I could barely make out the ceiling, and so long that the end faded into nothing. I preferred the large, open places. Here, my eye sight worked perfectly and I could see all around me. There was a pantry that was always full. Whoever kept tabs on me did a good job. I got a cook book one year that I seldom used, but was able to make small things, like watery soup or something. If I got lucky, I might find a few eggs or something fresh for me. That was rare. A massive dining hall with a long table, a dozen chairs on either side. I rarely ate in there, because it made me feel odd. I couldn’t quite put my finger on the feeling. Loneliness? I don’t know, but I didn’t like it. I for the most part spent most of my time in one wing of the castle. I knew that wing like the back of my hand. The others wings I rarely used. This wing had the big, soaring rooms and the pantry, not to mention a spire that I could go up in. I often slept up there. There were no windows anywhere in the castle.

But there were certain doors that I knew were not to be opened. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. One, I was sure, would lead underground. I knew that was where all the worst creatures were.  The other two doors I was sure lead to the outside. If I got within a hundred feet of them, I was attacked. I only made that mistake twice. Both doors were massive, wooden doors that went all the way to the ceiling. I never really got a close look at them. So, long story short, my life was boring and dark. I knew nothing else. But every day the craving for something knew grew in me. But all I had to do was look at my arms, or feel my shoulders, and I knew I would never make it. Once, there had been young kids in my castle. They startled me, for they were the first humans I could remember seeing. I was too close to the front of the castle, and that was one of the few times I ever spoke, to warn them. They barely made it out before the wolf came. That was only a few years ago, and still the memories haunted my dreams. They were the ones who named me Hanger.