Neon Black

8: Metamorphosis

When I read those words - A gift - a shiver passes through me. Beginning in my heart and slowly, inevitably, spreading out across my whole body sending a spike of fear up my spine. Memories rush back into my mind. Memories of being unable to move, of a hand clenching my throat, of a man's back, a man's hidden face – and the promise of a gift.

"Len?!" I call out, as my breath starts to quicken.

Note crumpling in my hand I go to turn away from the box, to move towards the door but I feel like I'm being held by something. But there's no pressure on my body, no one holding me down. It's something inside me, in my mind.

My muscles start to tense as my neck strains to look away, but I can't. It's as if something in the box has reached out and has gripped my attention, holding it fast. My eyes begin to water and I try to blink, but I can't. I can't move at all. My mouth is frozen, half open in the middle of calling out again to Lenore, a dull pain beginning to spread through my clenched jaw.

I feel divided, like I'm splitting in two. One part of me fully focused on the box, the other trying to get away, struggling against myself. My arm starts to move, slowly toward the box. But it isn't me doing it, not the real me. The me that wants to get away. As my arm moves closer the note drops out of my hand. But instead of falling to the floor it drifts upwards, as if on some unseen wind. The letters begin to glow, the orange, white and red of fire eating through the paper. Consuming it so fast that in a matter of seconds only specks of ash remain, floating in front of my eyes, my arm now inches from the box.

With a force of will I didn't know I possess I start to turn my face towards the door, but my eyes stay focused on the box. If I could only call out, I think. If I could only speak I know I'd be freed from this frozen state. But instead I watch, with terror, horror and anticipation as my fingers crawl through the air like a wild animal, sniffing out bait and shuffling unsuspecting ever forward to its death.

They reach out, and as soon as they touch the box my body unfreezes and lurches forward. My other arm and hand snapping onto the box as well. As I shift my body and legs, trying to pull away I feel a stillness seeping out from my hands, creeping up my arms, locking me away once more.

While I'm still able I turn toward the door and call out as loud as I can.

"Len! Help me!"

Any further words are cut off as a chill spreads into my neck, capturing my voice and enforcing silence. But as I hear footsteps thumping towards my room in quick succession I know I've been heard.

"Ev? What's –"

And just as I see her face come through the door, just as the light from my room touches her body and safety comes rushing towards me. The lights and the power cut out and everything goes dark.

I am frozen once more, left straining against invisible bonds trying to break free. I see Lenore too, illuminated by the flashing of the lightening outside my window, frozen mid-stride, eyes wide, mouth open in the middle of calling to me - still like a statue.

As we stare at each other in terror I see her eyes shifting about, moving, and her fingers twitching and arm shaking, the only sign that she's alive and time is passing.

Thunder rumbles like deep destructive drums and lightning strobes and flashes in unison, a deadly chorus played by the storm that sits right above us.

Then, like a beast emerging from its den, in the darkness beyond the room, behind Lenore I see a figure begin to form. Like a stilted old moving picture, coming closer frame by frame, flash by flash it jerks and slinks around Lenore as it enters the room. A scream, trapped deep within my lungs fights to be free as I recognise the clothes, the glasses and the face. Halfway between me and Lenore he stops. Then with both arms, jumping back and forth as they move towards his face, he reaches for his glasses and removes them. But where eyes should be I see only more darkness.

And as a smile spreads across his face, as tears of terror fall from my eyes, as a fear filled moan claws its way out of Lenore's throat - I know. That death has found me. That death has stalked me through this terrible night, has ridden through this raging storm to warp itself around my soul. And I know, that tonight I will die.