The Portal - Pain Is The Password

Chapter five - A symbol

Audrey spins multiple times, with every complete circle her grin grows wider. This is the best bedroom Audrey has ever stepped foot in. With the white walls and the white carpet and the plain bed, it may not be much but she feels safe, she feels at ease.

The room is homely, with an armchair in the corner, a fluffy pillow sitting gently on top of it. Audrey moves to sit down on the armchair but trips on a rug that she seems to have not seen. She jumps back up and forgoes the chair. Running her hand through her wet hair, she smiles at the memory of the bath she just had, rubbing all the dirt and blood off of her body and smelling nice again.

A sharp knock at the door startles Audrey from her daydream and she runs to go open it, smiling as the door opens smoothly and doesn't hang on by the nail.

"Hello." She says, her smile so wide that even Fate doesn't dream of a smile that great.

"Uh hi??" Evert says it like a question and is standing at her door with his arms wrapped around Audrey's mirror and she snatches it off him quickly, leaving him stunned.

"You were the one who knocked." She mutters and he looks at her with a strange expression.

"Look, my dad's gonna be home in twenty minutes so dinner will be then." Audrey nods in response and Evert takes off down the hall, Audrey stays in the doorway for several seconds before shutting the door.

Audrey takes a seat on the bed, sinking into the soft foam mattress and running her hands along the cooling duvet. She watches the clouds move quickly across the horizon. Trees begin to rustle and the strange animals prepare themselves for the night's storm. A delightful smell runs through the house and a noisy clatter of pans hitting each other sounds from downstairs. She removes her gaze from the window and stares at her cracked nail varnish. Another crash, followed by Sias shouting echoes up to Audrey and she laughs out loud, before clamping her hand over her own mouth and wondering whether anyone heard her laughter.

After a few merry moments of the boys having fun down in the kitchen, all noise comes a sudden stop. Audrey shudders as a chill runs down her spine, this house is being consumed by darkness. She can feel the thundercloud loom over the roof and her heart sinks.

The originally light footsteps become heavy as Fate sprints up the stairs. She slams open the door, her purple hair turned white and sticking out at all odd angles. Her face is as pale as her hair. Her breathing uneven and she leans against the door to take a breather before straightening up again. The purple in her hair slowly returning and her face becoming less deathly with every second passing.

"Come on, we have to eat dinner." Fate pulls Audrey off the bed, she tries to drag Audrey through the door. Audrey pulls away from Fate, snatching her wrist back and examining the growing red mark. "Audrey! We have to get downstairs." Her voice is firm but she's still smiling.

"Just don't pull me, okay?" Audrey mutters, stroking her sore wrist.

"Okay, but downstairs." She pronounces the words like a promise so Audrey follows her out.

The kitchen, Audrey realizes, is the weirdest kitchen she has ever seen. The colours leaping out towards her and pulling her in. The pink kettle captures her wondering eyes but it isn't long before they travel to the blue sink. She gazes lightly at the lilac island with the mint green chairs shoved unevenly beneath. Next to the island is a magnificent yellow dining table with a chandelier swinging dangerously above. But the cheerful demeanour doesn't fool Audrey as the man in front of her makes her want to vomit the darkness he is feeding her.

Audrey's eyes travel up the strangely tall man's body and hold back a shudder as she locks eyes with him. A tacky, black hairdo sits upon his square head and sadistic smile that seems to grow wider as Audrey squirms. His eyes are the feature that Audrey cannot bear to look at but forces herself anyway. A very similar stormy, white pair to Evert's. All though Evert's eyes hold a mixture of understanding and kindness under all the anger. This man, this mans eyes are overflowing with hatred.