Cobweb Head

s e v e n t e e n

At first it was slightly peaceful – only me and the darkness and the quiet. That feeling was quickly cut off as I walked face first into a wall.

I gasped, pressing a hand to my aching nose as I scowled at myself, and was instantly glad no one was there to see it. I was left to wallow in my own shame as I took down the passageway warily.

The damp walls drew tight on both sides, the stale air was cold in my mouth. I was starting to feel sick with dread – what if I never got out of here? What if this path was going to take me all the way down to hell?

No, it had to lead somewhere. Preferably not hell.

The ground had started to feel uneasy beneath my feet, or were my knees starting to feel weak as the hammering in my chest grew louder? It was hard to tell.

Pale light filtered in through an opening ahead, illuminating the cramped walls, and I tore forward at the sight. The path was starting to slope up towards it.

Once I'd reached the exit, almost tripping on my own feet, I staggered out, and hoped to see sunlight as I lifted my gaze. Instead I was greeted with a cave, and the chilling air grew colder.

The crooked walls weren't stony, but silver. Light snaked across the jagged surface.

It was as if my bones had cemented in place –  there were voices there, but no one to speak them.

I edged forward, searching the walls for an opening but seeing nothing but silver and dirt. The light had to be coming from somewhere.

My pulse was thrashing beneath the flesh, as if my body was terrified but my mind was not. I shuddered, continuing the search and ignoring the trembling in my hands.

The muttering in my head became louder as I neared one of the walls, and soon realised they weren't voices at all. My heart clenched. Animalistic shrieks and growls grew louder as I traced a finger lightly across the crooked surface.

I drew back with a wince, bringing my hands to my ears as the disembodied cries throbbed against my skull. They numbed as I ripped my attention away from the wall.

I frowned, a growing sense of unease settling in my stomach like curdled milk. It wasn't pleasant. I needed to get out of here quick, and what Grimm had said was replaying in my mind on repeat. How Oliver had stolen the dream syrup. Whoever she was and why she was circling the school. Detaching nightmares.

I remembered back to the nightmarish woman from earlier today – was she the supposed threat?

I stumbled over loose rocks, which skidded across the dusty floor. When my gaze met an opening, a crumpled hole halfway up the cave's wall, I took towards it, and clamped a fist of hair over my head with a grimace. The cries grew louder as I neared the walls.

I struggled for a moment to jump up into the hole, and soon I couldn't hear my own breath. I slumped down against the opening's wall, the harsh silver rubbing into my spine. I could only barely look up through the cries.

Through the hole, I would have to climb up, where metres above me I could see a crooked opening and weeds growing from the edges.

I scrambled up, a heart knocking against my chest, and started to climb. I placed a foot over a fat root and lifted myself up.

I almost fell halfway there as a screech shook my skull. My face was burning, even with the cold air against it, and I could feel my heart slowly rise into my throat.

When I finally threw myself through the hole, I scrambled to my feet with little thought. Everything was a blur – the cushioned grass beneath my feet, the trees surrounding me, even the fallen bricks scattered near from where I stood.

I leapt forward and buried my face into a bush as I hurled. My stomach lurched with every sudden jolt of pain. Fuck, I hated that place.

When I wiped my mouth with a ripped sleeve, drawing my gaze up, I realised where I was. I stood inside the skeletal remains of Rosebud Tower, where the hole was only a few paces away from me.

My knees almost buckled beneath my weight, and with a shuddering breath, I ran. I'd been doing a lot of that today.

|||

By the time I'd stumbled into my dorm, the sun had already touched the earth as it continued its descent. I gave a sigh of relief when I found Leo not there.

My face was ash white in the mirror, and shadows hung thickly around my eyes. Dirt dusted my tousled hair, mud mottled my shirt and there was still a faint red stain at the rip at my shoulder. I looked awful. No wonder people had been staring  as I walked up – it probably gave them even more reason to call me crazy.

After washing up, replacing my shirt with a thin sweater and wrestling on a pair of clean jeans, I realised the time. It was ten minutes before dinner.

I didn't think I'd be able to eat – my hands were still shaking, I jumped at the slightest tremor, and I still resembled a ghost more than a person. But I had coughed up lunch. My mouth had gone uncomfortably dry.

I needed to ask Leo about Rosebud Tower as well, so I pulled on an extra jacket and left the room.

My head felt numbed, as if the cries I'd heard inside the cave had worn it out. Going into a room swarming with students was the last thing I wanted to do, and instantly regretted it as I was met with the crowd of blurry faces.

My heart thrummed louder, harder, against my ears. I couldn't do it.

I hurried back to my room.