Nidus

Here I Come, Death

~~The aged hinges groan as they open. Light shines in from the widening crack onto my face. I glance around the room quickly as I slowly step down the carpet. The room is long and narrow, veiled off at the end by a powdery black-violet veil. The veil hangs from the high-arched ceiling from one wall to the other. That is an odd place for a veil. A glow shines from behind it, lighting it up. The rest of the room is lit by chandeliers much like the one in the previous room. I begin to count them but lose track around twenty. Let it suffice that there are many chandeliers that cast the room into a light like the coming of a new day. Unlike the other room with the shining windows, the spaces where windows should be in here are bricked up.

The light reflects off the walls, washing the snowy walls with a hint of gold. I turn around as I walk. To my surprise, the doors are still there. The statue stands between the two doors like a beacon. I half expected it to disappear, like everything else.

Who was that who asked for my help? It was the same voice I heard on the beach, and from my flashback. The only difference then was that she sounded sad whereas now she sounded desperate.

Maybe she is just a part of my past and I am seeing flashbacks. Then again, it could be that I am haunted and she is a ghost. I shiver at the thought. I could also be dead, and this is the afterlife.

I turn back towards the veil deep in my thoughts. A shadow flashes behind it, pulling me from my mind. I start jogging down the hallway towards the veil a bit worried. Could this be her?

The shadow flashes again, pausing long enough that I can see the humanoid shape. "Hey!" I shout at it, and it freezes for a moment before darting away. "No, wait up!" I speed up my pace, reaching for the tooth instinctively. I curse softly under my breath, patting my waistline. The tooth is gone, I must have dropped it somewhere. I hope I will not need it.

I hit the veil and try to sweep it away but it is one solid piece, so it slides up over me as I struggle to throw it off. I look around, trying to find where the figure went. Whoever or whatever is was, is gone, without any hint of where it is now. I spin around, looking at the veil. Maybe she left when I came through. I lean down and pick up the edge, searching the rest of the room. Everything is the same; everything, that is, except for the painting on the back wall that I did not notice before. One painting sits on either side of the door. The one on the left is of a woman, a queen I think, and a beautiful one at that. She has a very decorated crown on her head, with long sweeping black hair. Her skin is very pale, a kind of a milky creaminess. She has on a purple dress with green trimmings that hugs her body tightly. Her face is simple, plain. Not a bad face, though, it suits her. The only thing is that she has a distant expression on her face as if she was above everyone else. That part annoys me.

I turn my gaze to the other painting but it had been clawed by something making it impossible to see. I shiver slightly. Whatever did that, I want to stay away from. I drop the veil and look back towards the annexed section of the room.

I do not understand why the painting of the woman would be here. If she is a queen, does that mean this used to be a castle? If that is so, then why just a queen? Why not have a painting of a king as well? That other could have been his. But why would it be slashed out?

The carpet splits left and right before heading back forwards again. Steps rise up at the end of both. Between the walls and the carpets is a row of lit candles. Between the two sets of stairs is another giant door identical to the other. I hurry towards it, excitement growing.

My hair stands on end as I grab the handle of the door. A wave of energy surges through the door and blasts me backwards. I hit the ground hard then just simply lay there as I weakly cough. Oh god, what the hell was that? I pick up my head and look at the door. It shimmers faintly, a fact that I did not notice earlier. I groan and drop my head back down. Scratch that as a way out.