Deep Slumber

Chapter 3

The sun had started setting, casting a golden glow over the rotting mansion. Copper roofs, turning green from age and weathering. Windows smashed in places, making the place look more abandoned than it actually is. Part of the west wing had clasped in on itself, creating nothing more than a pile of rubble and debris.

"Now, let's get one thing straight. No one, I repeat, no one is to go in there." I said, looking down at the map of the house.

"Why shouldn't we? Let's get in and kill it then get out. Simple and easy."

"With other kills maybe, but if you want to get killed Jean, go ahead. I'm not stopping you." I held my hands up in a 'I surrender' type of way. Armin tapped on Mine and Jean's shoulders. He pushed in between us with another, more complex map of the mansion.

"Erens right. Jean, the area where the Doll may be haunting would be covered in invisible strings. Trigger one of them and a vibration will be sent to it, then bam! You'll be tied up and devoured slowly, but painfully."

"First of all, did you just say Eren was right?! Second, why don't we just cut the strings or set them alight?"

"Asshole..." I whispered, how stupid is this guy?

"Fuck off Jaeger!"

"Eren, Jean, kill each other after we have done this! We don't have time!"

"Continue, Armin. Where about is the Doll haunting, which room or rooms." I said, looking at the yellow cocoanut. His blue eyes stared at us both, picking up his map he pointed to three large rooms in the east wing.

"Rooms number, 33, 35, 37 and a section of the end corridor."

"Damn, such a large area. Easy to corner though, but I guess that's the tricky part." I said, drawing a large box in the map with my finger tip. Others had come to see the plan, pointing out openings and ways to attack.

By the time we had created a plan the sun had completely disappeared as night came and the mansion seemed dead, empty, no light at all coming from it. We made our way through the tall, rusty gates and walked towards the building. We split into three groups, mine was going to advance and attack head on, the other two groups were going to wait from a distance, until the Doll lowers it's guard to strike.

We stepped onto the broken patio and pushed the double, oak doors open. They creaked and moaned as the old wood moved for the first time in, if I had to guess, years. We entered the grand hall, a colossal staircase in the centre. To the left of the staircase is a pile of rocks and broken furniture, to the right a hallway where the Doll maybe hiding.

I looked around the manor, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Jean, who happened to be part of my group, charged up the stairs. His equipment rattling as metal hit metal, he turned down the hallway with a face full of anger.

"Jean!!!! Stop!!!! Don't go any further!!!" I yelled after him, I sprinted up the stairs after him, missing steps as I ran up. I saw him standing there, still, unmoving. He stared ahead, something sat at the end of the hall. The Doll.

It sat there, shrivelled skin over a thin frame. Empty eye sockets stared at us, unseeing. Rotting flesh oozed out of its clothing, rank odours and smells came from it. Mouth hung open, lined with yellow teeth, flecks of human flesh were stuck between each decaying tooth. A slimy tongue hung over it's cracked lips. Arms suspended in the air, held by invisible strings. Limp hands twitched, overgrown nails dipped with dried blood.

Jean dropped his knife, everything seemed to slow down. Only did I realise what was happening until it was far to late. The knife tumbled down and sliced through a thin string. The Doll's thin body shook as the vibrations traveled to it. I pushed Jean out of the way as several tentacle like strings came shooting our way.