May's Workshop Stories

Castle in the Fog

In the castle on the hill, there lived a little girl. She was a girl like no other who loved to sing and play her favorite games. But she didn't like to play alone, so she often invited friends over to play with her.

Once friends arrived, they never left the beautiful castle protected by the forest and obscured by the fog. No one ever knew what became of them, and none ever dared investigate.

At least not until that fateful night in December when Joshua, the poor villager whose only treasure was his daughter, braved the elements and horror stories about the haunted castle.

He didn't care about curses, horrible deaths, or terrifying monsters. All he cared about was finding his little girl who had fallen victim to the castle's call, or as they believed, the call of the White Angel that was more of a devil in the poor man's eyes.

Part of the way, Joshua could traverse with his horse, but a large stretch through the forest, he had to cross on foot. Being all alone made everything so much heavier. He wasn't sure if it was his fear pressing him down or if it was some power beyond his understanding that was trying to stop him from getting his daughter back. Either way, he persisted in his search because the love of a father whose daughter was the only thing he had in life, was stronger than anything else.

No fear, no doubt, and no curse could keep him away from the doomed castle where he was sure he would find his daughter. The question of whether he would encounter her alive or find her frozen body lay heavily on his heart, but that didn't make him give up. It actually spurred him on.

When the wind tried to tear at his clothes and his very soul, he just fastened his coat more firmly, lowered his head, and walked bravely into the thick of the storm.

"I am coming, my dear. Daddy is coming," he mumbled, his teeth chattering from the cold.

No one else wanted to do anything about her disappearance, and he knew that he was his little girl's last chance. That thought, that hope kept him warm even through the worst of it, and the hard wooden surface of the door that he hit after what felt like hours of going in what he hoped was the right direction came as a surprise.

The fact that the door opened of its own accord made him think that welcomed or not, he was definitely expected by whomever or whatever inhabited the castle. Even though he had no idea what he was walking into, the devoted father walked on into the unknown for his little girl.

"Hello?" Joshua called loudly, even though he wasn't sure that was the best idea. "Mallory? Can you hear me? Are you in here?"

He didn't receive an answer, but a door opened on its own. Thus, he entered the main hall, which looked more richly decorated than anything the poor man had ever seen in his life. Yet, he didn't truly register any of it as his eyes scanned all the nooks and crannies for his one true treasure, his daughter.

"Please, honey, come out. Come to daddy," Joshua said, trying to stop himself from shaking as cold air made his skin crawl.

Loud laughter echoed in the distance and made Joshua hurry in its general direction.

He knew that type of laughter well. It was the laughter of a child who wanted to play a game. However, it wasn't the familiar tinkling of his daughter's laugh. It was something far spookier, something that had an otherworldly timbre to it.

"White Angel?" Joshua asked, his voice barely above a frightened whisper. "I just want to see my daughter, please. Can I see Mallory?"

Loud footsteps echoed behind him, but when he spun around quickly, he saw nothing but the long hall adorned with various paintings of the castle's previous occupants.