Don't Get Eaten

Chapter Fifteen

I twitch as I hear a strange noise. Opening my eyes, I look in front of me to see the candlelight was low and soon about to go out. I was facing away from Zared since I couldn't bear to face him after everything that had been said between us.

As I stare at the light, I notice something beyond it. My body clenches tightly in alarm. The door to our room was halfway ajar. The hall beyond that was pitch black. I didn't hear any noise, but it was way to eerily quiet.

I slowly sit up, never taking my eyes off the door. I just sit there watching, my heart pounding into my chest like wild horses running. My ears were buzzing, trying to pick up any of the slightest sounds that it could.

I turn my head to check on Zared, but fear pierces through me as I see he was no longer in his bed. His covers were thrown to the side and his bed completely empty. I scramble out of bed now, grabbing a candle and heading out the door.

Carefully opening it all the way, I stick a head out into the hall. "Zared?" I whisper, my voice carrying.

The hallway was so dark that I was only able to see the door across the way in front of me.

He doesn't answer and I wondered if he was either in one of the other rooms or went down to the lobby. Why he would go down there, I didn't know. It was way too dark and quiet to be sneaking around the place.

Stepping out, I take a few steps, my body tensing in my fear and my heart never ceasing to stop pounding. I walk slowly down the hall. All the doors were closed, so I assumed everyone was still sleeping. I wasn't sure if it was still night or day since all the windows were boarded up.

I go to open the door that leads to the stairwell. But before I could turn the handle, I hear a scratching noise. I freeze with my hand perfectly still on the handle. My breathing becomes erratically heavier and quicker. My body unable to move as the scratching continues.

Slowly, I scan my eyes to the left of the hall where the noise seemed to be coming from. There was nothing there that I could see, but it wasn't like I was able to see five feet in front of me anyways. It wasn't getting louder, just staying the same volume. But there was something else that was making a sound as well.

It was almost like chewing or munching.

I was afraid to find out what it could be, but I had to know. It was like I needed to know. So, I let go of the handle and carefully take a step, trying my best not to make any sounds. My candle was dangerously low as it begins to flicker.

I swallow hard, praying that the little fire will stay with me and not go out. It felt like forever by the time I got near the noise as it grew louder and louder. At the very end of the hall was the last door of one of the rooms and it was standing wide open.

A glow was flickering inside. I was terrified of what I could find in there. There was no way any of those creatures could get in without any of us knowing...right?

The chewing sound got more intense as a crunch was heard along with it. It was too loud for a normal person to be eating like that, so I wasn't sure if that was what's happening here. The closer I got, the more my fear increased.

I finally make it to the edge of the door and as slow as I dared, I peek into the room without making any sound. My eyes widen in absolute horror at what I was seeing. There in the room was the same monster that had been chasing us. It was so big that it was crouched in an awkward position, its overly large brain was making these sucking movement as the creature's eye was settled on the thing in its claw like hands. Its large mouth retracted sharp teeth as it chewed away on a human arm.